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Friday, October 22, 2010

History in a tattered, yellowed envelope.

Just want to let my followers – the few and the faithful – know I’m still here even though I’m behind in my blogging (and commenting).  My world for the moment has been reduced to bouncing between work and cleaning out dear Eleonora’s home. With the occasional youth football game thrown in.

It’s been an experience.

There have been aw’s – “Aw, look at these cards the boys made her when they were little.”

And aw’s – “Aw, Mama, you were supposed to use this stuff.” (unused Christmas gifts tucked safely away in the closet)

And oh hell’s – “Oh hell, how can I go through her recipes and find the family favorites? They’re all written in Polish!”

Then came the “Oh, wow, look at this!”

Going through her personal documents, my husband found the travel papers, boat tickets, permits, etc. from their emigration to the United States in 1951. There were also papers from the refugee camps they’d been living in since the end of the war and from the forced labor farm where Eleonora and her husband Tony had been prisoners during the years before that.

History in a tattered, yellowed envelope.


Got to get back to it.  We have to be done by the end of the month.  If you can, send some positive energy to keep me going. 

13 comments:

Mason Canyon said...

Definitely sending you positive energy. What a treasure of family history you've found (both the documents and recipes). Good luck and take care.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress

Robert Guthrie said...

I'm sending waves of positive energy. Exhausting but a gift to be so in the center of life.

Linda Leszczuk said...

Thanks, Mason. And if I really botch up her old recipes, I'll just blame my husband's translating skills. (I may end up with some great blog fuel here.)

Linda Leszczuk said...

Thanks, Robert. I'm going to be riding on those waves. At the moment, I'm afraid the 'exhausting' is outweighing the 'gift', but we know that's a temporary thing. Who knows what we'll uncover before we're done.

Maria Zannini said...

When we were cleaning out my dad's apartment, it felt almost cathartic by the time we were done. It brought us closer as a family. I don't think we ever talked or laughed more.

I hope you'll share those recipes as you try them out.

Linda Leszczuk said...

Maria - would you like those recipes in Polish or English? :-)

Maria Zannini said...

Woman, the way I cook, you'll need to come over here and show me. :grin:

Kimber Leszczuk. said...

You cook? JUST KIDDING!! ha ha ha Love you Nana!

Linda Leszczuk said...

Maria - I fear that will be the blind leading the blind. But we can still blame poor Stan's translations.

Linda Leszczuk said...

Kim - I use to cook a lot. Now I'm too busy babysitting grandchildren. :-)

BTW - you have to learn how to make these recipes, too, you know. Matt loved his Babcia's cooking.

Dru said...

Sending you positive energy

Linda Leszczuk said...

Thanks, Dru. I appreciate it. And back at ya for that daytime situation meeting. Hope something great is headed your way.

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