Memories of the way it was in Old Delray

[MagyarMan]

As remembered by Bob Takacs:
Hi Richard, just a note about us real delrayers. I was born there and raised like they are raised in europe. I knew our language before I knew english cause that's all my parents spoke at home. My brothers and sisters spoke english most of the time. I was also sent to hungarian school from the time I was 6 till about 12 to learn to read and write the language. I recall at 8 years of age I could repair my own shoes as we had the metal fixtures to do so. We'd get the leather at the dime store and then we'd nail them together and trim with a knife and then put cleats on the heels to make them last longer. We used to go to the farm and buy and kill a hog every October and take it home and in the basement we'd cut it up to make head cheese, kolbasz and hurka and hams also bacon (szalonna) and smoke them in barrels outside and hang them up in the cellar for later. She would also make her own sourkraut and sour pickles. She canned many veggies etc and only bought what we needed at the grocery store. My mom would render the fat and make lye soap for washing clothes and actually to bathe with. We had to eat everything my mom would make and learn to like it. No animals or poultry meat was ever wasted as every part was eaten even the crowns of chickens and the feet. My mom would spread the brains on bread and just like bone marrow it was eaten.  My generation will soon be gone as we are the remains of first born here in the USA and our language and customs die with us what a shame. What you are doing will help keep the tradition going. Thanks for that and may you receive your reward when your time comes around. Your friend Bob