The World of Grandpa Don  

Tuesday I received an email from my cousin Diane (Simousek) Lambert of Lambert Farms in Indiana. It was in reply to my letter to her and the information I was able to give her about the Simousek genealogy and the connection to the Rumbyrt family. Her email contained a bombshell! She told me of the location of the grave of my mom and dad's son, Joseph, who lived less than a day, born and died on the 13th June in 1927. He would have been my older brother. But would he? Probably not, for if he had lived there would be no need for them to adopt me. Something to ponder! Another twist of fate that was a benefit to me. I will have to visit the office of the cemetery and see what other information is there.

Diane also had some additional information regarding the Simousek family and another mystery name ... Catherine Prochaska, 65 years (buried:  5/3/1934 in the Simousek plot). I remember the name but? Another name that is new to me is Mikulas Simousek, 77 years (died: 11/26/1912) Wow, he was born in 1835! Could he have been a brother of Jan Simousek, born in 1846 in Czechoslovakia which at that time was part of Austria? This will keep me occupied on Ancestry.com for a little while.

It started snowing in the wee hours of Wednesday morning and we are just as tired of snow as we are of the cold. The Snow Directors soon appeared in the streets and they did a great job. By 8:30 am only about an inch had made it to the ground and even the clouds began to disperse. Sorry about that Cleveland! You did read about the Snow Directors didn't you?

Wednesday was a busy day. Bionic Bob is at home now and tried to do the parish web site update. There was a problem and I had to help out. Then I had to send out the weekly email newsletter and followed that with a notice of another funeral. A member of RCwebAuthers (Roman Catholic) had a question about a web page feature and since I knew the answer I sent it to him but it involved a little research to find the right solution for him. I did a little research on Ancestry.com and sent an email to a relative regarding the results.  An email was received from our music director who found a great little Three Minute Retreat. I put a link to it on the parish web site and let her and the rest of the parish staff know it was there in our "On-Line Chapel" page's "Retreat Chapel" page. I then added it to this page, near the top, at the left. So, if you want a brief inspirational break as you start reading this page, click on the link. It changes every day.

Thursday found me at Bible Study which was spirited and informative. When I returned home I watched our Governor give a speech to the Illinois Senate. His only defense of himself was ... "We all do it." in reference to how he tried to buy support for what he wanted to do. How pathetic! In private, he is foul mouthed and crude and in public, as smooth as glass. That alone is enough to put his trustworthiness in doubt. In the movies of the old west, the Indians would have said that he speaks with forked tongue. Like a snake in the grass. I am not sure if he is still living the lie or if he actually believes he is acting as he should. In any case he is now history in Illinois politics and we have a new begining.

I spoke to my son Tom Thursday evening. He was surprised ... more like baffled, ... that I had not known of the child of my adopted parents. I explained that I knew there were failed pregnancies, as many as 5, but not any who were named, much less of an actual grave. He said he saw several names in a family bible at his grandma's house and I remembered no such bible. I told him that if there were such a bible I would have it, and I don't. Well, grandpa Don's mind must be loosing it! Mulling over what Tom had said, I reasoned that if I did have this bible it would be in the book shelf right here in this room, the one that collects all the old books and is piled two deep in much of it. When I went to look, it practically jumped out at me. As soon as I saw the Family Record pages my mind opened and I remembered the pages. There along with the names of my adopted parents and grandparents were the names of Robert Plefka, born and died 6/10/27, and Joseph Plefka, Jr. born and died Nov 27, 1928. And then my name and birth date. Diane Lambert had given me Joseph's name with the date of burial of  Robert. I will need to check the cemetery records to see if two babies had been buried in that Simousek plot. It is quite possible that Joseph and Robert are in the same grave.

I have revised the story of Joseph and Sylvia based on my renewed information. I am ashamed of myself for forgetting such important information. My only excuse is that my parents never spoke to me about these matters and even with frequent visits to the Simousek plot at Resurrection Cemetery, never told me of the baby's unmarked grave(s) there. I continue to wonder over the events that brought me to where I am. I know there are no "what if's" but the tragic deaths of these babies led directly to my adoption. Is it proper for me to thank God for their failure to live? They are my siblings but if they had lived, they would not have been. ... A conundrum! It is, at least for me, a positive demonstration that good can come from a bad event. We take life as it comes and live with it, making the best we can out of whatever happens.

Try to stay worm. I promise ... Spring will arrive, followed by summer  And ... Life will follow death. Jesus promised that last part. I have reason to believe it.