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BROTHERS' BREAKFAST
July 1, 2008
It happens once a month in Erie Pennsylvania. Six brothers, a few cousins and many wives, all more than 70 years of age, converge on Peggy's, a storefront restaurant in the Liberty Plaza. They meet to talk politics. They talk about their children and grandchildren. They talk about their latest surgeries and who has the newest knee or hip. They talk about days gone by and days to come. They share brotherly comaraderie for two hours, then promise to meet again the following month.
Eggs and bacon, cheese omelettes, short stacks and high stacks of pancakes with butter and hot maple syrup, and hash browns and toast, glasses of orange juice and tomato juice cover the table. YUM!
I'm talking about the Figurski Brothers and here you can meet some of them.
Here are Ben & Phyllis Ferguson.
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 | My Best Friend!
Jared's House in Santa Cruz, California |
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David and I met when I was 16 years old. I won't even tell you how many years ago that was. He is my husband and best friend. We have lived in may places across this nation, including Erie, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Rochester, NY; and my absolute favorite, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA. I would follow him to the ends of the earth. Oh . . . I already did. We live in New Jersey.
Maybe, someday we will move back to California, or move to Mexico, or to New Zealand, or Spain, or Portugal, or Scotland, or Wales, or England, or Italy, or France. I love them all. |
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 | THE DAVID & DONNA FIGURSKI FAMILY
In Order of Appearance
David, Donna, Kiersten, Jared
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| Because we live so far away from each other, we rarely get together. So when we do, they are treasured memories. This memory was courtesy of my niece, Maureen, who married her friend, Rob, in Phoenix, Arizona. |
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| |  | | My beautiful daughter, Kiersten and her husband, Falko. |
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Kiersten went to Bard College in Annandale-on-the-Hudson in New York State, where she did her senior thesis in German Women's Studies. During the summer between her junior and senior year at Bard, she studied in Germany at the University of Heidelberg and developed a great love of the European culture. So it was no surprise when after graduation, with a grant from the DAAD, Kiersten headed directly to Germany. And it's a good thing she did, too. There she met Falko . . . and the rest is history. They are now happily married with two beautiful daughters.
Kiersten lived in Germany for almost eight years. Four of those years were spent in Leipzig, Falko's hometown. Then, with their daughters in tow, they packed up and trekked across the ocean, and across this wide land to New Mexico. Kiersten had a burning desire to become a midwife. She began her training in Germany in 1998 and finished in Taos, New Mexico at the National College of Midwifery and the Women's Health and Birth Center. She graduated with an Associate of Science in Midwifery (ASM) and became licensed as a CPM and LM in 2002. She is now a home-birth midwife and is "catching" lots and lots of babies. She loves every minute of it . . . even the middle of the night phone calls and the long, unending hours.
Falko, who was the layout editor for The BILD, Germany's largest newspaper, gave up his career to travel to a new land and follow new dreams. He loves the beauty of New Mexico and hopes to begin a business of constructing new homes in the foothills of the mountains. During the winter, Falko works in a Bavarian restaurant in the ski valley. And he is the REAL thing. |
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 | | My really cool son, Jared and his girlfriend, Dawn |
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I knew when Jared was four years old what he was going to be when he grew up. It was pretty apparent on that day at the stream behind my father's house when he caught his first fish. He caught it with a piece of string and a paper clip. His exuberance revealed his deepest dreams. As he grew up he was always near water, usually the resevoir near our home in New Jersey. His bedroom housed about ten fish tanks of varying sizes, and he always had some kind of experiment going. My favorite was the brine shrimp "contraption." Somehow with 2 two liter soda bottles and a lot of tubing he constructed a safe haven for the babies of the brine shrimp. If the babies weren't removed from the mother they would not survive, and he developed a way for them to survive. That was the begnning of his research career.
During high school summers Jared worked at the Maria Mitchell Aquarium in Nantucket. He helped to maintain the aquarium and regularly took the zodiac out into the Atlantic Ocean to gather new specimens to replenish the tanks. He gave tours and taught about the ocean animals to anyone who would listen.
After high school, Jared went to UCSC, the University of California at Santa Cruz. He earned a degree in Marine Biology . . .no surprise there. Jared now works and dives for the University and is the captain of the PARAGON, a research vessel. He holds many diving certificates, including research diver and rescue diver. In additon to working for the University, Jared is also a graduate student. During the summers between terms, Jared has been involved in research projects in Alaska, Ecuador, and Tahiti.
His girlfriend, Dawn, is also a graduate of UCSC and is working on her graduate studies, there.
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 | Free To Be!
Today we will be cowgirls
with the wind blowing
through our hair. |
| |  | I Can Read the Whole Book!
I love to read and read and read and read.
Just give me a good book, |
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 | Working on Her Next Novel.
I bet she takes after her granny.
She's always working on a new
book, too.
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| |  | Look at MY New Boots.
Want to know how I got them????
Well, you see my Grandpa was visiting.
And, I thought that my little sister would
really like a pair of pink cowboy boots.
And . . . well . . . so did Grandpa!
He's kind of a "pushover." but don't
tell him I said that. ;) |
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 | Writing in Her Journal.
This is serious business.
I have to get down ALL my thoughts.
Before Sundown! |
| |  | The World is MINE!!!
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For purple mountain majesties
America the Beautiful! |
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 | A Flower Among Flowers
Can you tell which is the REAL flower?
. . . the one with the smile on her face. |
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| .............Here are some very special people in my life . . . being very SPECIAL!........... |
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 Kaya with her new glasses.
She says, "Guess what.
I got my glasses!!!!!!!!.
Isn't that great?
It seems like the world's opening up because I can see everything
much
more
clearly.
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| |  | | Trish (Patti) and her husband, Bryce |
 | Kathy (Ses) and her husband, Sam
and their daughter, Kayla |
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COUSINS COUSINS COUSINS
I have tons of cousins. My mother had eight sisters and brothers and each of them had at least four children. Some even had six or seven. So if you do the math the cousins really add up. My father had only one sister who only gave me three cousins, but add them to the bunch and I have tons and tons of cousins.
Unfortunately, though, all but two of my cousins live far away. The whole family started out in the Pittsburgh area many, many years ago, but everyone escaped. They moved to places with names like Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, California, and Michigan to name a few, so we don't get to see each other. In fact, I could probably walk by a cousin on the street and not even know who he or she is. So, it makes me feel really happy that I have two cousins who live near me and we are very good friends.
Meet my cousin Trish (Patti) and her husband Bryce and my cousin Kathy (Ses) and her husband, Sam, and their daughter, Kayla. I am so glad that they are family. |
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 | My Cousin Eddie
Ed Pavlik and his wife, Tammy |
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LONG LOST COUSINS
You surely have heard the saying" Long Lost Cousins!" Well, here are some of mine. This is Eddie Pavlik and his wife, Tammy. I haven't seen Eddie for almost three decades. He last visited me when I lived in San Diego . . . another life, so, so long ago. We finally met up again this weekend at my cousin, Kathy's house. (That's Kathy and her husband, Sam and their daughter, Kayla just above.) Kathy is Eddie’s sister. I see Kathy all the time, which is good. And it was really good to see Eddie again and to meet Tammy. Just hope it won't take another 30 years to meet again. If so, we better bring our canes.
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MORE LONG LOST COUSINS
I introduced my cousin Eddie and his wife, Tami, above. Linda, Melanie, and Lisa are three of Eddie's sisters. They are long, lost cousins, too. I re-met Linda and Melanie last summer (2006) when they visited in Erie. This summer Cousin Lisa joined the picnic my sister, Judy and her husband, Bob organized at their home. Michelle and her daughter made the trip, too. It was fun to take trips down memory lane -- trying to remember--yes trying to remember.
Kathy Spinelli (also above) is another Pavlik sister. The only missing sister is Diane in Florida. Hopefully, someday, I will re-meet her, too.
Hi, I'm Linda.  |
I'm Melanie. |
Call me, Lisa. |
I'm Michelle. Linda is my mom. |
PAVLIKS -- one way or another. |
 My name is Jessica. Michelle is my mama and Linda is my grandma.
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 | | Relaxing on the Deck |
| | | |  | Hank Figurski
Father-in-Law |
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| I have known Hank almost as long as I have known my husband, David. I joined the Figurski family a very long time ago. He's a cool father-in-law. I'm lucky he's in my life. AND . . . he's a good dancer, too. |
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 | THE TOM & KATHY FIGURSKI FAMILY
In Order of Appearance
Eric, Kathy, Matt, Caitlin, Tom |
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Tom and Kathy are not only family, they are friends. Tom is four years younger than David . . . his brother, my husband. The funny part was that everyone always mixed them up when they were younger. Even Tom's, new bride, Kathy thought David was her new husband, Tom, when at her wedding, she came upon David alone in the reception hallway and said, "Kissy! Kissy! Kissy!" You should have seen Kathy's face when David turned around and said, " Well, let me check with Donna first." That has been a family joke ever since.
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 | Caitlin
my
Niece & Godchild |
| |  | Eric
my
Nephew |
| |  | Matt
my
Nephew |
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| Now Tom and Kath have three children, who are all getting pretty old by now. Caitlin just graduated from college and is working on her Masters in Sociology. Matt just began his first year of college. Eric is not far behind. Although they all live in Michigan, which seems like a world away, we are very close in heart. |
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 | Tom
my
Brother-in-Law |
| |  | | Donna & Kathy |
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 | Two Brothers
David & Tom |
| |  | Kathy
my
Sister-in-Law |
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 | | Pat & Patrice |
| |  | That's Pat and Patrice
with their
Three Sons
Stefan, Keaton, Ryan
Patrice, Pat |
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| Pat is David's youngest brother and Patrice is his wife. It's great having them as friends, too. They have three boys but they only had to go through pregnancy twice to get them. Stefan and Ryan are twins and they are getting up there in their high school years. Keaton is the youngest son. They all live in Detroit. Wonder what Detroit has that keeps drawing the Figurskis to it. |
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 | My "impish" Brother John
(aka Jackie) |
 | Carol
Sometimes
Known as Bertha |
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This is my younger brother, Jackie or Jack-o, as I often call him, but, I am the ONLY one who can get away with it anymore.
When Jackie was growing up in Erie, Pennsylvania (four years behind me) everyone called him Jackie, but when he turned eighteen, he decided to use his more formal and grown-up name, John. But, come on . . . look at that impish grin, does he look like he ever grew up? He still has the devil in his eyes and I promise you his sense of humor matches his grin.
Here's Carol . . . my sister-in-law . . . my warm weather sister-in-law. She lives in Phoenix and loves it there. Who can blame her? She used to live in the snow belt . . . Erie, Pennsylvania. That is one cold burg!
Carol and I love to go shopping together -- for nothing. It's just fun to walk and talk, and talk and walk. It's a "girl" thing. We also love to put the top down on her little white Miata and head out to nowhere. Driving in her Miata makes me miss mine. Mine was white, too. Really cool car!
Jackie and his wife, Carol, have become fun friends these past years. We call them our PPPals. That is our code for Puerto Penasco Pals. Once or twice a year we travel with them to Cholla Bay in Mexico, to sip Margaritas at happy hour on the deck of one of the local hotels; to walk on the beach marveling at the gorgeous sunsets; to pore over the silver jewelry so often that we've become fast friends with many of the vendors. Once, I found a frog ring. I tried to barter for it, but the vendor held steady on his price . . . a little too much for the ring, I'd say, but I bought it anyway. I think he knew I would. The glint in my eyes assured him it would be a sure sale. Speaking of "sale," one April for my husband, David's birthday, we all went para-sailing. Now that was a trip . . . literally!
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| |  | John O'Donnell IV
One COOL Dude! |
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Now here's one really cool dude! This is my nephew, John. Everyone always called him "Little John", in fact, they still do, but . . . there's nothing small about him. The greatest thing about John is the twinkle in his eyes and his great sense of humor. His sense of humor and his new found sense of determination is what is getting him through one of the most trying times of his life.
In December of 2004, at 24 years of age, John suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). It almost took his life and literally took him back to zero. John had to learn to walk and talk all over again. One year later, he is making good progress, and though he still has a long road to travel to get back to good health again, I know he will make it. With his perserverence and positive attitude, someday this will be a fading memory. I am right behind you, John . . . cheering you all the way.
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| |  | | My Brother, Mark |
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MY BROTHER, MARK
Okay, so I have another younger brother. Actually, everyone in my family is younger than me, except my parents, who, of course, are not and never were younger than me. But, I guess that is no different than any other parent/child situation.
This is my brother, Mark. I call him Mark-o. See a pattern here? I call my other brother Jack-o. Don't even ask me why. I couldn't tell you -- not because I don't want to . . . I just really don't know.
He used to be this little twerp that would run around the golf course when we were little. He still does, but he's not a little twerp anymore. He's kind of a nice guy. |
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 | | Mark, Mother (Til), Donna, John |
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MORE FAMILY PICTURES
This was a rare moment. It is not often that my family can get together. There are so many miles separating us. If you have any idea of United States geography, you will know that Arizona, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania are nowhere close to each other. Well, Pennsylvania is not so far from New Jersey, but the east border of New Jersey is a more than a stone's throw from the western border of Pennsylvania . . . of course, that's where my family lives.Then add California and New Mexico to the mix. That's a lot of states to cover.
Anyway, I think my mother was glad to see at least three of her children in the same room at the same time. Right, Mother? We were missing my two "younger " sisters.
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 | My Little Sis, Suzanne
(aka) Sanner |
| |  | My sister, Sanner (Suzanne) and her husband, Rob.
She's the baby in the family.
I wish she wouldn't keep getting so old. |
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 | Krystil and her husband, Mark
This is my niece with a southern accent
. . . a real Southern Belle. |
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MISSING ZAC
September 14, 2007
Dear Holen,
It is with much sadness I write this. I am so very, very sorry. Uncle David and I feel for you deeply. We only knew Zac for a short time, but we were happy that we did. Please know that we love you very much--always have! 
I know you are a strong young woman (jumping in your car and heading out to New Orleans to reconstruct the city after Katrina's devastation) and now you must be strong again to pick up the pieces of your own fractured and fragmented life and reconstruct them . . . over time. And, it will take time. Keep your fond memories of Zac close to your heart and near in your mind. They will help you through this unbearable and unbelievable time.
I was going to send flowers, but thought you might be able to use money instead. I did, however, buy a small bunch of red carnations, which I placed in front of my fireplace in Zac's memory. Though I was not able to come to California to be with you, I wanted a constant reminder of the nightmare that you are experiencing. The carnations keep you in our constant memory. It's my little way of being a part of your life so far away.
If you ever want to talk or want to come stay with us for a while to help ease you over this huge hurdle in your life, please call me. You are welcome.
With so much love,
Aunt Donna & Uncle David
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This is my cousin Kathy's husband, Sam, with his dad, Ross. We just spent a very nice Thanksgiving afternoon with them.
 Ross kept telling me he was going to charge me for all the pictures I was taking of him. I told him to put it on my bill. |
Alba is Sam's mother. She was in the kitchen a lot She cooks a great stuffing! I just had to get her recipe . . . as if I'm going to cook a turkey.
Okay, maybe I will tomorrow. |
Here's Kathy!
She was the overseer of today's feast - And what a feast it was!
Turkey of course,
stuffing,
which I already said was Alba's specialty ,
mashed potatoes and gravy,
sweet potatoes, two kinds
and
two different kinds of cranberry dishes, too.
Can't forget the pumpkin pie.
Delicious dinner! Great company!
What more can you ask for?
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This is Sam's sister, Maria, and her husband, Mike. David and Mike had a great time talking racing. Bet you thought I was going to say, "Talking Turkey!" They just ate a lot of that.
 Maria and Mike are from the Pittsburgh area. So are Alba and Ross. For that matter . . . so are Kathy and Sam, and since I was born there and David and I both went to school there, I guess we are, too.
It's the Pittsburgh Conection. |
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