Thursday, August 18 - Massachusetts

Martha's Vineyard & My Czech Friends - Part 2

I left off last Wednesday... had a lot going on and not feeling well for a few days. Apologies.

Daniel, Jana and I became very fast and close friends. Daniel was very political, and quite vociferous about it. A good part of why they left Czechoslovakia. We had many disussions regarding the fact. Jana was a bit more shy at first, but we got along grandly! She was an awesome cook and introduced me to wonderful foods I had never had before. They went back to Czechoslovakia a few times a year, and she brought me back the most wonderful spices and herbs that cannot be found in the US.

She showed me how to use them in cooking and gave me lots of recipes! Czech food is outstanding. Very hearty for the most part, and lots of root vegetables. I ate very well when I was with them :)

Daniel was extremely ambitious, and wanted to make a place in the world for him and Jana. They moved to Martha's Vineyard after spending about 7 or 8 years in Marlborough. He took a job as supervisor of a major resort for a few years. He bought a lot of land that had foundations built, but nothing else (a contractor who had gone bankrupt). Built the houses, sold them, and then built his and Jana's dream house in Edgartown about 4 years later.

And such a grand house! It was on a double lot, which was hard to come by even then. Huge open floor plan downstairs that included a small library ( :) :) ), and a grand foyer that opened up to the bedrooms on the second floor. Large back deck... awesome kitchen with built-in wine racks - Daniel did love to drink! It was really something.

Both of them became American citizens, and it was such a proud day in their lives! You bet I was down there celebrating with them!!

I visited them once, sometimes twice, a month during good weather, and even sometimes during the winter if the ferry was running. Drive down to Woods Hole with my backpack and 3 or 4 packages, park in the lot for the weekend and catch the bus to the ferry.

It was a lot of fun, and always, always! interesting. We talked, we listened to music, we danced! We cooked. I got history lessons :) We talked about books; both of them loved to read (thus their library, which I envied!).

We did not go out a whole lot when I visited; but we did get around the island a bit. By the time Daniel had built their house he had also started a flooring business which required him to travel quite a bit. I went down to keep Jana company during those visits, and she showed me some of the island as well (the quiet parts she liked).

One of my favorite memories is the day Jana and I drove out to Gay Head (Aquinnah). We stopped and bought a couple of sandwiches, some brownies and iced tea, and spent a wonderful afternoon wandering the cliffs, the lighthouse, and enjoying a picnic lunch there.

I did learn a little Czech - could not help but between the two of them! I cannot speak the language, well except for some excellent choice swear words! But for some reason I could understand it when it was spoken. I know that does not make a lot of sense. But that is how it worked.

I always enjoyed my time there, even though they ALWAYS gave me palpitations about making the ferry back in time! Speed limit on MV is 25 in most places, and from Edgartown to the ferry was at least a 20 minute drive. 95% of the time I made it :) The rest, well, we had to wait for the next ferry :)

As the years went on, Daniel's business grew larger and he was away oversea (China) more often. I spent more time with Jana, and saw Daniel less frequently.

He became very, very ill and could no longer travel. They made one last trip to the Czech Republic where he passed away. Jana was devastated; Daniel had taken care of and done everything for them. Without him she was lost.

I spent as much time with her as I could, but she was at sea - a ship without mooring. Jana ended up selling the house, and leaving everything behind and fled back to the Czech Republic. There was not much I could do to help.

For about a year after Jana would call me at random times. I lost track of her somewhere outside Prague and wherever she was staying at the time. The cards and letters came back "undeliverable".

I realize this is kind of a "downer" ending, but I have no other. It was a wonderful, warm, close, and happy friendship we shared while it lasted. It was chock-full of light and love and song and dance. One could not have asked for better.

Pronounciations: Daniel is "dan-YEL". Jana is "YA-na".

"Kittles", which is a word I still use to this day, is simply the Czech word for "cats".

I did find pictures, and will put them in my final MV blog post :)