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:
Special People including past family members
The Brief:
If you had to hold a dinner party and could invite a maximum of 12 special people who would you invite?
You can include family in this – the special people could be famous or historical people - family from the past you have never met or people that you know or knew
What meals would you serve and why.
Perhaps include the recipe or a photo if you decided to actually cook the items
The video is http://youtu.be/P8hzm6vq5Tg
This post has taken me awhile to do because I needed to think carefully just how I was going to handle this one. My family isn't a Brady Bunch type of family. Its more along the lines of a European Handball type of thing - everyone's in and if you get hit with the ball then your out (of that person's life). Even with the grandfather's, whom I never met, it was more along the lines of play along with me or else your out from what I understand.
Because of these things above, it was more how in the world am I going to have any dinner with family members without World War 3 breaking out. Then I thought that I want to do this in a different way - my small groups. That way things can be asked and said without all hell breaking loose.
Group 1:
My grandmother's and great grandmother's.
I would sit them all down and have a traditional Polish meal the way I know how to cook it - Stuffed peppers and cabbage, Pierogi's in many different types and styles. Along with many of the types of desserts as well.
I would love to sit down and talk about the different dishes (and possibly make them with them along with others), learn some Polish, learn about what their lives were like when they lived in Poland and what they went through. I'd ask them all about their relatives and where they lived when they were there. I know basics but to listen to the describe what they did and where they lived from their perspective would be fantastic.
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| My grandmother on my father's side - Jean |
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| My great Aunt Honey |
I would hope that my grandmother's would sit down together and talk about how to be strong. I'd love to ask my grandmother (with whom I get my middle name from) on my mother's side what happened before she got sent into the mental institution, what it was like and where she is buried. The times I met her she was so high on drugs I couldn't get to know her because there was nothing there but a shell. I would like to know how I could get her medical records and where she's buried to give some dignity back where she really had none when she died as they (her husband and all the medical people), I feel, took all of that away from her. I want to try and give some of that back to her. Also, I'd like to find out more about her life and what it was like, as I know basics of this as well.
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| My mother and I in 2011 |
Later in the day, I'd love for my mother to meet up with her mother, and my nieces and their children, meet up with all of these great women. I think this would mend many fences that have fallen down
through communication loss over the years. I would take so many photos of each and everyone as I have none of my great grandparents or my grandmother on my mother's side. Although I do have a picture of her sister, whom my mother called Aunt Honey, which looks very much like her.
Group 2:
My grandfather and great grandfather on my father's side.
Now this would be a very interesting meeting as I would only have things like potato chips and other quick to eat type of foods. There would be alcohol (as I don't think my grandfather would appear without it).
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| My grandfather on my father's side |
The talk would be to introduce myself to each of them as I never knew them. I'd ask them about themselves and talk about what I've heard about and researched for each. From what my father said about my great grandfather is that he was a hard worker and he loved his wife and children very much. I think I would great along with him. However, his son and my grandfather, I think we'd have a few choice things to say to him. I would love to ask some pointed questions and ask him why he was the way he was - an alcoholic, had many other ladies on the side, and liked to gamble. I think his father would probably give him a good talking to as well. Later, I'd have my father and uncle come in as I'd love to see the dynamics of these relationships as well.
Group 3:
My grandfather and great grandfather on my mother's side.
Now this would be a very interesting meeting as I would only have things like potato chips and other quick to eat type of foods, like I would with my other grandfather and great grandfather. There would be alcohol (as I don't think my grandfather would appear without it).
The talk would be to introduce myself to each of them as I never knew them. I'd ask them about themselves and talk about what I've heard about and researched for each. From what my mother said about her father was the same as my father's - an alcoholic, other women, and loved to gamble. I've been able to do some research and found my great grandfather did a lot for the community and church from what I've been able to research. That being said, back then, there was much mental and physical abuse that was hidden and I'm not sure if this was an issue. I'd want to talk to him about things and see where things rested.
For both of my grandfather's, I think there would be much arguing and name calling along with some other outdated ideas. Well this will NOT fly with me and I'd put them in place. I'd make it know about how I feel about what happened and how they are and discuss what I think what happened with my grandmother's, which I'm not at all impressed by.
Group 4:
My grandmother on my father's side and my sister Jean.
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| My sister Jean |
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| My grandmother Jean |
This would be a small group of 3 people boy would it be lively. The only person I've never known my sister Jean to actually accept their ways would be my grandmother Jean, for whom my sister was named after. I would give my grandmother the run down of what she's been up to and why most of the family won't talk to her. I want to see if she can have some kind of influence over her to stop being like she is and get her to clean up her act. However, I think its probably a lost cause but I can hope.
As you can see, I would use these group chats as a way to clear up misunderstandings, understand the people and hopefully draw the family closer. That being said, I know miracles sometimes happen but keep in mind that sometimes they don't.
