More Birthdays

Today would have been my Father's 92nd birthday and his mother's 110th. I used to think it was

a rare thing for a child to be born on the same date as a parent, but I have run into it several

times.

I wonder what my Dad would think of the 21st Century. Both may sister and I agree he would

probably love computers and what can be accomplished using them. He would Google all

things pertaining to Thoroughbred horses.

However, in the late 60's and early 70"s he was not pleased nor amused that he was one of

the first employees at Union Electric to have to use "Brainiac" type tactics in the

payroll department. He would often let off steam about the idea was great but the implementing it was daunting. If he were alive today, I'm sure he'd have a Mac.

Now, before going back to my Dad, a few thoughts about Grandma Hilda. As with so many

people of that generation, she seemed always to be "an older woman" even though she

was probably only in her fifties in my memories. So, my sister and I were surprised to see

pictures of her as a young woman. She was beautiful. Her eyes, by the time we remember her,

were care worn. However, in the few pictures we have of that earlier era, her eyes were her best asset.

Grandpa Joe

March 19 was my Grandpa Joe's birthday. He was such a kind, gentle, soft-spoken man, but he

also had dignity and a dry sense of humor. I think all of his children inherited his sense of humor. (Grandma Santa was a funny person, too, but she usually didn't know she was being funny. Star naked, etc.)

About his birthday, March 19, Papa Joe told would comment, "St. Joseph, Joe Simeone, and the Swallows." He also told us he came to America on "The Volcano."

When I would stay overnight at their house, I would sleep with Grandma Santa. Grandpa Joe

would get up around 5 a.m. to start his workday. He said he had to get to the shop early, so

the people could bring in their shoes on the way to work. When he was ready to go downstairs,

he would peek in Grandma's door. I would pop up and want to talk to him, but he would put

his fingers to his lips and say, "Shh, the Pope's sleeping." I would giggle and go back to sleep.

As a kid, I thought he meant the real Pope, but now I think he was talking about Grandma!

Grandpa Joe would come home from the shop around 5 p.m. Sometimes he would take a

shot of the whiskey he kept under the sink. But just one, and then only once in a while.

For dinner he would always have a plain dish of pasta, know then, in all it's forms, as

spaghetti. If he liked what Grandma was serving to whomever happened to be there, he

would have a small portion.

In the summer, Papa Joe would sit on the steps of their large porch that ran across the

entire front of the house. During the long summer evenings, after being on his feet all day, he would water his small patch of lawn. When the water mingled with the air and fell on the parched grass, it gave off a magnificent aroma that I can still smell on certain evenings and

it always brings to mind my Grandfather. As a shoemaker, sometimes during the depression,

he would bring home only five cents, but the riches he passed onto his family were

priceless.

St Joseph's Day

March 19 is the feast day of St. Joseph. It also my Grandpa Joe's birthday.

Grandpa Joe was a shoemaker by trade. How my grandparents moved to Quincy, Illinois,

is somewhat sketchy. The fact that they were both immigrants, Santa from Palermo, and

Joe, from, I think, Naples, is a coincidence of major circumstances.

Santa's sister, Katie, was married to Ernest Villimillia (sp). The story goes that Ernie was

actually in love with Santa, but after she turned down his proposal, he decided to woo her

sister Katie. A family verbal tradition suggests that Ernie told Santa, "If you won't have me,

I will marry Katie so I can be part of your family and be near to you."

After a time, Ernie introduced Santa to Joseph Simeone. Grandma claimed it was love at

first sight, and it didn't hurt that he looked quite handsome in his WWI army uniform.

There is a picture of Joe and Santa standing near a tree and they are actually kissing,

probably a taboo for that era. Joe is holding Santa's cheek with one hand and had his

arm around her waist. And Santa looks like she is loving every moment. And Grandpa

Joe was quite the handsome solder!

Of course, there are many other Grandpa Joe stories and I hope to remember many of

them and write about them in the future.

Early Spring

Tonight, when we were coming home from Sally's, there was an aroma that brought back a

lot of memories. It reminded me of the nights in March and April when we worked on the decor for the Coronation at Epiphany.

One night I remember in particular found some of us up on top of the Father English

Memorial Gymnasium, watching a basketball game we could not afford to see legally.

The night was not chilly, but then again, not warm. The aroma was not floral, nor did

it have any characteristics I can easily name, but I know it when I smell it. Unfortunately,

I don't have many opportunities to experience it.

We worked several nights a week on the Coronation decorations, ignoring reading

assignments and essays. At SEA, during daily Mass, if you were not feeling well,

there was a tiny room with an uncomfortable bed, where you could spend a little

time until you felt better. During the entire months of March and April, the Sick Room

was occupied on a daily basis exclusively by Juniors from Epiphany Parish

The Coronation was held the last Saturday in April. Because that was the same Saturday

that Daylight Saving Time went into effected, we had the exquisite excuse that you could

always claim you didn't know if the clocks when up or back, and that you thought you

were coming home at the right time, and you tried not to be too noisy coming in, and oh,

will you wake me up early so I can go to the Queen's Breakfast?