BILL AND/OR LOIS
Bill was Claire’s brother.
GYMKHANA…GYM-KH-WHATTA?
Bill and Lois operated White Wheel Ranch on Rt 2 (Quaker Lane) in North Kingstown for a number of years. There they started a saddle club which featured gymkhana, apparently.
FRM BELLEVILLE-FRANCIS? BILL?
As Norma commented on the first of these extra puzzles, “yet another Cummiskey going by their middle name.” I only knew him as Bill but in his Standard Times advertisement from August 1954 he goes by Francis Jr.
FRNCHBRDE FRM FRNCE-WHAT CHNCE
So this clue is a bit silly but it goes back to an actual conversation I had with my mother. At some point I realized that Bill had been married to someone before Lois. His first wife was Yvette, and she was indeed from France. The thing that I remember is my mother saying Bill brought back a “French bride from France” (he was stationed there during the war) — there seemed to be something telling in the way she said it, but I couldn’t get past figuring out where else his French bride would have come from.
Regardless, I found the “reporting” of this in The Standard a very interesting read. If anyone is interested the article has a photo of the couple as well.
HAWKED HAY BACK IN THE DAY
At the White Wheel Ranch, Bill and Lois sold not just hay, but choice Canadian hay! Advertisement is from January 1968 North Kingstown Standard.
So these additional puzzles this week were designed to focus on aunts and uncles so technically the photo below isn’t out of bounds as my Uncle Bill is in it (front left) but I admit, I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to share this photo because it also has my mom (front right) with her parents. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a photo of my grandfather when he was younger than 60-something. And, I’ll say it, I definitely look like my mom. I found this recently in the rolltop desk at my house.
HARRY AND/OR LOIS
Harry was Gil’s brother.
HARRY OR MIKE? APP 1 HE LIKED
This side of the family wasn’t Catholic so I’m not sure why Harry went by/was known as Mike sometimes. And, I don’t even know that his middle name was Michael. After talking with Aunt Christine I get the impression he apparently just preferred it. She did not indicate if it was his middle name.
LADY AND GENT LIVED NEAR TENT
As I remember, Harry and Lois lived in West Warwick just north of the Rt 2 and Rt 3 intersection, so not to far from where the Warwick Musical Theater (aka, The Tent) had been located.
WIFE LOIS, DIDN’T WANT2KNOW US
Is this too mean? I wrote this clue months ago (probably thinking I’d replace it with something kinder) and when I found it today I nearly spit out my iced coffee. Also, I think this could have applied to either of the aunts named Lois.
FOURTH
II swear I had an actual fourth item…no clue what it was or where it went and I’m done with this so….FOURTH.
Below is a photo of Gil with Jack and Harry. I used a cropped version of this photo in a puzzle earlier this week but this is the full image. A couple of things: what is up with that haircut Gil has? And does Harry not look like he’s having the time of his life?
JIMMY AND/OR PAT
Jimmy was Claire’s brother.
FED ≈ AS MANY AS CLAIRE & RED
Jimmy and Pat had six kids (Judy, Nils, Jimmy, Susan, Linda, and Jeff) and took on the responsibility of raising Jane’s three (Diane, Freddie, and Michael) after her death, so there were nine kids there, nearly as many as Gil (Red) and Claire were feeding at The 461.
❤’D PAT-GUESS WHERE SHE LIVED@
When Jim and I went to look at the house we would eventually buy on Nausauket Road in Warwick, I recall talking on the phone with my mom about it. She asked a few questions about location that I thought were oddly specific and then she said, “You know who grew up in that house?” Of course I did not know, but soon learned that Aunt Pat had grown up there.
ME THNKS INSANE-JMPD FRM PLANE
According to Uncle Jimmy’s obituary he, “enlisted in the US Army in 1953 and served during the Korean War Era in the 82nd Airborne until 1955.” OK, yes, I realize NOT ALL MEMBERS of airborne units jump from planes and I have no absolute confirmation that he in fact ever did so, but it worked for the clue. Also, the interwebs tell me that to graduate airborne school, one must complete five jumps (one being a night jump), so chances are he jumped out of a plane at least once or twice. I’ll have to look into that.
SANTA? UNSURE, BUT GOOD BANT’R
Uncle Jimmy NEVER called the house and identified himself as such, he was always Santa or the Easter Bunny. Most often, now that I think of it, he was an angry or gruff sounding Santa or Easter Bunny demanding to speak with Gil or Claire.
Below is a photo of Jimmy and Pat taken at The 461 one Christmas, I believe. I can’t seem to figure out what Jimmy has opened there. It does sort of look like one of those kinetic metal desktop sculptures from the 70s though.
4 responses to “AUNTS AND UNCLES WEEK – EXTRA PUZZLE #4 – DISCUSSION”
Testing
Of the picture of Gil, Jack, and Harry…I look at it and imagine Harry’s thinking — go, let your brothers take you for a ride around the yard in the wagon, it’ll be fun they said.
Lol!
Got it. Did have to get out once.
Got Bill/Lois first.
Harry aka Mike/Lois second.
Then Jim/Pat.
The Lois throw me off, could of gone with Bill or Mike. It’s something to do with the name I think, both Loises were miserable!
I vaguely remember Bill and Lois riding horses in parades.
Love that photo of a young mom! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a photo of grandpa or grandma young!
I had forgotten that Pat lived in your Warwick house.
The Santa clue made me think of Uncle Johnnie. I am pretty sure he played Santa in his later years, but he was in yesterday’s puzzle. I had forgotten that Jimmy would always do that, that’s how we always knew immediately it was him calling.
Great photo with the wagon!