Moj praded / My grand grandfather

My great grandfather came to America after being tortured, imprisoned in two different concentration camps and managed to escape with one of the ships. Four of his sons were brutally murdered while fighting against communism.  His wife Polonca stayed alone at home with the children. After a while she was able to join him in the promise land, taking his two sons Pavle and Joze. My Grandma, their daughter got married and she stayed in Slovenia.

My Grand grandfather Anton Kosir was a romantic soul. He liked to act in the theater, write poems, work on the farm and cook. But I didn’t know that he put all his history in lyrics. Now I have them and I am enjoying reading it. They are describing his life and relations to God, country and family. Poems are heartbreaking especially the ones that are talking about his four sons, starvation and misery of the war.

I can’t believe that after all this shit that happened to my family, they still passionately believe in God. But I guess when you are left somewhere without anything, the only thing that is left is hope.

Rest in peace Anton Kosir and thank you for the poems.

Poems

Moj praded je zbezal v Ameriko, po tem ko so mu partizani ubili stiri sinove on pa je “odsluzil” svoj vojni dolg v dveh koncentracijskih taboriscih. 

Zena Polonca se mu je z dvema sinovoma pridruzila kasneje. Moja stara mama, njuna hci, pa se je porocila in ostala v Sloveniji.

Veckrat so mi povedali da je bil mojpraded pravi zabavljac in nezna dusa. Da je rad igral v vaskih igrah in teatrih. Nisem pa vedela, da je svojo gnev prelil na papir v obliki poezije.

Moji sorodniki so mi dali kopije njegovih pesmi. Ena od njih je spodaj.

Pocivaj v miru praded in hvala za pesmi. 

  

SLOVO  

Anton Kosir

Prve dneve majnika,

 Otroci, mama je doma.

So prišli fantje po slovo,

Predno zdaj v svet gredo.

Stirje bili so vojaki,

Sinovi moji vsi junaki.

Premoc velika je prisla

In vojska se je umikala.

Franci reče ji tako,

Kako je meni zdaj hudo.

Tako težko Vas zapustim,

Za tebe mama se bojim.

Prisrčno jo Albin objame,

Poslavlja se od dobre mame,

Oh ljuba moja mamica,

Kedaj se zopet vidiva.

Še Vinko, Tone jokata,

Ko mamico objameta.

Tako si znala nas ljubiti,

A zdaj se moramo ločiti.

Še pred mamo pokleknimo,

Da blagoslov od nje dobimo.

Je vse štiri pokropila,

Jim križ na čelo naredila.

Naj BOG vas čuva božja mati,

Saj bili njuni ste junaki.

Zgodi naj Božja volja se,

Trdno v njo zaupajte.

Če pa nas nazaj ne bo.

Ne jokaj mama se zato.

Saj dobro veš ti mamica,

Da borci smo za Kristusa.

Borili smo se za resnico,

Za vero dom in za pravico,

Zato ti naj ne bo hudo,

Če se nazaj ne vrnemo.

Pa kmalu so se vsi vrnili,

Neusmiljeno so vse pobili.

Zmetali so jih v Kraške jame,

Le spomin nanje ostane.

Resnična zgodba.

                                                  

Back to the roots :) Cleveland fun

My uncle John is from Cleveland and a pilot for US Airways, he arranged standby tickets for me. Because I have never traveled on buddy pass before, I asked flight attended at the gate what should I do. She suggested that I sit and wait to be called. So I took out my computer, went on facebook and enjoyed some bird watching on Decorah eagles. I forgot about the time and when I realized it was too late, I missed my flight! I swear they didn’t call me!  I was so very lucky to get the next one to Charlotte.  When we landed my connecting flight was already boarding. I ran like crazy, almost knocking down a little kid. I was still able to meet my uncle at the gate and we both rushed to get the next plane. Inspite of our haste I was told there were 5 people waiting in the standby line before me. We finally managed to get to Cleveland. We made a camp fire in front of his house, tested some beers and talked long into the night.

Next day we went to private airport and took the Clipper for a ride. John let me launch it and I zig-zagged into the sky.  We landed at Classic Jet center where we took another plane called the Seabee, with the idea to land on water. After flying we went back to his place and assembled some old hanggliders that he had in his garage.  One of them looked ok to fly. Maybe side wires needs to be changed, but it looks like I have a new old glider in the States! It surly looked much better than Spajk (old Sting glider I flew in Australia).

I had only two days time with my relatives from Cleveland. We were cycling, making s’mores, visiting bars and restaurants, cheering for  Mihelca’s Matt and Toncka at Cleveland marathon competition. I was very happy that Annie and her husband Matt joined us too. She lives in Pennsylvania. 

The next day we went flying again. This time Toncka was able to come with us too. We landed on the water and we had a great time at Mintor Marsh beach and made some crazy low passes at Pristava. He let me fly it most of the time.

Like usual, I couldn’t just go when it was the date to go, so I extended for one more day. We went to visit my uncle Pavle’s factory Pako. American dreams coming true. They are making parts for airplanes. He has something like 300 employees and they are just opening another place. I was astonished by the precision and tests they have to make. I took a lot of pictures, but something went wrong and I lost them all! I guess I will just have to go to factory again.

In the afternoon we went flying, again. Because cloud base was too low we were flying low and John let me land the Seabee on the water by myself. I was scared as hell, sweating, blood pressure and heart beat went up even as I landed perfectly. I can’t find a word that would tell you how excited I was. Looks like I have to get some work, so that I will be able to get myself a pilot’s license! 

 

Sorodnik John iz Clevelanda je pilot pri US airways in mi je zrihtal stanby karte. To pomeni da se lahko vkrcaš na letalo če je prost sedež. Prvi let sem zamudila, saj so mi naročili naj počakam, da me pokličejo. Tako sem sedela pred vhodom v letalo in brskala po spletu. Zgleda da me je internet dobro odnesel, saj ko sem se spomnila da je čas odhoda, je bila čakalnica že prazna. Vkrcali so me na drugo letalo, ki pa je bilo pozno, tako sem hitela da sem ujela povezovalni let do Clevelanda.

Naslednji dan sva šla z Johnom, po nase Jančkom, na privat letališče kjer sem prvič vozila avijon Clipper. Cik cak po pisti in v luft. Če je kdorkoli videl ta vzlet od zunaj si je najverjetneje mislil da je pilot pijan. Pristala sva na naslednjem letališču kjer sva vzela letalo, ki lahko pristane na vodi in se šla igrat z njim.

Imela sem samo še dva dni da se družim s sorodniki. Tako smo šle kolesariti z Mihelco in Tončko, obiskali še ostale sorodnike in ob večeru pekli smorse na kamp ognju. Bila sem zelo vesela da se nam je pridružila še Annie in njen mož Matt. Saj živita v Pensylvaniji, okoli šest ur vožnje iz Clevelanda. V nedeljo smo navijali za Mihelčinega moža, še en Matt, in Tončko, ker sta tekla na Clevelandskem maratonu. Vsega skupaj 20.000 tekačev.

V ponedeljek sem spet preživela odlepljena od tal. Tokrat je z nama odšla tudi Tončka. Večino časa sem lahko jaz vozila Seabee, razen, ko je Janček pilotiral nizko nad krošnjami dreves in pristal v vodi na plaži Minor Marsh beach. Teta Polonca nam je pripravila hladilno torbo polno senvičev in ostalih slaščic tako da smo jih po končanem letenju pojedli v senci Seabeejinih kril.

Kot ponavadi, tudi tokrat nisem mogla oditi, zato sem izlet podaljšala za en dan. Obiskala Pako firmo, katero je ustanovil očetov stric Pavle in bila presenečena nad velikostjo podjetja,  preciznostjo izdelave, nadzora ki ga opravljajo in inovacij. Izdelujejo dele za avijone, ki jih prodajajo za vse možne trge. V Italijo, Nemčijo, Japonsko ...

Popoldne sva z Jančkom spet zapregla Seabee in tokrat mi je dovolil da sama pristanem v vodi. Bilo je nepozabno. Moja naslednja želja je izpit za avijon.  

Wanna be @ Wallaby

So, I came back to this awesome place called Wallaby ranch. “Welcome home” made a big smile on my face. Everyone who knows me very well, knows that my favorite thing in life, most essential thing, is food. Another most essential thing, makes you human is flying right? Anyway, I smuggled myself in the kitchen where Jeremie and I prepare some awesome stuff. Every morning we have breakfast at 10:00 which usually involves eggs, meat, fruit, jams, breads, yogurts and smoothies with herbs. Well crepes, pancakes, oats with frozen mangos or berries, porridge, sausages, we can t help ourselves sometimes we just go wild. Lunches are pretty wild too. Today (american mothers day) we are having stuffed duck, prime rib of beef, salad, asparagus, fruit salad and yorkshire puddings.  Not to mention the ice cream…

It looks like I will be heavy enough for Spicy when I return. After breakfast we usually take the gliders out of the hanger and go flying. I was totally shocked the first time I heard someone is not going to fly because his glider is not assembled … Come on, lift your lazy ass and do the 15 minute job!

But sooner or later you recognize that life is much easier if you are lazy. Well, it is hot and humid here and a body needs some rest. There is a swimming pool, trampoline, golf cars, and bunch of other gliders already in the hangar.  

I fly falcon and I really don t like to drift down wind with weak thermals. They take me away from my nest and I have to fight my way back into the wind to get home. Not willing to land out in another swamp, or even worse a tree. I am very careful as of late. But I am enjoying my airtime a lot.

One day the guys wanted me to teach them some Slovenian swear words. But we don’t have them! When we are swearing we are using English. Shit, fuck or other Bosnian or Serbian words that I am not pointing out right now. As much as I thought I had no Slovenian curse, the sentence “three hundred hairy bears” came to mind.  They love it! Three hundred hairy bears are echoing all over ranch. So, do not smash yourself with a hammer because you will have to use the bad bear swear!

When the night falls over Florida, we sit in the hanger where tug pilots, tandem pilots and other ranch hands are playing rock music, drinking beer and chilling. Life is beautiful at Wallaby ranch!

 

Po tekmah sem se vrnila na Wollaby ranch." Dobrodosla doma" so bile prve besede šefa. Na srečo se ni težko počutiti doma. Kdorkoli me dobro pozna,ve da se moje življenje vrti okoli hrane. Že stari mami sem bila podrepna muha, ki se smuka okoli praznih loncev, da se ne poglabljamo o vseh dobrih kuharjih s katerimi sem si drznila preziveti dan ali dva v kuhinji. Tudi tukaj me nihče ne podi ven, da ne omenjam da so količine, kvaliteta in dostopnost hrane včasih objestne.

Vsako jutro ob 10 00 z Jeremijem  pripaviva različne obroke. Ponavadi vsebujejo meso, jajca, zelenjavo, smoothie in sadje. Če sva dobre volje pa palačinke, parjene kosmiče z zmrznjenim mangotom in borovicami, klobasice, v jajčka ovita špinača s sirom...

Najverjetnje moj zmaj Spicy ne bo več stokal zaradi nezadostnih kilogramov, ko se vrnem domoL. Po zajtrku se odvečem do hangarja kjer so sestavljeni zmaji. Potegnem ven falcona in se pripravim na vleko. Letenje ni panoramično kot pri nas, Dama ravnina. Sedaj pazim, da ne pristanem v kakšnem močvirju ali še slabše na drevesu. Za towing se sto procentro  99,9 posto skoncentriram in sledim dragonflyju, ko pa se odpnem , upam da je v dviganju. Tam se osredotočim na steber ki me odpihne z vetrom.

Ker sem ponosna na slovenščino in dejstvo, da nimamo originalne kletvice sem fante naučila prekletstva  tristo kosmtih medvedov. No, ne izgovorijo v slovenščini, samo je pa sigurno najbolj prilubljena kletvica na ranču.

Ko pade mrak se  vsi zberemo v hangarju, kjer so pospravljeni zmaji, zvočniki, mešalka in piloti ter wallaby družba igra rock muziko. Jaz ponavadi špilam rep od kobre.

Včasih je zajeban ki vidš da si zlomu noht na pistaciji, k je sploh nis hotu...

Swamp thing racing with buffallo at Rally

From the Ridge Claudia and Pedro drove me to Quest where a new hang gliding competition started. Meanwhile I was sleeping in the car most of the time. I was very happy seeing all friends from Europe and States again.

First two days we didn’t have luck with the weather. We went to Dunnellon in hope for better wind but also second day was declared as not flyable.  Alex, Wolfi and Zippy bewitched some margaritas in hope we sacrifice enough for gods of wind for the weather to get better. As the forecast wanted, we moved back to Quest and had a short task with many pilots in goal. Because we wished for even better weather conditions we stayed awake the whole night making a mess around Quest finishing in jacuzzi to calm down and think about only few hours that were left for sleeping.

The gods of wind must had thought that we were too humble, so they send me a nice breeze  that  drifted  me to the swamp near Quest. In Rambo style I fought with quick sand, spiders, alligators and snakes to get my way back to Quest, not knowing there is a road that is possible to use. I earned a title "the swamp thing" and very scratched legs. What a day!! 

Swamp thing ... 

Next days we started from Live Oak and we finished the competition in Georgia. In the morning I had a chance to fly with Bobby on one of the dragonflies that were going back to Quest. That was the best flying experience ever. We followed the river, made some low field passes and finished with under power line flight. It was amazing. Next day I helped him in his hanger, where we put beautiful purple wings on his new dragonfly.

Dustin flying close to our dragonfly.

Last night at Quest we went to, all you can eat, sushi place and finished our goodbye party with photo session called buffalo Bill. Then British had to leave the States and I was on -mi own again- ... 

Buffallo Bill is happy

 SLOVENSKA RAZLICICA

 

Po končani tekmi na Florida Ridgu, sta me Claudia in Pedro odpeljala v Quest, kjer se je začela nova tekma Race and Rally. Ideja te tekme je da se vsak dan celotna ekipa seli v smeri vetra. Kot neke vrste letalska ciganska karavana.

Prva dva dneva nismo imeli sreče z vremenom zato se je naša karavana preselila nazaj v Quest, kjer smo izvedli kratko tekmo s ciljem na istem mestu. Ker smo hoteli boljše vremenske pogoje smo se odločili da bomo žrtvovali bogovom vetra rujno kapljico ali dve. No, noč se je končala v jacuzziju iz katerega nismo hoteli ven, ker je bilo zunaj mraz in v jacuzziju toplo.

Bogovi vetra so me zjutraj kaznovali in mi poslali močan severni veter, kateremu se začetniški zmaj floter ni mogel upirati. Tako sem tonila kot padalo in se odločila zasilno pristati v močvirnastem delu na drugi strani letališča. Vse uredu, samo ko sem se probala v stilu Ramba prebiti čez vse tisto grmičevje nazaj na letališče sem fasala nekaj prask. Toliko o letenju bos, v kratkih hlačah, kratki majici brez telefona, vode in radijske postajce. Najraje bi se kar udrla v zemljo, sem si mislila in kmalu se mi je tudi uspelo, saj sem naletela na zelo močvirnat del džungle.  Na srečo nisem srečala nobenega aligatorja ali še huje kače. Osramočena in umazana sem se stuširala in odšla na svoje delovno mesto razvrščanja pilotov in pobiranja vozičkov. Ter kasneje izvedela da do mojega pristanka vodi cesta in trdna tla, ter da se pride s štirikolesnikom ali džipom...

Naslednji dan se je naša karavana končno premaknila severno. Zadnja tekma se je končala v drugi zvezni državi Georgia. Tam sem imela srečo, saj me je najbolši tag pilot na svetu odpeljal nazaj na Florido kar v dragonflyju. Tako sva pet ur sledila reki, preletavala žitna polja in podletavala električne napeljave.  Naslednji dan sem mu pomagala pospraviti hangar in do konca zgraditi novega dragonflyja.

V Questu sem ostala še eno noč. Kjer smo imeli poslovilni žurčič z Britanskima pilotoma. Najprej smo se odpravili v all you can eat sushi restavracijo nato pa skoraj do jutra nadaljevali v klubski dnevni sobi v Questu. 

Overpassing some fields

The river