Love and Marriage (and babies)

Though life seemed to be rolling along in Chelsea, Dad couldn't leave his beloved in Walpole for too much longer.  As young love would have it, Mom joined Dad in Chelsea in the fall of 1965 after being married that same summer (and honeymooning in Bermuda).  It is reported that two Chelsea families took part in the wedding festivities  -  Sid and Marion Gilman, who became like second parents to Dad and Mom, and Mel Somers, Dad's principal.

The lovestruck duo made their home in that small village in a tiny little red house up on a hill.  Mom worked at the Chelsea nursing home, owned by the local favorite Dr. Martin, bringing home a whopping $2.83 an hour.  Dad continued his day gig at Chelsea High.  All was right in the world.

Being the dutiful Catholic kids that they were, riding along on youth and blind innocence, the duo started a family that very next year.   Dad often tells the story of how Mom went into labor, early labor at that, in late May of '66.  Now, first time parents know little of what truly awaits them at the birth, or during the heady, sleep-deprived days that follow.  Of course, at that time fathers were not even permitted in the delivery room.  Little of this concerned Dad much.  What occupied his mind the most was the fact that their health insurance didn't kick in until June 1st.  A May birth just wasn't in the budget.  As the birthing gods would have it, Mike retracted his initial plan to arrive early and made his entrance on June 3.   The"best baby ever" (don't get me started) came with a collective sigh of relief.

With the exception of Mia whose adoption story will be told at another time, all three of us - Michael, Kathleen and Patrick (good 'ole Catholic babies) - were born in June.  I came a year after Michael.  Patrick three years later.... seems I wasn't the easiest baby so they took a little reprieve.  Now, I don't know about you but if you do the math on this June birthday tidbit there must have been something in that back-to-school September wind that brought forth all three June babies.  You be the judge.