I'll keep it short. I had lunch at Zygmunt's farm today, the best kielbasa and bigos, ever. He assured me it's because it's from their own, range-fed meat, or neighbors'.
I have lots of branches & fruit now on the genealogical tree. Will organize it when I get home, and with internet contacts can probably get questions answered.
John, Zygmunt mentioned someone called him a few years back from Konin, and wondered if it was my son. I said, no, couldn't have been...then after a while I remembered your call to him. They had the date written down -- they said Nov. 21, but I think it might have been Dec. 21?
Zygmunt is a hardy farmer, mostly retired now & his son Mateusz farms the place, which Zygmunt built around 1970. It is the farm he was born on, though he's completely rebuilt the barn, garages, house, etc. His father Wicenty farmed it. His father was my & Ron's father's cousin. They didn't know exactly where Wicenty grew up, i.e. where our grandfather Julius grew up, but he said it was within 3 km or so of his place, just outside Kamien.
Their knowledge of the family history ends with our grandfather's (and theirs) generation. There MIGHT be more information at Sztabin church, but that's for another day. Zygmunt & Melanie & I drove down to the Sztabin cemetery to see where their brothers, and parents are buried. I have pictures, will post when I can.
I am astonished how different Augustow is from 35 years ago when Judy & I visited. It's a thriving tourist town now -- Eagle River or such, 20,000 population -- while in 1974 it was a grey, dreary communist village. I remember the youth hostel as being probably the worst of many we'd stayed in, some of which were pretty bad, especially the outhouse at the youth hostel...unforgettable...
Will visit with Andrzej tomorrow (correction on the Aprilia, it's Andrzej's son's -- Zygmunt explained he, Zygmunt, has had 5 motorcycles over the years & would love to get another, but his wife doesn't want him to, at his age, early 70s.) Plan is to get to Bialystok for one more night, then Tuesday to Warsaw for a couple nights til Thursday flight.
Papa!
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Yup, would have been in December, just after I came back from Budapest, and just before I returned home to the States. I didn't say much at the time, because my Polish was pretty wretched, and I was nervous. Robin's "uncle" spoke a bit. Introduced me and such. I think wished Zigmunt a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and that's about it. I would have loved to say more.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad they remember, because I certainly do. Please tell them that I'd love to join you in visiting them!