Aunt Betty's 90th Birthday Party

John and Betty 2, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

At Betty's 90th Birthday Party in Rock Island John and Betty sit at a table with Lorraine Fuller and Barb's mother.

At the party were all 4 of John and Betty's surviving children, 15 of 16 grandchildren (including all but one of Jim's step-children (Kim's children from her first marriage) and all 5 of the great-grandchildren. People had come from California, Texas, Virginia, Missouri, Iowa and Illinois.

Aunt Betty's 90th Birthday Party

John and Betty, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

At Betty's 90th Birthday Party in Rock Island Betty gives a speech thanking everyone while Uncle John looks on.

Earlier all her children and their spouses and almost all her grandchildren and their spouses gave speeches giving thanks for all she had done for them. Daughter Mary (the school teacher) organized the speeches, having weeks ago asked everyone to email their speeches to her and she had 3 x 5 index cards for everyone with their speeches printed on them which she handed to them just before they spoke in case they had forgotten what they had planned to say.

John and Betty's sons Tom and John

John and Betty's sons Tom and John, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

At Betty's 90th Birthday Party in Rock Island John and Betty's sons Tom and John.

In Tom's speech he referred to his brother John as the philosopher, his brother Jim as the poet and his sister Mary as the only child.

Aunt Betty's 90th Birthday Party

Mary Kim Jim, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

At Betty's 90th Birthday Party in Rock Island John and Betty's daughter Mary, daughter-in-law Kim and son Jim.

Daughter-in-law Kim gave a very emotional speech in which she thanked Betty for having welcomed her so whole-heartedly into the family and completely accepting her (Kim's) children (from Kim's first marriage) as her (Betty's) grandchildren.

Najib and Saul

Najib and Saul, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Saul Terrance came to the Quad Cities from Chicago for a Thanksgiving weekend visit. Connie, Dave and Najib met Vince, Marg and Terry at a restaurant.

Saul and Dave

Sau and Dave, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Saul Terrance came to the Quad Cities from Chicago for a Thanksgiving weekend visit. Connie, Dave and Najib met Vince, Marg and Terry at a restaurant.

Vince, Najib and Saul

Vince, Najib and Saul, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Saul Terrance came to the Quad Cities from Chicago for a Thanksgiving weekend visit. Connie, Dave and Najib met Vince, Marg and Terry at a restaurant.

Thanksgiving, 2007 at the Barretts

Thanksgiving_2007_2, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Thanksgiving, 2007 at the Barretts

Thanksgiving_2007_3, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Thanksgiving, 2007 at the Barretts

Thanksgiving_2007_4, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Thanksgiving, 2007 at the Barretts

Thanksgiving_2007_5, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Nora with Jesse Carapia (8 months old)

Thanksgiving, 2007 at the Barretts

Thanksgiving_2007_6, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Thanksgiving, 2007 at the Barretts

Thanksgiving_2007_7, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Nora's 18th Birthday Party -- Magalie and Najib

Nora's 18th Birthday Party -- Magalie and Najib, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Magalie and Najib at Nora's 18th Birthday party at the Olive Garden restaurant in Davenport, Iowa. This picture is historic because it is the first time Najib has smiled for the camera since he entered high school. We are going to make a midwesterner out of him yet.

Nora's 18th Birthday Party -- Nora and Abrahn

Nora's 18th Birthday Party -- Nora and Abrahn, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Nora and Abrahn at Nora's 18th Birthday party at the Olive Garden restaurant in Davenport, Iowa.

Nora's 18th Birthday Party -- Connie and Dave

Nora's 18th Birthday Party -- Connie and Dave, originally uploaded by dvdbarrett.

Connie and Dave at Nora's 18th Birthday Party at the Olive Garden restaurant in Davenport, IA

Popeye Statue in Chester, Illinois

These are all photos from flickr of the Popeye statue in Chester, Illinois that is just a few hundred yards from my parent's house. They were all taken by different people at different times and from different angles.
















This statue also is in Chester, Illinois. It is, of course, Olive Oyl, Sweet Pea and the Jeep.