* All in the family

It seems to be part of the weekly scene for me now– filling up my suitcase w/ weekend essentials, then Friday am, either hauling it/me on a few tram/buses or if I’m lucky, chauffeured off to my weekend adventure. An escape from the big city.
This particular weekend, it was a road trip with the folks to northern Poland, Elblag – the beginnings of my parents life together. Its also where the majority of my father’s family relocated to after the war (after spending 6 yrs in Siberi. Brrr ) As you can imagine, there wwere numerous’ remembering when’ moments for them - and a huge inventory of interesting stories and recollects for me. Our hospitable hosts, my cousins - Rutkowsk family, lived on what was once a large sheep and cow farm, which original belonged to his mum (dad’s sis), who in turn raised 6 boys and 1 girl there. I have a fond memory of visiting them once, about 15 yrs back and one day the gals of the house decided to go to a nearby lake. So mum Gracie, sat her 2yr old daughter in front of her, holding onto the handle bars, the 4 yr sat in between me and Gracie, and off the 4 of us went on the dirt bike - all helmet less. What a site that would have been for a Michigan cop. …
Although the farm doesn’t have the large amount of animals anymore, I had heaps of fun with the cow, 2 calf’s, along with a bunny rabbit, turkeys, and my favorite, those darling goats. Just an FYI: when you go to milk a goat, make sure that you don’t stand behind him and that you milk. fast, because those guys don’t like to stand around for long.
As on any farm, comes a good share of mealtime provisions and some interesting farming facts. For example, I learnt that you can’t allow a cow to eat limitless grain. It forms gas in its stomach (and cows can’t burb). As a result of this response, years ago, there was always some ‘guy’ in the local community, who, when called upon, came to the farm, along with a long, makeshift, needle of sorts and to pierce the cow and allow the gas to escape - If they didn't do this, the cow (and horses) will literally explode from the internal gas and die! How crazy is this! Knowing where to pierce the cow required a special talent or the cow could die from the piercing just as well. I also learnt that goats, along with ducks most likely don’t have taste buds and therefore will eat just about anything..
On our return home, we visited my mum’s side of the family, the Glowack family and its newest, 7 mo. grandson. I always find it fascinating how when a baby is added to a group, all conversations stop, and all eyes turn to this, little miniature speechless person. From that moment on, he holds a captive audience with every groan, cry or smile. An interesting study in human nature (or perhaps just females). As could be expected, we were served more homemade polish food - and I had this terrible worry that I wouldn’t get to eat very well, living on my own. (really, folks, I got to stop eating so much or they are going to have to pierce me too!)
Oh, I forgot to mention a most memorable desert experience. On one of our evenings there, I watched as Gracie meticulously homemade polish poczki. Though I’m not a big fan, I ate one, not to be rude, but found the poczki to be absolute bliss. After that first, warm bite, I couldn’t control myself and had another,,,then another… until my mum, with that voice that holds both scold and , admonished me to stop eating them. She said, because the poczki were still fresh the yeast in them was still rising and it would continue to rise in my stomach, even after the last bite. Well, that brought on the image of the exploding cow and I must admit, I got a little concerned …The next morning, though I was still in one piece, albeit a little puffy in the middle, but ready for more..