More posts forthcoming, but to hold you over for now, here is something clever and beautiful.
And here is something that I miss.
This land is your land, this land is my land August 15, 2009
…and now it is also the land of my dear Swiss friends, who are taking a three month road trip in their Shasta RV, starting in Boston, ending in California and then, so sadly, of to Switzerland never to return. =(
I had a wonderful three years living in community with Joel, Daniela and their four kids, and I’m a little shaky on my feet at having to do it without them. I love them all, but I feel a special bond with the youngest, T, whose accidental bathtub birth I missed by ten minutes. It happened like this. Another housemate, B, posted on facebook that Daniela was having the baby that night, and I called her, but she said she was just in early labor and that it could be days. Still, I had a feeling that I should be there, and was planning on heading over after I finished a couple of emails. Twenty minutes later,another housemate, M, called me to say the baby had just been born while Daniela was taking a bath. Apparently she had something like three contractions, and Joel couldn’t finish dialing the number of the midwife before T was out. M, a doctor but by no means an obstetrician, “caught” T, the oldest son cut the umbilical cord (which they clipped with a bag-clip from the kitchen) and B, who is studying to be an Anglican priest, said a blessing over her. Voila, instant baby, no need to hire outside help. Definitely one of the high points of living in community.
Cutest bathtub baby ever
For those of you who know the Roth-Naters, they are keeping a blog of their journey. http://roth-nater.blogspot.com/
Antosia and Jozef August 11, 2009
How my great-grandmother was married, written by one of her daughters, Anne, my great-aunt. For the non-Polish speakers, Babci = Grandma and Dziadzi = Grandpa.
In Easthampton, Massachusetts it was a Polish Catholic parish! That was how the young people met. With extra long work days, and so many church services, there was not much time for play.
-And so it was that Jozef eyed Antosia, inviting her to a first date to accompany him to Mass on a Sunday to hear the “banns of marriage” announcing their forthcoming marriage.
Banns of Marriage” were announcements made after a Sunday sermon to convey to the public that a couple was to be joined in marriage. If there was to be an objection for any reason, the priest was to be notified before the wedding date.
Antosia and her girlfriends knew who Jozef was, or knew of him, but Antosia was not proposed to by Jozef – in fact, he had never spoken to her before that. Apparently, he went to the rectory on his own, submitted his and her name, and assumed there would be no problem.
Antosia was flabbergasted to say the least. She immediately meant to go to the rectory to explain the “misunderstanding”. Her girlfriends preyed on her humility saying that she could not be waiting for a “Knight-in-shining-armor” to ride in on his white horse to spur her away! Even they knew those fairy tales of old!
They convinced her that she was so lucky to be chosen by such a handsome, intelligent, industrious young man. Jozef’s plan for the wedding proceeded! Antosia’s plan for her future was detoured!
The wedding took place on a Saturday (January 15, 1915) – party into Sunday - Jozef went off with “the guys”, and Antosia slept in a rocking chair at his “Aunt’s” house waiting for her honeymoon.
Sixty years later, when Dziadzi began becoming “obstreperous” with the beginning of senile dementia, Babci reminded him of the honeymoon they never had! She said – “and where did you take me for a honeymoon – Bermuda, maybe?”
On Monday, they all went back to work! The whole male contingent of the bridal party went to the priest to “take the pledge”. It was a vow not to use alcohol for one year. I guess it was a common practice.
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My great-grandmother had always wanted to become a nun! Good thing for me, I guess, that she didn’t. Still, reading this story makes me wish she didn’t give in to my great-grandfather! Just a note for any potential suitors: I prefer to know in advance before the banns go up.
Jamaica Pond August 9, 2009
One of the best places in Boston for a walk, and only 1/2 mile from my house! I finally took my camera along (thanks again Mom and Dad!) and tried to explain with photos some of the things I saw. I plan on adding many more to this set, but click here to see what I have so far. Here are a few previews.
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