early relatives

I found this picture on the left in my dad's dresser drawer after he died. I assume they are some Finnish relatives but I will never know now that my dad and all of his brothers and sisters are gone. I think they are from my dad's father's side of the family. On the back of the picture one of the words was "tati" which means "aunt". The gentleman in the picture looks like my grandpa so maybe it is his dad? Sure wish I knew. My grandpa and grandma (my dad's parents) are in the picture on the right, standing in front of their farmhouse.

My Grandpa came over to the US from Finland when he was just 18 years old. My dad said that he got into a big fight with his dad over some wheat, and the fact that his dad was drunk, so he said he was going to America and would never see him again. And that's pretty much what happened. My Grandpa's name was Simon. He had a brother over in Northern Michigan so figured he would come over and see if he could get rich. Besides, there were stories about the Upper Peninsula of Michigan being every bit as beautiful as Finland.

I am not sure where my grandpa met my grandma, Clara, who was not Finnish as far as I know. She did speak the language though. I think my grandpa worked as a logger and then bought a farm. He walked several miles each day to work on the house he was building, often hauling logs with him. I wish I would have asked him more about his life. I know he had a twin brother that he never saw after he left Finland.

Grandpa used to drink hot water with sugar in it. I guess in his time, he was a drinker - maybe where my brother inherited the alcoholic gene from. He was not as serious as my grandma - who as long as I knew her, was dying of something. She had asthma really bad and she always thought she was dying. The only time I remember her touching me was when she braided my hair in french braids so tightly that I am sure my eyes became slanted. She also was in a contest with the other farm ladies to see who was the fattest. That really seems funny now but I guess at one time, being pleasingly plump was in. Grandma did not like my mom very much. My mom says it is because she wanted my dad, her baby boy, to marry a nice farm girl.

Both of my grandparents died in a nursing home, grandma going first. I remember my dad's anguish. I stayed with my grandfather during the funeral and he talked about many things that he remembered, but I don't remember now, unfortunately. I know he relived happier times during the few hours I stayed with him. He asked me to come to his funeral when he died. I didn't make it but I think he would understand.

The picture on the right is another unknown relative- a rather weird picture but I see the resemblance to my dad, and my own sons. I wish I had asked more questions. These are the

people who made me who I am, for better or for worse. These relatives of mine (and those of Bruce's) who are unknown to my children shape who they are too. And so it goes on into the next generation.