Tom Kontak

Adam and Clara Matynka were overjoyed to have Tom.  They brought him home to his two older sisters; a dozen years later they were both still chortling to me about how delighted they were to do so.

Here are CHM and Tom.  What's the year?  1948?  1949?

Adam, Clara CHM, mystery guy,seated, and holding mystery object, Tom the Center of Attention, mystery lady;  mystery little girl and Clara CAM(Z).

Mystery girl and Tom.  Cute or what?

What's he on about?  Late nap? No bells on his shoes? The Coke and Ritz crackers are all right, but the food hygienist in me is getting upset about the milk in the clear glass bottle sitting in the sun.

Check out that train set around the tree!  And the toy auto repair shop!  And the toy phone!  Not to mention the tatting of the sofa doilies.  And this super generous terrific Dad has a mustache just like Clark Gable's.

Christmas is sure a lot of work for parents.  So is Christmas cheer.

Adam partied with the best of them, but was never loud.  I never heard him raise his voice.  He was always chuckling and talking, or smoking his cigar and thinking.

Zdrojewski Christening and Some Backstory

Here's one that includes the ladies.  Grandpa Ludwig, Grandma Victoria, Marty (MPZ) in Christening gown, Eleanor Zdrojewski, John Zdrojewski (JPZ), Clara Adamina Matynka Zdrojewski (CAMZ), and Eugene Zdrojewski (EJZ.)   May or June, 1952.

Who knows anything about the Christening gown?  Was it used by multiple babies in the family?  Johnny, for example, whose gown is shown off in Zdro Films II, soon to be featured?

Does anybody have any ties from that era?  If I threw a party, would you wear them?

Is the photo below set in the living room of the house on May Street?  That was 175 May Street, Buffalo, wasn't it?

Eugene and Clara, June 12th, 1948.  

Clara made her gown, veil, and gloves - but that's another story.  For now I will just point out that from this day, it would be two years before they could live in the same city;  two and a half years before they could have a place of their own;  three years before they could rent an actual house; five years to the birth of their firstborn;  nine years until they could build the Marilla house.

I would love to hear stories of the wedding, or the christening, or the house on May Street.

Thanks to Paul Zadner and JFZ for sending photos to me.

Sorry for the random nature of this blog;  but it's going to be that way as I amble around opening computer files and cardboard boxes.  Please send photos or stories to add to the mix.    Julie