Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving from the West

Hello All,

Happy Thanksgiving. I too had a moment of rememberence for the family members that have recently left us. I am thankful for the legacy they left and the wonderful family I am part of.

Our house will host about 25 this year. All my kids and grandkids, my brother and sister and a few stragglers, adopted family. We will remember all of you in our prayers.

Alex

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello Family,
Just wanted to wish everyone a joyous and festive Thanksgiving. Although there
will be some sadness with the recent loss of loved ones, I know their spirits will be
with us all and help us make this a day of true thanks for all we have as a Family.

Judi and I will be hosting a small group of 36 at our house and we are thrilled to have
so many family members to make this a great day of celebration. I'll try to get a picture
of all of us together to put on our blog.

Boun Appetite!

Love, Cousin Paul

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Blog List

... It was commented that I don't post on here too often.  This is true.  Mostly because I have my personal blog that I've had going for over a decade now, and sometimes it's hard enough to keep up with one blog, let alone two.  I also figured this may be true for others in the family.  You want to post here and keep everyone up to date, but why post the same thing to two blogs.  And picking and choosing what to post on which blog is a whole other chore. 
... So I added the blog roll to the left hand sidebar.  Anyone who has a blog that they want to add to the family blog roll just needs to email me the URL of the blog and I'll add it on there. (slim@srossi.net)
... For those of you just visiting, or just posting here, keep an eye to the left and see what's going on with our other blogs.


Friday, November 20, 2009

weezie and catherine :)

hi all! here's mom and i at a girls' night out shopping event in boston the other night! hope everyone is well and has a lovely thanksgiving!
love, catherine

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Let it Snow!




It's snowing here, just thought you might want to know. We have about 2-3". I can't wait for the ski season.
Alex

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Welcome Mason!

Congratulations "Nana Patty" and proud parents Kevin and MaryAnn! And welcome Mason to our ever growing family. Your timing is relevent to help bring a new joy into our lives, especially considering the difficult past couple of years the family has endured.

Cousin Patty, you are in for some of the best years of your life as you bond with your new grandson. I know you will cherish every moment and he is blessed to have you as a grandmother.

Love, Cousin Paul

Welcome Mason!

A New Family Member


Dear Family,

I'm very grateful to have this blog as a means of staying connected with all of you. I have fabulous news to share! On Monday, November 9th, another small Rossi was welcomed to the family when Mason Rossi Campion was born to Kevin Rossi Campion and MaryAnn Whalen Campion.
Although he is an average weight of 7lb 6oz, he is a very long 21.25 inches long. It looks like he will resemble his tall father and many other tall family members. He is absolutely gorgeous. Even though I am his "Nana", that is a totally objective observation. I know because his maternal grandmother agrees with me completely!
Another observation about family resemblances: I think it was Stanley that commented during one of our recent sad gatherings that we all look alike. I had an illustration of that last week when I was having contact lense issues and put on my glasses. I looked in a mirror and was surprised to see Auntie Elsa looking back at me. It was a nice comfort to see that.
Love to all, Patty

Friday, November 6, 2009

Remembering Hugo Augustus

Hello Family,

I am also bloging in remembrance of my brother Hugo Augustus Rossi who died 25 years ago on 11/09/84. For those who remember our dear brother, father, cousin, and friend, you well know how much the Rossi Family meant to him. For those who did not have the pleasure of knowing Hugo, let me try to give a little insight into who this "bigger than life" man was.

Hugo had many gifts, but perhaps his greatest gift was his "gift of gab". Whether it was about sports, politics, religion, or just people and places, Hugo could talk with the best of them. As well read and intelligent as he was, he did not always need the facts to tell his story, for Hugo could embelish on a story with even the likes of Uncle Robby or Aunt Florence (and many of us still remember their fabled stories!). Hugo was a great orator and he never approached a podium he didn't like whether there was a mike or not. He was the MC at many functions and even stumped as a moderator at town meetings when needed. Hugo did not just "talk the talk" he also "walked the walk" by helping many people of all walks of life, usually without any notoriety.

Besides being a devoted husband and father, Hugo was active in his community in numerous ways. He was a coach, ccd teacher, politician, and leader of people. Hugo was a man who "took the bull by the horns" and got things done (unless it was finishing something on his house, like painting). Hugo did not care about superfluous things, he cared about people and most of all he cared about his family.

In 1981 it was Hugo who began the Rossi Family Reunions at the K of C in Ashland. He loved those reunions: the food, the beverage, the banter, the stories,the bocce games, the softball games, the cribbage games, the hugging, the kissing, and just the fact that we were all together: La Familia Rossi. It is for Hugo and all those who have passed on that we must keep these blogs going and the Family Reunions alive, to honor their lives and their spirits in all of us.

A footnote to Hugo's memory: on November 9, 2007, a new Hugo Rossi was born, son of John & Chrissy Rossi, eighth grandchild of Hugo Augustus Rossi. We can never have enough Hugo Rossis!

Remembering Hugo

Hello Family,

This time of year always makes me reminiscent, and 2009 is particularly so with the 25th anniversary of our loss of Hugo Augustus Rossi, Jr. on November 9, 1984. Hugo is shown in the family photo in the right top corner, with his open collared shirt and a big grin - I'm guessing him to be about 14 years old (assuming the photo was taken in 1955).

Hugo was always a larger than life figure to me - literally and figuratively. He was first born, I was last and there is 12 years between us, so to me he was a big person from the beginning. He used to carry me down the stairs on his back in the morning, calling himself "Rea, The Wonder Horse," and I was "Duck" (where do we come up with these nicknames?) His heart was always huge and open, and he made me feel special whenever I saw him.

He went off to Bridgeton Academy when I was 6, and then on to BC and married Judi when I was almost 12, but ever remained such a prominent figure in my life. Everyone wanted his attention, and somehow he always made time for all of us. As his life as a husband and then father grew, so did his circle of family, friends and associates, but he never exchanged one relationship for another - he just widened his reach. And that is the most amazing and profound memory I have of Hugo; that he had a genuine connection to every person in his world, and with his gift of gab and true interest in so many people and so many subjects, that is saying something!

So Monday will be a time for us to remember Hugo and all the wisdom, compassion and laughter he brought to our lives. We are lucky to have such a close bond with Hugo's children and I always think of how proud he would be of the fine, strong, good people they have become, and how well they are raising their own children. Though his time with us was far too short, his impact has never faded. Let's think about Hugo and all of our relatives who have left us, and our good fortune to have such a wonderful family - and our very own blog to celebrate it!

With Love to All,
Amy Dolores