Yesterday, July 12, was Granddad Ivan’s 85th birthday. Today is a second chance to wish you happy 85th birthday, Granddad Ivan! Many, many happy returns of the day.
Like so many other Belarusans, Ivan started again with nothing after World War II. Life on Soviet collective farms was full of deprivations for a long time after the war. Nevertheless, Ivan built his own home and rebuilt his barns. He and his wife Vul’ljana raised three children and now have seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Although he has slowed down, he continues to work steadily, up to 12 hours a day, husbanding the family animals, chopping and stacking wood, and tending the family vegetable plots. When not working, he reads assiduously and is ever ready for a discussion of new hybrids and new planting and harvesting methods. His memory remains keen and he can still recite many of the Polish poems he memorized in primary school more than 70 years ago when his area of Belarus was included in the interwar Polish Republic. A bow to Grandad Ivan.
Дзеду Івану 85. Без пятнаццаці сто. Віншуем і жадаем здароўя. Як і многія беларусы таго пакаленьня, па вайне Іван і Вульляна засталіся на выпаленай зямлі і з глыбокімі ранамі на сэрцы. Ім давялося жыць у зямлянцы, цяжка працаваць усё жыцьцё, і яны здолелі выхаваць траіх цудоўных дзяцей, семярых унукаў, і цяпер дапамагаюць глядзець дзевяцёх праўнукаў. Хаця дзед Іван не мае ранейшай моцы, ён працуе бесперапынна, па дванаццаць гадзін на дзень. Паклон дзеду Івану. Хай прапраўнукаў дачакаецца.
Ivan and Daughter Katsjaryna, Tsjerablichy 2010. Іван і дачка Кацярына, Цераблічы 2011 год.
Granddad Ivan and Granddaughter Khrys’tsina, Tsjerablichy 2011. Дзед Іван і ўнучка Хрысьціна, Цераблічы 2011 год.
Granddad Ivan Stacking Wood, Tsjerablichy 2011. Цераблічы 2011 год.
