Birthday memories

I saw a news headline that mentioned "April 19 events" and it gave me pause.  I'm sorry the date of your mother's birthday is forever etched in people's brains as an anniversary of a tragic event.  But, for you, it's a time to remember your Mom and I thought you might enjoy these.  Thomas said "keep them coming" so I intend to!

I'm sure you'll remember the celebration of your mother's 60th birthday in 1988.  It was particularly eventful for us as Amy was just about a month old and she made her first trip to Long Island to help celebrate!  I remember the restaurant required a chair be set aside for Amy which I thought was ridiculous but it was well worth the surprise for your Mom.

I like this one because Mrs. King and Betty are right by your mother's side with thoughtful looks on their faces.

Now from the sticky page albums:

She looks very happy in this picture and such a sweet outfit!

I'm guessing she's 9-10 years old maybe?

 This one is labeled in your mother's handwriting:  "Taken at Andrew's house".  I expect someone will be able to identify the make and year of that car and maybe the date could be narrowed down a bit.

 This one is also labeled in your mother's handwriting:  "Jan 15 1950".  I'm not sure who the baby is?

This appears to be a bridal shower for your mother who looks a tad overwhelmed in this shot!

She would have been 85--can you believe that?  Happy Birthday memories to you all.

Another little stroll down memory lane

I promise you, this post started out as something completely different but this is so much fun that I can't resist.  I hope you enjoy as well. 

Recently I bought a new portable scanner that allows me to scan pictures that might not be removable from their locations in order to submit to scanning.  A good example is those sticky page albums we all used to use.  There are several here and they all had priceless pictures in them that I couldn't easily remove to scan and share.  But now I can!  So, when I went looking for something to help with a different post, I got this idea to follow a similar path to the previous post.  I went through these sticky page albums of yours and scanned several of the photos I thought you would enjoy seeing again. 

This may have been a holiday dinner.  I recognize many but not all of these people.  I love that your grandmother is in her apron and that Mrs. Albertini is toasting with her ever present can of beer!  I'm pretty sure I would have gotten along with her just fine.  

Again, an occasion and this is such a nice picture of everyone!  I especially like that I see the heads of families with their sons and wives.

Now here's one for the ages.......the brothers.

This is a GREAT picture -- your grandfather looks very relaxed (and I think I know why--I don't think it has anything to do with those very pretty tomatoes!).  Who's the other guy?

 Robert and Bobbie's wedding I believe.  This is such a nice picture of mother and son.  Your mom was only 46 years old--younger than any of you siblings today!!

 Help me out here--I think Angela might be in her First Communion outfit here.  Such a sweet picture. I don't blame them for using this on their Christmas card that year.  And I'm so glad someone saved it!

Classic.  Love that they both look very happy.  And that your grandfather is caressing the tap.

This is actually this picture that gave me the new idea for this post.  Wigs, girls?  I definitely see Mallory here.

Vol 8a

We recently returned from trip to Gloucester Massachusetts where we spent Easter with my father's family.  We just love it there and are making plans to stay for an extended time next fall.  I consider this to be "our" first official act of retirement. 

So naturally this got me to thinking about our history of Gloucester trips.  It's become a pattern that we try to go at least twice a year--once in the fall and then again for Easter.  Once in a great while we may go during the "high" season of summer for a wedding or other event but it's safe to say that James and I have made this trip many many times over the years. 

I have some memories of Gloucester trips as a youngster but it's these adult adventures that have defined the destination for me.  James made his first visit on our honeymoon and it's a grand sign of fate that he loved it there as much as I do so that it could become "ours".  So I dug into the archives for some evidence of our first trip to Gloucester to share with you.

I keep my photo albums in pretty good shape even in this age of digital photography.  They are labeled and numbered and I often go back and look through them; always finding a gem or two.  It's been fun to document an album's worth of memories to share with you all.  So our Easter 2013 Gloucester trip led me to look through Vol 8a Wedding, Honeymoon - June 86 and share some special memories with you of that time period. 

Logically, the album opens with wedding pictures from August 1985.  Here's the official Dalpiaz family photo from that day:

Interesting crew.

I can only imagine the joy and pride your parents must have felt every time they saw a sight such as this.

We visited Boston and Salem on our way to our real destination Gloucester.  We stayed at a very nice bed and breakfast, returning for anniversary celebrations several times after.  My brother and his wife were visiting at the same time so we did some things together such as go on a whale watch during a rain storm.  It was wet windy and cold.  We were singing the theme to Gilligan's Island much to the dismay of the other passengers.  On a nicer day we went to the beach.  My brother is standing on a cooler because the sand was too hot.

James is proudly displaying his colors.  That safari hat has a long and useful life in his tenure as a field hockey coach.  Yes, I said safari and field hockey in the same sentence!  Then we took the ferry to Long Island and stopped at 21 Duffin for a few days.  I remember being told we'd been gone an awfully long time and it was 10 days-2 weeks or so.

Kathleen, Thomas and Danielle in the backyard.

Jake was born that year

This was probably a Spring Break/Easter visit when we were able to be there to help Danielle and Lindsay celebrate their birthdays in 1986.

And the album ends with a typical sight:  James doing his schoolwork on the floor (probably pre-concert work) with the help of our friend Harry!

He still had his whole tail in 1986.  When we got married and moved, he was no where to be found so we thought he was lost.  Not long after we returned from the honeymoon, the landlord called to let us know Harry had found his way back and to PLEASE come pick him up!. 

It was a pivotal time period for James and I.  You lost your sister Barbara during this time period and I know that changed your lives forever.  It's a valuable experience to review these events every now and again to put the current perspective on as an overlay.  So, you might be the person who has pictures scattered everywhere (on your computer or in a desk).  Take some time and look them over again (and maybe do some sorting while you are at it).  Pretty soon you'll be up to album 38 like I am! 

Happy Easter 2013

1985

Happy Easter memory.  I hope you all have someone standing at your side with the fire extinguisher when needed!  Great memory. 

Believe It or Not

I can't help myself.  I have to talk about the Pope.  Never, ever thought I would say those words, but here we go.  I didn't pay that much attention to the media hype about the selection of the new Pope.  I was keenly aware that history had been made by Benedict's resignation (and vainly tried to convince my 7th and 8th graders of the same with less-than-enthusiastic response).  But I wasn't paying attention to the selection, assuming there would be the same ole same ole old white European wearing the red shoes. 

But now I smile every time I see this face.  He's such a cutie!  I don't imagine those words are used often about the Pope but I'll bet his mother thought so.  She was Italian, after all. 

To some extent, the selection of the Argentinian cardinal was part happy surprise and part some of the "same ole same ole"  -- he is the son of Italian immigrants after all.  There is quite a bit of controversy over whether he can be considered the first Latino Pope. 

I couldn't resist doing just a little bit of research on this Italian family who emigrated to Argentina, as did several branches of the Dalpiaz family.  Sure enough, the Pope's family originates in Northern Italy in the Piedmont region which is on the northwest edge of the Italian border.  His father was a railway worker!  There are some similarities to your family story.  But I digress a bit.

I wanted to share with you a little bit about my favorite man named Francis--my grandfather Francis Flynn.  He was called "Weenie" by everyone due to his slight stature.  He and my grandmother attended St. Bonaventure University which is run by the Franciscans.  My parents each graduated from St. Bonas as well so you can see the Francis/Franciscan influence is a strong one on my side of the family.  Anyhow, my grandfather Francis P. "Weenie" Flynn gained some notoriety during his tenure at St. Bonaventure as quarterback of their football team in the late 1920s.  He's my Leatherhead. 

He's the smallest one with that nice full head of hair all the way to the right of the picture.  His accomplishments on the field let to his nomination to the St. Bonaventure Hall of Fame as well as to Ripley's Believe It or Not. 

Believe It or Not

Anyway, all this talk of Francis makes me think of my grandfather.  The discussion about his heritage makes me think of you all.  I believe the Pope had a much greater influence for our parents than for most of us but this Pope Francis has already had an influence on me. 

March 19 2013

March 19 is the last day of winter.  I guess the Old Man wants us to be sure to remember him as he left us with a storm (obnoxiously named Ukko by our friends at the "Doom and Gloom" Channel) in his wake.  No school today which came as a surprise after I'd already reported for work.  I guess I'm a little bit like Ukko--it's the end of the season and I'm showing up anyhow. 

I could hear the spring sounds of the birds singing away while the wet snow was piling up.  It was a bit disconcerting trying to make sense of those two events in the same observation but I take heart in the fact that tomorrow is the first day of Spring! 

Today is also St. Joseph's Day which I understand to be a significant holiday for some Italians.  Until I did a little bit of research, I did not realize all the traditions this holiday incorporates.  From The Feast of St. Joseph website:

 St. Joseph's Day is a big Feast for Italians because in the Middle Ages, God, through St. Joseph's intercessions, saved the Sicilians from a very serious drought. So in his honor, the custom is for all to wear red, in the same way that green is worn on St. Patrick's Day. (are you all wearing red today?)

Today, after Mass (at least in parishes with large Italian populations), a big altar ("la tavola di San Giuse" or "St. Joseph's Table") is laden with food contributed by everyone (note that all these St. Joseph celebrations might take place on the nearest, most convenient weekend). Different Italian regions celebrate this day differently, but all involve special meatless foods: minestrone, pasta with breadcrumbs (the breadcrumbs symbolize the sawdust that would have covered St. Joseph's floor), seafood, Sfinge di San Giuseppe, and, always, fava beans, which are considered "lucky" because during the drought, the fava thrived while other crops failed (recipes below).

The table -- which is always blessed by a priest -- will be in three tiers, symbolizing the Most Holy Trinity. The top tier will hold a statue of St. Joseph surrounded by flowers and greenery. The other tiers might hold, in addition to the food: flowers (especially lilies); candles; figurines and symbolic breads and pastries shaped like a monstrance, chalices, fishes, doves, baskets, St. Joseph's staff, lilies, the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts, carpentry tools, etc.; 12 fishes symbolizing the 12 Apostles; wine symbolizing the miracle at Cana; pineapple symbolizing hospitality; lemons for "luck"; bread and wine (symbolizing the Last Supper); and pictures of the dead. There will also be a basket in which the faithful place prayer petitions.

The cry "Viva la tavola di San Giuse!" begins the feasting and is heard throughout the day. When the eating is done, the St. Joseph's altar is smashed, and then three children dressed as the Holy Family will knock on three doors, asking for shelter. They will be refused at the first two, and welcomed at the third, in memory of the Holy Family's seeking of hospitality just before Christ was born. This re-enactment is called "Tupa Tupa," meaning "Knock Knock."

The day ends with each participant taking home a bag that might be filled with bread, fruit, pastries, cookies, a medal of St. Joseph, a Holy Card and/or a blessed fava bean. Keep your "lucky bean," and let it remind you to pray to St. Joseph. (The Litany of St. Joseph would be most appropriate today! You can download the Litany, in Microsoft Word .doc format, in English and in Latin). 
  

The website contains recipes as well in case this interests you.  

James is on his spring training trip spending time with Kathleen and Nick this week.  I understand that Jean and Tracie have also visited this week!  It's a little bit like the traditional St. Joseph's Day celebration--family knocking on the door seeking shelter!  Thanks for taking them in Nick and Kathleen!  I believe Angela and Bill are also on the road visiting family this week.

We were able to join Jean for her birthday dinner last week which was great fun for us.  Additional family news includes Amy's engagement which was another recent birthday dinner surprise!  She and Michael haven't made any plans yet and we welcome Michael into the (crazy) fold.  Congratulations sweetie! 

 

Time Marches On

Angela invited us to visit this past weekend and it was a beautiful day so off I went.  James couldn't go  but I didn't feel the least bit intimidated by visiting the in-laws by myself.  Angela and Bill always makes me feel so comfortable--your family really does have a knack for hospitality!  Jim was there with Donna; Patty and Stephanie too so it was a lovely relaxed visit. 

Of course, I prepared myself to discuss some Coffarelli family history and was grateful to find a receptive audience!  It was great fun for me to share some of what I'd learned across the kitchen table on a beautiful spring afternoon.  Too often, such information comes to a discussion point when there's some other event taking up the family energy in the room but that wasn't the case last weekend.  It was quite delightful for me.  Thank you Angela!

Another item in the  the box of James Coffarelli memorabilia that I think you should see is a letter James wrote to his son John (your uncle) from the hospital:

This letter is not dated but seems to have kind of a final tone to it in the advice he's sharing with his son.  Angela tells me he did not actually die of leukemia as his death certificate suggests, but that he suffered from pernicious anemia.  Apparently your grandfather James was a carrier of thalassemia minor (a genetic blood condition) and your Uncle Johnny was also a carrier.  Regardless, at the time of James' illness, I imagine he was treated for the chronic myelogenous leukemia noted on his death certificate.  Treatment for such in the 1930s might have included arsenic trioxide which was a newly "rediscovered" treatment at the time.  Apparently this treatment has achieved a bit of a resurgence recently in the treatment of other related conditions.  It sounds pretty horrible to me, but apparently it's fairly standard as far as cancer treatments go.  What goes around, comes around--even in the medical world!

I find this letter to be very comforting and I hope Uncle Johnny and your mother thought the same.

March brings several birthday shoutouts:  Pat, Jean, Patty, Amy, Danielle and Robert!