Hillman Family Connections

June 21, 2025 – Puzzle Discussion

ACCIDENTS AND MALADIES

SWOLLEN MENINGES?PACK A VALISE

FROM CAR U FALL-DOC THEY CALL

INJURY CONFUSES & PROB BRUISES

MOSQUITO BITE =TEMP@NEW HEIGHT

I don’t remember any of this, but apparently as a young child I experienced a few illnesses requiring hospitalization. I had scarlet fever, Rheumatic fever, and meningitis over the course of about 18 months (the Standard reports I was hospitalized in 1964 in addition to the 1962 notation below). I am unsure of the order of these events, although scarlet fever and Rheumatic fever probably appeared in that order, but I am not sure if they came about before or after meningitis.

Meningitis is, of course, an inflammation of the fluid and three membranes (meninges) surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It’s serious (just reading the previous sentence sort of gives me the heebie-jeebies), so yeah, if you have SWOLLEN MENINGES you should maybe PACK A VALISE and get yourself to a hospital.

I was surprised to come across this newspaper snippet telling of Bev’s sudden, unexpected departure from Gil and Claire’s car (for any West Wing fans out there, no indication that it was arboreal). I was even more surprised by not one, but two follow-ups. Below are the first two newspaper notations of the event(s). The third notation appeared in the July 23, 1953 edition and indicated that Bev had returned home.

So technically, my FROM CAR U FALL-DOC THEY CALL group item name/clue is off a bit as they didn’t call the doctor but rather took her there.

Simple explanation for the injury confuses/prob bruises group item: Jay reports having suffered multiple concussions as a kid and into adulthood (at least a dozen) sometimes with bruises (PROB BRUISES). I only know details of a few of these instances – one that I do recall him elaborating on involved running around his grandmother’s yard with cousins and basically clotheslining himself on a guy wire holding down a shed. Ouch. Another time (as an adult) he jumped over a baby gate in a doorway and hit his head on the door frame. Again, ouch! For the record, I did mention to Jay that I’d like to use this info in this puzzle but the possibility exist that he may not remember the conversation (INJURY CONFUSES).

I remember receiving an email from Russell when he was in Dubai letting us all know that he had just recovered from Malaria. Malaria!

Malaria is almost always transmitted via mosquito bite and results in high fevers (MOSQUITO BITE =TEMP@NEW HEIGHT).

I recently emailed Russ for clearance to include this in a puzzle, at which time he reminded me that this happened in Pemba, Mozambique (south of the equator for those of you pulling up a world map). He noted that it was the sickest he’d ever been in his life and added “it was the least I’ve weighed in close to 40 years when I got over it.”

On a whim, I checked to see if I still had Russell’s original email on this, here it is:

WARES & EFFORTS ASSOCIATED W BRIAN’S PREVIOUS JOBS

GUIDANCE AND INSTRUCTION

IMAGES AND ENHANCING SURROUNDS

ANYTHING YOU CAN BUY @ JOB LOT

FOURTH

Brian worked at Alton Jones camp as a counselor offering up GUIDANCE AND INSTRUCTION to camp attendees. During a stint at a MotoPhoto in New Jersey(?) he printed customer photo images and sold accessories such as frames (IMAGES AND ENHANCING SURROUNDS). There is no end to the products Brian may have organized, shelved, inventoried, priced, etc while working at Ocean State Job Lot (ANYTHING YOU CAN BUY @ JOB LOT). I have no images to share for this group although I feel there must be some photos of Brian as camp counselor…Karen? I could not think of a fourth item for this group, can you?

PROFESSION OF FAMILY 48 HR FILM CHARACTERS

LEGAL REPRESENTATION

REAL ESTATE AGENT

INTERNET INFLUENCER

AKA HOSPITALITY SPECIALIST

Mike and Sarah played husband and wife lawyers (LEGAL REPRESENTATION) Tony and Toni Cabella in Chicken vs Sputnik’s 2019 production, Countdown to Destiny.

Jan played the role of REAL ESTATE AGENT Zoe Wesley in Chicken vs Sputnik’s production The More the Merrier? in 2017.

Brian Brazil played INTERNET INFLUENCER and beauty cream hawker know simply as Johnny in Chicken vs Sputnik’s 2020 mash-up production Results May Vary.

Haven played Christy Nattingly a hotel employee (AKA HOSPITALITY SPECIALIST) in The Yegg, Chicken vs Sputnik’s 2022 production for the Providence 48 Hour Film Project.

FAMILY MEMBER JOB TITLES (NOW AND THEN)

CONTRACT SPECIALIST

SENIOR RATE ANALYST

FISCAL CLERK

CHIEF

Before Bill retired in 2020, he worked for the Federal government as a CONTRACT SPECIALIST as indicated in the imaged below from an email dated 2013.

Lowell is currently employed by the State of Rhode Island as a SENIOR RATE ANALYST. Sorry, no photos/images to share here.

Claire was appointed to a FISCAL CLERK position in April 1971.

Adam was promoted to CHIEF of Administration – Providence Fire Department in September 2024. Bravo!

Here’s a couple bonus images this week inspired by Claire’s employment history. The first is from what I guess would have been early days of when Claire would have started working based on Bill’s (behind the table licking his finger) age in the photo. I was struck by so many things in this photo. I remember the red bowl on the table. I remember there a was “candle-making” phase at The 461; one of these candles is on the table. I can’t tell if my mom is wearing glasses (pushed up on her head) here, if so, whose glasses are on the table… and who’s cigarettes? And look, a dictionary! Also, what’s she typing? She was always typing something for one of us I think.

The second image is from a work event, perhaps when she was leaving her job at the ACI (Adult Correctional Institution). I make this guess because I believe Eileen is standing with her and the ACI is the only place they worked together as far as I know.

Nancy Knott

15 responses to “June 21, 2025 – Puzzle Discussion”

  1. I only got the accidents and maladies – kept getting one away on the others but couldn’t get the right combo!

    Those newspaper clippings are so funny! I guess there were no HIPPA laws back then LOL

    • Piper/lampshade —- agree, iconic!

      I know, NO HIPPA – I believe I found some newspaper notices (not our family and older notices) that even included what the people were in the hospital for, like what operation, etc).

      I was uncomfortable about using this group but I was ok with my info, I figured most family members knew this stuff but I checked with Jay and Russell and then as far as Bev’s goes my thinking was it was already out there in print.

  3. I got it! But honestly I just guessed! New some were job titles so grouped them together. Some were injuries and sickness. Put them together…you get it. Sarah was thinking the same thing about HIPAA laws! As always love the newspaper clippings! And always like to see an old photo of Mom that I’ve never seen before! Thanks Nancy!

    • Sarah, not sure when Brian was in NJ but I believe that’s what I picked up in a conversation with Karen at some point.

  5. I was in the car when Bev accidentally fell out.
    I think we were on Ten Rod Road near the end of Old Baptist Road.
    No car seats or seat belts. We were both standing in the back seat eating ice cream.
    I looked over and the door was open. I didn’t really comprehend what had happened.
    When Dad got her back in the car, I offered her my ice cream.
    We went to Wickford and saw a doctor there. I remember being in his waiting room.

  6. I gave up early. Knew there were sicknesses and accidents. Also knew there were job titles, gave up on combos.
    Other Brian Jobs. Brian was a math teacher for half a year. Middle school, emergency hire to replace a teacher going out on maternity leave. The principal who hired him was his calculus teacher from high school. He said the one thing he learned from that experience, he never wanted to teach middle school again!!
    As a grad student he was a teaching assistant and taught calculus I believe. As far as First Comp/Markel he’s had too many job titles to remember. He actually was an actuary for a little while, though that is not his job titles presently.
    And Nancy as far as camp photos, there was a whole box of his photos from camp available to you when you were here.
    Photos of mom. I believe she was typing a term paper for me in the typing photo. Definitely remember the red bowl, though I had forgotten all about it until I saw it. Have to be dad’s cigarettes, only one smoking (openly) at that time. I had forgotten all about the candle making era!
    Lastly, I am pretty sure that was mom’s retirement from Ladd. I may even have taken the photo. Moma nd Eileen worked together there. Eileen went to Ladd after mom went there.
    Oh one more thing. Really!!!! No HIPPA!!!!

  7. Brian was in NJ from roughly 2004 – 2006. Also part time in 2003. A girl/woman was involved, a camp one. The things we do for love.. that was when he had the jig Yes another job) of protecting the piping plover and lesser(?) terns nesting sites. His job was to sit on the beach daily and stop people from walking through the nesting sites. He sat and read philosophy and physics texts books (geek). He did that for two summers. Once he graduated college he moved down full time eventually got the job at Motophoto, then fell out of love. Finally about 6-8 months later moved back and pursued his master’s degree.
    Side note, while working at Motophoto is when he hit a deer on the Garden Parkway at 70 and totalled the green Camry. Thankfully only the car and the deer were harmed.