More Birthday Wishes/Good Neighbors/ Aw...Monday

When I was writing my birthday post for my brother Ed born on July 5th, my sister reminded me that our aunt Anna Skender who was one of the five sisters my dad had also shared that July 5th birthday! So although I am a day late I will wish my Auntie in heaven a very happy and heavenly birthday as well.

I have a really lovely image of Anna Kocman's wedding photo to John Skender but I need to crop it before I can put it up. I had company this evening, my girlfriend Bonnie, I had not seen in a long while and her little grandson Jeremiah! So I will share lots of the phamily photos I have as these days go by. I did want to share that my cousin Savanah told me that her grandma Angela Kocman-Medved worked at the National Broom Company. It is good to add these notes to our history because we can piece the picture together more easily that way. Thank you Savanah.

Here are some great Bojon neighbors. Growing up we had the best neighbors, Annie Miklich and her brother Stan lived next door to us. Here is a photo from 1985 with Annie and Stan and our first born son Jeremy. Annie worked in the food service for the Colorado State Hospital and I use to ask her why she was not afraid to work there. She always said the people at the CSH were getting some rest and relaxation. It was people outside those hospital walls we have to been wary of! Stan was a wonderful gentleman and although he never married he was a kind heart and he was partially paralyzed during the war. He could not bend over but he never complained about his disability. Their younger sister ran an Italian restaurant and Annie taught me how to make the handmade noodles from scratch. I still remember the ravioli the best and they always tasted so delicious.

My friend Karen Mesojedic-Clark grew up in this house in Bojontown. Her dad was from the old country, born in Yugoslavia, and he kept their yard as neat as a pin. His grass was beautiful like a lush green carpet. Karen was the youngest of three girls and she and her mother would do battle each and every morning. My mom drove, her mom did not, so my mom often drove us to school in cold weather. Karen's mom would chase her around the dining room table, which sat in front of that large window and my mom and I would get a kick out of them! Once Karen slid under her bed to get away from her mom and Olga, her mother, grabbed a broom and kicked Karen back into play! Her mother was very strong willed and I think Karen was much more strong willed. She hated waking up in the morning and getting ready for school. Different times, but good memories.

This was the Mramor's house on Bohmen Street next door to our grandparents home. Teddles lived there later in his life with his sister Elsie.They were very similar to Annie and Stan Miklich. Teddles was in WWII with his brother Felix and they were in the Death March at Bataan . Teddles was a great storyteller but he only told us that he was there. His brother came home and ended his life. He just did not wish to remember the atrocities of war. Elsie and Teddles were single siblings and they took good care of each other.  That house beings back a lot of good memories for me. Good neighbors were common in Bojontown.

This house at 625 E. Arroyo Avenue was found on the for sale sites. I am trying to place this house and who lived there. If you know please refresh my memory. It almost reminds me of the Lepik home when I was a kid.

Here is Saint Mary's Catholic Church. We grew up in this church. We attended Mass there several times a week during our school years and many phamily members were married, baptized and buried from this church. I use to love listening to the church bells ringing. Between those bells and the whistle blowing at the CF&I you get use to the sounds and when they are silenced it is sad. I felt like a part of my life was taken away. All the little things add up to much bigger things. They become so important in our daily lives. I will always miss those bell ringing and the whistle blowing. Good times, very good times.

This is a sad photo for me. My dad built our home in 1946, the year my brother Eddie was born. It was sold to an outsider in 2003 and they have not taken care of our home the way my dad did. I am not sure how they tore the gate off the hinges on the front yard but my folks would flip if they saw this horrible disaster today. My dad cared for his lawn like a child, it was beautiful, thick, lush and green. My mother had four o'clock's everywhere including that garden under the porch. In the Spring and Summer it would be filled with beautiful red and pink four clock's. They bloomed during the day, at, you guessed it, four o'clock! As a kid I would love to watch the flowers open in the afternoon. A nice memory tucked away in my mind. All the homes on our one block street called Topeka Avenue are run down except the home that belonged to Mrs. Theresa Plute on the corner of Egan and Topeka and the far  left home at the end of our block that belongs to my friend Lynette's aunt Francie Horvat.

Mirabilis Jalapa or more commonly known as the Four O'clock. I will always think of my mom when I see these flowers. I will tell you a little story about snapdragons next time

.I am not sure you can see this postcard but in the year 1940, my grandmother Mary Videtich-Kocman sent this postcard to my dad from Ojo Caliente. Her handwriting was identical to my dad's. I had to show this to you and thank my sister for this bits of treasure.  Cousin Kay Samples-Elliott is learning so many fascinating things about our phamily too. I am exciting to share more as these days go by.

A share for Sandee and the folks at Aw...Monday. We have a large orange tabby like this one. He thinks he can get away with his behavior but alas, Rose the cat will not allow it! She is the cat mistress of this home!mačka is SLOVEnian  for cat. I hope you learned something new today. 

Until tomorrow  lahko noč