Thursday, November 9, 2017

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

Uncle Joe when we were kids he always gave us a dollar and cut our hair. The brothers loved each other they were close. Even with their sister.

Uncle Fred's pick for a wife did not sit well with his sister, nor did the brothers the objection his wife was closely related to the family by blood in a very close degree. [ed: Uncle Fred and his wife, Esterina, were second cousins through the Ardolino side of the family]

Uncle Fred was called The Soldier. He served in the Italian Turkish war [ed: 1911- 1912] When I was being discharged in WWII I ran into my cousin, Arthur, who convinced me to go with him to Wellesley. As he was going to be picked up and then after visiting my uncle they would take me to Newton and I could catch the Boston elevated.

Uncle greeted us in his uniforma and a glass and a fifth of whisky. He also had a couple of medals.

Uncle Fred's wife died young and he was left with Tootsie, Charlie, Arthur, Freddie, and Ellie. You my dear daughter may not know if, it happened many years ago that Ellie's son took a liking to you with serious thoughts. [ed: Yes, Dad, I knew] But he did know that he was within the blood degree. [ed: second cousins] He asked if he was close his parents told him. We said yes. He was a nice kid but you got better [ed: Himself]. I don't think that there's any one like him for you.

Besides his two brothers my father had another brother Alberto, who did visit American and brought a son with him. He was a nice looking man. Not very tall and shy. He also had a sister but I never heard her name.

This is getting somewhat ahead but it is telling about your roots.

14 comments:

  1. Great to read more of the family history and of your admirer! Have a great day, hugs, Valerie

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  2. such a cute entry, especially with the editor's notes! I must agree with himself ;)

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    1. Dad loved Himself. Kept telling everyone he met was a great son-in-law he had.

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  3. Um...I kinda want to say 'eeeewww' to the second cousin thing....maybe that's just me? :-/

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    1. It's not uncommon. Albert Einstein's second wife was his first cousin, Elsa. Eleanor and Franklin Delano Roosevelt were 5th cousins once removed. Though by then the degree of consanguinity wasn't an issue.

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    2. It's just when you fall in love, you fall in love.

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  4. This is very poignant, CJ.
    So you had an admirer......

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  5. Interesting that your dad didn't think you were aware of people and their interests. Hmm. But it is interesting all the topics he covers. nice to have those stories for sure. Hugs-Erika

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    1. At this time, Dad was dealing with the effects of dementia. He sometimes forgot things.

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  6. Ironic how your father made you aware of something you knew, but I think it's good that the relationship didn't materialize because you sound like you got a better bargain with Himself.

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    1. My 2nd cousin was a nice kid. I ended up introducing him to a friend. They dated for awhile before he moved to FL. And yeah, I got a real Prince

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  7. You had an admirer!!!
    It's so interesting reading all this!!

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