Merry Christmas 2014

Merry Christmas December 2014 

To all my Family Merry Christmas from my home to yours.  It is Christmas Eve Day and a warm 60 degrees outside, a bit overcast with a slight drizzle most of the day but Warm, gotta love it.  I spent the past week and a half celebrating the Christmas season with my new friends down here in East Tennessee.
This is my 1st Christmas Season I will be away from all my Children having moved away from the Minnesota/Wisconsin area in May of this year to East Tennessee to a small town of Newport TN.  It has been an interesting and exciting time for me getting to meet and make new friends and neighbors, A lot of new experiences.

Yesterday Eve I sent at my church helping with the House of Prayer Christmas Party.  I helped to give out gifts to the girls and boys and goodie bags to the adults.  there was a band singing Christmas carols and bags of food for holiday meals were handed out to each family that was able to attend, they were so appreciative.  One Grandmother had tears in her eyes as she told us about her granddaughter opening up her present of a doll and with delighted glee held it to her bosom.

 I felt so blessed to be able to do such a little thing & pay it forward,remembering myself as a child receiving the gift of love and food from a group carolers from a church that had adopted us as their holiday family and each year at Thanksgiving and Christmas they would bring us a gift of food and a present for my brothers and I to put under our tree.

Above is my Christmas Tree this year with all the memories of christmases past unwrapped with each ornament as I placed it on my tree.  Yes my tree is full, full of memories that come with each ornament that I place on my tree...

This Filigree Star is the Oldest Ornament on my tree. My husband and I bought as a set of 3 or 4 Filigree ornaments containing the star, a box, an elongated 4 sided star and one other the year we went to Gimble's Store in downtown New York City to buy our first Artificial Tree.  That tree lasted over twenty years and many memories were placed on it year to year.  I'll have to search in my box of photos for a picture of it.  I'm sure you children remember it well.

This little felt hat is one of my 1st gifts from my children.  Raymond Jr.  It was made at school and attached to a baby food jar that had a Santa face painted on it with a cotton and beard.  The jar broke long ago but the hat is still in good condition, but the cotton it is a little brownish from wear so I will refresh it this year before putting it away.










This  Ornament is my newest one, given to me this year
 by my daughter Elizabeth so I can remember what a REAL winter looks like.. Very apt since it is in the 60's here today with no snow on the ground and no cold chilly wind in sight. it has an opening in the back for a Christmas light.  I like the effect the blue light has on it don't you.


I think I need to blog about those ornaments and their special memories.  I will make it a challenge for myself for the year of 2015

My visit to my home town of Elmford NY

On my Road Trip to NY I was able to visit my hometown of Elmsford NY.  I drove down the Saw Mill Parkway and got off just before Taxter Road where I grew up.  My daughter Elizabeth was with me and I got to reminisce about my childhood growing up on Taxter Road.  There were a lot of memories here, most I did have a chance to tell her.  The property was very overgrown with trees, brush & debris, the home had long since burnt down as did the garage.  The driveway was over grown with grass and debris and almost unrecognizable to me except for a partial mailbox strapped to a tree alongside the entrance.  I was able to park in the remains of the driveway now littered with broken glass & twigs.  I took pictures of the areas I remember, the well and wading pool that my dad had fashioned,  the creek were my brothers and I played and caught crayfish in the Garden area and the large rocks that I had spent many a summer day laying upon reading or gazing at the clouds.  So many memories encompassing my growing up years from age 5 or 6 - my early 20's.  After that I drove downtown and was able to find my High School, still in use I remember those hallways well, my eight grade English class, Art class thru my high school years and the memories of my graduation class standing on those center steps for our final photo.  Now a Jr. High School rested alongside of the old building... 

On the back wall of the football field the class of 2013 had written "Lucky 13! - Class of 2013 - Making our own Luck!"  It was nice to see my old alma mater so vibrant! You Go Class of 2013!

 

 

Alexander Hamilton High School - The Girls Entrance, Boys Entrance and middle Entrance -

 I Love the Saying that graces the beautiful Architectural center, "KNOWLEDGE IS THAT INDEED THAT WHICH NEXT TO VIRTUE TRULY AND ESSENSIALLY RAISES ONE MAN ABOVE ANOTHER"

 

After leaving the school area we drove down the long hill that I used to walk up back into town then drove to White Plains NY were Elizabeth and I stopped to eat at Tommy's Deli Café on Broadway.  I did not recognize any of the streets at all on my way there...I felt lost.  Thank goodness for my GPS. I dropped Elizabeth off at the train station were she caught a train into NYC & I filled up my gas tank and headed back to Putnam Valley to my Brothers house.  I did enjoy the drive back and was almost drawn to get off the parkway  in Pleasantville NY to see the Reader's Digest building where I had once worked and Hawthorne NY to see where my Grandparents had lived. 

My recent trip to NY brought back Memories of my growing up years

The past few weeks have flown by so fast.  I took a Road Trip back to NY to visit my Brother's Eddie and Bobby.  While there I took my daughter Elizabeth to Elmsford NY to see the place I grew up in.  It was very overgrown with trees, bushes and debris.  I reminisced a lot drawing from my memory images from the past of how it looked "back then". 

The remnants of an old mailbox for The Taxter Road Property.



The old water well was down here along with a stone wading pool built my Dad Edward G Hess Sr.,  Beyond the rocks there flowed a small stream that my brothers and I used to catch crayfish in.

 In this photo you can see the overgrown driveway leading to the house upon the hill.  Eddie, Bobby and I used to sleigh ride down this driveway all the way to the street in the winter time.  to the Left the tree with the fallen limb resting on it stood on the right back corner of our garage.  we used to climb it back then and sit on the roof of the garage gazing up at the clouds in the sky as they floated by.  The debris covers up the portion of the driveway leading to our house.  you can view more about my vacation this June 3013 here.

My Mom's Family The Cuccia's

The Cuccia Family

Top Row: Ann DeCarlo, Collins Cuccia, Francis Hess, Jack Cuccia, Rose Nuccio, Charles Cuccia & Jessie Bryd
bottom row: Sal Cuccia, Beatrice & Frank Cuccia & Kate Cheiffio
 

 

Beatrice (Delise) and Frank Salvatore Cuccia

 

Wow at long last I have a picture of my Mom with her brothers and sisters, all 9 of them and my Grandma and Grandpa.  I am so delighted to have these pictures I could just cry from sheer excitement!  Now, you ask why so exciting and when did you get them.  My Mother Francis Katherine (Cuccia) Hess passed away in 1964 after a short illness with lung problems so my recollection of her family is very sketcy.  we lost contact with them after mom's passing and moved on with our lives.  So when I wanted to start searching for them I had the wrong info and could not find them.  I thought she had 12 siblings but as you see she only had 8 and I thought my grandfather's name was Charlie, but it wasn't.  I became frustrated with the search.  Then the impossible happened.  My brother Eddie in NY was at a car dealership one day last week and overheard a salesman on the phone spelling his last name.  C-U-CC-I-A!..Ed's ears perked up and after the salesman was off the phone he went over to him.  Hi Cousin - did you say your name was Cuccia, we might be related!  and indeed we were.  Frank, the salesperson turned out to be a second cousin...WOW!  he gave Eddie his father's phone # and address; whom Eddie called and indeed the father was our Cousin Frank (Salvatorie) Cuccia from Hawthorne NY whom we had played with as children.  Frank remembered Eddie and Me, even asked about me by name.  I was blown away when my brother related the story to me when I happened to call him on Thursday (3/7/13) and encouraged me to give Frank a call.  So I did - no answer- so I waited.  Frank called back Friday morning but I was at the Dr's, he was going golfing in the afternoon so I waited till Saturday morning to call.  We chatted for over an hour.  he emailed me the above pictures and even a picture of himself (with sunglasses on) He also sent me a picture of my cousin Helen Ann DeCarlo with her phone and address.  Helen Ann is the daughter of my Aunt Ann who died from breast cancer in her early 30's.  Wow! talk about a family connection.  I called Helen Ann and we spoke for almost 2 hrs on the phone.  She and her sister Gloria also lost touch with the family after her mom's death.  I forwarded franks email to her and while we were talking she had a framed picture of her mom and dad that she was going to scan and send to me.  She opened up the frame carefully and Behold! 2 other pictures were behind it - one of her mom and dad and the family picture, the same one I had just e-mailed to her.... Wow!  (sorry about all the wow's but I am too excited to think of a different word.) 

Hi all - Calling for Updates and Pictures for our Family Pages

Hi all, This is Grandma Diane - Since I turned 70 just a few months ago I have been thinking of all my blessings.  all my Children, their Children and their Children's Children.  Wow that was a mouthful.  In other words my kids, grandkids and great grandkids.  This family is growing so fast.  In Dec of 2011 2 great grand children were born, little Sophie and James, then in 2012 Rose & Ethan, were added with another baby due in 2013 I thought we really need to get everyone in on the action.  I love all my grandkids and Great Grandkids.  why they keep me company at night as I drift off to sleep.  the smile's each one so endearing yet to individual, I can see their smiles right now, Sara, Johnny, Brianna and Breanna, as little babies, Caroline picking out her wedding Dress,  little Rose and Ethan just to name a few.  I love the smiles and the poses, Echo just turned 5, Ruthie was over her Grandma's Debs and played dress up with lipstick.  Nathan with his shy smile and mischevious mind, (makes me smile to think of it) little George who loves cars, Mason and little William, Allexy's who just loves my colored pens, and my older Grand kids, Nicky who wanted to give me a hug the other day but I was sick so I couldn't - Heather with her sweet ways and Zuri who loves to hang out with me.... Alan & Tommy, Johnny who is a new Dad and is enjoying that role, (reminds me of Micheal when little Alan was Born) - that look of love in their eyes and smile...Ah Fatherhood.   Christopher who is reserved it is hard to think of them as Grown, I still see each one as a child showering me with love,  Julie and Sarah who are sweet and Philip who is a great poet. Susan who has 4 children of her own now - Breanna, Little Natholie, Mason and of course Nathan.  Brianna who is now a mom and is in love with her new role as mother.  (little Rose is so sweet.) Caroline all grown up with her son William.,Wow I am amazed at them...  I am so glad for the internet too.  I get to see my grandkids in New York and their Children and watch them grow, Brian who is so grown up, little Emily who has her mother's eyes and smile.  so reminiscent of when her mom Jessica was a child, Justina who loves to craft and seems bursing with energy and ideas...(reminds me of me as a young woman).  Beth who is so brave and so sweet.  I enjoy their pictures as they post them on facebook.  WOw.  I am so blessed that my heart is singing right now..... Oh my enough for now... I will try to update this page more often with pictures and my thoughts... Love you all.