2016 US Presidental Voting

Well its that time again - voting for the US President. In the past, I've written up another blog post about the election. However, now its time to vote. Many people don't vote and others are very eager to vote. Usually, I'm not either or one way or another. I feel its that time again and vote. However, this time around its different. I feel I MUST vote - as a US citizen, I have a voice and can be heard when voting.

What's bad, is even though I do have a voice to be heard, who's actually there to hear it? What exactly are my choices and what do these choices actually know? I have been watching multiple news programs to get educated on what the views are to things like immigration, defense, economy and deficit. However, what I found was not many of these subjects are actually discussed. Instead we have 4 people who are in the running: 2 we seem to know everything about and 2 we haven't heard about. The 2 we seem to know everything about are acting like children. Yep, adults aged 50+ and they are acting like they should be in grade 5. Disgusting.

Who are these people?

• Donald Trump 

He's a business man, who has had multiple business bankruptcies, loves to speak out, likes to not pay his bills to other businesses and employees, likes women as seen my his multiple marriages and sponsor/host to the Miss America pageant. Yes, some of these are not good and some of these are good (if not great).

However (yes there has to be a however!), what comes out of the guy's mouth? That's inexcusable. He says one thing and then not even 10 minutes later he says something else. I'm talking about interviews he's sat there and spoke to. This is not taped stuff or anything that happened past, let's say, year. This is during his run for the white house. If you are going to run for such an important job, then get your views straight at least!

Then you have his comments on Russia and its ruler. This shouldn't even be discussed while running for this job, but Trump's brought it up. This alone would make me not vote for the guy, but because I believe in doing things fairly, I still took a look at him and what he's said directly from his mouth and not from anything taped. What Russia has done to my family, and in a way STILL does to my family, I can never condone. If any of you read my genealogy page, Of My Flesh and Bones, knows part of my family comes from Poland. My father's side was absorbed into Russia for many years and its only been recently - after the cold war - they have finally had some kinds of freedoms. However, when my grandmother was born, they were under Russian rule. My grandmother, at the age of about 2 or so, had her father leave Poland, so he wouldn't be forced to go back into the Russian army. I believe this is only one reason he left. Then add on about 7 years later, my grandmother and great grandmother were forced to leave Poland at the height of the Polish–Soviet War. I was told they were the last to leave and I can believe this because they left Danzig on August 20, 1920 which is just before Warsaw fell. My grandmother was so badly malnourished when she got to the US, she had to relearn how to walk.

As of all of this isn't bad enough, I grew up being told in small bits we had people, family, that were killed by the Russians. Why? Because they were once royals. I can almost believe this because of where I've been able to track down where my grandmother and great grandparents came from - Eastern Poland along the Bug River. This side of our family I can track down living in this region for generations. In fact, I have a cousin (1st cousin 1 time removed) who still lives in Warsaw. His great grandparents was my 2x great grandparents.

This is the main reason I will NEVER vote for anyone who even likes Russia or whatever name they give themselves.

• Hillary Clinton

She's been a lawyer, who has then gone into politics. She was once first lady because Bill Clinton was president in the 1990s. I know. I voted for him - both times. After their time was up there, they took a break and then she decided to buy a place in New York and run for Senate. She promised many things while in Senate, but never delivered fully I feel. She then ran again and ended up as Secretary of State after her first try at president didn't happen and now is running for President again.

However (got to love that word don't you?), she's been around and around the place. She has said much but hasn't delivered to areas I feel were very important. She promised so much for Newburgh, NY, one of the most violent places in the USA. However, she visited a few times, made these promises and then it was like she forgot about the place. Newburgh hasn't changed and its sad as at one point it was one of the most livable cities in the USA. I would love to see it brought back to this once again.

Clinton's got problems as well. Email server, while yes, she made a mistake, but some of the excuses and things that are now starting to appear? Not good. Then you take a look at the court/decision around the server and while it is questionable, nothing that we have seen yet has shown she was directly involved. Yes, people have met others within the government who were handling it, BUT remember she and her husband have been around the place for years, so you get to know people personally. She was a lawyer and yet she didn't know what a C was (for copyright)? Yeah right. I'm not very educated by degrees but I know what a C is for on documents. Bad decisions made while Secretary which resulted in people/soldiers getting killed. Now this I can understand, but what hasn't really been discussed is was the information reliable she acted on? Creditable? Vetted? Also, remember soldiers when they sign on, they accept something like this can and possibly will happen. I know this because my father served in the US Navy until he retired. Each time you reup or sign on again, its there in the document you are signing. Again, this is the stuff that's happened within the last year.

While she has done questionable things, but they have never been proven, the questionable actions and her integrity are very much in doubt.

• Jill Stein
  

With Jill, I had to look up who she was, what she stands for and her views. She was one of the people who there hasn't been much to be said about. What I read about her shocked me. She's been a doctor for years and in the last 10 or so years she's started to look at running for political office.

However (there's that word again!), she's also been going green, and doing some of those types of things and this forms part of her platform. I have read (from her own website) her views are using these. While these are not bad, but you have to understand other people do not operate or think this way. I have also read some statement from her about children and wifi. Wifi if it was going to affect people would affect us all and not just children. This has not been proven but there are many variables involved with this.

While she's got a great education and a lateral thinker, I believe I'd be worried about how she would operate with military and other major decisions. I believe she could think in an emergency, but I don't think her priorities are in right areas.

• Gary Johnson 

Again with Gary, I had to look up who he was and his views. Again, he was one of the people we don't know anything about. Its great he's been around for 2 terms which gives him experience which was one of the problems when Obama came on the scene I felt. However, he doesn't know many of the deals happening such as the TPP, is against everyone getting free education, doesn't understand about the Keystone Pipeline even after it was brought up LAST election, doesn't understand the minimum wage and why its an issue, restrictions with gun laws and doesn't understand why we have them, and if all this wasn't enough while he says he watches what he spends, the deficit in his own state shows differently.

While he's got the experience of being elected, its showing he doesn't know many key issues. Some of the issues I support, like everyone should pay something for their education and it not being free, there are many others like the deficit, I would be worried about if he were elected. Besides, if items were being brought up last election you didn't know about, wouldn't you have researched them before trying again? I know I would have spent the next amount of time getting to know those items up, down, back, and forth before anyone else asked me about them.

Last Presidential Debate
I started this post before the last debate between Clinton and Trump started (on October 20, 2016). I wanted to write a non biased article before the last time we, as a voter, gets to see them in action before voting. I have watched the first debate, where I believe Clinton was far ahead of Trump. The second debate, was better but it made them look like fish swimming around the stage with their mouths going. It was almost even, but Clinton still made a few statements that had impact. Then you had today's, and last, debate. They both did very well, although at one point I had closed my eyes while they were talking and tried to picture them in a foreign land speaking and how I would feel - proud or embarrassed - when they were speaking. One thing that stood out - Trump snorting or sniffing was real off putting with the sound. That would embarrass me.

Next, I added in the statements they were talking about and how wondered would I feel? Clinton was speaking powerful and insistently with facts or so it seemed (no fact checker here - I'll leave that to the guys who have been doing this). Trump was, if I took out the sniffing and snorting, or seemed like the people I used to work with in the government - they started the conversation before picking up the phone to talk to me and it was a casual chat among friends instead of one of leadership which I would classify it as non leadership type of speaking.

The Decision
My decision is what I've been saying all along - I want another choice - any choice. However (damn there's that word again!), we're stuck with 4 clowns and its all a circus. I think the only thing that has been missing is someone sticking out their tongue or pulling hair (oh wait didn't someone in one of the nighttime talk shows do that to Trump's hair to see if it was a wig or not??).

Taken from https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/70/b5/15/70b51555942953c0518809d3bd561c07.jpg

I even have been saying on Facebook, Batman, Spiderman, and even Deadpool would all be better choices than what we are faced with this election day. However, if I have to take what I've said above about integrity (who has a tiny bit more - think in hundreds of thousands .000 difference which isn't much but it does matter), who actually talks true facts and they are verified, experience is a double edged sword, and who doesn't rant and rave like they are insane? I guess my vote will have to be Hillary because of this, but let me tell you - its such a thin line you need the strongest ever microscope available to see the difference.

Am I happy with my choice? HELL NO. In fact, I'm pretty pissed. We have that many over 318 million people that live there and its come down to these 4 clowns??

If we had someone that could balance a budget (any - government or business), did not have a string of bankruptcies behind them, had integrity, (in a stretch) honest as they could be, spoke passionately about the issues (not sound like they were reading them off of a card like these 2 seemed to be doing), didn't go around either accusing or calling other people names, and basically acting like an adult, I vote for them. Hell, if a baboon was running and he had all of these qualities I'd vote for him over the choices we have. I have to wonder if Warren Buffet would be available to run? He's released his taxes already, so he's already ahead of Trump.

Alas, we don't have even a baboon handy - we have these 4 clowns which just make me sad for democracy and for the USA. Also, I just want to apologize to all clowns for comparing the candidates using your name but its the closest thing I could come up with.

"The Book of Me, Written by You" - Godparents

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations.

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

The prompt for the week is:    

Godparents

The Brief:

• Did / Do your Godparents feature a great deal in your life
• Do you know your Godparents?
• How do they link in to your family?
• Other stories or influences from your Godparents
• Are you Godparents to anyone?

I guess the best way to start this prompt would be to state the facts as I know them.

Facts:

• I was baptized as Catholic or Roman Catholic sometime in the last part of 1972.
• The baptism was done at St. Patrick's Church in Newburgh, New York. 
• I did/do have godparents; however I do not know, for certain, who these are. My oldest sister, Theresa, said that she wanted to be one but my mother told her she was too young. 
• My baby book, which was given to me by my mother, was destroyed in a house fire in May 1997, before I had a chance to read it.

May 1997 newspaper about the fire

As you can see, I do have godparents but don't actually know who they are. I only know the baptism took place at St. Patrick's because my sister said we all were baptized there. However, I do not know for certainty this is the case due to the loss of my baby book.

From St. Patrick's Flickr page

I have tried to contact St. Patrick's in the past and have never received a response. I will have to try and contact them again to see if I can get a copy of the certificate. It would be interesting to see who my godparents are/were.

Note to self: Contact St. Patrick's again for certificate.

Religion in my life

Growing up, religion was never a big part of my life. I have always put it down to something to do with my grandmother Janet or everyone was just too busy to go. As far as I can remember, I've never regularly gone to church. My grandmother Janet was apparently almost consumed with praying and the church, to the point where this was a major factor when they put her into a mental hospital. I think this played a major factor into how church was looked at with myself and my siblings.

Trinity Lutheran Church where I went a few times growing up

Growing up, I have gone to many of the different religious churches and/or places. I have always been curious and gave almost everything a try at one point. I did not convert, but I went and watched the different services and sometimes even went to Sunday school which was weird because I wondered why kids would go to more school on the weekend when they didn't have to.

While in high school, I was always too busy to go. This does seem like a cop out, but when you need money to survive to live, sometimes you must make sacrifices. During these times and into college, I was either in class, studying, or working. The little time that was left over I spent sleeping, making meals or shopping for food. There was no other time left.

The alter at St. Patrick's where my grandmother and uncle's funerals were held

I do remember when my grandmother passed away, my uncle had to talk to St. Patrick's in order for my grandmother's services to be held there. My uncle attended the church every Sunday without fail. Then when came the time for my uncle's services, they had the full service. I still remember this day as it was very hot out and someone in the group asked if they walked in would the church fall down on them because they haven't been in so long. It was funny, in a way, the way it was said because we were all in the same thinking area.

To Believe or not to Believe
I do believe in everything that is Catholic and, for the most part, support it. The only thing I don't do is go to church. That being said, were were not married in the church, only because of the look we wanted and because my husband has never been baptized to his knowledge. We also didn't want to sit through classes, and didn't have the time, due to immigration restrictions.

It was these beliefs, in the thoughts of trying for children, make things so hard. I still remember the day it was confirmed I was pregnant. Then came the tiny bit of spotting. Upon going into the hospital, they found the baby was in my tube - ectopic pregnancy. There was only one way to save my life - to take the baby's. No way, no how that's how I felt and they knew a battle was on as it went against all
of my religious beliefs. Then it came to me, the Pope had revised the views - if it was to save the life of the mother. I was still against it, but understood it was ok by the church but my convictions still, even to this day, say it shouldn't have happened. True, I would be gone, but at least I wouldn't then have to deal with the guilt of killing a baby. Again, this is to do with faith as well as myself internally.

Respect of Each Other
Everyone either believes or doesn't believe in religion. Everyone is different in the ways they look at things. I have friends that are of all faiths - ones that don't believe at all through to the ones that believe and they attend the faith of their heart sometimes many times a week. To me it doesn't matter as its just apart of the person. The persons I have a hard time with are the ones that continuously state over and over again and won't talk about anything else but their chosen religion. To me, these people sound like they are trying to brain wash others to their way of thinking and that's just not right.

  Check back for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series.    

"The Book of Me, Written by You" - Your First Home - First house, first residence and current house

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations.

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

The prompt for the week is:    

Your First Home

The Brief:

• This can be either or a combination of any of the following
• Your parent's home - the first home you can probably remember
• A home away from home - perhaps collage
• Your first big purchase
• The first home with the love of your life and perhaps your descendants
• Perhaps talk of the excitement, stress and emotional attachments to locations
• Was your home in your family for lots of years, was it an old house or a new build?
• Can you visualise the rooms, or have photos?

Your Parent's Home
My parent's house where I was born, they had on mortgage I believe. I know my grandmother, Jean, wanted to help both her sons out when she was bought out during the Urban Redevelopment of Newburgh, New York in the early 1960's. I believe my parents took her up on the money and used it for their first house where I was born in Newburgh, New York.

House that I lived in when I was born. Taken from Google Earth in 2013.

It had 3 levels. The main one, which you walked into had basics - a closet behind the front door, huge living room area, a good sized dining room, and a kitchen. 

The other 2 levels had the other areas - upstairs contained a bathroom and 3 bedrooms and a hall closet. Also, there was a laundry chute which was later closed off. I think this was for safety reasons - mainly for my brother - which frequently rode down the chute.

The last level, which was added to, was in the "basement" area. It had a crawl space under the living room which you got to from the laundry room, another bedroom with a bathroom, a bar area and a play area which usually had my father's pool table and dart game. It also had a door leading outside up about 15 steps and into the backyard.

I lived here with my mother, father and brother and middle sister, until my mother left my father. My father continued to live in the house until 1995 when he moved to a nearby town. He was downsizing the house because he felt he didn't need all the room that was in the house with his second wife.

Although I still spent time in the house, I frequently remember the morning when we left my father - the cold, rainy, and overcast morning.

My First Residence in Australia 
When I first came to visit, and then move, to Australia it was to be with my fiance and his father - my now father in law - in the place they lived for most my husband's life in Ferntree Gully, Victoria in Australia. My father in law was fine with this as he knew we needed to get on our feet before moving out.

Picture I took in 1996 when I visited. In Ferntree Gully, Victoria Australia

However, just more than 24 hours before I left the US for Australia, there was a fire - we now know it was intentionally lit - and we stayed with my husband's Great Aunt Sue until we could find a place. Which we did for a tiny bit before moving back in with my father in law in late 1997. We lived there until we built our current house.

The house was on one level. The main bedroom was by the front door, then a linen closet, with the living room being across from both. Then came the kitchen and dining room with a hallway leading to the 2 back bedrooms, laundry room, toilet and bathroom. There was a door going outside in both the dining room and laundry room.

This was special because it got me used to the Australian houses and how everything worked which was a bit different in some areas than what as normal for me.

Our Home
Then in early 2000, our home was finally done being built. This is where we currently live. Its in Narre Warren, Victoria in Australia.

 
The house is on one level. When you walk into the house, you come into an entry way, study and the entry into the main bedroom. The main bedroom, has a bathroom or en suite and a WIR (walk in robe) or closet.Coming out of the main bedroom and you go down a small hall which has the laundry room and dogs beds in, and then it opens our into a open planned kitchen, dining and living room. there is a sliding door leading outside and there are huge windows throughout the house.There is a
hallway which leads to 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and toilet.

This special because we built it and chose what we wanted. Also, as I moved so much during my growing up years, I'm glad to say, I don't ever want to move again and have told my husband as much. I plan on dying here because I hate moving.


  Check back for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series.    

"The Book of Me, Written by You" - Parents

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations.

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

The prompt for the week is:    

Parents

The Brief:

• Names / Nick Names
• Where were they from?
• Where were they born? - 
• Were they migrants? Born somewhere else from where they were living
• How did they meet?
• Photos
• Anything you want to share about your parents

My Mother's Growing Up
My mother had told me growing up that her real name was Joan Ann and when she became an adult, she put the names together to create Jo Ann which she had gone by since then. However, upon finding the 1940 census, I found that she was known as Joanne then. I think the person doing the census misspelled her name (which is common) on the form. Also, as you can tell by the census, my mother was born in Pike County in Pennsylvania in the US. Her parents names were Louise and Janet Gauquie and she was the oldest child of the marriage.

1940's census showing where Joanne & parents were living

In the 1950's, my grandfather and grandmother moved their family from Pennsylvania to Newburgh, New York. I believe my grandfather transferred from his job in one of the Pennsylvania railways to a job at a railway in Newburgh, New York.



My Father
My father's name is Matthew Gerald. He was born in New York City; however, my grandparents actually lived in Linden, New Jersey. His parents are Matthew and Jean (Genevieve/Genowefa) Schmitz. He was the oldest child of the marriage.

1940's census showing where Matthew & parents were living

My grandparents moved from Linden, New Jersey to Newburgh, New York after my grandfather got out of the US Army (in the Medical area) and made a gentleman's agreement to buy a Bar & Grill in Newburgh, New York. In the mid 1940's the family moved to Newburgh.

Nicknames
His mother, Jean, had a few names - born Genowefa in Poland, migrated to US and then went by Genevieve or Gennie. It wasn't until she married, that she went under the name of Jean. My father is named after his father Matthew. He has many names he uses - Matt and Jerry/Gerry are the top nicknames. My mother usually just refers to him as Hardass. In fact, growing up I didn't know my father's real name and it wasn't until after my mother overheard me telling someone that my father's name was Hardass, she sat me down and explained what his real name was.

January 1956 - Jo Ann & Matthew with his parents and brother, John

How My Mother & Father Met
Upon the move, I believe sometime in the 1950's my mother met my father and they married. I do know they were dating in January 1956, as is shown in this camera labelled date.

They stayed married until the  mid-1970's when they divorced.



My Mother's Life After Divorce

My mother getting ready for work in 1996.

When my mother left my father, she had no real skills, so she tried to get a job that would pay anything, so we could have some place to live. My father would have Charlie live with him most of the time. However, this was not to last very long and in the 1980's, my brother came and lived with us until he moved out.

My mother eventually got a position as a factory working in Walden, New York. Its been several
names but two names that come to mind were Champion and AmPac, but everyone in Walden calls it The Bag Factory as they make the bags you buy to put gifts in for birthdays, special occasions and holiday. She worked there until she retired because of her knees in early 2000's.

My mother's also had some boyfriend's. There were very few in the first few years after the divorce, but eventually had a few long term relationships. The first long relationship was with Lyle Goldsmith, which lasted about 10 or so years. The other long relationship has been with Dave Weimer and this is her current relationship.

My mother and I in 2011

She loves her cigarettes, watching her crime TV and playing her online games. She does have a dog and loves dogs. Cats, as much as she likes them, she has allergies and they set them off. She used to drink; however, her stomach cannot deal with it since she reached her 60's.

My Father's Life After Divorce

My father and his second wife, Louise in 2011

My father kept the house we had lived in. In fact, he lived there until the 1990's and then moved. My father was single for a few years and remarried in the 1980's to a person called Louise. She had adult
children, so children were not a factor. They are still married today and have moved, like I mentioned, from Newburgh to Wallkill, New York.

As for employment, my father has his pension with the US Navy as he saw out his 20 years. After that he did some factory repair work with some employers. I do remember going to see him at his job with huge machines in Middletown, NY. He did that for a few years and then decided to slow down a bit. He did work for school districts where he ran the internal mail bags from school to school on a daily basis. He did this until he retired in the early 2000's.

My father in his suit for a VFW function in 2009

He loves the US Navy and the submarines and has been into serving via the VFW in different levels. He's also had memberships at the Black Rock Hunting Club for gun shooting and he was actually a registered gun trader until the 2000's. We also made bullets for the variety types of guns. In recent years he's slowing down and has given up formal VFW duties, but still goes to decommissioning of submarines and reunions.He does like his John Wayne and Elvis movies. He loves his dogs and his PT Cruiser.

My father and I in 2010.

  Check back for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series.    

"The Book of Me, Written by You" - Unexplained Memories

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations.

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

The prompt for the week is:   

Unexplained Memories

The Brief:
 Do you have an unexplained memory or memories?
Items
Places
People

Things and times you can remember, but you are not sure where they fit into your past 

The short video presentation is available on YouTube

I have many memories of growing up. First, when my parents, who later divorced, were still together and then after the divorce. Most I remember where, and a general age of myself, everyone was when the memory happened. 

There was two places my mother visited when I was very small. One of the places, was when I was in a car seat and it was before my parents divorced. It was on a road called Drury Lane (now call North and South Drury Lane) and my mother, who had just started driving, drove her small little car down

this street and took a left. The gravel road went up this steep hill and she turned right and the house was there among the trees. I remember the slope of the driveway because the car went almost 90 degrees up the driveway. I was able to find an updated picture of what I think is the road from Google maps. The road has been redirected because of the local airport getting an upgrade. Anyhow, I do know it was a relative of my mother's somehow, but I'm not sure who.

The 2nd mystery location

There is one other building which is from the time when my mother and father were divorcing. I know she used to bring me to this house, near Newburgh, NY, and leave me there with cartoons turned on. She did this a few times - brought me into this house, turned on the TV and told them that I'd just sit there in front of the TV and told them she'd back soon. Off she went and a few hours later, she'd come back. It might be another relative but I'm not sure.

My Mother's Memory

I know my mother has a memory when she was growing up of someone important in the family had died and they had the person laid out in the living room for people to come and pay their respects. There was a candle at each end of the coffin that was there about a week. She says she still can see it and it gives her the chills because of the dead body. She was about 8-10 years old.

Example of a person laid out for respects.

  

This picture I obtained from here.       

It was only upon my reading of rituals of the Polish history, that I found that this was common within families. I did ask her if it was her grandfather or grandmother but she really didn't know. This is

interesting to me because it shows just how much influence region and Polish rituals still were kept once they settled into their "new" country.


Check back next week for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series.