Today is a day that changed the world.
It changed countless lives, and it set the course for mine. Today was the day my "GG" was born.
In March of 1917... the height of the influenza epidemic... my sweet grandma Francesca was born.
Her father was older...50 ish... and an accomplished barber, her older brother was her aunts son...( he married sisters...)~ life appears to have always been complicated!~ The influenza epidemic claimed her mother. They were both ill and her mother lost her life caring for her... typical mother love.So in way, with an older father and a deceased mother GG was an orphan. She spent time with a swedish immigrant family in Omaha with 11 children. Her father would visit her on the weekends. She says it was a happy childhood...
Later she married my " bohunk" ( slang for Czech) grandfather Alphonse. They spent time at the "beer joint" , the Sokol hall... and danced and drank with all the Czech and Polish couples starting thier lives in America. They had four children who had an army of children...They owned a stocked lake and made a living from the packing house, owned a "tavern" and "Gypsies" who would fish from the lake all Summer, some Carp, some Catfish... nobody could clean and fry a fish like GG.
The overarching one truth about Grandma Frances was ... if it needed to eat, needed to talk, needed a hug, needed money, needed a footrub... ( she had a reflexology license in the 60's) she was there. The Super nurturer. There was no animal, baby, soul in her world, that was not loved deeply and tenderly.
She gave up A LOT and waited on, cared for, tended to, fed, loved anything and everything in her grasp... I can NOT think of a more profound legacy...
Grandma Thank you for the example! Happy Birthday GG!
Love the picture of her as a young woman...I see the resemblance. HBD GG!!
ReplyDeleteMel, your prose is like poetry! I love to read about your family! Thank you darling, Joy
ReplyDeleteThanks GG...I love you too.
ReplyDeleteMel.....reflexology! She would be my kind of Grammy too:)
ReplyDeleteSweet picture of your girl? You always capture a beautiful LIFE through your lens.
Have a sweet day and Happy Birthday to "GG"
What a gorgeous way to pay tribute to someone that means so much. So glad you were able to make it tonight.
ReplyDeleteI too come from a large Czech Omaha family... Perhaps our kin rubbed elbows at Sokol back in the day.
ReplyDeleteYour writing is beautiful. Happy Birthday to your GG!
Hi Mel, I FINALLY landed on your blog...think you gave me the card at Lisa's birthday last June! But imagine my surprise when I googled it and found your most recent post about your GG was written on my 50th birthday. After reading about your GG who reminds me of my Mimi, I feel fortunate to share her birthday...hope some of her wonderful qualities come with the day! Gretchen
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