It really is a small world after all

 

Most of you have probably seen this many times.  It is your parent's wedding invitation.  The front cover actually says Bridal Book while the inside clearly is an invitation.  And I'm sure many of you recognize St. Rita's church and its role in the family history.  The Pheasant Tavern not only hosted their wedding reception, but was also one of Tony Bennett's early employers.  In his book The Good Life  he notes he was a singing waiter at the Pheasant Tavern.  Another connection between Tony Bennett and your family, even as your parents were leaving their childhood homes to begin a new life!  I find these connections very interesting--the whole "degrees of separation" concept seems to validate that it is, indeed, a very small world.

St. Rita's Long Island City (at least according to Google!)

Happy Birthday this week to Pat!  James and Ryan are visiting Kathleen and Nick this week -- they have outdone their hosting duties this past few weeks!  Amy is now home for Spring Break.  It's starting to look and feel like spring......Enjoy!

Plaza Yearbook 1946

Snow day!  And we all know what that means......time to dig around in the papers, pictures and notes to come up with new thoughts on the family history!  (of course --what were you thinking I meant?)  Since we have so many high school seniors this year, I thought it might be fun to take a look at your mother's yearbook.  

Here's her picture entry noting her activities as Spring festival and choral training.  Her listed hobbies were an eye opener for me: sports (!?) and dancing.  Her ambition was "Success in whatever I undertake".  To be fair, almost every entry had a similar sounding ambition--so very different from what we see today.  

What I found most interesting were the signed well wishes from family and friends.  I don't know if it was common for the time, but several of her aunts signed her yearbook along with her friends and teachers.  It's always fun to look at the handwriting of our ancestors.  I think I can take a fair guess at most of them:  Marie Coffarelli may be Joseph's wife; there's also an Aunt Marie (I"m thinking perhaps Marie Mangelli).  Aunt Lee (Albert's wife); Aunt Amelia (Aunt Emily/Dolly?); and Aunty Madeline (Basile).  Aunt Sarah is a mystery to me....any guesses?  Your Aunt Mary told me that Peter Manzelli was first married to a girl whose name she could not remember--then he lived with another woman ("the Nervo girl").  Perhaps Aunt Sarah is one of these?

Tucked inside her yearbook is a certificate certifying that she earned a Minor Letter in Choral dated March 1 1944.  Also included is a Gregg Shorthand Speed Certificate certifying her for 60 words a minute issed in June 1445.  These must have been important to her.  What have you got tucked away in your high school yearbook?

Evan from Heaven

It's difficult to find words for this senseless loss of human potential.  It's unspeakable -- parents don't dare allow the thought to settle itself in consciousness.  Grandparents and great grandparents view mortality through their own frame of reference which includes no reality this brutal. 

Evan's funeral Mass was held at the local Roman Catholic church.  Many young people were there to hear the gospel, participate in the prayers and see the stark image of the lonesome coffin containing their friend carried by grief stricken pallbearers.  There is comfort in the familiar traditions of the prayers, the liturgy and the music for those that are open to it and have faith.

I admire those whose faith is strong enough to bring comfort at a time like this.  Angela and Louis each provided  written memories of Evan which were read from the altar by a family friend.   These words, so carefullly crafted and thoughtfully prepared, painted such a beautiful picture of young Evan for those of us not fortunate enough to know him.  Angela and Louis brought comfort to all of us and to think that a parent could do that for others at such a time is a great testament to the healing power of the love of family and friends.

Angela related that Evan introduced himself as "Evan from Heaven" and that's how I will remember him.  As the priest finished the service at graveside, I couldn't help but think about the irony of the sparkling sunny day and strong breeze wrapping itself around the huddled dark ball of grief surrounding the new hole in the ground.  Bless you Evan from Heaven. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

An experiment

I'm going to try something new here and create a link to a slideshow of some of Ryan's recent basketball pictures.  It was senior recognition night last night which is very hard to believe.  The seniors each referenced 4 years of basketball, but it's more like 8 or 9 years in those gyms........

Happy birthday Amanda and belated Happy Birthday to Bobbie!  Big storm news seems to be making everyone crazy.  Including me...I kind of want to choke these people and scream "Stop talking about it!  I beg you.  It's weather..it's winter..we live in New York State.  Stop with the fretting".  Yikes. 

I've been doing a little bit of research into coal mining in Ohio as I think about your extended Dalpiaz family and your Messa family.  Belmont County was the all time leader in coal production in Ohio near the beginning of the 20th century.  In this application for a marriage license, Jake indicates he was a coal miner.  I guess I didn't realize that.  Coal mining was not easy work and maybe this is partly why he was so cruel.  In 1907 miners were paid 57 cents a TON for screened coal and $2.56 a day to work inside the mine.  Until 1940 of so, most mining was done underground by hand with the assistance of animals to haul the coal.  And people are whining for a snow day tomorrow.......

Another interesting item to note about this marriage license application is that both Jake and Caterina say they lived in Black Oak.  This place no longer exists, although there is a Black Oak road along which the ghost of a woman who froze to death in the mid 1800s can be seen walking along the tracks (eerily similar to the story of Jake's fate).  This would interest Joe Falgia--he loved the story of the ghost outside Walton! 

One last item about this application to note is that the actual marriage is not noted on here.  They had their license but the actual ceremony is not listed here, which is a little odd.   But not as odd as that ghost on the tracks.......

Happy Birthday Scott Linda and Norman

 

I guess I never realized Scott and Linda share a birthday with Norman Rockwell!  This picture reminds me of Scott and Linda.  Happy Birthday to all of you!