August 21, 2002

Next: In Case Im Never Heard From Again

Frying My Fishes

You know the saying… “If wishes were fishes, we’d have em all fried”. Well today, I’m frying – if not fishes, then wishes. Well… maybe not even wishes. OK – I’m just gonna ramble. Live with it!!!!!

IF a picture is worth a thousand words… then wouldn’t it be better – and less time consuming – if we spoke in pictures??? Think about it… Of course those little white lies would come out as re-touched photos… Oh the possibilities are endless!

My daughter’s new best friend at her new school is 6 months pregnant. What a tightrope I’m walking there! I certainly do not want want to condemn this girl – I know nothing about the circumstances (well – I know a little, since there was no star in the east, I have seen no wise men and the girl is in school rather than in a manger…) but I am a little concerned. As I mentioned before my daughter has a heart as big as the universe – so this friendship is natural for her – to take up for an underdog. And I do congratulate the girl for staying in school rather than opting out. But I don’t want to make her a hero… Argh.

Why is it that I am the only visible person in my father’s home? Daddy constantly questions me about things…

“Why is there an empty soda can over there?”

“I don’t know since I didn’t put it there. I assume that either you or Chickie did.”

“I didn’t.”

“Well then maybe Chickie did.”

“Get rid of it.”

Now he knows damn well I didn’t leave the soda can there. AND he knows damn well he didn’t either. So wouldn’t you think he could just say…”Chickie – get rid of that soda can!”? NooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOooooo.

And she’s just as bad.

“Is Grandpa prejudiced?”

“Yes, in some ways he is.”

“Why is he?”

“I can guess – but I don’t really know. He knows though – you could talk to him.”

“Right. So, why do you think he’s prejudiced?”

It’s like being the translator between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

Speaking of which…

Last night Daddy called me into the other room. Grumbling, I dragged myself up. I had just settled in to read and he KNEW that dammit! What was he going to bitch about now???

Was I ever surprised to see what he wanted. He was sitting on the floor with documents strewn all around him. As I came in, he handed me two sheets of paper that seemed to resemble stock certificates and asked – “Have you ever seen these?”

I sat down to look and my eyes widened in surprise. What my father had handed me was my grandparents’ naturalization papers. And then I got a story I HADN’T heard before.

My grandfather came here from Lithuania. My grandmother was born in the US (of Russian descent)and was a citizen. When she married my grandfather, she lost her citizenship and had to go through the whole naturalization process. Things were a little different then than they are now, eh?

On her certificate she was listed as nationality Hebrew, country of origin Russia. His was a little different – he didn’t get to be Hebrew – only Lithuanian. Is Hebrew a nationality???? I never thought of it that way.

Anyway… I sat a long time sitting there reading and rereading those papers. That was my history – right there in my hands. It was tangible. It was amazing. The certificates had pictures of each of them affixed and they were beautifully artisitic. I told Daddy he should have them framed. He refused, saying they are personal papers. I pressed… and he told me that I could frame them some day, when I got them. Heh! At least I know he won’t be trying to control me from beyond the grave…..

Oh Heck! Now there’s a scary thought!!!!!

Back to the countdown…..9 days. Just 9 little days…

😉

How wonderful…sometimes our fathers for some unknown reason still think of us a little girls… Pass that information on to Chickie… Oh and we share something else in commen SW we are both second generation Amercians… My grandmother and grandfather were both naturalized citizens… Think about it…. When your father was a child it must have been hard…

Lael

August 22, 2002

because during that time in our “GREAT” and wonderful country if your family couldn’t trace back to the mayflower or a bit later then that some people thought you to be less of a person… BUT…that is what has made us the people we are today…so diverse… some have yet to take the blinders off and understand that…maybe some of your fathers “personality” comes from just that……

lifeisuhmistury

Wow, how fascinating to learn about your family history like that!A neat surprise from dear old Dad!The papers sound like they are beautiful with the photographs attached…I’d want to display ’em too!9…….move is coming up fast!Hang in there, you’ll make it and having your own place again will be wonderful….Hey,hey…giggles…

We seem to have that same sort of problem in this house too, I’m the only who can throw things away, or find things, or explain things! 🙂

Just when you think you have him figured out, he does something like this. 🙂 That must have been quite a surprise for you. (a welcomed surprise) What WILL daddy do when you’re gone? :)))

Are you in the mood to adopt? LOL! Chickie’s going to end up with a couple of roommates, one of whom will cry all night long… As for Daddy, it must’ve been nostalgic for him to come across those papers; how cool he wanted you to see them. There was your history, in front of you! And no, of course Hebrew is not an ethnicity. That was PC for “Jewish.” Good grief. Things WERE different then!

RYN: Oh, please give us a rant on that one….LOL!!! PC for “Jewish” perhaps, but also smacks of anti-Semitism. Jewish isn’t an ethnicity, either!!!! Cripey! Let’s see….Hebrew=Language; Jewish=Religion. So what was their ethnicity??? Your grandmother’s paper-processor got it right. She was just plain Russian. Rant-time, please…. LMAO!!!!!

blondragon

i agree, framing them would be a wonderful idea.

hmmm. sometimes its the people who u dont’ want to be heros are the true heroes. . .or maybe i’m just me.

RYN: I presume by “being good” you actually meant behaving? Torin reckons you’re VERY good! ROFLMAO Nice to find a bit of your ancestry, isn’t it? Hugz Harley nsi

c’mon Sunshine! Admit it! You’ll miss him when you’re gone!! =) ryn: Exactly!! I was wondering if no-one was gonna make the connection to the algae title and the entry!! 🙂 -darkart

Luna

I have heard of Hebrew National hotdogs. Does that count? 🙂

Willy & Wilma

The USA is a melting pot. It looks like you are a mongrel with the rest of us. I have 1/8 Quapaw & 1/8 Cherokee Native American Indian added to English, Irish, Geman, Dutch & goodness knows what else. Paternal Ggdad’s records got lost in a fire

Nectar

I rather get the impression that your dad and Chickie are not that comfortable with each other yet…maybe that is why they use you as the middle man…fabulous papers to have and isn’t it interesting how we change within generations…huggles you warmly

I meant to say that when I was fifteen my girlfriend got pregnant…my dad did not want me seeing her but i continued to see her and it did not make me go out and do the same…sometimes we can learn from anothers mistakes…huggles you warmly

Torin Invanusson

August 23, 2002

What a fascinating and wonderful find. RYN: I’m giving in to the urge, believe me, dearest SW. With a wide smile…

The Watcher

R Harley’s N: I think Torin thinks Sunshine is better than merely “good”. *wink*

Just like a soap opera the saga of mswolf and lord torin steams on. Geesh, I can’t let you two alone anywhere and not find the morning after chat going on. Even Harley has been watching. *looks around suspiciously* Now, where is 2D? Ahhhh, suddenly I’m feeling at home lurking around this community. 🙂 Left you other notes. See you soon? ~creek (also counting the days)

PRICELESS !!!!!!! 🙂 anybody who has had to move back or move in to take care of THEM just laughed their heads off while their stomachs knotted up ! your writing and your sense of humor serve you well , survival eh 😉

That is so cool that he saved those papers. And now you know a little more about the story that made you, You.

August 24, 2002

RYN: I’ve always liked playing with pussies–erm, I mean kitties. With a grin…

How neat, to see those old documents! Wish something like that would turn up on my family. So few stories have been shared…

Mns

August 27, 2002

after my dad passed away last year, i was sorting thru boxes, came across his own dad’s naturalization papers. original copy. he was from england. fascinating to be holding it in my hands. framing it sounds like a wonderful idea… if i only knew where it was now and had the time to do it. everythings still in boxes after our move~

.imp.

~:D

ermentrude

September 5, 2002

wow, that’ so exctiting!! The furthest my ancestors came from to my knowledge was Ireland a few generations back… before that I guess it could have been Romans, vikings or Norsemen!!!