35-62 9th

It was really great to see everyone last Sunday at Jean's for the "once-a-decade-or-so" Coffarelli reunion picnic. I was disappointed in the pictures I took so I hope the rest of you will be sharing yours soon. Pat and Nick. I'm sorry we had to leave so early but I felt like I came away with a great deal even if my time was short.

There were a couple of things I was eager to share with Uncle Johnny and I was really hoping to jog his memory to release some stories--and it worked! I feel like I have some great background now to be able to put together some of the pieces of the puzzle of the Coffarelli family story.

Your grandparents married in June of 1923 at St. Rita's (the scene of many family events infamous and joyful as well). Marguerite was the oldest of 9 children and James was the youngest. That pairing must have made for an interesting relationship. Just about nine months later, Uncle Johnny was born in Freeport. And four years later Regina was born.

This is a picture of Marguerite in front of the house on Sagamore Street. Uncle Johnny vividly remembers the large front sun porch which you can see a bit of behind Marguerite in this picture. Looks like a pretty good size house to me! Sometime between James' death in 1934 and Marguerite's in 1938 the family left Freeport apparently to live at 35-62 9th Street Long Island City. .

13 Sagamore Street was quite a ways from New York Hospital (now NY Presbyterian Hospital) in Manhatten where James was being treated for his leukemia. Uncle Johnny says he could see the hospital across the river--must have been from 9th Street

He recalls that the mortgage for this house was held by a furniture dealer who called the loan forcing them to move. Circumstances suggest that James' death probably forced this. I do not know the situation but at first I wanted to "boo-hiss" the furniture dealer but it is likely that Marguerite struggled financially after her husband's death at the height of the Great Depression. Yet another example of how history repeats itself and today's economic difficulties in many ways echo that time.

Uncle Johnny also recalled playing stickball in the neighborhood. He had no idea what kinds of things your mother was doing for entertainment while he was hitting a tennis ball with a mop handle. When I asked what were some of his favorite foods, he said he ate whatever was put in front of him. Days of the week dictated the menu--Sundays were chicken. I have noticed that the women in the family usually recall more specific details about such things but Uncle Johnny did not lack in detail describing stickball or other ball-bouncing games.

One interesting tidbit I'd like to follow up on was that he identified Aunt Betty (perhaps Elizabeth Coffarelli) in a picture as someone who lived with them and carried him out of a house fire! I imagine this had to be while they were living in Freeport but I hope to hear more of that story!

I've learned time and time again that these stories weave themselves in and out of time and it brings great comfort. As I was looking at my papers to get ready to put this post together, I re-read Marilyn Sheerin's letters and noticed that Aunt Claire and Aunt Marie's address was 35-62 9th Street Long Island City. More than 50 years later and the same address for the Manzellis. Probably someone told me that a long time ago, but it jumped right out at me today.

As Uncle Johnny was describing his sun porch on Sagamore Street, I was remembering Kathleen telling us that she has always wanted a house with a porch. Echoes of the past such as this add such richness to the story of your lives that it's difficult to let it go.

Summer 2009 except it doesn't really feel like summer just yet. We had a great visit with Kathleen and Nick. This sign about sums up the visit. Things didn't quite go together the way we were planning, but it was a great match up regardless.

My mother was an only child but my dad had two brothers. He was 13 years older than his next sibling, my Uncle Peter. We didn't get to see much of our uncles so whenever they visited it was a big deal for us kids. Even when we were older, it was a special event if Uncle Tim and Aunt Emmy visited.

So even though Ryan was with his new best friends the Marines for Boys State and Amy spent much of the week wrestling otters, it was a special week for us also. We toured wine country between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes (not rainy but not warm either); James cooked hot dogs on the grill (nearly in the rain); Kathleen took Amy and Ryan for ice cream (probably in the rain) in downtown Harpursville. We explored a covered bridge; saw some baseball--Ryan's team played better than the Binghamton Mets; and enjoyed the rainbows the rain brought (nearly every day).

We are pleased to have been one of the stops on the Great Northern Tour of 2009. That's a huge undertaking for Kathleen and Nick--thanks for taking the trip and we will see you soon at Jean's!

"The Finest Place to Live"

When James and I were talking about your dad's birthday this year, we agreed that it was hard to think of him as the 81 year old man he would have been. But that changed for me upon noticing an article in the New York Times last Friday June 26 2009: He's Never Left Astoria Behind. Even for me, many recognizable names were mentioned in the article.

Of course, I couldn't leave it at that so I jumped up to investigate a little bit. I remember your dad talking about growing up in the same neighborhood as Tony Bennett. Then Anthony Benedetto, he is only a year younger than your dad so I feel like his experience was in many ways your family's as well. This article mentions Tony Bennett's dad was a grocer but in the 1930 census he and his wife were dressmakers. The article mentions Steinway Street, which is what the census lists as the Dalpiaz/Messa family homestead at that time.

Tony Bennett says Astoria was "The finest place to live". What a wonderful way to remember childhood! Apparently he stared at the Manhattan skyline across the East River and I imagine your dad, his sisters and perhaps the rest of the family doing the same. In 1930 Tony lived on 21st Avenue but the article mentions a two story house on 32nd Street during the Great Depression. Indeed all in the same neighborhood--906 34th Avenue is the Messa/Dalpiaz address in the early 1930s. He raised pigeons on the roof and played in the Astoria Pool (which I do not recall hearing about). The rooftop activities of course bring to mind the pictures from the Astoria rooftops!! The article mentions Steinway Junior High School class of 1942 with his class picture. Is this the same Junior High School your parents attended?

Anyhow, the fondness Mr. Bennett holds for his childhood homes and memories brings great warmth to my heart thinking about your dad especially. It feels just like thie article is talking about your dad--despite the fact he wasn't a world renowned celebrity!!

We are awaiting Kathleen and Nick's arrival tomorrow!

Father's Day and Summer Solstice

As a special treat for Father's Day this year, you have the longest day of the year to celebrate! I hope you are all having a great day with your fathers or with your children. James is spending the afternoon at the Binghamton Mets game with Amy and Ryan. Perfect. I know he misses his dad to this day and especially today so I'm glad he is spending it with his kids at his favorite pasttime. I hope the same for all of you.

In my family history research, I learn many things that surprise me. This hasn't specifically happened recently, but it occured to me that even in today's world we can learn things that might surprise us about our family members. We think we know what others think of us, but those perceptions are often inaccurate. And we don't even realize it! I have very often had my eyes opened by a revelation shared by someone's perception of me or my preferences, motives whatever. We simply do not have the same views of ourselves that others do and such a reality check can be very refreshing.

So, in that spirit, I thought I would share with you all some of my favorite online activties. I am sharing things I think might surprise you as well as give you new insight to my interests. One such website is one that I'll bet Thomas would enjoy very much: The Occasional CEO blog blends history with current events in such an interesting way I look forward to all new posts! Most recently I particularly enjoyed the post: Twitter, Pain, and the Livery Stable Blues: Culture Trumps Technology . Great food for thought. I get regular Grammar Girl updates to keep me current with grammatical trivia.

Podcasts I enjoy on my iPod include Quick and Dirty Tips Get It Done Guy as well as This American Life from NPR; Circuits by David Pogue and Good Morning Gloucester. I've just started listening to Arming the Donkeys explaining recent scientific research and how it affects our lives.

And, yes, I have finally joined the social network world on Facebook. We'll see how it goes. I look forward to all it can offer. Jake mentioned the wide Dalpiaz network so I am very intrigued.

Good thing it's the longest day in the year with all this stuff to keep up with! My family is welcoming a new twig on the family tree today: my sister Paula's son Bill welcomes his second daughter Emma into the world today!

Who knew?

The USA Today paper today described a potential "new" kind of cloud. I never considered there might ever be a new kind of cloud. Did you? Anyone out there more scientifically based than I am that knows something about clouds? This is a cloud I admired one day.

It might be an odd coincidence, but I had just been admiring the cloud formations today as I was finally released from our last day of school (this probably added to their beauty). And sometimes I take comfort in the thought that the sun, the moon, the stars and the clouds today are the "same" sun, moon, stars and clouds that our ancesters admired. I can still rely on the sun, right?

Happy Birthday Dad

Birthday bubbles. Your dad never struck me as being very fanciful so I like this picture because he was having fun with his grandchild. And I especially like the big bear in the background. But this picture also makes me sad because it was taken when we were there for your mother's funeral and I know how sad he was. I'm pretty sure his heart was not in entertaining Amy that moment but he did it anyhow and that speaks to his character. We miss him.

Another universal experience, I suppose.