The Markovich house was one of the brightest on the block. A wooden picketed fence secured the small backyard and dandelions grew from the cracks in the cement patio. The Markovich’s were known for their festivities and everyone in the neighborhood was always welcome. Josie’s family were regularly invited for dinner, but the Markovich’s were just a little too colorful for the conservative Hynes family, who spent their evenings at the lodge playing cards and talking politics. If any alcohol or spirits were served, the Hynes’ limited themselves to a beer or two—not nearly enough to provoke emotions. Vodka was a favorite at the Markovich’s, and because of this, it was fused with any food that could stand it—boysenberries, dandelions and even rhubarb. Vodka in any form complimented the traditional Ukrainian music and dancing that bellowed through the house at the weekends. No one in the neighborhood complained as they were all invited.
