All Ends Well at the Family Table

I did not have much energy today and the whole day dragged on at work.  This is very unusual for me, as I usually have enough energy for several people.  It is very hard going back to work after a holiday!

I don't really have a whole lot to say here today, but I do want to post a picture of Adeline, who looked adorable in her ladybug outfit that she wore to school today:


Adeline in her "Ladybug" Outfit

I also want to congratulate Cassandra Leigh Amaya for making the Honor Roll for her hard work in the 6th Grade!  Here is Cassie celebrating her accomplishment at a Sushi dinner:

Cassie Eating Sushi to Celebrate Making the Honor Roll!

After a frustrating day at work, we all finally got home and settled down to dinner.  Here is what we had for dinner tonight:

Baby Bok Choy, Mixed Wild Rice, and Vietnamese White Fish

So here is one of my mottos:  No matter how bad or unproductive your day has been, at the end of the day, make sure that you sit down with friends and/or family and have a nice dinner!  Share what you did today or what is going on in your life with your friends and family and hear what they have to say about their day as well!  There is no substitute for the Family Table!  I was raised on it and I continue the tradition with my friends and loved ones! 

Until tomorrow . . .

A Hail and Farewell from My Ancestors

Ancestral research is one of my favorite pastimes.  I got bit by the ancestry bug a few years back, right after I finished my Masters Degree and had a little more time on my hands to explore new things.  I was talking to my brother Mark on the phone one day and we were discussing our maternal grandmother Minnie Hart.  Minnie died when our mother was only two years old and we know very little about her.  Even after years of dogged research, she continues to be a woman of mystery. Some of the things that Mark told me that day got me hooked on delving into our family history.

Once I embarked upon researching my family history, other areas of mystery emerged.  One of those areas involved my paternal grandfather Douglas H. West's family.  The Wests emigrated from somewhere in Ireland to the Channel Islands in the early 1850s.  Mark paid a woman to do some research in Guernsey and she produced some good results. However, the Wests left Guernsey in the early 1860s and nobody knew where they went.  The general consensus in our family was that they went to Austrailia, but there was no proof of this anywhere.

So, I dug into censuses, ship passenger lists and everywhere imaginable looking for my West ancestors. I did this for months on end and finally struck pay dirt.  My grandfather Douglas H. West boarded the R.S.S. Olympic back in the early 1900s to come to the United States.  On the ship passenger records, he listed his destination to be his Uncle Thomas Kent's home on Park Avenue in Hoboken, New Jersey.  None of us had ever heard of any Kent family, but it turns out that his aunt Mary West married a man named Thomas Kent and they settled with their 8 children in Hoboken.

This was a huge discovery as it also lead to the fact that my great-great grandparents John and Alice Hussey West also went to the US and settled in Hoboken, New Jersey.  They both died there and are buried in Holy Name Cemetery in Jersey City. 

I continued to research the Kents to find out more about them, which lead me to contact a woman on Ancestry.com by the name of Ann Kent Dennis.  I contacted Ann because she had a Thomas Kent in her family tree who had lived in New Jersey.  After talking with her, it became apparent that she was my g-g-uncle Thomas West Kent's daughter, which made her my 4th cousin. At that time, she was 91 years old and surfing the internet!  What an amazing woman!  Anyway, Ann and I corresponded periodically and traded information, but some time had passed since I had heard from her.    Here is a picture of Ann and her father Thomas back in the 1930s:

Thomas West Kent, Ann Kent Dennis and Aunt Lillian Rayfield Tabor - August 11 - 1936

Well, I received an email from her granddaughter Erin yesterday telling me that Ann had died on Tuesday, November 22, 2011.  This resulted in a hail to Erin, a cousin I didn't know about and a farewell to my dear Cousin Ann.  Rest in Peace, Ann!

Erin and I are comparing notes now.  I sent her a bunch of information that she didn't know and pictures that she didn't have.  She is going to use these pictures in a slideshow at Ann's funeral service, which is wonderful!  Meanwhile, Erin has some pictures and old documents that were in her grandmother's effects that I really think are going to help me learn more about my family.  Ancestral research can be tedious and frustrating sometimes, but moments like this make it all worth it! 

Meanwhile, going back to work this week was brutal after being on Thanksgiving holiday in Sedona!  I have been dragging badly and cannot wait until the end of the week.

We had a very nice dinner tonight, part of which we got from the Omaha Steak Company:

Dinner Tonight:  Baked Potato with Sour Cream, Filet Mignon and Brussel Sprouts

Until tomorrow . . .

The Bittersweet Holidays

I have commented to some friends during the last few days that Thanksgiving, as well as the Christmas holidays are always such a happy and sad time of year,  They are bittersweet in that we are with family and also remember our family and friends who have died.  This year has not been any different from the others.  We lost Alicia Rivas de Amaya on the 22nd of November and it  just came to my attention yesterday that  a childhood friend died last year.

I spent most of my formative years in a small town in the Pocono Mountains, PA called Tobyhanna.  Tobyhanna, which means "dark waters" in the American Indian language, was established by mostly German and Irish immigrants back in the mid 1800s. My paternal Irish ancestors set up housekeeping there in 1852 after they fled the Potato Famine in Ireland.

We settled in Tobyhanna after my father retired from the US Navy when I was four years old.  Despite the resignations of my mother, my father insisted that we return to his childhoold home to be near his mother and sister.  I had several childhood friends that I played with there who I shall forever call "The Tobyhanna Girls", and Patty Bonny Gaige was one of them.

A very nice girl who I went to school with at Pocono Catholic and who I have since become friends with on Facebook informed me yesterday that Patty died last year in Florida.  I was very saddened by this news!  I would like to dedicate my blog for today to Patty as follows:

Photo Courtesy of Mary Kay Carota, Posted on Facebook

Here is Patty's Obituary, which was posted in the Herald Tribune in Sarasota, FL on 28 July 2010:

                                                                       ~~~

Patricia A. Gaige
 
Nov. 13, 1959 - July 19, 2010

Patricia A. Gaige, 50, of Rotonda West, formerly of the Poconos, Pa., died July 19, 2010.
Services will be private. Lemon Bay Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Survivors include her mother, Rita Bonny of Rotonda West; and sisters Lynn Kelly of Tobyhanna, Pa., and Theresa Storm of Tannersville, Pa.

                                                                      ~~~

This is certainly not much to say about Patty, who was such a vibrant and spunky woman!  The last time that I spoke with her was in the early 80's in the Tinker Hollow, which was a bar in Mt. Pocono, Pa that burned down in the mid 80's.  It was such a nice conversation and she was so sweet!  I remember her telling me that she had given up Cosmetology and was pursuing other avenues.  I hope that Patty found some happiness in her life before she passed away!

Lord, please bless Patty!  Please let her be at peace and in your light!


June 29, 2013 Update

I ended up getting in touch with a girl by the name of Teresa Kelly today.  Teresa and I were classmates at Pocono Mountain High School and we partied together a few times outside of school.  Her brother Pat married Patty Bonny's sister Lynn.  I asked Teresa if she knew what happened to Patty.  She told me that Patty was a very heavy smoker and had other health problems, one of which I know was diabetes from somebody I talked with recently who knew her from Tobyhanna.

Apparently, Patty's smoking and health problems resulted in a fatal heart attack while she was sleeping. Unfortunately, she was dead for about three days before anybody found her.  Teresa told me that she helped Lynn clean out Patty's apartment.  What a terribly sad story!

It was very nice to get back in touch with Teresa again though!  She has pictures of David Schmitt, a classmate of ours who died tragically back in 1987.  I'm hoping that she'll let me put one on a memorial site that I created for Dave.  I look forward to reminiscing with her about our school days!

November 13, 2015 Update
  
Today would have been Patty's 56th birthday.  Once of the girls that grew up with us in Tobyhanna posted this picture of her on Facebook today in honor of her birthday:

Picture posted on Facebook by Tina Marie Merli

Happy Birthday Patty!  Rest in Peace!

Long Layover in Houston

We flew out of Phoenix this morning to return to Dallas, but never made it home.  All was fine on the departure monitors when we arrived in Houston, so we took the train to Concourse B.  Unfortunately, by the time we got there, the flight had been cancelled and there were no other flights going out to Dallas for the rest of the day.  This was very frustrating because we just wanted to go home, but apparently the plane had mechanical problems.  Since this was the case, Continental ended up putting us up in the Marriott. We figured that there had to be some reason for this to happen, so we decided just to make the best of the situation.

 The Marriott is actually right in the IAH airport. You can get to it by going down to the bottom floor of the airport and taking a tram.  It was pretty convenient as the hotel is only one tram stop over from Concourse B.  Continental couldn't find our checked bags right away, so we went over and checked into the hotel and waited for them to call us, then we took the tram back over to Concourse B and collected our bags.

After dropping the bags off at our room, we took the elevator up to CK's Revolving Restaurant and had dinner.  This was pretty cool as the restaurant actually spins around 360 degrees during the course of 1 hour and 20 minutes, so you get a full view of the airport while you are eating.  It is sort of like being on a merry-go-round, only it is much slower.  Hernan and I ended up getting prime rib, scalloped potatoes, and mixed vegetables. Here is what the prime rib looked like:

The dinner was qute expensive, but it actually tasted pretty good! The prime rib was very tender. Adeline got a kid's pizza and french fries, which she hardly even touched.  Now we are just laying around in the room and will probably go to bed soon.

I will be very glad to get home and get back into my regular exercise routine!  Exercise is so crucial to both my physical and mental well being, and even more so during the holidays.  I frequently end up feeling sad during this time, usually about family or friends for some reason or another.

This Thanksgiving went well, except for the fact that my Mother-in-law passed away.  She was very ill, so her death was bittersweet.  It was disappointing that I didn't end up talking with my brother or sister this Thanksgiving.  My brother, sister and I are the only 3 people in my immediate family who are still alive.  I really would like to be in touch with them more often as life is so short.  I left messages, but haven't heard back from either of them, which is sad!  Neither of Adeline's parents gave a damn enough to call her on Thanksgiving, which is even sadder!

However, the only behavior that I can control is my own, so I am going to make sure that I get enough exercise, eat right and keep a positive attitude this holiday season!

Thanksgiving in Scottsdale

We drove from Sedona today to spend Thanksgiving in Scottsdale.  We have to fly back to Dallas early tomorrow and didn't want to be making the trek from Sedona to Phoenix early in the morning.  Scottsdale is one of my most favorite places!  It is just the coolest little western town with Indian jewelry shops and great restaurants!  We are staying at the Doubletree Resort by Hilton Paradise Valley on Scottsdale Road, which is where we usually stay when visiting here.  It has a great pool, beautiful grounds and a very polite and attentive staff.

This was the menu at dinner tonight:



Dinner was okay, but nothing like being at home.  The service wasn't the greatest, but then again, most people are at home on Thanksgiving.  The bottom line is that we really just need to be thankful that we have our family and food on the table!

Here is what the Entree looked like:


Thanksgiving - 2011 Entree


Here are Hernan and Adeline snuggling at dinner:

Hernan and Adeline

Here are Adeline and I at dinner:

Mae and Adeline

Before I can retire on this wonderful Thanksgiving - 2011, I would like to dedicate the day to Alicia Rivas Amaya, who died on November 22nd.  Here is her obituary that was posted in La Prensa Grapica on November 23rd:


Lord, Thank You for you for blessing us with our family, jobs, a roof over our heads and food on the table.  Please bless our loved ones who have died and let them be at peace and in your light!

Until tomorrow . . .

The Air Above Sedona

We took a helicopter ride with Red Rock Helicopter Tours over Sedona yesterday and it was really cool!  Our Pilot's name was Dave and he is a Navy veteran who put himself in harm's way to keep our country safe. Thank you for your service, Dave!

Here is a picture of us by the helicopter and Dave giving us the thumbs up inside:

Helicopter Ride Over Sedona - 22 November 2011

The weather was perfect and the view of the red rocks was spectacular!  Here is a one of the best shots that we got from the ride:

Sedona from the Air


After we finished the helicopter ride, we went to the Scenic Overlook near the airport and took some pictures of the spectacular view.  Here is one of the best shots from the Scenic Overlook:

A View from the Airport Road Scenic Overlook

We got to see some really beautiful sights yesterday!

Today, we headed out to the Jerome National Park,  It is about 24 miles from where we are staying.  When we got there, there were signs posted that the park is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  We were really disappointed!  What kind of National Park closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays?

We ended up going the Montezuma Castle National Monument in Camp Verde, AZ.  This is a really cool place!  Montezuma's "castle" is a well-preserved cliff-dwelling that was built and used by the Pre-Columbian Sinagua people around 700 AD. It has been said to look like a prehistoric high rise apartment complex.

Montezuma Castle

Montezuma actually had nothing to do with this castle. The Sinagua people farmed the land here and then ended up eventually disappearing from the area.

So, the day didn't end up as we planned, but Montezuma's Castle was a cool place to visit.  Tomorrow, we will head to Scottsdale where we will spend the night and then fly back to Dallas on Friday, 25 November.

Until tomorrow . . .

Rest in Peace, Señora de Amaya

Alicia Rivas Amaya had her first child at the tender age of 14 and her last child when she was 49 years old.  She and her husband Salvador had 18 children.  She spent most of her life raising her children in San Miguel, El Salvador.  Her life was not easy by any stretch of the imagination!  She washed her family's clothes with a washboard.  She ground corn by hand for tortillas and tamales.  She raised chickens so that there would be eggs and meat for the family table as well as to sell to others for family income. She always made sure that nobody went hungry, including visitors who happened to stop by to visit the Amaya Family.

Alicia was a strict mother who wanted the best for her children.  Her efforts were successful as she turned out 2 doctors, a laywer, an executive chef, a teacher and several successful small business owners.  She raised her children to be honest and respectful, which are qualities that are not evident in many young people in more recent generations.  Up to the day that she died she remembered every one of her children's birthdays.

She was a grandmother to 37 grandchildren and also a great grandmother to so many children we have lost count!

We are so blessed to have been able to visit with her in El Salvador right before she died and several other times before that.  Here is a picture of her relaxing on one of the hammocks in her house when we visited her during Carnival in 2008:

The last time that we saw her alive was on the week of November 2, 2011, when she celebrated her 78th birthday.  We arrived in San Miguel on Friday, October 28th.  When we drove up to the Amaya residence, we were greeted by her daughter Cristina, who was in tears.  We thought that Alicia had died before we could see her for the last time.  She barely held on to life that whole day and we were sure that she would pass away before the new day dawned.  Most of her children were able to fly from the U.S. to be with her in her final moments. 

However, seeing all of her children gave her the strength to live until today, November 22, 2011.  She passed away at 1:40 AM this morning with her faithful daughter Xeomara by her side.

Her family visited her today for the last time during this lifetime at her wake in San Miguel, where she looked like a beautiful bride!

 She has now joined her parents and her sons Saul and Salvador in heaven.  Dios bendiga su alma, Alicia!