O'CONNOR TRIFECTA

Margie O'Connor proudly displays three grandsons:
 Sullivan and twins Isaac and Aaron.

Detroit Harbor, Washington Island -


Washington Harbor homeowners Steve and Margie O'Connor (also a Ferry Line ticket seller) are still coming down from an exciting several days experienced last weekend.

They had left the island on the early boat Thursday, July 14, knowing son Patrick and daughter-in law Emilie were expecting a child any moment, given Emilie was nearing one week beyond the due date.   Margie and Steve arrived in Milwaukee in plenty of time, following some appointments of their own, and they met 10 lb. 13 oz. Sullivan soon after he was born, which was approximately 2 a.m. early Friday morning, July 15.

While enroute to the Milwaukee hospital on Thursday, they had spoken with eldest son Sean who said that he and his wife Fran were just returning from a night in the hospital for observation in Hoffman Estates, IL, due to false contractions, and that everything was "normal"with the twins she was carrying.  Fran was not expected to deliver until mid-August.   Later that day, however, Sean called Margie back to say that he and Fran were proud parents of twin boys born at the St. Alexius Hospital:  Isaac Stephen (5 lb. 3 oz.) and Aaron Joseph (6 lb. 9 oz.)

This made three new O'Connor grandsons, all on July 15!

Further fulfilling their role as grandparents, and a promise to have granddaughters stay with them for two weeks, Margie and Steve picked up two older grandchildren of daughter Shannon, who had vacationed in Ripon, at an arranged rendezvous as they passed through Fond du Lac.   Then they raced to catch the Saturday's late afternoon ferry, in time for Steve to sing in the Red Barn's Folk Festival that evening.

More grandparent stuff


Saturday afternoon I offered to take Hoyt and Kirsten's two boys, Aidan and Magnus, ages three and five, to see the planes at the Island Fly-In, and to buy them lunch in Jackson Harbor.  They had just come from shopping with their mom at the Twice Around Shop and each boy had with him a new toy truck.

One of 25 photos taken by Aidan of his
new toy truck

With cars parked along both sides of Airport Road, I looked for an open space to park from where we could watch planes land and take off. During this time, Magnus informed me he had to use the bathroom.  I decided the public restrooms at School House Beach would be the closest, so I drove there from the Airport.

While I entered the School House Beach men's room with Magnus, his brother Aidan, a knowledgeable little photographer with a point-and-shoot camera, located my camera and used it to snap a few photos of his new truck.

Then, we headed east from Washington Harbor to Jackson Harbor and lunch at the Time Out Concession operated by Karen Baxter and her mother-in-law, Shirley.   I ordered three hot dogs: one with ketchup only for Aidan; ketchup and relish for Magnus; and the works for me.  I soon learned I had heard it wrong, that Magnus didn't like relish at all, and that Aidan didn't like hot dogs (although he ate his without complaint).  Magnus ate only his pickle, but he wouldn't touch the hot dog despite my "scraping off" the relish.  We sat at a picnic table in the heat of the midday sun, two of us eating hot dogs while Magnus climbed on the anchor, and we sipped lemonade.  In between bites, I kibitzed with Barry McNulty who rested in a nearby chair placed under the shade of the old Coast Guard boat, Valiant. 

Hoping I could regain the boys' confidence, I offered to return to the concession wagon to buy ice cream in the form of packaged drumsticks.  In due time, I learned that not all young kids like drumsticks, or nuts on chocolate for that matter, or that they can keep ahead of melting chocolate and ice cream while standing in the sunshine.   Magnus licked his slowly, but steadily, to the point where the remaining ice cream leaned to one side before toppling to the grass.   Aidan had made great headway on his drumstick, working top to bottom, but he lost the lower third to the ground once he'd eaten the sugar cone sides that provided support.

Magnus passes up hot dog for a climb on
an anchor near the Fishing Museum

I ignored sticky hands and faces as seat belts were snapped once more and we drove toward their home where nap time awaited.  Approaching the driveway, I was informed Magnus again had to go "peeps."  As soon as car doors opened, both boys jumped out and thoroughly christened the bush that grows alongside the driveway.

It was a great time!

 -  Dick Purinton