Bohemian Prayer and Kolaches

This is my Grandma in 1918.  Following a recent stroke, she moved, today, from hospital to hospice. 

We'd planned on spending the coming weekend in Chicago, but I made calls this morning cancelling airline and hotel reservations - wanting to spend these last few days with her and close to home. 

I called Ticketmaster to see about cancelling our nonrefundable/non-exchangable tickets for the broadway musical I Love Lucy, and was helped by a representative from somewhere in South Carolina.  When he heard our reason for missing the show, he said how very sorry he was to hear such sad news and went on to say what a remarkable life my Grandma must have had in 94 years. 
Think about it, he said, she has seen a world war, the invention of television, the first man on the moon, and so much more...so many things in one lifetime.
And he arranged for our tickets to be exchanged for a later date.  Such kind words and gestures from a stranger.

I asked my Grandma, a few years ago, if her parents spoke English at home when she was a child.  Yes, she said, except for our prayers.  Oh, I said, did you say your prayers in German?  (I forgot it was my Grandpa who was German, not my Grandma) NO!, she retorted, offended.  Only Bohemian.  I knew, of course, that she was Bohemian but hadn't thought ever of the language.  This is what The Lord's Prayer looks like in Bohemian:

Otcze nass

Otcze nass, genž sy w nebesyech, Oswiet se gmeno twe, Przid Kraloestwie twe, Bud wuole twa iako wnebi y wzemi, Chleb nass wezdeiss day nam dnes, A otpust nam nasse win y iako my odpusstieme nassym wynnickuom. A ne uwod nas vpo Kussenie, Ale zbav nas od Zleho.

Amen.

When my brothers and I were children, my Grandma made Bohemian Kolaches (very much like a danish pastry).  Although she made a variety of fillings, my favorite were the apple ones with popsika (a butter/sugar crumble) on top.  By the time I was old enough to realize the importance of having her teach me how to make kolaches, she wasn't able to pass along the knowledge.  Thanks to a variety of online recipes (and a few memories of how Grandma did it differently), Kate and I were able to replicate the pastries last weekend.  They don't look as pretty as Grandma's did, but they taste remarkably similar.