Click on the picture below to see another beautiful shot of the whole family
taken not long after the twelfth and last child (Andrew) was born

"Oh me, oh my," says (s)he with a smile!

Guess who the baby is? Yes, that's me in my mother's loving arms. I guess I was a few months old at the time. My birthday, for those who are interested, is August 17. My mom liked to call us after the name of the saint for the day of our birth. August 17 is the feast of St. Hyacinth! Yes, Hyacinth was a guy (i.e. male). Fortunately my mom decided to name me after the saint for the day of my baptism, which blessed event took place three days later on August 20th, Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. So Bernard it is...

I wasn't the last baby in the family, however--though I was

the best looking? (nah, that would be Margaret--the cute little girl holding the doll; er..., don't tell the other girls I said this),
the most intelligent? (uh, uh, that would be anyone but me! Actually we all have our talents, intellectual and otherwise),
the most athletic? (I wish; but that would have to be Michael--the little boy in dad's arms),
the most artistic? (wrong again; if you saw Mary's flower arrangements or her dry flower collages, or if you saw Anthony designing a new piece of furniture, you'd have to give them that credit--Mary's the serious-looking young lady on the far right, and Anthony's the mischievous-looking tot sucking his thumb),
the most musical? (nah, Gerard takes the cake in that department--for some reason he's not in the picture; maybe he took the picture...),
the most effusive and dynamic? (not this child; that credit goes to Josephine--she's the one with her hands on her knees and looking like she owns the place; sadly Josephine passed away in 1992),
the most organized, outgoing and thoughtful? (not by a long shot; that's Barbara's forte--she's the little girl front center who looks like she's plotting something or other)........

There were four more kiddywinks after me, by the way. To see a more recent shot, this time of all 12 of my mom's immediate offspring (count 'em), click on the image above. The picture you'll see was taken at my mother, Lucy's, 80th birthday celebration, back in 1989. My father, William (Bill to his friends and business associates), died in 1965 at the age of 56, after a full and happy life. How I wish I had had the pleasure of enjoying his company in my adult years.

My mother is hale and hearty and 96 years of age. Her 12 offspring are responsible for 35 grandchildren and 40+ great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren (another couple are on the way as I write--Mom keeps a more exact count). The clan (close to 90 or so of us, not including the in-laws--who, by the way, are DEFINITELY the best thing that ever happened to the Pooles) got together again in 1999 to celebrate mom's 90th.

Oh me, oh my, indeed!

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