Hillman Family Connections

October 25, 2025 – Puzzle Discussion

FIRST/EARLY CARS OF COUSINS

(HONDA) CRX, (NISSAN) SENTRA, (DODGE)INTREPID/INTRIPED, ISUZU

Michaela got a Honda CRX for Christmas one year. It’s sounds extravagant…believe me, it was not. She was initially pretty happy with it though.

Amber’s first car was a 1989 Nissan – at least that’s what she told me earlier this year when I asked.

For a few years in high school, Catherine drove a Dodge INTREPID. She had it for a couple years before someone pointed out that the “INTREPID” badge on the car actually said, “INTRIPED.” I believe Lowell had some model of ISUZU for a while.

FIRST/EARLY CARS OF SIBLINGS

ORANGE (VOLKSWAGEN) BUGS, (SUBARU) BRAT, (DODGE) DART, (PLYMOUTH) VALIANT

Both Norma and Karen had ORANGE Volkswagen BUGS. The photo below is of Karen sitting in front of what I assume to be her and Norma’s cars. I think this picture was taken on West Allenton Road.

Karen later owned a Subaru BRAT.

Jan drove a PLYMOUTH VALIANT. I remember that car being blue so I believe it is the car in the photo below and I think that is Bob in the foreground.

My first car was a tan 1975 Dodge Dart. I still owned this car when Jim and I bought our house on Nausauket Road in Warwick. In the photo below, the car is parked in front of the house during our housewarming party.

I don’t foresee another car puzzle in the remaining month of puzzles so I thought I’d share some bonus images I collected along the way – car images that didn’t make it into any puzzles.

First up, in the photo below: That’s Uncle Ken’s car. I don’t know the make/model/year, I just know it’s BIG. Also, who took this photo? It’s obviously taken from the roof of The 461.

The photo below is of my Uncle Tom. The thing I love about this photo is that he is leaning up against a Hillman car.

Arguably, the photo below is of Bill swinging on the rope swing in the catalpa tree in the yard at The 461, but the blue pick-up with the camper cap stands out for me as well. I think that thing was in a perpetual state of repair – as it is in this photo. I’m guessing that’s my dad with his head tucked under the hood.

That’s a lot of cars! I remember when the driveway was dirt – it would get SO muddy after rain. I can’t identify many of the cars here but I do recognize Jan’s blue and white van. I think I can identify the people: (L-R) Buck on the bicycle, Rick in the long camel-colored coat, next is some girl Rick was dating (I think her name was Lori but I’m not 100% sure about that), and then Bill in the greenish snorkel coat.

The photo below is interesting…before the garage, before a pool fence even. There were only a couple cars in the driveway that day. Everyone must have been out except for Bill (in the pool).

I don’t know if this car belonged to my parents but I believe the kids did – Jan and Bev are my best guess.

SUBJECTS OF PAINTINGS DONE BY NANCY

BROOM AND EGG, FOLDED PAPER, GOURDS, SIDE DOOR

Please understand that throughout the process of making these puzzles I’ve always been concerned that the groupings may end up being too focused on my own family. Having more photos of my own family makes this pretty likely but I have tried to avoid making things too Knott-centric. This week’s puzzle sort of fell apart on me though and I had to throw in a ready-made replacement for one of the groups. The original plan was to have groupings for first/early cars of the siblings, cousins, and then next generation. All I could determine for the next generation however was that Molly is driving a Mustang and she and Megan, I believe, both drove a RAV4 as their first car.

So, the replacement grouping is “subjects of paintings done by Nancy” – I grabbed the first four images I had: BROOM AND EGG, FOLDED PAPER, GOURDS, SIDE DOOR.

LAUREEN! IT IS (WAS) HER BIRTHDAY TODAY!

Below is a photo of Laureen when she was just a wee lass, with her mom.

BEACH STREET

Until very recently, Laureen lived on Beach Street in North Kingstown.

ANIME CLUB

While in high school, Laureen was a member of the Anime Club.

YES! GALLERY

Laureen is a current employee of Yes! Gallery.

Nancy Knott

3 responses to “October 25, 2025 – Puzzle Discussion”

  1. OMG! You out did your self with pictures! So many cars so many memories! I think a bunch of us drove the blue Valiant! Just kept getting handed down. At one time Jan had flower decals on the doors! I remember piling you younger kids in the back of the pick up and going to Breakheart.
    The pic of Bill in pool and one car in driveway…that car seemed awfully close to the pool
    Pic with Rick in it. Not sure if it’s the angle but I can’t see the catalpa tree.
    Is that Karen’s Brat or a stock photo?
    And Jen and Laureen!❤️

    • I have a photo of the Bill and I one Halloween standing in front of the Valiant (with Edgar) when it had those stickers/decals.
      Blue pick-up….Breakheart…yup, absolutely! How many summers did we go there? It seems like many to me but I’m willing to bet it was only 1 or 2.
      Missing catalpa – I can’t believe I didn’t notice that. I assume, it’s just lined up so that it’s directly behind that maple.
      It is Karen’s Brat. I scanned the pic from her photo album some time this summer.
      I had other pics I could have used for Laureen but I decided to use that one because it’s one I image not many people have seen.