THAT TIME CLAIRE GOT 25 STITCHES IN HER HEAD
1 SINGULAR ROCK
GARDEN NEEDED WEEDING
LAWN MNTNC IS USUALLY MUNDANE
THANKFULLY MURRAY WAS OPEN
I’m not sure when this happened, my best guess is early 70’s.
Claire had a garden located between the driveway at The 461 and Ken and Eileen’s house. The GARDEN NEEDED WEEDING. Next door, Ken was mowing his lawn. LAWN MNTNC (maintenance) IS USUALLY MUNDANE, it was not on this particular day. While mowing, Ken happened to pick up a 1 SINGULAR ROCK in the mower. The rock exited the mower and hit Claire in the head.
I visited Ken and Eileen a while back looking for some information for another puzzle entry and Ken told me this story. I did in fact already know the story but with perhaps less clarity that Ken. He said he had waved to Claire and a few seconds later glanced again to where she was and was horrified to see that she was flat on the ground. I had always thought she was taken to the hospital/emergency room but Ken said they brought her to Dr. Murray’s office (“THANKFULLY MURRAY WAS OPEN” is what he said) in Wickford where she got 25 stitches.
The photos below were most likely NOT taken on the day this happened, but this IS the garden. In the image on the left Karen is inspecting some blooms… and is that crocosmia in the lower left? On the right, the garden is in the foreground with me (Nancy), Karen (wait, is that Norma?), and Russ in the background.
HOUSE NUMBER WHERE GIL AND/OR CLAIRE LIVED
MOST LIKELY 14
17 AND/OR 18
717
IF THERE WAS ONE, 74
Gil and Claire lived, for about a year, in the Mount View neighborhood of North Kingstown. In fact, they lived on Mount View Avenue. I think they MOST LIKELY lived at 14 Mount View Avenue – based on a few nebulous data points. If anyone has definitive information on this, I’d love to know.
Below is the 1950 census showing they lived on Mount View Avenue but the house number block was not completed for any of the entries for this census page.
Claire’s family, according to the 1940 Census entry for her father as head of household, lived at 17 Hepburn Street in West Warwick. I’ve been told that the family also lived, for some time, at 18 Hepburn Street. My guess is they lived at 18 Hepburn before moving across the street to 17 Hepburn (they were in North Kingstown by 1948 for sure) but again, if any one can confirm this or provide better information, let me know.
Additionally, of note on this census information sheet (from Ancestry, if you’re wondering), Claire’s dad was working at the Torpedo Station. That was at Gould Island in the bay near Newport. No bridges…how’d that work? Two ferries to get to work each day?
Once the Cummiskey family relocated to North Kingstown, they lived at 717 Tower Hill Road.
Gil’s childhood home (the majority of his childhood) was located at 74 Old Usquepaugh Road. I wonder if it was always “Old” Usquepaugh Road and if they always used house numbers in rural areas.
Below is a photo of that house I took this week (drive-by shot).
REASONS WE VISIT/VISITED DISNEY
CHEER COMPETITION
THEME-BASED AMUSEMENT
DANCE PERFORMANCE
FIRST
Sarah and Megan traveled to Florida in May of 2021 for a CHEER COMPETITION. I am unsure if the competition was actually held at Disney but they did visit Disney while in the area.
Several of our family groups have traveled to Disney for THEME-BASED ENTERTAINMENT. Does anyone have a photo from one of their visits they’d like me to add here?
Megan J either went to Disney for a DANCE PERFORMANCE or competition. I think it was a performance. I thought I had scanned an image from this but I can’t get my hands on it so here’s a much earlier image of Megan practicing not a dance routine, but gymnastics, as a wee lass. So cute.
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an organization that hosts robotics competitions throughout the country. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center has sponsored a team for many years. I went to Florida (to Disney World) one year for the finals of this competition.
SUNDAY ACTIVITIES OF (SIBLING GEN) HILLMAN KIDS
CAR RIDES TO VISIT RELATIVES
CAR RIDES FOR ICE CREAM
BATH
WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY
My childhood Sundays were pretty much defined by these four activities. There were lots of CAR RIDES and they usually involved my father claiming he knew a “shortcut” to wherever we were headed. We’d usually end up at a RELATIVE‘s house for a visit (most often at Grandma Kenyon’s but sometimes Uncle Jimmy or Uncle Charlie’s house) and sometimes there was a stop for ICE CREAM. Ice cream stops were seemingly at either Babbies in Saunderstown or Deciantis Ice Cream in West Warwick. When evening rolled around it was BATH time and then the WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY on TV.
11 responses to “July 12, 2025 – Puzzle Discussion”
So this was supposed to be published yesterday but I didn’t bother because I didn’t think anyone was still looking at these. I have since realized a few of you are still looking.
I normally include the “birthday person” as a grouping if a birthday falls on a publication date. Russell’s bday is today (happy birthday!) but he’s not featured as a group today as the original publication for this puzzle (what was planned) was for July 12.
I’m definitely getting better at these. Takes a few tries but I can usually get them. A lot of times I know 3 and I have to guess on the forth connection.
I think that’s Karen in the picture by the garden.
I did get Sunday activities. I think that was one thing that was true for all of us. Only difference is older kids went to Alex’s for ice cream!
I would like to drive down by Gramma Kenyon’s house. So much overgrowth I can’t pick it out from Rte. 138 anymore.
I didn’t know Mom’s dad was a machinist. That’s what I love about this. I learn something new every week!
Where was Alex’s?
In West Warwick. Off 117 down behind the bar called “On the Rochs” or something like that
Oh, ok. I know the location but not the ice cream store.
I LOVE the old pictures in the garden!!! Those are awesome. I haven’t been able to get to these as often because I am rarely allowed on technology out here nor do I ever have good service, but I love when I can get to them!
Molly I love that you love these!
Me too, Norma!
I still love the puzzles – the last couple weekends have been weird and I was a little off track after the week the discussion was not up and then I think this one came out when Mike and Eva and Abbie and I were at Fenway! But I love them!
And yes! Meg did compete at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at Disney in 2021, 2022 and 2023! I only visited Disney with her the first year. I think she did some parks with teammates the 2nd year – I can’t remember if she did parks the 3rd year or not.
And while I was over Disney World at cheer competitions, I do miss the Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights! I loved that!!!!! And that is of course when I learned about football time! The program would often be delayed because of football games and 5 minutes on the clock DID NOT mean Disney was starting in 5 minutes!
Yes, the last few weeks have been wonky.
I didn’t realize you grew up in the days of “Sunday night Disney” – your 5-minute football delay cracked me up.