Welcome to Joyce's Page.

Pull up a chair and relax.

Ok, Stella Street for some years.  I remember several of the aunts and uncles lived nearby a lot. Aunt Catherine always lived down on Tulip Street, past Cambria and past Somerset. Milly lived the other way on Amber, to the right on a little street (Lippincott??). Aunt Floss lived further down Amber near Allegheny, and for a time, cousin Evelyn lived around the corner from her on Allegheny. I seem to remember visiting cousin Evelyn down on Cumberland off of Frankford, near where my Grandmom MacMillan had her candy store. Does anyone remember her, or anyone in the family, living down there?  Aunt Ida lived down Frankford Aveue, and left on Russell (?) Street - left side of the street - porch house, I think. Aunt Elsie lived near Stella St. until she moved up across the Boulevard on Augusta St., I think. I remember the Boulevard being built. Tommy and I would go roaming, across the Blvd. to Aunt Elsie's sometimes, Juniata Park sometimes, Pennypack Park, the Jute Cordage Company pond..... we roamed a lot. In those days, one could let their kids roam without being scared to death that something would happen to them. I remember milk delivered to the porch, with cardboard caps and cream underneath of the caps; the ice truck, with the delivery man chipping slivers of ice for all the neighborhood kids; the horse-drawn milk wagon; the man who came around to light the gas lampposts at evening; block parties; sawdust on the floor at the family grocery store, and wooden pickle barrels; penny candy stores that really had candy that cost a penny; and neighborhood taverns. Movies cost a nickel. We had a few movies near us - the Cameo, the Kensington, the Allegheny.

Above left is me at approximately 6 years of age. Middle is
my Mom and me in 1958 when I graduated from Frankford High School.
Right is me in 1957 on my Jr. High Class Trip to Washington D.C.

Melody Anne was born on 2/18/63; Michael Joseph on 8/11/67;
and Marc Matthew on 8/4/69. Aren't they all beautiful????? (:D

I've always been one for photos.  The one on the left above is 1969;
the next one is 1970. The one on the right is 1975.

Above left is Michael giving Marc a ride in 1971; my three with me
in 1982; and in 1983.

Above is Melody 1986; Michael in December of '87;
and Marc in December of '87.

The above photos are *glamour* photos of Melody and my step-daughter,
Shannon. We all went out one night to a group thing and made-up
and had photos taken. Aren't they *glamorous*???

Above is me in 1987 , and Jim and me the first Christmas after we met,
Christmas 1988. Then Me and Jim with our monster dog, Zeus, in November of 1999.

I try to get a *family* photo once a year, but with the families growing,
Melody living out-of-state (she guides river-rafting in W.VA.), and travelling on holidays
as the grandchildren grow, it gets more and more difficult. Above are family photos in
1991, 1992,1993, and 1998. Kinda looks like we all have to *lean* into the photo,
doesn't it??? <grin> And here's the latest, Christmas Eve of 2004:

Christmas 2004 Top left, my son Marc, then grandson Marcus (14 - Michael's son), daughter Melody, hubby Jim, Moi, son Michael, his wife Val with her granddaughter in front of them. Middle row, Janna (Marc's wife), their son Brandon (8), and our granddaughter Ashley (16-1/2 - Michael's daughter).Bottom kneeling, Val's granddaughter Britany on the left, and our granddaughter Brittney (5 - Marc and Janna's daughter) on the right.

Marc, Michael and Melody, March 2003	Shannon and Jeff's wedding Jan. 2004	An enhanced photo of Shannon and Jeff's toast

Jim and I have been together since April 1988, and our love is as strong
or stronger than it has ever been.  *Our* song is *Look At Us*, sung
by Vince Gill, and we always get up and dance together when we hear
it. The grandkids get a kick out of seeing us get up in the middle of
dinner to dance together. And our dog has looked at us rather oddly when
we have just stood up and started dancing in the living room or kitchen! (:D

Below is us in W.VA. 1995; and on vacation the summer of 2003.
On the right is our house in Ohio.

I am From........
the love of my father and patient Mom,
she cooked each day and called us to come
and eat all together as a family,
two brothers, two sisters, and middle me.
I am from old-time neighborhoods,
where lamplighters roamed and gaslights stood;
from dusty coalbins and rag people poor,
neighbors who never locked their doors.

I am from movies that cost a dime,
summer that never ran out of time
as my brother and I roamed the city at will,
of freedom from fear we took our fill.
I am from sawdust on the floors
of butcher shops and grocery stores;
wooden sour pickle barrels,
groups at the door singing Christmas caroles.
Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree,
Amazing Grace, and Stand By Me.
Block parties, icies and buttercake,
heavenly smells when Momma baked.
I am from a father who boozed,
with nary a thought of what he'd lose;
a mother who loved, but just stood by
and took the abuse 'til the day she died.

I am from Germans, stubborn and strong.
I am of Celts who suffered long.
I am from skies, oceans and trees,
the moon, the stars, and the wandering breeze.
I am from all who have entered my home,
those who have stayed and those who have gone.
I am of God, from whom all things come.
I am of many, yet I am one.

I am a woman who grew and wed,
who refused to lie in an unhappy bed;
who raised my children in love but alone
until they grew up, and away had flown.
I am from times that started anew,
found my love, and new things to do;
never afraid to start over again,
always one to forgive a friend.

I am from you, and you, and you;
we are alike as we never knew.
Our hearts all beat, our eyes all cry,
and someday, somewhere we all must die.
© Joyce P. Hale

Please continue the family chronicle with us..........

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  Family Reunion 2005