Biographies go on forever!

This week’s blog is designed to start many of you thinking and writing. Can you tell us what you know about your grandparent’s childhood?

I don’t know much about my grandparent’s childhoods, except my mother’s mother.

Grandma was born around 1906 and that is a guess. She was given the name FreLove. She was not happy with her given name as she would say her love was not free. So she had it changed to Freda.

She was one of 20 children. Yes, you read that right 20 children. Including four sets of twins. Her mother, my great grandmother, had been married five times, outliving four of her husbands. This probably would explains the many children.

Due to the economic times, my grandmother spent most of her childhood in an orphanage, foster home and on rare occasions at home with the family.

At the age of 17 her sisters did not want her to stay in the orphanage any longer. And took it upon themselves to change the situation. They basically kidnapped her. After they got her out they knew the authorities would be looking for them either in Ohio or West Virginia. So they tag teamed my grandmother. When they knew the authorities were coming to West Virginia, they took her to Ohio and visa versa.

Eventually, one of my great aunts asked a 32 year old man, from Romania, if he would marry my grandmother. His only question; is she pretty? Yes indeed, she was very pretty. So the 17 year old and the 32 year old were married.

This is the majority of what I know about my grandmother’s childhood.

I have no details about my grandfather’s early life; nothing of the year he arrived in this country; nothing about his childhood or family that could possibly still be alive in his motherland. Sadly I have no knowledge of family I may be missing.


The point I would like to make; we all have family. Some we have lost. However, if you are lucky enough to have your older generation still with you find out all you can about their lives and write it down. Should you be the older generation, start a journal telling of your parents, your childhood, your siblings and those who have passed. This is your family’s history to be saved and shared.

September 11th

September 11, 2001

I want to take a moment to honor the victims and their families of that horrible day. Also to honor the military personnel and their families for the sacrifices they continue to make to this day.

　

The second honor goes to my Dad, Augie Montalbano.

Anyone knowing Augie saw him as gentle, compassionate, friendly, generous and any other trait you would assign to a saint.

Born September 11, 1925. He came into this world in an apartment located in Elm Grove, WV, above a restaurant known as Siebert's. His parents were immigrants from Sicily. He was not the first Augie born to Guissippe and Angela. The first child pass at a very young age so the next male child carried the same name.

This is only one of the many funny story that I want to share with you about him:

Dad loved organic gardening. He certainly did not use pesticides. He didn't have to, he had several kids to work his garden. He would give each a container and tell you to go out and remove the bean beetles from the plants. Now the problem. Since the jars were open, the beetles would fly out and back to the plants as fast as we could pull the little buggers off.  By the end of the row the beetles were back before we could reach the end of the  row.

As a gentle compassiona being, Dad would not allow us to kill the little buggers. It definitely kept us busy. We never complain about being bored, because we knew the beetle jars would be ready for us to work.

Labor Day

Labor Day, September 5, 2011

We have enjoyed this holiday for a long time. But gaining it's status as a National Holiday was not easily won.

Step back in time. It's 1894 and the labor movement is trying to gain recognition for the average worker. There are attempts to have the work day limited to eight hours. Previous attempts to celebrate this day set aside for the workers, resulted in troops being called in to disband the effort. This resulted in the death of several individuals. The then president Grover Cleveland tried to make the labor movement his top priority in the coming election. However, the wounds were still too fresh for him to overcome the fierce beginning of the labor movement.

The first state to recognize Labor Day was Oregon on Feb 21, 1887. By the end of the year four more states followed, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. By the end the 1894, 23 more states joined the band wagon. Finally on June 28, 1894 it was made a National Holiday.

So what will you be thinking of this Labor Day? Will you appreciate the efforts it took to bring about this celebration? Will the American worker be thought of as you celebrate. And as strange as it may seem, will you even think of the people who died trying to have a day to recognize the workers. Or will we think of it as just our last leisure day of the summer.

Yes, we live in the land of the free; but that is only because of the brave. Not all of the brave wear a military uniform. Although we support our troops; we must also be aware of others who fought to bring about things we take for granted in our current life.

Some towns will have a parade. I remember my hometown having a parade consisting of my cousin Sonny leading the parade by riding his motorcycle, the fire truck and the volunteers all aboard the truck and seeing my cousin Joyce sitting on the back seat of a convertible waving to the crowd as someone threw out penny candy. Never once in my life did I appreciate the meaning and effort it took to bring about Labor Day. To me it was the last of summer's fun, today I know and appreciate the efforts of those individuals so long ago brought us Labor Day.

Celebrate, remember and stay safe.

Desiderata

I have been thinking of what to write about this week in my blog. For me, writing is the key. I really don't like the type face of a standard blog. But alas, standard type face is the limit.

The following is a verse written by Max Ehrmann. It is called Desiderata. At first I worried about adding this to my blog, so I researched and made sure it was not an infringement on a copyright.  I would never abuse someone else's writing.

I have written this beautiful prose out in calligraphy and placed it in several places in my home. One in my library, where I do my writing, and again in the entrance to our office for our business.

In addition to my Catholic Christian values, I use these words as a life coach. So it is with thanks and appreciation that I acknowledge Mr Ehrmann as the writer of this soul searching work.

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Thank you Mr. Erhmann.

Cursive Writing

When I was a young girl, just learning cursive writing, I fell in love with the written word.  I had a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Link, who was very helpful in nurturing my hand allowing me to discover how to release my thoughts.

Years later, I still find the need for the scripted word.  Seeing the ink create something using my hand, feeling the nib scratch the paper, the words flowing and allowing me to liberate my thoughts.

                                                            
When upset, happy or just alone, I find myself with pen in my hand.  Sometimes just doodling, sometimes penning artwork, and sometimes I just let my thoughts fill a page.

Writing has always been a way of letting my thoughts run wild.  I can write out what I think.  Upset with someone, I can write out how I feel.  Cursive writing flows so much easier than the printed format, releasing so much more.  Here is where the pen is gentler than the sword...I can tear up, crumple, or burn my words without hurting a soul.  Once said words become part of my history, potentially hurting someone.

Now, to why I am distrubed.  Many, if not most, schools have decided it is no longer necessary to teach cursive writing.  Students are losing the ability and feel of the flowing word that eases their pain, increases their joy, and just lets them be themselves.

I do hope somewhere, somehow the idea of cursive writing will go on in the world.