Between the Tigris and Euphrates

I'm back to my original mission of uploading old family photos. But I have no idea who this family is :)  I know that the old woman in the photo is my great-great-grandmother Josephine. Look how tiny she is!Little Sicilian woman. You know she was probably as tough as nails though. 

 She is the mother of my great-grandpa Charlie .  The other people, I don't know. I love the old baby carriage though. If I become rich and live in Manhattan, I'm going to get an old-fashioned stroller like this. I can just imagine pushing one of them through Central Park. Très adorable! I wouldn't want a nanny though. I'll take care of my own kids. I always see them in the subways --- au pairs taking their employers' kids everywhere. The mother probably doesn't even work. Damn rich people. Sorry, I tend to digress often.

Not sure of the year. So, I'm saying late 1930's or early 1940's. Probably taken at my great-great-grandparents house in Babylon, NY. 

Family Affair

Like any typical Italian family the Dominos/Alfieris always stuck together. My grandmother Anna, always tells me stories of how her whole family would get together almost every week at her grandparent's house in Babylon, NY. At night women would sleep in the house, and the men would sleep in the cars.

This photo is of my grandma (2nd from the left) and her female family members (her mom, Rosie, is the first woman on the left). My grandma looks about 15 y.o. so I'm dating this ca 1941.

The Lost and the Silent

There is something about this picture that I intrigues me, but I can't put my finger on it. Perhaps it is the expressions on their faces. There seems to be a real disconnect between these two women. It may be strain caused by the generational gap between these two. That's why I named this post "The Lost and the Silent." My great-grandmother was born in 1900: The Lost Generation. My grandmother, 1926: The Silent Generation. "Lost" and "Silent" seems to fit this picture perfectly.

I'm dating this ca 1941. Babylon, NY

Joseph and Charles

This lovely picture is of my great-grandfather Charlie (Right) and his father, Joseph. They're at Joseph's house in Babylon, NY. I'm not sure on the date, but it has to be from 1930's-early 1940's. (I'm leaning more towards 1930's though)

My great-great-grandpa looks like he can kick some serious butt, don't he?

Forget Me Not

I found my Grandmother's junior high school autograph book from 1942. I had a

blast reading all the things her classmates wrote to her.

Some of them are a little saucy considering that it was written in the '40's by junior high schoolers. It made me LOL literally!

Here are a few of my favorites. I made my own notes in italics.

To anna:

Two in a hammock,

Ready to kiss,

All of a sudden it went

like sıɥʇ.

Your Brother Grad-u-8,

Alfred L.

When you are married

And your husband gets cross

Pick up a broomstick,

and tell him you're boss.

Forget me not,

Betty M.

Prison: J.H.S 73

Cell: 318

Keeper: Mrs. Tilley

Warden: Mr. Gainsboro

Flint

When you get married

Don't marry a flirt.

Marry a man who

Will wash your shirt!

Eleanor

Never make love at the garden gate.

Love is blind but the neighbors aint!

Your classman,

Ellen S.

Some like the tulips

that grow in the park,

but I like the two lips

that meet in the dark.

Your pal,

Laurie

Remember Grant.

Remember Lee.

The hell with them!

Remember me!

sister grad-u-8

Bushie

Ashes to ashes

dust to dust

if it weren't for boys

the girls' lips would rust.

Your friend,

Katricia

Butter is butter

And cream is cream.

What good's a kiss

Without a Squeeze?

Pat M.

The higher the mountain

The higher the trees

The younger the couple

The tighter the squeeze.

Evelyn

Roses are red.

Violets are blue.

Sugar is rationed.

Why aren't you?*

*She's gotten that one a few times in the book. I just think it's great because of the "sugar is rationed" part. It really shows the times.

Our eyes have met

Our lips not yet

but OH!

You kid,

I'll get you yet!

Brother Grad-u-8

Charles D.

Little over-confident there, are we Charles? Hmmmm?

Pins and needles

Needles and Pins

When you are married

your troubles begin

Pal

Vita

˙uʍop ǝpısdn ƃuıʇıɹʍ ʎq

ʞooq ɹnoʎ pǝlıods oɥʍ ʎoq ǝɥʇ ɯ,ı

'uʍoʇ ǝɥʇ ɯoɹɟ ʎoq ǝɥʇ ɯ,ı

'ʎʇıɔ ǝɥʇ ɯoɹɟ ʎoq ǝɥʇ ɯ,ı

Bob

Bum ink

Rotten Pen

Best Wishes

Amen

From your cousin,

Sonny A.

There is a darling girl I know.

Boy will I miss her

When I'll go out to fight the foe

This girl is my sister,

Your Brother,

Joe

Anna, Anna as they say

Walking up and down broadway

with fellows at each side

selling kisses

two for five

Your Friend,

Lucy

What are you trying to say, Lucy? Walking down the street, selling kisses! What a friend you are.

You may forget a doll.

You may forget a toy.

But I bet you ten bucks

You don't forget a boy!

Your sister grad-u-8,

Charlotte

Finally here is one my grandfather wrote to her. They didn't meet until after the war, so his is a later addition.

To Doll,

They Say it's a sin to love,

I never asked them why.

But If I sin in loving you,

I'll sin until I die

Love,

Bob

That's all. Sorry if I drove you crazy with the upside down text, but it was necessary, I assure you.

¿ʞuıɥʇ noʎ ʇ,uop ˙sıɥʇ ǝʞıl sʇsod ǝɹoɯ ǝʇıɹʍ plnoɥs ı ʞuıɥʇ ı

July 24, 1948 Robert and Anna

Today is my grandparents 62nd wedding anniversary! They were married at 5 pm in Maspeth, NY.

Here's their song!!!

I like this song too :)

Signor Calogero

My great-grandpa Charlie looking all dapper.

It was probably taken sometime in the 1940s in Babylon, NY (possibly....maybe :0) ).

I'm not a big car fan, but I do love photos of old cars....old technology in general. It was taken at such a good angle too.

Rum and Coca-Cola and Fun on the Beach

I've been posting a lot of photos from the 1920's lately. I thought it'd be nice to change it up a little bit.

Here is my grandmother Anna (the one on top) with a girlfriend of hers sometime in the mid-1940's. It was most likely taken in the Rockaways here on Long Island.

They are all dolled up to go to the beach! Their bathing suits are so cute too. The beginning of the two-piece. Still conservative at this point in time, but we're getting there.

It is so strange seeing grandparents like this. Young and goofy :) My grandmother probably is close to my age in the picture. It just makes me wonder, what if I met her back then. Would we have been friends? Could she relate to me?

I like to have a soundtrack for everything, and I thought this song would go great with my post today. It's from 1945. Around about the time the photo was taken. The lyrics are.....hmmm....well.....interesting.......if it's about what I think it's about. You be the judge.

I Ragazzi

I had to post this one! That's my great-uncle Joe to the left with a couple of his friends (maybe cousins) sometime in the 1940s. Their outfits are great! Look how high the waists are on those pants, and the saddle shoes are awesome. It's amazing how that generation still dresses like it did when they were teenagers. I hope that doesn't mean that in 50 years from now my generation will still be wearing low-rise skinny jeans....** imagining it in my head **...**shudders**

The cross hanging by Uncle Joe's waist screams Italian, don't it?