A Good Kind of Sadness

Yesterday I finally did something that I had been meaning to do for well over a month. Almost two months ago my Auntie Janet brought over a photo album titled, “La Casa Da Lago”. This wonderful album was full of special memories that dated back over forty years and at long last I got around to scan some of those historic photographs for an album on facebook.

I guess I should explain what “La Casa Da Lago” means. Roughly translated it means “The Lake House”. It actually was an old beat up house built into the side of a hill located on Camp Lake, Wisconsin.

However, to the Vagnoni family it was “The Cottage”, a glorious vacation, get-away place that my Dad, along with his brothers and sister, purchased back in 1967. Even the thirty-minute trip to “The Cottage” was great, especially if you got to ride with Uncle Dave in his AMC Marlin. Then the trip was only 20 minutes!

As I went through this album, choosing pictures for facebook, I was reminded of how blessed I was to be part of the Vagnoni family. The Vagnoni cousins are closer than most brothers and sisters are. I am not exaggerating. When we were bad, we not only worried about what Mom or Dad would do to us, but what our Aunts and Uncles would do as well.

Our family togetherness at “The Cottage” was never more evident than during the swimming trips to Sandy’s Resort. Sandy’s was located on the other side of Camp Lake and required several vehicles to get there, or sometimes only one vehicle. This picture should illustrate this.




There were eleven of us in that station wagon with Mom and Auntie Janet keeping us in check. What a mob. At that time it consisted of my brothers Mike and Joey, sister Teri, cousins John Dean, Susie, Mark, Danny, Annie and myself. Uncle Dave and Aunt Bonnie later increased the group, adding Missy, Mindy, Shelley and Mallory.



This incredible picture is of Henry Vagnoni, Grandpa “Noni. He started it all, marrying Ermalinda, otherwise known as Grandma ‘Noni. Then came their offspring – my Dad Emil, Uncle John (my Godfather), Auntie Bay, Uncle Joe and, the original “Vag”, Uncle Dave.

The four brothers married Milly (my Mom), Auntie Janet, Auntie Joanne and Aunt Bonnie, respectively. Together they produced thirteen children, the Vagnoni cousins. Grandpa and Grandma ‘Noni, Auntie Bay and cousin John Dean, while still part of this remarkable clan, now look on us from heaven.

There are over eighty-five images in this memory evoking collection. Each one is special in it’s own magical way. Although I ultimately came up with sixteen pictures for my facebook album, they all make me smile and certain ones make me sad. But it is a good kind of sadness. Thanks for the album and the memories Auntie Janet. Until next time…from the booth.