I thought this was a beautiful poem. I was fortunate in being able to stay home with our children when they were small. I helped them with their homework, although, as they grew older, Hubby had to step in to help when the math became too difficult for me. After all, I taught only the first grade. Hubby taught from fourth grade to sixth. We taught the kids to respect nature. They would never think of tossing trash on the ground or out the car's windows. We taught them to be kind to animals, especially to the dogs and cats that were so plentiful in the neighborhood. I also love being a grandmother. I think that daughter Jeanne and son-in-law David are doing a terrific job in bringing up the World's Greatest Grandchildren, Brendan, age almost 15, and Erin, age 13. Brendan is very active in the Boy Scouts. Erin participated in the Walk for Hunger last Sunday.

I probably have mentioned that my mother died from cancer when she was only 37 years old. Doctors didn't know very much about cancer in those years. (They told her to take baking soda in water for her upset stomach.) My brother Jackie was only six years old when Mom died; I was 10. We were very fortunate in that my mother's mother, Grandma, at age 72, came to live with our father, Jackie, and me. I can remember Grandma reading Shakespeare with me because I wasn't good about understanding Shakespearean English. God bless her! I am now just about my grandmother's age when she came to live with us. I don't know if I could take on a ready-made family with two young kids. It must have been her strong Nova Scotian upbringing. Jackie and I were also fortunate in having two aunts, Ethel and Getta, our mother's sisters, who always watched over us. I think back to my mother. Being a girl, my fondest memory of my mother, before she became ill with cancer, was watching her put on face powder to go in town to shop.

I was happy to read that Jack Ryan will perform his magic and also demonstrate his ESP at "An Evening of Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem" on Sat., May 10, from 5 to 7 p.m., in St. Brendan Hall. Advance tickets are $15, with a bonus of five extra chances for the door prize. Tickets at the door are also $15, but no extra chances. The fundraiser is for a good cause: a new refrigerator for the parish hall. It sounds like a fun time.

Last Sunday, Hubby and I decided to go in to the Arch St. Shrine to Confession. (Confessions are heard there each Sunday from 1:30 to 3 p.m.) We had not been able to go before Easter so we figured we had better hurry in before the Easter season is over. It took a few minutes of circling around the area to find a parking spot near the shrine. As we walked into Arch St., we were greeted by one of the younger Franciscan priests. We hadn't been in Arch St. probably since last summer. Since then, one side of each confessional has been closed off so there is now only one side for the public to enter. When I went into the confessional, I waited for the little door to open, not realizing that, with only one side for the public to use, there is no need for a door. After a minute or two, I heard the priest say, "You may begin." The priest was very pleasant. Hubby and I were on our way home in less than 20 minutes. Before we left Arch St., we lit a candle in front of the alcove with the Divine Mercy painting, for my late brother Jack, who was devoted to Divine Mercy.

When we arrived home from Arch St., there was a message from Cousin Janet telling us that both Red Sox World Series trophies would be in Quincy from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Koch Building, near the stadium, just off Hancock St. Janet figured that it would be less crowded if we went at 5 p.m. instead of 4. Hubby, Daughter Sue, and I got in the car about 4:45 p.m., making sure we had our cameras with us for this terrific event. We found the Koch Building easily. (It is right near the Ruth Gordon Amphitheatre in Quincy.) Cousins Margie and Janet, along with their nephew Kevin, his wife Dara, and their sons Ryan and Adam, were already inside the building. Wally, the Red Sox mascot, was taking a five-minute break so we had a chance to take photos of the two World Series' trophies, which had been placed on a table. When Wally came back, we had our photos taken with him and the trophies. We took photos of Margie and Janet with the trophies and then of Kevin, Dara, and the boys. The photos came out great so Sue e-mailed them to all our family and friends. Hubby's brother John then called from Virginia. Because the Lottery sponsors the visits of the trophies, the Lottery logo along with the Red Sox logo is printed all over the backdrop behind the trophies. John thought we had won the lottery. No such luck, John, sorry to say! John didn't know what the World Series Trophy looked like so he thought it was the Lottery that was the reason for our photo.

After we had our photos taken with the trophies, Cousins Margie and Janet invited us back to their home, which is right near the Koch Building. They had ordered pizza for all of us. In addition to Kevin, Dara, and the boys, Margie and Janet had invited their niece Lisa and her children, Danny and Katie, who live nearby. Kevin and Lisa's sister Lynda is being married in two months so we were speaking about the wedding. What a wonderful afternoon we had: having our photos taken with the Red Sox trophies and then enjoying chatting with the family over pizza and soda.

Mea culpa: I am sorry I made a mistake in the column about the Castle Island Association Newsletter in the Apr. 24 issue. Fr. David Shoemaker, who was one of three priests who concelebrated the Easter Sunrise Mass, is newly-assigned as parochial vicar to the Gate of Heaven/St. Brigid Parish in South Boston. Fr. Robert Casey continues to serve as the pastor of the parish.

I was sorry to read of the death of Margaret O'Donnell on Apr. 23, at age 92. Margaret was the wife of the late Tom O'Donnell. I knew Tom even before I met Margaret because Tom worked in the bakery aisle at the First National Store on Freeport St. at Morrissey Blvd., now the Stop & Shop. Tom and Margaret were members of the Pope's Hill Neighborhood Association for many years. I send my sympathy to their children, Maryanne Martinelli, Teresa, Thomas Jr., and Edward. I also send my sympathy to her brothers Timothy and Joseph Queally. She was also the sister of the late Mary Meade and John, Michael, James, Martin, Patrick, and Christopher Queally.

I was also sorry to read of the death of Mary Veronica (Joyce) Galvin on April 23. Mrs. Joyce was the wife of the late Patrick. I send my sympathy to her sons, Patrick, Michael, James, and Brian and to her daughter, my friend Joyce Mackan.

Our immediate area was saddened by the death of Claire (McGonagle) Cullity, our friend and neighbor, who passed away on Apr. 30. Claire and her husband Lawrence "Buttons" Cullity have lived, in recent years, next to Daughter Sue. (They lived in Charlestown for many years before moving to Pope's Hill.) All our neighbors send their sympathy to Larry "Buttons" and to their children Larry Jr. and our friend and neighbor Jim, and to all the Cullity grandchildren and great grandchildren.

If you have any County Mayo blood in your veins, you might be interested in know that Boston's County Mayo Association will hold its annual Mass for deceased members at the Irish Cultural Centre, 200 New Boston Drive, Canton, on Sunday, May 25 (the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend), at 11 a.m. If it is a beautiful day, as it has been since we have been going, the grounds of the Centre will be gorgeous. We also enjoy chatting with other members of the Association.

I wanted to mention that our friend Elaine came to my aid when I was down the Cape for a weekend in mid April. Hubby and I love to play Phase 10 with Elaine and our friend Joan, who have the adjoining room to ours at our motel. Elaine knew that I would have trouble holding the cards with my broken wrist. Elaine asked her friend Dot, who is impaired on her left side, to borrow her cardholder, which is a 12-inch piece of wood with a slit running the length of it in which to place the cards. It was a Godsend. I could not have played without it. I thank Dot for lending it to me for the weekend.

I wish all Moms and Grandmas a very happy Sunday, Mother's Day! I pray that it is a beautifully sunny day for you.