New Item in Chocolate Collection

Here is the latest addition to my Chocolate Collection, added just minutes ago!

The Gossip of Viznits

Back when there were horses, instead of cars, on the roads, there was a woman in Viznits, Austria, whom I shall simply call "The Gossip of Viznits." (For one thing, I never knew her real name!)

All I know is what happened the day she gossiped about the wrong person, my Baba's grandmother, Leah.  And it is from Baba that I heard this story when I was about eleven years old.

Anyway, The Gossip of Viznits used to go around telling stories about everybody.  Lies.  Half-truths.  Slander.  Insinuations. Inuendos.  

And yes, there were reputations ruined because of her.  

She was feared.  She was hated.

But, she was also listened to.   So many people will listen to gossip, as long as it isn't about them.

My great-great grandmother never listened to her.

Perhaps that is why The Gossip of Viznits decided to start a particularly nasty rumor about her. I do not know what that rumor was; Baba didn't tell me.

But as that woman was talking, great-great grandmother herself walked by and heard her.

She took swift, decisive action.  She scooped up a handful of dirt from the road, a road used,

as I said, by horse, and shoved that dirt right into The Gossip of Viznits' mouth!

That woman stood there, coughing, gagging, spitting.  Baba's grandmother walked away,

head held up, dusting off her hands.

Several hours later, one of her friends came to warn her, "That woman's husband is on his way over to see you.   You'd better hide." 

Hide?  Not great-great grandmother.

When the woman's husband came and asked her, "Did you stuff dirt into my wife's mouth?"

Baba's grandmother answered, "Yes. I did."

She expected a terrible argument.

The man bowed to her, and kissed her hand.

"Thank you," he said.  "Maybe now I'll have some peace."

And, as far as I know, that woman never gossiped again.  She didn't dare!

And after that, my great-great grandmother was considered a heroine in Viznits.

When Baba told me this story, I remembered an incident from my nursery school days.

I walked by the sandbox, and heard another little girl telling a lie about me.  Without realizing it at the time, I emulated my great-great-grandmother.

That girl ate sand that day!

Homily 2012-10-19 - Fr Anthony Mary MFVA - The North American Martyrs

Some parts of Fr. Anthony's homily are not easy to listen to, [descriptions of martyrdom never are!]  but I am sharing it because I think it needs to be heard.  I love the part at the end about Joe Biden!

Family Names

I discovered the maiden names of TWO of my ancestors,  thanks to ancestry.com.

My maternal great-great grandmother Leah Wechsler's maiden name was Kronenfeld.

[Great-great grandmother was rather a heroine in Viznits, Austria; I will share the story of how that came about tomorrow.]

My paternal great-grandmother Hulda Isberg's maiden name was Anderson (or Andersson).

  I also learned the origin of the surname Isburg.  Two brothers adopted the name; they were the first Isbergs.  Jonas Isberg is my great-great grandfather.  

There were, and are, Isbergs all over Sweden, and all over the United States.

My branch of the family came from Bullmark, and settled  in Burdell, Michigan.

For anyone who has an account on ancestry.com, here is my family tree.

I wonder if there are still some Isbergs in Bullmark!

Homily 2012-10-17 - Fr. Joseph Mary MFVA - Feeding what is good in us

Great homily from Fr. Joseph.  Wonderful anecdotes.

Homily 2012 10 16 Fr Mitch Pacwa SJ Christ has set us free

I have, love,  and definitely plan to re-read, the book Fr. Mitch mentions in this homily!

Sorry, Mr. Vice President, that is not a ‘fact’ | LifeSiteNews.com

Sorry, Mr. Vice President, that is not a ‘fact’ | LifeSiteNews.com

I'm going to put this as politely as I can. Somebody  should send Mr. Biden a bottle... make that a CASE... of prune juice!