Our first stop in Padua was a tour of The Church of the Eremitani or Church of the Hermits

 It was built in 1276 and dedicated to the saints Philip and James a church highly damaged during WWII but now is being restored. In the photos you can see the stucco damage and the restoration of the frescoes

Grek (Greek)…..We have always wondered about the origin of the Grek (Greek) surname. It is a very uncommon name in Sweden. A fellow genealogist from Portland, OR whose family is from a small village, Edsleskog,  only a 40 minute drive from Habol where many of our ancestors lived,  found the following information at the name “Grek” in the parish records Of Vase, Vramland where Lars was born. Lars Svensson (Grek) birth record: Son of soldier Sven Rörfält (probably his military name) and his wife Anna Andersdotter. On the right-hand side of the page it says that the name Grek is a soldier name that was used by Lars. It was apparently adopted by him as a surname when he emmigrated to America. This added bit of info also gives us the names of Lars’ parents.

Beautiful marble floor at Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute

See more picture of Basilica at Vacation 2012

Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad. Remembering Dad on his 93rd BD. He was one handsome dude

“Wsdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits” Grandpa was all that and more

.“You have my whole heart. You always did. You’re the best Dad. You always were.” HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Dad’s favorite sport was football. He was a die hard 49er fan.(Jessica steps in for Grandpa now) He rooted for Stanford and the Crimson Tide and coach Bear Bryant. His favorite team was the Vallejo High Apaches and watching them play Friday nights at Corbett Field I guess he had a thing for teams who wore red.

Je t’aime plus qu’hier moins que demain

The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (Church of the Assumption)

It is a large brick Italian Gothic structure with a plain exterior and a very ornate, rich with art, interior. It is one of the major churches in Venezia. It has the second tallest campanile in the city

A glimpse at the streets and canals of Venezia. More in News- Vacation 2012

Baseball in our blood. 27th Infantry team Fort Sheridan, Ill. 1906  Standing First left is Daniel McConnell the first husband of Great Aunt Esther Edstrom.