How 'bout a perogi??

My Uncle Bob Nowak (dad's sister's hubby) is Polish. Every year he makes hundreds of perogi's (it's a Polish dish) and we feast, drink and make merry. I taped our arrival (my brother and I) last night. It's a horrible video - guerrilla video at best. But I wanted to capture the love and friendship that is my father's side of the family...at such a festive time of the year. Grafton is about 20 minutes north of Milwaukee.

This is, I believe, my 2nd perogi fest in 11 years. I was living in California - remember?

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Aunt Ev blows!

...pumpkin seeds, ya bastards! Aunt Ev's my dad's youngest sister. She used to rehearse cheerleading routines in front of us as kids (nieces and nephews - remember Marcia, Jas?) and choreography little variety shows we'd put on for the family. I did impressions. Probably my first taste of what being performing might be like.

5 kids. Married to my Uncle Bob of the Nowak clan for 30 years or so (Uncle Bob's got a sister and brother in WI, a sister in MN, a brother in CO, and his mom, two other brothers and another sister live in Santa Barbara - that's why I always go up there; and for the Santa Inez Valley vino). She teaches dance classes to the elderly, makes the best chocolate chip cookies and can be very young at heart. I think she snuck into the children's division and won (nice one, Aunt Ev). That's my Aunt Ev. Thanks for the clipping, Mom.

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