Ralph and Lou, I wanted to share some of my memories with the family also.
Being one of the younger 3rd generation cousins,( I'll be 50 on March 7), I
remember Grandma and Grandpa in their older years. Grandpa used to be
sitting on the front stoop as we pulled up in the car for a Sunday dinner
at Aunt Nettie's. We would stop in to see Grandma to get our hugs and kisses
and then up the stairs to the feast we would have at the Masella's. Most of
the time Aunt Nettie would make her own pasta and it would be laying out on a
bed (?) in the room next to the kitchen. We ate like kings......and queens.
After dessert Uncle Mike would show us cartoons on his 8mm projector. We loved
it!! Then the kids were sent on our way, either downstairs with Grandma or
visiting with the DiBiasi's. Guess what the grownups were doing.....X rated
8mm. All we heard was a lot of laughing. They sure enjoyed themselves too.
Another memory is the pillow fight I had with my cousin Frank Masella. My
cousin Barbara (on my Mom's side of the family, they lived on Carroll Street
a few blocks away from Rapelye) and I beat the living daylights out of him.
I'm sure if you speak to him you will get a different story.....in fact I look
forward to Frank telling us what he remembers if he does.
I spent a lot of time at my cousin Barbara's house during the summer. We
would walk over during the daytime to say hello to Grandma and anyone else
who was home. I remember brushing Grandma's hair as she sat by the
kitchen window. She enjoyed someone fussing over her like that. I also
remember never leaving her house without a little present. I found out
later that most of the stuff she gave me was cousin Adele's (that was Adele's story
anyway).
