La Vie En Rose - NEIGHBOURS REMEMBERED

The Bernardi Home - 227 N Calaveras Street, Fresno, California

My dears, some of the tales to be told about the road once lived on take more than a few words to tell. The tale of the home in the snap is just such a tale.

Long before there was a Downtown Czar, before Mayor Swearengin made promises, Council President Cynthia Sterling came to grace the City Council and MOI set foot on the road now lived, there was the legend of Adam and Edna Bernardi. So powerful is the tale of the Bernardis that it is suggested that you get comfy and have a cuppa, to settle in with this read. It will be a long one, there is no quick way to tell this tale.

MOI gets many stories in the mail about the road once lived on. Seems that Calaveras is a road that many from the past remember in a different light than the one now shining down upon it. For some time, this old geezer has held off, waiting for just the right time to tell the tale known to him for some time. With the new Mayor of Fresno in place and the changing of presidents in Washington tomorrow, it seemed just the time to tell.

In 1994, the Fresno Bee, our local newspaper, ran a story, written by Dennis Pollock. What follows is that story.

"Linnets are gone, but the Bernardis are determined to stay" by Dennis Pollock

Little songbirds called house linnets used to nest in the small wooden houses Adam Bernardi tacked into the corners of his front porch on Calaveras Street.

But the blue jays chased the linnets away.

"The jays got into their nests and killed the young," Bernardi said. "The linnets left. We hated to lose them. They still come back sometimes.......to give us a song."

Unlike those linnets, Adam and Edna Bernardi are not about to relocate.

The Bernardis have lived at 227 Calaveras Street for 48 years in a neighborhood where hate and hope have done a balancing act in recent years.

The Bernardis have seen many longtime neighbors leave over the decades, "sometimes without even saying goodbye," Adam Bernardi said.

Adam recalls peering through blinds that look out of his porch and seeing a murder across the street about five years.

'They beat the man to death with boards," he said.

In the face of such grim events, the Bernardis have kept their own song alive and are heartened by recent efforts to turn the neighborhood around.

Those efforts have included installation of pole lights along Calaveras by church groups, refurbishing of some historic homes and stepped-up enforcement against slumlords.

"Hello, how are you?" Edna Bernardi said to a woman from a nearby halfway house as she walked by.

"I'm OK," the woman said, "as long as I stay away from these wild people, I'm OK.

"People beat on me sometimes. I think I need to learn Karate."

"That's a good idea," Adam told her.

"Sure," said Edna.

A little stretch of Calaveras has been Edna Bernardi's home for close to 70 of her 83 years.

She was a child when her parents moved into the house two doors down, at 209 Calaveras, and a young woman when she and Adam married and moved into 227 Calaveras.

Decades ago, she said, the houses were owned by "doctors, teachers, city employees and business people."

Now, it's mostly lower-income, transient residents.

Edna Bernardi taught school for 20 years in rural Madera and in Fresno. Adam Bernardi was a mail carrier for 37 years. They raised a daughter.

The couple's first foray into local politics came only in recent years with involvement with the neighborhood association.

"Sometimes you get such a negative response from the city, it dashes your hopes," Edna Bernardi said, "Then you see some things happen and you start feeling better..........

"We stay here because it is home. We know there is hope....... we will have a neighborhood we can all enjoy."

"Adam and I have been asked to keep a record and to give up two hours a month to our block," Edna Bernardi said.

"We've been talking about what we're going to do, and we're going to work on the alley.

"We have this beautiful alley. It took 50 years before the city put this lovely alley in. We're going to educate the transient population on what to do with the trash. We're going to divide up that alley, and we'll take a third of it. On Tuesdays and Fridays, we'll go out and sweep and clean up around the cans."

A couple, residents of the halfway house, ride up Calaveras on a bicycle. The driver is a large, bearded fellow wearing shorts and combat boots. He's giving a ride to a dishwater blond perched on the handlebars.

They wave.

The Bernardis wave back.

Sometimes the blue just squawk.

Sometimes the linnet sings.

20 years have almost passed since Dennis Pollock wrote that story. The Fresno Bee has told many stories about Calaveras Street over the years. MOI knows as he has done his homework. Whatever the Fresno Bee is, is surely must be remembered for trying to educate folks in Fresno about Calaveras Street.  Sadly, there are many met who tell MOI that they never read the local newspaper. Hubris that is! How can one know what is going on in the community if one never reads about it?

Did you catch the part about 'negative' response from 'Silly Hall"?  Bloody hell, all these years later and the elected officials at 'Silly Hall" are still much the same. Council President Sterling is loathe to set foot on road as she might have to see that she has not been a good councilperson. When Mayor Swearengin was running for office, she did not come onto road and has yet to accept the invite to. Still waiting for the new Downtown Czar, Craig Scharton to come. In case all of the aforementioned missed it, Calaveras is DOWNTOWN.

The alley is still brilliant. It has not had good fortune, despite the efforts of the Bernardis to get neighbours to keep it a safe alley and clean, that has not been always the case. MOI tries to do as the Bernardis but the pleas to neighbours to co-operate fall on deaf ears.

The daughter that Adam and Edna Bernardi raised is still a part of the community. Anita is her name. Anita still owns the two houses mentioned in the Fresno Bee story. Adam and Edna raised a most brilliant child. Anita has been a supporter from day one of this old geezer. The hope that her parents had for Calaveras is still her dream, her passion. Anita has fought the good fight for a very long time.

MOI has had the good fortune to have Anita become one of his dearest mates. MOI adores the lovely lady. Anita reminds MOI of an aging hippie who still believes in LOVE and HOPE. Anita still drives the first motor got. It was a Comet! Anita got it for a graduation present in 1964 and it still runs. Talk about making things last.

Anita has been a landlord that cares. Her attention to conditions at homes owned is blatant for all to see. Both homes are in good repair. A credit to the road they are. It is not easy to be as Anita is as a landlord. JDHOMES is largest property owner in community and the biggest slumlord. They are a blight on the road and in the community. They will rent to anyone, they do not care. Anita is not that sort of person. Edna and Adam raised a lovely lady who believes in doing right. For the road. The community. Anita is a credit to her parents.

Anita is fixing up 227 N Calaveras, it has been vacant for some time. The last tenant did not treat the home with care. Much was broken inside, and that is on top of the cooker and other things having gone missing when they departed. Extreme Makeover is not going to come down and repair, or give Anita new appliances. With pluck, Anita has gone about making right the damage that was done. A true fighter, Anita is. Adam and Edna's home is going to be available for rent. Anita is looking for a good tenant. Feel free to let MOI know if any reading are looking for a new home. Anita is not going to rent to just anyone. Has to be one who will be a good addition to the road. A person or family that cares.

My dears, you ask why MOI fights for the road. You need ask no more. With Anita as a mate it is easy to continue to do it.

Adam and Edna have left us, but their spirit remains to this day. Surely the must be looking down on Calaveras ans smiling. MOI hopes that they see that the linnets have returned to the road. Surely they must hear the songs they sing each day on the road. The promise made is that MOI will continue to fight for Calaveras. In time, Mayor Swearengin, Craig Scharton and Council President might be blessed to hear the linnets singing on Calaveras and come to know that to ignore this road is to remain ignorant of what Fresno is truly about.

Adam and Edna Bernardi........................gone but never forgot.


The old geezer wrote this tale in 2009.  Sadly, Anita tells the old geezer that YOBS backed up a rubbish bin to property in the alley and set ablaze.   Did major damage to property.  Anita and the memory of her parents deserve better.  It makes me so very sad to hear this latest news from a very troubled road.

MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY

My dears, did you or someone you know make you happy today?  Are you blessed to be more of a 'happy' person than a dour one?

Allow this old geezer to share some happy moments with.

If one is going to be touched, one has to reach out and touch as well.

This old geezer is reaching out to all met.  There is a risk in being open with folks, not all are going to respond in kind to, there will be some who will take advantage of.  Am of the opinion that it is a risk worth taking.

Being the recipient of so much kindness of late, it is rather right to try and share the wealth.  Were I as clever as some will believe me to be, it is a lesson learned too late in life.  I am a work in progress...

"fortuitous happenstance"

What a lot of serendipity there has been in me life.  Each and every time I meet another person in life I am reminded just how wonderful the whole process of life can be.

Mind there be some met in life who might think that meeting the old geezer was zemblanity.

NEW FRIEND FROM GLASGOW

Robert
I am a 32 year old Scottish, deaf, gay man.  I came across your blog some time back and find myself returning often to see what the bizarre nutter from across the pond is up to.  I find myself having a good laugh more oft than not and think of you as a nutter in the nicest of ways.  Having been deaf from birth, am sure that losing hearing after a lifetime of sound must be very hard to deal with.  I think you are dealing with it very well and hope that you continue to do so.  I admire your courage and positive attitude.  Feels a bit strange to be sending you a mushy fan letter but for some time have wanted to contact you and let you know that you have a friend in Glasgow.  Is it alright that I consider you a mate of mine?  Have you learned to sign? I am on skype and would be happy to chat with you, or teach you how to sign so that we could chat.  You have a very open and readable face and think it would be rather easy to teach you and have very interesting conversations.  Knowing that you like to get unusual bits in the post, have sent you this offering about Scottish Friendship, hope you get the meaning of without feeling put upon.  Have sent you an invite to skype with, when you get ear sorted out and want to spend time chatting again.  I feel a bit silly about writing but want to let you know I would like very much to get to know you better.  Another reason I took to your blog is that we share the same name, Robert, a good name to have in Scotland.



1. When you are sad – I will help you get pissed and plot revenge against the bastard who made you sad.
2. When you are blue — I’ll try to dislodge whatever is choking you.
3. When you smile — I know you’re thinking of something that I would probably want to be involved in.
4. When you are scared — I will take the piss out of you every chance I get until you’re NOT.
5. When you are worried — I will tell you stories about how much worse it could be until you STOP WHINING!
6. When you are confused — I will try to use only little words.
7. When you are sick – Stay the hell away from me until you are well again.
I don’t want whatever you have.
8. When you fall, I will laugh at you, you clumsy arse,
but I might help you up.
9. This is my oath…. I pledge it to the end. ‘Why?’ you may ask;
Because you are my friend.
Friendship is like pissing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the true warmth.


“Taking the piss” out of someone means teasing them.
Piss is important. When you hear the word a lot, you’re no longer in England; urine Scotland.


The old geezer is very touched by the email received from a reader.  One can never have too many friends and this chap sounds as if he might be brilliant to know.  Mind, the offer to learn how to sign is most generous and would come in handy down the road.  Never thought of using skype to sign but can see how it would work.

What the email proves is that me blog has opened up a huge world to.  There be some who think spending so much time on is a total waste and one never actually meets 'real' people.  What a load of tosh that is.

NEVER FEEL LEFT OUT

BABS GETS SPECIAL FELINE 'BIRTHDAY SONG' GREETING

Babs is a very special lady to this old geezer.  So special that he hunted high and low to find the appropriate filmed bit to celebrate her special day today.  Today is Babs birthday...

Being ever so wicked, this old geezer found a filmed bit of a singing pussy.  Fancy that.

Will have you know that folks call their 'cats', pussies', in UK.  For all of you readers who think the old geezer is trying to be rude.

The joke is that Babs has two pussies and just adores the little monsters.

Babs to left of Easter Bunny(Robert)

Last year, Babs help the old geezer make Easter special for children in neighbourhood and to Larry Greathouse (Larry died this month).  Can still hear her loud cackle as she help pass out treats to all of the little buggers who came for basket and special toys.

Our connection went back a bit.  Seems Babs had lived in Fresno for many years and when she first met the old geezer she told that she remembered reading stories of in the local paper.

This old geezer has had the great good fortune to meet lovely folks throughout life, none more lovely than Babs.  When Paul died last year, Babs was a strong shoulder to cry on.

The old geezer thinks that his departure from California was a bit sudden for most, Babs being hurt by me departure.  One does not like to burden others with grief and misfortune, both of which had visited the old geezer at the same time.  There is no doubt that Babs cared, but the old geezer had to find his 'light' again and Marysville was too dark for.

Having no need to hide, contact was kept and Babs was one of first faithful readers to email and express joy at the diary being kept again.

I adore Babs, that is the truth of it.  I do so hope that this birthday is met by many, many others.

Now if one can get that bloody pussy back in the carry-all, will sent it back from whence it came...

'SPITTING IMAGE' OF THE OLD GEEZER

Caveman Has Been Retired

 Without so much as a hint, this old geezer has sprung a real shocker on avid readers of me blog.  Clever readers will have noted that the Caveman 'MOI' did not stare back at this AM, when you settled in to read your daily fix.  There is a story, and just know that the old geezer is going to tell it...


The 'REAL' MOI Captured

 There will be some who read these pages who will forever believe that a hostel is but a pit stop for the 'great unwashed' frugal traveller.  It has become me passion to educated you.

There booked into the hostel a chap from the UK,  fancy that.  This chappie is quite the story and only hope that me loaf does not fail me in details.

Simon does moving murals.  That is to say that his works of art can be found on wheels.  Simon is just recently returned from a stay in Norway, where he was hired to do a bus that had been entered into a competition.  It would take far to long to tell just what he did so am going to provide you with a link to Simon's YOUTUBE channel;

Needless to say the bus Simon decorated, placed FIRST...

Chatting with Simon, the old geezer quickly knew that he had got it right when first laid eyes on at the computer table.  Simon is from Cambridge, mind, he did not go to college there.  He did managed to get a superior education and went about perfecting his ability to tell a rather COLOURFUL story in pictures.  He is multi-talented, being able to practice his wizardry at the computer to bring life to clay or canvas.

MOI wasted no time in telling Simon that he, the old geezer,was on YOUTUBE and kept a public diary .  Made sure that Simon went to both places and saw me efforts.  Of late, the old geezer has been trying his hand at animation and wanted to get an opinion from an expert.  Simon was kind, there is much room for improvement in my ability to create a clever film bit.  I do rather think that the dialog is good...

For a lark, Simon asks the old geezer to sit a spell and allow him to get a sense of.  Simon felt that it was time to splash out with a bold new look to the blog.  The caveman, while clever, had seen best days and it was time to join the 21st century.  Simon wants to see the old geezer go viral...

Simon knows a thing or two about good story telling, having been a part of the 'Spitting Image' telly programme that was massively popular in UK some years back.  He also has travelled a bit and the bus was not his first project.

Simon has a 'Terry Thomas' grin that belies that he is really a 'kettle on full boil'.  Simon fancies self quite the 'vagabond traveller' having been to OZ and other exotic places to rest a spell and ply his magic.  He is going to travel to very exotic locales when he decamps from the hostel.  What to say about a chap who walks into a travel bureau in London and asks for a 'round-the-world' ticket and when queried as to where to land first, picks Hawaii as a good enough place to collect self.

Simon appreciates money, just refuses to become a slave to it.  He sets his own agenda and most defiantly marches to his own tune.  Staying at a hostel suits Simon, what better place to meet other interesting people.


Bold Look to Future of Blog


What seemed quick, Simon had captured the old geezer on his computer.  Gobsmacked I was to see MOI staring back at MOI.  Quite unnerving to know that one can be 'read' that well by one only just met.  The finished product was brilliant, no strike that, it is LEGEND....

Simon even did a filmed bit of the whole bust, that he made of the old geezer;

For some strange reason, the thought of readers being able to hurl objects at, is not flattering.  One wonders what curses will be set to that filmed bit by me enemies...

Simon Buck is the brilliant chap's name.  Look at his works.  Can not believe that he did this commission for the old geezer to while away time as he waited for a package.  One can only imagine how dear such must be and am flattered to have been given such a rare gift of friendship.

I am feeling rather grand about the new look and me bust.  One could almost put a copy on a stand and pass them out as an award by the old geezer to folks he remembers in his blog.  We could call the award 'The Bobby'... (RIGHT, A BOBBY FROM A BOOB)

There you have it, another adventure had by the old geezer due to his willingness to say 'Hello' to another met on the path of life.