Ma Baensch Marinated Herring

My maternal grandmother would eat this every New Year's Eve. I guess there's a tradition that says eating it at midnight will bring good luck for the year , but she seemed to have a genuine affection for it too . Odd , as I don't remember her enjoying this or any fish the rest of the year . 

She would have been 100 today

My late Busia/Little Grandma, Clara Zolinski, would have turned 100 years old today. 

It's been 16 years and I still miss you Grandma. I love you. 

RIP.

Voting

3 generations of early female voters right here.

An Old Family Pic

 

I can't vouch for the location, but it appears to be a basement Christmas or New Years party, possibly in the northern room of my Grandparent's basement (by the time I saw it, decades later, it was full of storage and long affected by disuse and moisture - it certainly didn't look like THIS. But the wainscot seems familiar, as does the radio). 

That's my Mom dancing with her Dad, and my Grandma dancing with someone that's probably one of my Mom's cousins. 

By the age of my Mom, I'd place this in the early 1960's. 

Happy Birthday Grandma Slap! From LuLu

Proud Dad :)

My Mom, who is watching Smiley this week during the demo, related this anecdote to me: she sent him across the street to the grocery store, and on the way he passed by an old woman waiting on the bus stop. Seeing she was cold, he took the two hand warmers I'd given him during the bitter cold spell (the chemical bags you activate, then keep on you to keep warm) and gave them to the woman. #GoodManInTraining #ProudDad

Dinner at Fox & Hounds to End the Summer

While the two oldest and I started school weeks ago, the youngest two start tomorrow. That makes today the final day of Summer 2017, and we wanted to make it special. We all dressed up, invited Grandma Jeannee, and made the beautiful 40 minute drive to Fox & Hounds restaurant near Holy Hill. The food was abundant, everyone was in good spirits, and the kids were on their best behavior in memory. I hope they remember this summer's finale forever.

YaYa and Grandma J are seeing this tonight at the high school

Easter Wreaths

Lisa made these for my Mom, at her request. The pictures, honest and truly, don't do the work justice. My Mom was very grateful.

I'll Miss This

At quarter after midnight I called my Mom. She answered on the first ring, wide awake. That's something I'll miss decades from now.

I always enjoyed their sleep habits when they were on 18th, no matter the time of day or night, someone could be found wide awake LOL - Lisa

Visiting Mom

YaYa and I visited my Mom in her rehabilitation facility this afternoon.

10 Years Gone

Ten years ago today my maternal Grandma passed away. I loved her a lot. It's hard to believe it's been a decade, and even harder to believe Lauren never had the chance to meet her.

Grandma on the Trampoline!!

At our Memorial Day barbeque my mother-in-law Jeanne Scorsone climbed up on the trampoline with the kids. It's a memory they'll have forever, and Lisa and I were very impressed!

Update on my Mom

I visited my Mom and Aunt Rosie at the nursing home/rehab center today, along with three of the kids (no Lu). She told me she might be there past mid-May, which is a good three weeks past her first estimate. That sucks. OTOH she looked better than she has in years. I can't put my finger on it . . . I guess she just looked more alert and together today. It was nice to see.

The Lava Visit

 Visiting my Mom in the hospital (Monday)

So you know . . .

On January 15th, 1982, my maternal grandparents bought a new washing machine from Sears. Model 110.83170110 with serial # C15101623, it broke down four days before Christmas in 1985 but was repaired under a service plan that expired 12-12-86. Just thought you'd like to know.

I took my Mom to Potawatomi!

I took my Mom to Potawatomi casino for a belated birthday lunch yesterday, and she left a winner!

Frozen

 My girls en route to see Frozen with Grandma (Smiley went too)

LK and my Mom

Two Dates

Today would have been my maternal grandmother's 90th birthday.

Today is also the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Ap Bac, where Viet Cong forces pinned down and defeated a South Vietnamese force 5x it's size, along with their American advisers. It's been described as the Viet Cong's first major battlefield victory and credited with all sorts of influence on how events played out in the next 12 years. IMO, that 'influence' seems exaggerated by historians It was influential in the moment, but I don't see its reach extending that much into the future.