markie d: : The Steps of the Harding House: Celebrating 60 years of Freedom

Monday, May 25, 2015

The Steps of the Harding House: Celebrating 60 years of Freedom

Thank you to all those who gave their lives so that we could have the liberty and the freedom to safely assemble on stairs and front porches - We remember you... we honor you... we thank you...

1955

1957

Left to right Karl Mary Mark (in diapers) Erick Tony

1960 with Ford Woody in background

1962 handmade clothes

first row L-R Mary Karin Erick Mark

Second Row L-R Karl Kurt Dad

Third row top left Tony top right Kris

sidewalk repair 1965

1973 reenactment of the big accident

Swat team and animal control

Karl, Theresa, Vicky, Vicki, Irma, Mark, Erick

1978 Grandbabies

L-R Tony baby Erika, Mark, Irma, Theresa, Kris, Mary

going to the dogs L-R Bluin Randy

1979 L-R Uncle Mark. Erika, Tim, Tom, Kurt

1980

L-R mom called "H. Joan" Irma, Kurt, Mr. D, Karl (top) Janet, Mark, Marilyn (top center) Mary, Theresa (second row), Dianna (above Theresa), Kris, Erick and Bill

Mid 80s more grandbabies

1999 foundation and pillar repair

2012

Paint

2014 Neighborhood Lennon (cousins)

Kippy, Tommy, Jeffery, Kevin, Michael

DAHLINS

"The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another’s desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together."~Erma Bombeck

Happy Memorial Day FROM HARDING AVE VENICE CA.

1 comment:

Rob KalmbachJune 17, 2016 at 12:56 AM
Hi Mark - I can't tell you how interesting your blog is to read, it's fantastic. I live in Venice and have for about 15 years now. I often find myself around the intersection of Harding & Grandview and have always been drawn to it. Sometimes it's just after a nearby job, or a back-way I'll take home, but I've stopped on that corner a lot to take pictures, look up at the huge old palm trees, admire the wood work on the old victorian homes. I've always wondered about the big empty lot, the home across the street and about 925 Harding. So today I asked this lady who was with some family sitting in lawn chairs in the yard at 905 Harding. She told me a story of how she watched "the fraternity house" burn to the ground, she said it was sometime in the late 70s. Funny thing is I asked her because I felt l had seen the house there one night, and have always had this image in my head of how it looked. My grandma had a big old home like the one you grew up in, not in California, but in Michigan. The photos you have up here so remind me of what it was like with a big family in a gathering place with a big old wood front porch. So anyways not to make this too long, I've now seen some photos of the house that used to sit on that empty lot and it's weird because it's just what I had in my head. There is something about that street and the lots that has always been mysterious to me, lotta history on that block I now see. Thanks again for all the great writing and photography. Rob -
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No Other Family Like Ours - seriously

WHAT OTHER FAMILY IN THE WORLD let all of the monkeys out of the Zoo, been pranked by the sitting President of the United States in a rouge encounter, chased in cities, chased out of cities and chased down by the cops. Who in their right mind voluntarily electrocute themselves just for fun and dared to electrify the nuns around the corner—who neither volunteered nor had fun? WHAT OTHER FAMILY has had more broken bones, pulled more pranks, have had a plethora of runaway rattlesnakes and other large reptiles terrorize their neighborhood. WHAT OTHER FAMILY grew Mexican Tomato plants that never grew tomatoes and had leaky boats that refuse to float or Escaped death more times? Who had cars on blocks, trucks as trash barges and flowerbeds sprouting rusted bikes, mislaid sparkplugs and abandoned carburetors instead of flowers? Meet the DAHLINS

And to think we survived and came out normal—well, mostly.

The Truimph of Overcoming

I use the word dysfunction with deliberate intention and with great respect in serving the main point of this blog. In the wild ramblings of a kid I ruminate on the idea that my family was not just dysfunctional but was the “most dysfunctional family” on the planet—that’s the set up.

As I look to the other “normal” plain-wrap families next door and across the street that had tidy yards and flowerbeds believing that the grass is greener on the other side (well the grass was greener), it shouldn’t shock anyone to realize that there is dysfunction in all of us—often times masked by tidy lawns and clean exteriors. Along with joy, success and adventure, life is filled with disappointment, failure, pain, and betrayal from those who have let us down. This is what it means to be human. I admit that I faced some disappointment in trying to fit in and longed for acceptance as the youngest boy of our wolf pack, but in large part I can honestly say that I had more fun and more adventure, in what I would call a happy childhood—despite the numerous broken bones. Yet, I would be remiss if I did not brag a bit and say, “Yeah, but...Look at all the great stories.”

Though, I dig deep into the mind and explore the full range of emotions of this young kid who felt detached, wondered about his existence, about his place in the family and his connection to the universe—He came out okay.

The older Markie D loves his brothers and sisters and holds no grudges.

Markie D has found this elusive connection to the universe and is well adjusted—and yes, still a little bit crazy. He has been married for 34 years to an amazing artist, Kerry, and has four incredibly gifted and talented adult children.

Oh, BTW… He mows his lawn, parks a car in the garage and has flowers in the flowerbeds and desires boats that float and less adventure in every outing and more "plain-wrap."

May you find your connection to the universe that brings healing, wholeness, forgiveness and a sense of hope as you look to your future.

Not too long ago on a pale blue dot, third from the sun, people and events converged in the space/time continuum that would forever change the course of history. The setting is a huge Victorian home that slightly leaned on its crumbling foundation, groaning under the weight of unruly kids and hoards of junk. In the era of Ozzie and Harriet and Father’s Knows Best, I was born into a family dysfunction of epic proportions. This decrepit masterpiece in Venice would rival the Addams Family’s house, and the cast of characters would prove to be more incredible and wacky than The Munsters. The big problem was that I was the seventh born, the youngest boy and the runt of the litter.

To have 10 in a family in our catholic neighborhood was underachieving. To compete with the larger families, my mom gladly took in strays. The official-nonofficial count was more in the neighborhood of 14 ―mostly boys and all older than me.

All sibling rivalry and mischief flowed downhill and ended up on my platter, whether I had any say in the matter or not. For fun, we held on to the live wires that were left hanging out of a wall from a unfinished remodel. We were the only family I knew who voluntarily electrocuted themselves with 110 volt household current, and are the only family in the history of the world to single-handedly let all of the monkeys out of the LA zoo. We got chased out of cities; pursued by the Highway Patrol; and sought after by the entire Needles California Police force. Wherever we went, we made a spectacular splash which usually ended up on the front page of the local newspaper.

After being buried in pits, caged, hunted, left behind and electrocuted, I somehow managed to survive my childhood but felt numb, disconnected and alone although part of a big family. In college while searching for acceptance and connection, I experienced an event that would alter the course of my life. I graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Communications. I coached water polo and swimming at Saint Monica’s my High School Alma Mater and enjoyed major success in investment real estate. After a financial crisis, I committed myself to serving in ministry, working with Youth and Family, as an associate pastor of a large church in Southern California. I graduated with a Masters at the top of my class from Azusa Pacific Graduate School of Theology and was ordained a licensed Pastor.

I am married to an avid artist and have four children: three boys and a girl who takes after her mother’s creativity.

Currently, I am a senior Pastor of a church in Roseville, CA, and adjunct Professor of Biblical Studies at a Bible college, and live in Sacramento with my wife and daughter.

markie d:

'72 swim team

Monday, May 25, 2015

The Steps of the Harding House: Celebrating 60 years of Freedom

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