Wow, does time fly by. I began sorting my family papers using the method discussed in our workshop. If nothing else, I am looking at the papers I have collected over the years. I began working on the Grassi family. It is the family line that I have great documents but not many of them. It was easy to sort through and file. My grandfather Grassi was a saver. He saved his letters, photographs, and important papers. My grandmother Nardelli didn't save anything. Perhaps she did not stay in touch with her family in Alberobello Italy whereas it was the opposite situation with my grandfather.
Yesterday I sent an Italian document to someone I know in Italy through PIE, an Italian list. Guido wrote back and told me what the purpose of the document was - it was an order to appear before the Italian consulate concerning his status in the military. This document was dated 1915. Guido told me that for Italy WWI began on May 24, 1915. I learned something about my grandfather that I did not know before. There are three more documents which I have sent to Guido. He is so kind to translate and explain the purpose of the documents.
I need to investigate my grandmother's life which will not be easy. She had a brother here in the US. His name was Guiseppe Donato Nardelli. That is why she came here; she came to care for him and his home. He married and had a family but I do not know anything about them. That is a formidable job. It will be like looking for a needle in the haystack.
Julie and I took the boys to Huguenot Park. It is a really nice park and there were lots of children and their parents there. The day was beautiful - high 70s and sunny. Just as we were leaving, an ice cream truck came by playing its enticing music. A number of people lined up to buy an ice cream. It brought back lots of memories for me. During the summer the ice cream truck, either Good Humor or Bungalow Bar, would come by and we would run and ask for some coins to buy an ice cream cone or something on a stick. It was always a treat.