My maternal grandparents have lived in East Chicago for most of their married life. My grandmother was born in Mexico and raised here from the age of about 6. My grandfather was born in the Chicagoland area but raised in Mexico. They met when my grandfather was 19 and my grandmother was 26. She liked his horse, so she got to know him because of that.
They own a little supermarket in the East Chicago Harbor area. It's getting to be a pretty rough part of town. Since they are semi-retired, they are only opened like 2 or 3 days a week. My grandfather makes the best Mexican meats like chorizo, barbaquora, chicharones, and carne seca. He also drives to Chicago once a week to pick up other meat like arrachera, and carnitas. It's on Main St in the Harbor if anyone wants to check them out. They are mainly open on the weekends.
Well, my grandparents have officially retired and now my parents and my aunt are trying to convince them to move to a safer community. They are in their seventies and are pretty independent, so I don't know how jazzed they are about leaving the only town they have lived in for the last 70 years or so.
My mother's only sibling has been through a lot with our family. A few years ago, he got divorced and the family did not take it well. My grandparents wouldn't talk to him or even acknowledge him as their son, when he decided to get remarried. He was a really great guy. His new wife, Carmen, was really great too. She has to be to put up with all of my family's bullshit. She has two boys who are older and don't live with them, and 2 daughters who do live with them. They are from her late husband. Maggie, the oldest daughter, cracks me up. She is about 16 and just wild. I wish I could have been more like her. If you're going to get punished anyway, why not make it worth your while?
Maggie is pregnant and has dropped out of school. EVERYONE is pissed off and is blaming my poor uncle, even though she was pretty much like this before he got in the picture.
The baby was born prematurely and is disabled in some way. I don't know exactly what happend because my uncle is no longer speaking to anyone in the family for the most part, even his own kids. So now he is being a but head and is not helping my two college age cousins pay for their college. So they are having some financial problems with school.
This is my uncle's first wife. She is from Korea. They met while Bill was serving over there in the 70's. I really never felt one way or the other about her until she got divorced. Then I got to know her. She is a really good mother to her kids. She wants what's best for them and always has their best intrests at heart. And her English has improved dramatically over the time I have known her, about 20 years or so. She has become a total feminist (YEAH!) and wants her girls to go to school so they don't have to depend on some guy who has a 50/50 chance of leaving them anyway.
My cousin Suzie attends Loyola University in Chicago, Lake Shore Drive campus. What a hoot! She is terrific. She is a sophmore and pre-med, but I think she's having doubts. Good for her! College is supposed to be a time for exploration. Don't do what I did, kids. I whipped by college in 3 years so I could go to Dental school and see where it got me? Changing careers before I even really got started.
Suzie will be starting her senior year this fall and is in business I think. She is very involved in the University's Asian group and models for their fashion shows. Way to go Sue!
Chrissy is so talented. She is an artist. Now I like to say I'm an artist too because I like to play with clay and stuff, but I couldn't draw my way out of a paper bag. Chrissy on the other hand could make a skyscraper out of a handful of paperclips, and then sketch it in both charcoal and pastels. Or a nice watercolor. She is awesome!!
Chrissy will be starting her sophmore year here at IU this fall!! Yeah! She is transfering from Purdue Calumet, and I know she is goin to do great!
Mr. Metallica is the youngest of my 3 cousins at 14. He is a big boy. I mean, he is already shaving!! He got an electric guitar recently and was really quick to pick up on it. He likes to play Metallica. I hate to admit it, but it actually sound like them. In a good way.
Billy is going to be a sophmore in High School this fall. He had 4 guitars now and is getting really good. He was in his schools talent show with his band.
Just kidding. That's my sister's favorite movie. : )
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