by Jule Kucera | Jan 23, 2022 | Blog
Audio: Uncle Emil When I started these posts on finances and my family, I wasn’t sure where they would go or what the value would be. One outcome so far has been a surprise: your families also have secrets and stories. Intrigue is everywhere. Instead of focusing on...
by Jule Kucera | Jan 16, 2022 | Blog
Audio: Who Is This Woman? In this case, I’m not referring to some aged name on the family tree. I’m referring to the one who birthed me. Laurie, my psychologist friend, had prepared me to go back to New Jersey, to the place where I sleep on an air mattress because...
by Jule Kucera | Jan 9, 2022 | Blog
My great-grandfather, Emil F. Folda, was born in 1866 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and was brought to a sod house near Heun, Nebraska, as a toddler. The family relocated to take advantage of the Homestead Act and soil with fewer rocks. His mother died when he was 12; at...
by Jule Kucera | Jan 2, 2022 | Blog
Audio: Shocked by a Catholic I grew up without religion. I don’t know if that’s the continuing influence of my great-grandfather or my parent’s active choice. We had a Christmas tree with presents, and chocolate bunnies for Easter, but I never knew the basis for those...
by Jule Kucera | Dec 26, 2021 | Blog
Audio: Two Days Before Thanksgiving When I first heard this story from my father, the news came during the Thanksgiving meal. But according to his grandfather’s journal, the news came two days before, on Tuesday. My great-grandfather was Emil (pronounced EM-ee-ill)...
by Jule Kucera | Dec 23, 2021 | Blog
I hope I’m not interrupting, since this is a Thursday. On my walk this morning—cold with brilliant sun—I had an idea and if I wait until Sunday, it could be too late. Earlier this week, my psychologist friend asked how I was feeling about seeing my mother. I said it...
