Dad- The early years.

July 9,1947

Tia Honey,Mama Teechee,my Dad and Tia Kito

Watts,California

I didn't realize the back of this picture was dated until I scanned it, By today's date it's  3 days short of 62 years.  It is surreal to me,that I have out lived him by one year.

 My dad was born a blond hair, blue eyed boy on January 12,1947, that makes him about 7 months old in this picture. His dad was Aztec/Yaqui Indian and his Mom was Basque/Mexican. He was the oldest of five kids,he had 2 brothers and 2 sisters. My dad was born in Los Angeles and raised in Watts.

I'm not sure how old he was when they left. I Know after his parents divorced my Grandmother and the kids moved around a lot staying with one sister (my grandmother was 1 of 6 Garcia girls) or another. I know my Grandmother had a brother who died young of a broken heart on Christmas Eve and he passed away at the oldest of the Garcia Sister's House. I don't know much more than that. Ironically it seems that a Garcia can not leave this world unless it's a holiday. 

It's almost a Garcia trademark! 

Judging by his size in this picture I'm guessing it was around the same time as the one above,there is not a date on it. I can't tell if that's my Grandmother or her sister Nena.  I know that sometime around Junior high his family moved to Buena Park and lived with the oldest of the Garcia Sisters. That would be Frances,but they called her Pompei . Why? I have no clue as to why  these people had the nicknames that they did.(and yes, I have a nickname too, they called me Bonnie ugh!)  Pompei at some point in her life was a beauty Queen. 

Pompei (Frances) was the oldest,then there was Nena (Helen),Cata (catherine,my Grandmother)Licia (Alice,my Godmother),Honey (Mary) and Kito( Caroline) the youngest. Their brother they refered to as Tio Tomix (Thomas). Looking at the Garcia Sister's Family Bible there was another sister named Jinnie Lopez and above it is written "Out of Family". 

I don't know anything more than the name on a page. She would have been born before any of the Garcia Sisters or their brother for that matter. 

 Oh how I love digging Skeletons out of the closet! 

I hope all this makes sense. I can't figure out how to format the post so it looks right and I apologize for that. I was proofreading what I had and thinking about tomorrows post and I couldn't help but laugh at my Dramatic Family,we have; divorce,scandal,suicides! No wonder my life long dream has always been to become a published writer,I mean look at all I have to work with! I wouldn't need to make it up. lol.

So if you'll indulge my "closet cleaning" for a few more days I promise to reward you with a little Artistic eye candy. 

Is that a deal? 

Can we pinky swear on it?