Posts tagged Tata

The LiveJournal Project: August 2003

1
1 year ago
by Tom in

Another post as we hop, skip and jump down memory lane through the tubes of the Internet.  What the hell were we talking about online eight years ago?  It would seem the topics included Anime Festival Orlando 4, getting a new dog (Karma the Dog,) and my grandfather getting close to passing away.  Here you go:

Another month done.  Here’s the pic from the NJ/NY Trip Report.  Since writing that, two folks in this photo have passed away.  Time marches on…

NJ/NY Trip Report (Part 1: The Family)

1
9 years ago
by Tom in

As stated earlier, my grandfather (whom we all call “Tata”; the word “tata” means “father” in Polish) went into the hospital for heart issues and was told by specialists that they needed to operate again. He’s had a couple of surgeries, including a bypass about 25 years ago. Sick of doing so, he signed the appropriate paperwork and has opted to pass on surgery… and go home to live our the rest of his days.

When told this by my relatives, I expected to show up in New Jersey and see him dying in bed. This couldn’t have been farther from the truth as he was up and around being his usual stubborn self. It was great.

SO… the weekend was spent (and treated like) a mini family reunion of sorts with folks flying from all over the U.S. to see the old man. I even snagged a few pics of it… including this one which is now treasured by that side of the family:

In the middle are my grandparents, and they are surrounded by all five of their daughters (my mom and aunts.) This is the first time in almost a decade that all of them have been at the same place at the same time… and it only happened for an hour.

Clockwise from the left are my aunt Helen (the youngest,) my mother (the oldest,) my aunt Mary (the middle child,) my aunt Wanda (the second oldest… and the other Floridian,) and my aunt Donna (second to last… and the one with the most children.)

And yes… they all speak Polish.

We all got to see folks we hadn’t seen in ages… as shown here. My mother with some of my cousins:

[NOTE: Photo missing.]

From the left: my cousin Craig (who flew from Afganastan for all for all of this,) my mom, my cousin Matt (Craig’s brother,) and my cousin Jeff (the fledging computer person in the family.) My mother hadn’t seen Craig in over a decade, hence the look on her face.

And in closing… I’ll point out that the family lives in a town called Wallington, New Jersey. Wallington is one of those “ethnic” towns you hear about so much in the north… where everyone who lives there is same nationality. (Kind of like Miami, only not.) As my cousin Jim and I took my nephew out for a walk, I snapped some shots of the town. I took this one as a reminder that the entire town they live in is, in fact, Polish. Remember… I’m visiting in mid-August.

[NOTE: Another photo missing.]

Grandfather Update

3
9 years ago
by Tom in

I’m in Jersey… grandfather is doing well… tomorrow my sister, nephew, and I are going into NYC to blow of some steam and take some photos.

How am I posting this? My cousin Jim got a new laptop, and needed help setting it up to run Star Wars Galaxies. (He was having network issues.)

Well… it’s fixed, and I’m going to bed now.

Time flies (my grandfather.)

17
9 years ago
by Tom in ,

And as old as I can feel from time to time, that means people around me are getting even older.

My grandfather is dying.

Twenty five years ago he had a triple by-pass and was given another ten years to live. He’s a stubborn old Polish man, so he milked the extra fifteen out of it. He’s been in and out of the hospital since then for “tune ups,” but this last time he just got sick of it. They told him they’d have to operate, and at the ripe age of 87 he said “no thanks.” He signed the appropriate paperwork, had one of his daughters (my aunt) pick him up, and he went home to die.

SO… I am flying to New York Friday morning. My sister is meeting me there, and my mom and nephew will already be there. The whole fam is converging on the Tri-State area to see the old man off. (I have a cousin in Afganastan… and he’s on a plane as I type this.)

As sad as this should be, it really isn’t. You have to know my grandfather to understand… he’s the sort of guy you never expect to die. He’s too gruff, tough, and stubborn to ever truly succumb to the passage of time. If’s he’s going to pass on, it’s by his choosing, not by nature or “fate.” He is a true man in control of his destiny. If he’s ready to die, then the rest of us are ready to accept his decision.

I learned really young that you just don’t argue with that man. :)

…so expect some silence from me until Tuesday of next week. I have family business to attend to which far exceeds the importance of cartoon clubs and Internet dramas. :)

Snackpants, thanks for having my back and carting my ass to and from the airport this weekend in advance. Much much appreciation.

Wasabigirl, I know it’s a long weekend, I know you really wanted to be there… but this is one I have to do on my own. Thanks for understanding, and I love you.

KarmaTheDog, take care of Shannon while I’m gone. She’ll need more hugs than usual.

Njoryo, you’re the president of the largest fan organization of it’s type in the southeast… don’t drop the ball. Please get with Ken and keep working on Halloween. You know the deadlines. We’ve talk about it. Have faith in your abilities; I do… as does the rest of the staff.

LadySreponia, I’ll see if I can find you a boyfriend in NYC. No promises. Also, try and drag Shannon to go see Pirates again this weekend… maybe you kids should field trip to Orlando?

Cobheran, bug Ryan about the Halloween party ’til I get back… and keep bugging him after I’m back, too. He needs the support of the staff… and you’re a VERY big part of that.

Everyone else… see you in a few days. :)

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