Hillman Family Connections

May 3, 2025 – Puzzle Discussion

BIG ___________

A previous puzzle in this series made reference to The BIG E (formerly Eastern States Exposition/Springfield Fair). I noted then that I have been, Karen and Lou have been (to it or one of its predecessors) and that Michaela and Jay have been.

Anyone else?

Due to lack of knowledge of anyone else having gone, you’re getting another “Knott-Miller family at The Big E” photo this week. I believe this one is from 2022.

The BIG G Discount Food Store on Tower Hill Road in North Kingstown (where Dave’s Wickford location is now) advertised its grand opening in the June 27, 1963 edition of the Standard-Times. I believe the store operated there until around November of 1976.

Advertised deals for the grand opening included American cheese for 48 cents a pound and sea scallops for 49 cents a pound. A half gallon of ice cream would set you back 44 cents. And, the item everyone knows the price of these days… (large) eggs were 36 cents a dozen.

I remember grocery shopping with my mom at Almacs and Ryan’s in Wickford but I’m sure she must have gone to the Big G as well.

BIG DIPPER… so NOT family specific, but we’ve all looked up at it, no? And Sarah surely points it out during planetarium shows.

BIG FOOT… so yeah, again, not family specific except for consideration of the photo below of Catherine looking very Big Footy.

And this just in…from Karen. She’ll have to give us the particulars on this.

SOME CARS WE CURRENTLY DRIVE

MUSTANG

Y*

YARIS

MALIBU

OK, so we all drive cars – you might see another iteration of this group down the road (honestly the pun wasn’t intended but I couldn’t bring myself to remove or change it either).

Molly, as mentioned, in a “CONVERTIBLES WE’VE DRIVEN” grouping in a February puzzle, is driving a MUSTANG, Megan J is driving a Tesla Y, Dave and Lowell both scoot about in Toyota YARISes (Yarisai?) and Michaela and Jay’s non-Tesla car is a Chevy MALIBU.

I was trying to be stealthy when I went to the parking lot at the last family Christmas party to make note of what sort of cars we all have. Two problems, 1 – I went out after it was dark, 2 – the Teslas have cameras so I was afraid to get too close or seem too interested. It wasn’t a particularly successful reconnaissance mission so don’t be surprise if you see me snooping around your cars when you’re at The 461 this summer. Also…while I’m thinking of it, it’s almost time to take the cover off the pool. Look for an email notice soon.

I’m not actually sure Megan’s Tesla is a Y model, it’s my best guess. And Dave recently listed his Yaris for sale so I’m not sure what he’s driving these days.

*UPDATE: I stand corrected, Megan’s Tesla is the model 3, not Y.

SOME LANGUAGES STUDIED

CHINESE

GERMAN

SPANISH

SWEDISH

Isaac studied CHINESE at the University of Rhode Island. Matt studied GERMAN in high school, Michaela studied German at CCRI. Who studied SPANISH? Actually, I am asking. I had Spanish as a language that someone in the family had studied but now I can’t find who it was.

A while back Michaela set up a family-use Duolingo. Jay’s been learning German. Cecil was, not sure if he stuck with it, learning Chinese. Michaela will be visiting the Netherlands after her machine knitting trip in the fall so she’s been learning Dutch. I decided on SWEDISH for some reason. Actually a few years ago I tried to learn Swedish on Duolingo. I really liked Sweden the one time I went there. I guess I was thinking I’d like to go back with a little bit of an understanding of the language under my belt. Sadly I don’t really have an aptitude for language. I often tell people that I’m glad my parents taught me English.

When I tried to learn some Swedish the first time around I remember mixing up the words for “chicken” and “bicycle” – I think that’s funny. I don’t think the two words are remotely close in spelling or sound. I had to suspend my most recent attempt because the app kept freezing on me. I think I managed to learn the words for bread and wine, maybe that’s all I need. I definitely have not learned the word for fish.

TYPES OF HAIR BRAIDS; WE SEEM TO FAVOR SIMPLE ONES

WATERFALL

FISHTAIL

DUTCH

FRENCH

Those are all really types of braids. Enjoy the gif file below of various family members rockin’ braids over the years.

I do love braids!

Nancy Knott

12 responses to “May 3, 2025 – Puzzle Discussion”

  1. How is it that I (nor Karen – I asked for her help on this one) could not come up with a photo of Norma with her hair in braids?
    I also DID have one of Megan M but the braids were really short so it was hard to tell they were braids. And to be honest, I didn’t have hunting it down in me this morning.
    I also thought I might find more of Jan.
    There’s none of Abbie or Ellie. Mike do they/have they ever wear/worn braids?
    I had about 50 million of Molly and a few of Michaela and Catherine – even some of Catherine with REAL braids, not fake viking ones.

    • And I don’t know the puppet’s name.
      Michaela, can you ask Jay if the puppet has a name?

      • I saw Jay today (Monday) – the puppet does not have a name but I think she was modeled after Jay’s friend Kristen.

  2. LOVE all the braid pics!!!!!! How fun!

    This was a fun one. I did get it – I went in and out a few times but ultimately got it!

    Molly and Megan both studied Spanish!
    I took French!
    And now I want Swedish fish!

    I have never been to the Big E. Fairly certain my kids have never been.
    But Muffin has gone a couple times with Amy (Eva’s sister), Ellie and Abbie.

    • I did have fun putting together the braid pics!
      I took French in college — toughest class for me ever, I think. I didn’t know that Molly and Megan took Spanish – I knew someone did!
      I didn’t know Muffin went to The Big E. Maybe she has a picture of her, Abbie and Ellie all with their hair in braids at The Big E.

  3. I expected to see the square dancing photo from the Big E.
    Mom definitely shopped at Big G (now Wickford Dave’s). Did it have the grocery conveyer that brought groceries outside like Almas? Also did it and Almacs coexist. Did Almacs put it out of business? I do remember mom having shopping list for different stores every week based on the sales. Meats always from Ryans.
    Big Foot was seen on my travels to and from Tillinghast on route 117. I think I tried to point him out on our trip to UConn but it might of been too dark.

    Already told Nancy that Meg’s Telsa is not a Y. She thought Jay and Michaela’s was a Y.
    Both my kids studied Spanish in high school. Brian had to take two semesters of a language at URI when he transferred the resort ended up with Spanish in his senior year to graduate.
    I took French and so did Lou. I started in 3rd grade as did most people my age did, I think. Still can’t speak it at all expect “where is the library” and “who cut the cheese?” The latter taught to my children by their father.‍♀️
    And I had Swedish fish just yesterday that I took out of the snack machine at the gym yesterday. Benefits of having the key.
    Lastly, Meg does ALL the fancy braids. All those years of dance and gym. Mostly gym. The girls use to do each other’s hair for the meets. Meg’s girls don’t always have braids but their hair is done up somehow with bows everyday. Meg was lucky if I got hers hair brushed out before she left the house. Certainly did not get her hair styling skills from me.
    Sorry this is long but I wanted to reply to everthing.

  4. I appreciate any responses-not offended by a long one at all.

    I used the square Dancing pic a few weeks/puzzles ago.

    I don’t remember much about the Big G but I’m sure I went there with mom. I don’t remember a conveyor there, only Almacs and I think they only used it there for a short while. I think the two stores did overlap. I do remember a list for each store and yes, meat from Ryan’s. I specifically remember a Girl Scout project that called for those new-fangled styrofoam meat trays – we cleaned them up and did some type of embroidery on them. My troop leader had to get me one as Ryan’s DID NOT USE THOSE! And yeah, high quality scouting activity there.

    Now that you mention it, yes, I remember you pointing out/trying to point out Big Foot when we went to UCONN for that play in November.

    So many Spanish students!
    When I was in early elementary grade I remember there being French tags on classroom items for a few days and then they were gone, like they changed the curriculum overnight and decided not to teach it in elementary any more.

    Sorry about getting the model of the car wrong. I probably asked Michaela and Jay and got theirs and Meg’s mixed up in the end.

    I only tortured my girls with hairstyling attempts – apparently I used excessive force with hairbrushes. I did manage a few braid days here and there though. Kudos to Meg for daily bows and braids!

  5. Forgot to say I get this one!!!! No having to go in and out. Of course I had a hint when asked for braids photos.
    I think I remember that about French suddenly being dropped for some reason, though by that time I was in high school and it was still being taught. There were options in high school. At least French and Spanish, but i think there were others.
    I do remember seeing the square dance photo now that you mention it.

  6. I didn’t get it but I was close. I couldn’t get the right 4 languages. Same with cars. Couldn’t get the right 4. I didn’t remember Big G. Kept wanting it to be Big Y. I didn’t know the pigtails at all! Still had fun trying!

  7. I LOVE THE BRAIDS GIF!!! I don’t think there’s a single photo of me before age 15 without braids in my hair. The puppet with the question marks made me laugh.

    And yes, I studied Spanish! And might be this summer…TBD