Some more history

North of the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, this five acre section of Louisiana near New Orleans was a longtime home of my Mother's parents. In fact, her Dad built it! I spent a lot of fun times there, but mostly in the very humid summers and warm bayous.


Many bugs, "skitters", and a host of snakes and alligators are but a few of the charms of Louisiana. Lightning in the summer, freezes in the winter, it had a lot of character for sure. Home grown water pumping, personal dump, target shooting in the woods beyond, it was great for us kids in the 1960's, and into the 1970's.

I took this photo in the winter of 1984. It was to be the last time I ever embraced my Grandparents, my Mom's Mom and Dad. We all knew it would be the last time around.

The property is long since gone from our family now. The Grandparents are long gone home to Our Maker, and I doubt it (the house and all) still exists, especially after Hurricane Katrina.

My oldest brother lives near there, still, and is doing OK. More family is in New Orleans, but many had to leave forever. The homes were utterly destroyed.



My Grandfather, Daddy of my own Mother, he was born in Villa Hermosa, Tabasco, Mexico. His family was originally from Spain. He spoke the Spanish version of Spanish, not the Mexican variety. He was born in January of 1900, so we always knew how old he was! We called him PaPa, or Paw Paw, from our youngest days of trying to speak. His name was Victor.






MaMa, or Maw Maw, she was from an Italian family. She wa the sweetest thing to grace anywhere...my Grandmother, Mother of my own Mother. She was near in age to my Grandfather. Her name was Irma.

By the way, all photos are December, 1984, by me.




My wife, Cruz, out in the back of the house. It is in the morning, and you wore anything you wanted to, since there were no neighbors for a long way down the road and through the woods.





My oldest Brother, Frank, standing next to my wife, Cruz. In the back is my youngest sister, Ann, and her husband, Barrett. We are in my Brother's liquor store that he used to be part owner of, in Mandeville, Louisiana. Frnak was born in '48. He is the one that still remains in that area on the north side of the huge lake.


--Dan