ITEM 5 - In-laws and Food

Another adventure in good eating. Beginning with my mother-in-law Marie, before she was, and sunday dinner. You can count on a ton of pasta, meatballs and sausage. On occasion, half moon large ravioli that melts in your mouth. Among her culinary accomplishments was eggplant like I never tasted. She passed on these skills to my sister-in-law Ann, who eventually did most of the cooking, while my wife did the ironing. This is all when we were single.

Sunday dinner usually found about seven of us at the table with pasta and a gallon of my father-in-law John's homemade red wine. In South Philly we called it Diego Red. John would sing a couple of old Italian songs to top off dinner. What great fun that was. I of course, after dinner, dozed off on the couch for about an hour, then my girlfriend Connie and I went to a movie.

My mother-in-law Marie, what a woman, had no easy life. She was born and raised on a farm in Italy; an arranged marriage to a South Philly Italian, native of Italy. Marie was 40 years old and unbeknownst to her, he was 70. She learned English and always worked. Her 2 daughters were her ultimate concern.

My sister-in-law Ann was a marvelous cook and a specialty of her's was stuffed olives and mushrooms. No matter how many she made, they were devoured almost instantly. May sound like small items but they took much time and work. Her husband Bob made excellent cranberries on Thanksgiving. He also made an incredible Fruit Cake. Not something you can stick in the oven and serve when it cools. It takes, from what I understand, a couple of months, requiring constant observation and cultivation. Someone once said there was only one fruit cake ever made and it keeps getting passed around; not so with Bob's, you just gotta eat it.

I hope you all understand the most critical ingredient here is LOVE. Without it, little will be accomplished.

Time for some chicken

Shop and Pack for meals ahead. See Chicken Recipes.

ITEM 4 - FUN, GAMES, SCHOOL

Hi Tech today is a challenge for every young person and amazes me how they manage to keep up with the almost daily advances. Hi Tech for us was when you got a pair of pants that had a fly with a zipper rather than buttons. You gotta believe that was progress.

Mostly, we made our own toys (no K-Mart) and mostly of wood. A toy car fueled with vinegar and baking soda that moved like a jet. Rubber band guns to play cops and robbers; homemade scooters from apple crates, a 2x4 and an old skate. Communications devices with flashlight batteries, wood, some tin and wire; of course we had to learn Morse Code. But there was always 2 Dixie cups and some string.

I scaled the corner of the two story building, which had enough of an indentation in the bricks (about every foot) for me to get to the roof and retrieve our hose balls, pimple balls and half balls. I tossed them down to my friends and we were back in business. I did not come down the same way. I negotiated to our bedroom window, then to the canopy above our front door and from there it was a piece of cake.

I made my own shoe shine box and made a little money for treats and movies. if it sounds hard, it wasn't. It was fun, challenging and a bit profitable. At that particular time I attended Catholic school (about 2+ years) and I'm certain I was a challenge to the Nuns, who made me quite familiar with the yard stick and pointer. My wisdom was lacking in those days and I didn't know when to keep my mouth shut.

On to public grammar school and my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Trimble. Magnificent. Don't recall my grades. Junior high, Vare, in South Philly - Mr.Siedel. 9th grade, also magnificent. I learned more from him than he will ever know. He failed me in 2 major subjects and rightfully so. I simply did not carry out the assignments. Actually he did not fail me, I failed him, my apologies, Sir.

Junior High - all I can say is, my sympathy and apologies  to all the wonderful teachers that tolerated us.