Brian
I took some time to write down some childhood memories of my brother Brian, below, and also some info from my journals of the '80's and 90's.
We just had a family gathering to remember him. He passed away a few months ago, late last year
Here are some memories:
Brian
I am on the plane, and wanted to take some time to jot down some memories of Brian… who died a few months ago. We are on our way to Arizona to meet up with the family and remember him.
Some early memories of Brian…
We were both born in Oregon but grew up in the late'60's in Maryland and then in the '70'a and '80's onward in Massachusetts.
I have early memories of playing outside with him in Maryland… running around the apartment complex with the other kids, hiding in bushes, laying in a playground…. also some early dreams where I think he was driving us in a car and maybe crashing as he was too small to drive. Not a huge number of memories from Maryland as we only lived there in the very early years.
In Natick, MA we both went to Lincoln elementary school, two grades apart. We had other kids as friends on houses either side of us. People I'm still friends with today through Facebook. That was over 50 years ago in time
Brian and I often played games together as kids. Board games, like Monopoly and Risk as we grew up. Card games like War or Michigan Rummy… Our monopoly games would sometimes be marathons. We played just us two, but also often with other neighbor kids. As older kids, I remember Risk as being a game we really got into, making up some of our own rules about conquering the world.
When young, I remember going to swimming lessons at an indoor pool… we were both in different levels… I just remember my level was called minnows and his was something like sunfish.
We had a big back yard leading back to the train tracks in Natick. It had a slight hill, so we sledded a little in winter… sometimes rolled people down in a big tire in summer. There was a rocky area where we played with soldiers or GI Joes. Not always together, but sometimes… we were two years apart so had our own friend groups too.
Sometimes we would be climbing trees in the back… particularly a big tree in the back yard. One time I remember there was a rope tied to a big tree branch and everyone took turns swinging on it until it broke…. to see who would be the unfortunate one who crashed when it snapped. I think in that instance I'm thinking of, Brian was the unfortunate one. He came down on one of the tree roots and hurt his hip or leg a bit.
I also remember an incident where he was pushing smaller kids up and down around the yard in a wheelbarrow…. and he hurt his back doing that, a bit. Couldn't stand up straight for a while.
Another incident that stands out is when Brian broke through the ice at the Lincoln School frozen big…. another one of those times everyone took a turn until somebody crashed. I guess I just particularly remember the incidences where it was him (and sometimes it was me).
I remember my brother getting a blue bicycle when he was a Lincoln. It had a steering wheel instead of regular handle bars. It was a bit of a hassle, I remember, as every kid who saw it asked if they could ride it to try the steering wheel.
Our family, including my parents and Brian were all involved in scouting…. cub scouts and boy scouts. We went on camping trips, mountain climbing in New Hampshire, hiking excursions…. Pretty active in the outdoors with scouts as well as outside of scouts with just our parents.
In boy scouts, Brian ended up getting quite a few merit badges and became an eagle scout, if not very close to one, by the end. I think I gave up scouting a lot earlier in age than he did, and ended up as a second class, maybe, if that's what it is called. He would do difficult merit badges like first aid, whereas I never did much.
Lots of hiking trips up to the Appalachian Mountain Club huts in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Brian would be the most likely one to be at the top of the trail before the rest of us.
We took up the hobby of playing tennis for a while as early teens… and would often be wash others opponent on the tennis court.
Brian was a runner in track later on. Very fast amongst his peer group. Known for being the fastest in the school growing up…. and took up track because of it later.
I'll see if I can add to this later….
From journal…
Summer 1984 went to Europe… Brian and I take Capitol Airlines (parents took earlier flight). Got to Stansted airport London after an overnight flight, getting little sleep.
Hotel Leicester Square…. Remember we couldn't pronounce it right for taxi driver. Lie Kester. Walked to Trafalgar Square with parents. Boat on Thames… to Tower of London. Saw crown Jewels.
Lots of other things next day… Buckingham palace, madame Tussauds, climbed to top of St Paul's . Went to a play "40 years on"
Took train to Salisbury then bus to Stonehenge.
Then ferry to Cherbourg in France. Arromanches. Bayeaux. Train to Paris.
Brian and I ate on the Eiffel Tower. Went to Pere LaChaise cemetery to Jim Morrison's grave…. Later to Montmartre
Bus to Versailles, back to Louvre then Notre Dame, burger king on Champs Elysees.
Train through Alps to Milan. To Rome overnight.
Brian and I went to the Vatican… remember walking around it… then to pantheon, forum, colosseum, fountain of trevi, Spanish steps.
Rome to Bologna then to Munich then to Amsterdam. Canal boat ride, Anne Frank House, Brian and I went to a torture device museum.
Art museums, then to Delft, the Hague, madurodam miniature city.
Martinair flight home.
Summer 1986
Party for Grandma Dorothy. Brian and Debbie, Craig and Norma. Hamburgers and hot dogs inside as it was raining. Ice cream cake.
Brian bought an Olympics video game which we played.
Brian and Debbie got a house in Woodstock Valley CT on a lake. $400 a month. Brian works at Hamilton Standard in Windsor Locks CT
October birthday… visit his house . Bought him a hamster, gray and white… on the wheel all the time, also got a fun ball. We are hot dogs, chips and birthday cake.
Got engaged to Debbie at end of October… I found out Friday Oct 31
Thanksgiving …. Day after, went to a movie with Brian and Debbie… Star Trek IV Coming Home. about whales.
Christmas… got Brian and Debbie a backgammon set.
1987
Brian and Debbie skiing in New Hampshire, so they brought over their kittens Tiffany and Toby.
Brian got me two CDs for my birthday. Clash and Run DMC
April Brian and Debbie get married in Hawaii. Sent a postcard. I got them a wedding gift later… a ceramic cookie jar shaped like a Teddy bear
Oct… I got Brian the white album Beatles double CD
Thanksgiving, Brian and Debbie and parents. Bert the Belgian is invited.
Christmas, Brian and Debbie get me A Momentary lapse of a reason, Pink Floyd CD, in the dark grateful dead and Paul McCartney All the best
1988
B and D got me for birthday… sweater and 1988 almanac
I graduated in May, B and D attended the ceremony but I had overslept and missed it. They gave me a $100 bill towards a new stereo.
B and D move into house in Leominster. I move to Salem on the common. Each help each other. Long day with a truck from Amherst to Salem
1989… played UNO with them in Salem September.
1990… Brian comes to my bachelor party. At my wedding… Brian was best man…Organist did not have an extension cord long enough to reach the rose garden in Lunch Park Beverly… Brian and I had to make a mad dash to get one … we had to get dressed in the bathroom at the park to change into tuxedos… a bit hectic.
B and D go to Washington State
1991… Brian turns 29… gathering at my parents, Grandma Dorothy, aunt Susan and uncle Bob are there visiting.
1992… move to Beverly, B and D help.
Summer 1992, B and D come over. Chi Chi's for lunch, went to Marblehead, watched sailboats, then to Polo in Hamilton. Jaguar cars were hit with polo balls.
1993… B and D get me double CD of George Harrison live in Japan for my birthday.
Thanksgiving at our place in Beverly… Brian and Debbie came later for dessert. They brought an apple pie
Big news! At Christmas time 1993. Debbie is pregnant…. Will have a baby in the summer.
Went to B and Ds for Christmas.
1994… Feb… B and D find out the unborn baby will be a boy.
March, B and D come over for Passover
June 1994… Debbie has her baby shower. I go out lunch with my father and brother, then miniature golf. Brian and I tie for best score.
Mike born
Thanksgiving 1994… at Brian and Debbie's, we stay over night then travel to western Mass.
December 1994… babysat Mike. B and D are in north Conway, NH
Christmas,. B and D get me a dual cassette player for my stereo.
1995 see pix of baby Mike
Summer, we help my father prune a tree
December 1995 Peter is born.