Here above is my darling Great Nephew Max...Or Grand Nephew, as he says---but I think the correct word is "Great"---of course, I am wrong a lot! (lol).....He was here in Los Angeles for a couple of days and he came over and spent a few hours with me.... It was wonderful to see him! He is such a dear sweet smart and delightful young man....I know his parents must be so very proud of him, and my dear sister Robin would be so very proud, too, if she could see her first grandson now......
I took some pictures of him sitting near the window looking into my living room because there was such an amazing reverse image, behind him---the Pacific Ocean and Century City, etc.,---And...I asked him to let me make a little video of him talking about......Well, you will see what he talked about, below........We had a lovely visit and a bit of to-go-prepared-food for lunch that came from Gelson's, which he seemed to enjoy very very much. I know I did. As you heard him say, his father, Michael, is my sister Robin's first born. I can still remember the day Michael was born. I was in 11h grade---a Junior----in Great Neck High School. I went to the pay phone---yes, we had such things back then....and I called my mother every chance I could between classes. I don't remember how many calls I made, but finally, my mother said, 'yes, the baby was just born and it's a boy!' There is Robin below, holding little Michael. She was standing on the porch of their house in Hamden, Conn., near Yale University where Bobby was teaching. The house was called "Steamview", and I honestly don't remember why....
Very very exciting. He was as cute as a button...my first nephew! That was October 18th, 1948---a very special day. I'm ashamed to say, I don't remember the birth dates of Robin's two other children---Danny and Debbie....but I guess it is because it was kind of like old hat by that time. See, Michael's birth was a "first" for our family. The first Grandchild for my mother, and the first nephew for Gene, Gordon, and me, so that was a really big thing......Below is a picture of Robin as a baby with our mother, 'Jen The Hen'.....I don't know where this picture was taken, and I don't know that there is anyone still around who can tell me.....
There is something quite wonderful about having baby pictures of Robin, who was my parents first born, and then Robin's first born---Michael, as a baby. (I don't have any pictures of Max as a baby, I'm sorry to say....) Below, here are Robin and Bobby---Michael's parents and Max' grandparents, when they were just a young couple---married around a year and a half or so at the time of this picture......
How young they look. Well, they married so very young. They were both twenty years old.....It is almost impossible to fathom how they decided had the courage to marry so young, but they did, and they were married for over 60 years....count them...60! Here they are below at my brother Gordon's 75th Birthday party---in September, 2004. His birthday is on September 20th and Robin's birthday was on the 26th of September, when she turned 81.
Hard to see them looking this old....But, that is life, isn't it? Below, another picture from Gordon's Birthday Celebration......
Standing: My brother Gordon, then Michael---Robin's oldest next to him, and then my sister Gene on the end on the right side....Seated: Gordon's youngest daughter Jennifer, then Debbie---Robin's youngest child, who now has two children of her own, and Robin....dear sweet Robin, who died in February 2005. A heartbreaking loss to all of us......
Above.....Max, with his mother Dianna in July of 2007. They were here in Los Angeles on a visit and I got to spend a few hours with them that day which included lunch, too. Michael wasn't able to make it here for that particular trip---but we are all hoping he will get out here one of these days, very soon.....There are four generations pictured here in this post, and I think that is remarkable! I have always felt the importance of photographs, and I hope I never forget that photographs are so very very precious. They remind us of the times of our life, and very often, the better times for many people....They are a record of something that took place---a visual reminder. They are our 'history', and something to be greatly cherished and preserved, in my view.....
Max and Dianna, one more time.........Update: Dianna emailed me and told me the birth dates for Danny: November 27th, 1950, and Debbie: June 2, 1964---in a way, Debbie had three Dad's....lol.....
More To Come.........
NOTE: I thank everyone for the wonderful 'captions' and 'story's' on my profile photo....I will announce the winners---hopefully---next time I post....I love you all for participating!
- had this to say:
What a lovely visit :) So many young people have no time for their relatives these days so I am glad to see that they aren't all like that.
I love your old photos and I agree. Photography (and videos these days too) are such an important means of evoking memories and recording life. Sometimes they cna be painful to see and other times they can bring such joy - all from a picture. Wonderful!- Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 5:29:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
What a great impromptu interview! It was so nice of him to visit. Too often the younger generation doesn't take time to remember where they came from. I'm glad you got to visit with him and to record that interview. Wonderful!
- Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 5:35:00 AM PST
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had this to say:
A strapping young man.
I hope all your relatives are savoring your family history posts. Too many people don't take the time to write these things down, caption photos or whatever, and then the stories are lost--not only for the family but everybody.
Cheers.- Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 7:23:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Handsome young man, great AND grand! Old photos are so precious, I can't imagine a world without them. (I mean, I wouldn't want to.)
- Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 8:42:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
What a great post!!!! I really loved the photos and family history!!!!! And it's so nice that you and Max could get together.
- Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 11:03:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Max is adorable and SMART and charming and...well, you can tell you're related! Love the interview! I need to do more of these on MY blog since I live for this kind of thing.
The pics are fascinating. I love how you have all these old photos in your possession. They really are precious. Thanks for sharing!- Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 4:55:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
You have a handsome family, Naomi, and Max is really cute!! Michael shares a birth date with my younger daughter, although she was born much later than he was.
- Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 8:36:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Blogger seems to be having video problems and I can't see your video nor could I post one tonight. I'll check back later.
"Max the Great" is right of course and is your grand nephew, the equivalent of what would be your grandson. I really loved this post and had a blast scrolling up and down and up and down looking at Bobby and Debbie. She looks like a female version of him.
I have recently reconnected with my "found" niece that we discovered at the age of "almost 18" in 1999. She posted a picture of her young son and he has my Dad's ears (that's his great granddad) as well as the family nose. Fun stuff.- Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 2:03:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
as always you take wonderful photos naomi !..the back ground of the city and then the wonderful pictures of mother and son with your gorgeous cactus in the back ground!!! You miss nothing!
- Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 7:07:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
What a nice little visit! My great niece (lol) is coming to see me in March and I'm so excited!
- Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 10:01:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Naomi picturea are certainly a part of who we are.. And a reminder of every day of what we were and who was in our lives. I have photo's of people I am not sure who they are and such. I wish I had some one to tell me who they are but those people are gone in my life.my mom doesnt even know all the people..
- Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 11:23:00 AM PST
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had this to say:
Nice to see Max...I never knew about him. Handsome guy! But, I'm a bit frustrated because I can't seem to get the video to work..so I'm missing that part! ARRRHG!!! (me complaining) I will see if I can get Michael to help me with it later...love, Audrey
- Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 2:15:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
I can't see the video but the photos are just great! What a lovely visit, and Max looks a really nice guy. You are blessed to have so many relatives and friends in your life. It must mean you know how to cherish the relationships you have with everyone. :)
- Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 3:36:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
It must have been such a nice visit for you ... plus it brought back all these lovely memories for you to share.
And you can call him your great nephew or your grandnephew ... it's the same difference. I checked last month because I wanted to figure out if Gord is a great uncle or a grand uncle (he's considered both).- Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 7:12:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
What a cutie he is. He sure had great DNA to draw from.
Like you, am not sure on the "great or grand" issue. I answer to both and use both when talking about them.- Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 4:10:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I'm so glad he got to visit, I love my nephews to pieces! (nieces too!)
- Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 8:20:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Hello stranger, what an interesting post. Max is a handsome young man indeed. I enjoyed reading about your family and looking at the pictures. I love the way you reminded us all of the incredible relevancy of photographs to our history. Where do all the years go though? I hope you are well and now I have more time I have to catch up on your blog!
- Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 7:39:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
how fun! great idea for the post Naomi. He hardly seems 27! Wow.
- Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 7:51:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Oooooh I nearly missed this post. What a lovely young man. I'm so glad you had a great visit and the photos are very interesting as usual.
- Saturday, January 23, 2010 at 3:28:00 PM PST
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had this to say:
Oh my gawd! Max is such hottie lol! As I was browsing on the photos, I can see that he resembles alot to his grandfather Bobby.
Well, as they say beauty runs in the family!- Monday, January 25, 2010 at 12:18:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Wonderful Naomi to get to see the video. I'm sure he enjoyed the nice warm weather there in LA as compared to NY! So nice of him to visit you and I know you had a great time!
Love your old photos of your family! As always, another enjoyable post!- Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 9:53:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
You know when we were little (all us cousins anyway), Gene found the word great unpleasant so it came out out of at least my vocabulary. To this day, I still say my fabulous aunts instead of the proper terminology.
- Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 12:42:00 PM PST
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