Yes, it's true folks. Delilah Dreggs has risen off her lazy duff.
Catching up since December will require some serious memory retrieval, but since it's long(er) term that remembering what I had for breakfast, I'm confident all will be recollected just fine.
January of this year was chaotic. David's Dad, Hugh, went downhill fast, health-wise. By mid-January, he was in St. Mary's Hospital in Knoxville, having been admitted following a routine trip for a medical appointment. He had a "spell" in the hospital van that had picked him up at his residence to transport him to his appointment. The spell was soon diagnosed as a heart attack. He spent a week in the hospital, during which time he was pumped full of Lasix, a drug that lessens edema, til they could pump no higher dose within acceptable health limits.
When we visited TN in December, Hugh's legs were immense, Alley-Oop-like, and he couldn't walk 10 steps with a walker without pausing to catch his breath and to ease the pain of walking on them. I understand from kin that, while in the hospital, his stomach, arms and hands ballooned, and Imazo, my mother-in-law, removed his wedding ring to ensure that it wouldn't have to be excised from his finger down the road.
Hugh was in the hospital about 5 days when the doctor's released him to return home to "hospice" care, an indication of the gravity of his condition. He returned home to a hospital bed with a window view on Wednesday, and within 24 hours on Thursday, he passed away from a fatal heart attack. My brother-in-law Jeff attempted resuscitation, but was unsuccessful. We pray that all his suffering vanished with the ascension of his soul.
Fortunately, before Hugh died, I had secured a flight for David (Vern) to Knoxville that Saturday. I had to scurry to find flights for myself and Steven to attend the funeral. Steven flew out of Phoenix, and we flew from Tucson. Initially, Vern's trip was to be a visit with his dying Dad, and it was to last from Saturday to Saturday. Instead, it became a much sadder excursion, but it did allow him time to spend with Imazo, pre- and post-funeral.
Steven and the rest of Hugh's grandsons (there are no granddaughters) were pall bearers. It was cold and rainy (what else is new?) in Knoxville, fit weather for such a sad occasion.
Although I was barely in Knoxville for 2.5 days, David and I managed to drive to Cade's Cove in the Smoky Mtns. to enjoy the albeit soggy scenery and foraging wildlife. It was surreal as we rode around the 11-mile cove loop. More grazing deer than we'd ever, in all our years in TN, enjoyed on our trips to the mountains. A 6-point buck jumped a fence on the right side of the road, stood to the left of our car and grazed a bit on some tasty grass on the edge of the road, then jumped the left fence to continue his supper in that pasture. Wow! Our kingdom for a camera!!
I returned to AZ on Tuesday while Vern stayed on. Steven flew home Monday, because school had just commenced at ASU. He had a great flight with a whole seat to himself to lie down and rest.
I had a rain delay and was packed like a sardine into a window seat, where I had to hold my water for 4.5 hours while a German lady in the middle seat snoozed on her tray table. I didn't want to piss her off by awakening her. I squirmed a lot (no leg room) and read a new non-fiction book I'd bought in Knoxville, "The Well-Dressed Ape". It relates the similarities/disimilarities between the human species and the rest of the animal kingdom. While it's a great book, it could not succeed in tricking my brain to forget about my bladder. When we arrived in Tucson, I pushed and shoved and scratched and bit til I reached relief on the porcelain throne.
Back in Tucson, I basked in the sunny glow of Arizona winter, enjoying the 80-degree weather and ragging on Vern every time we talked.
Unfortunately, Bozhe eavesdropped on my braggadocio, promptly reminding me to be humble by bestowing a nasty cold on me. I hadn't had a sore throat in 10 years out West, but this one was a doozy. With a head full of snot and lungs corroded with something similar, I was out of work for a week. Took well into February til I felt any relief.
February was relatively uneventful. We purchased some trees and potting posies, which are now gracing the patio as added color. Vern planted two fig trees among the flagstone beyond the pool deck. We also bought a windmill palm that he put in at the other end of the pool. After we traveled to San Diego at the end of February to see my endocrinologist at Scripps, we stopped in Yuma and dug up some volunteer palms along the farm roads. He planted them next to the small koi pond (minus koi) and fountain we have to the left of the patio. Then, he planted a honeysuckle and jasmine to climb up the patio trellis and two crepe myrtles next to the pool fence in front of the patio. Fingers crossed, all will endure and prosper.
On our return from San Diego, we made a side trip to Algodones, a small village in Mexico 6 miles west of Yuma. There, we procured a bunch of very low cost medicine for a total of $30. Bless his heart, Vern waited in line to go thru customs for an hour, on foot. The place was rampant with snowbirds, stocking up for their Winnebago trips back to WA, ID, MT, OR, and Canada. We ate at a favorite haunt in Yuma, Ronnie's Pizza, before returning to Tucson. Ronnie is from Philly and makes me homesick with his thin-crust monster pies! YUMMM-O!
We're into March now, and with it has come more illness. Vern's mom became ill last weekend and Jeff took her to St. Mary's emergency room, where they diagnosed a gall bladder bloated with 81 years worth of assorted stones. They immediately scheduled her for surgery the next day, and she underwent a laproscopic excision of the nasty bladder. She remained in the hospital until this past Friday (almost a week), and though she is at home now, she says she feels quite weak and not very hungry.
When she and I spoke, she said she'd never felt pain like that in her life. I commiserated with her. I had serious 3 a.m. gall bladder attacks for years until the day mine was removed via emergency surgery in 1984. Unluckily for me, they hadn't invented the laproscope back then. Thus, they sliced a big incision down my right side. OOOOOGLY thing, a forever reminder of what it took to get rid of that awful pain. For me, the aftermath of surgery was peace, and a strong desire to ingest every fatty food I could get my hands on to 'test the waters'.
We talked with Imazo last evening, and we are praying that she takes care of herself and that her family and friends continue to look out for her. We'd love for her to come to AZ to stay awhile and recuperate.
Moving to a totally different topic, I am moving to an office TWICE the size of my present one, which I've occupied since arriving at the Coronado National Forest in August 03. Vern and I packed up my papers/stuff yesterday; the movers are coming Monday. The Forest is moving several folks around to better align staff with others in their same department and to reduce our human footprint in the Federal building that we occupy. This cuts down on the payments we make to GSA, who manages the building.
Today, Vern had to work a 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. shift to cover vacationing staff on graveyards. At the moment, he should be having the oil changed in his truck, after which he'll be home to enter dreamland for a few hours.
This week was Spring Break for Steven, but he spent it working at the restaurant, getting in some additional time to help pay the bills. I did our taxes and his, and he will be getting almost $8000 returned, since he qualified for a $7500 "first-time homebuyer credit", which is a no interest loan from the Fed treasury. He has to pay it back annually for 15 years with his Fed'l tax return. Just his luck, right after he bought the home, a new program was emplaced to provide first time homebuyers with an $8000 tax credit, no repayment needed. Suxxx, huh.
Steven is on schedule to complete all his credits for a B. A. in Design Studies this semester. If all goes well, he'll graduate on May 16. He says he's glad to have a break in college, but has not ruled out returning for a master's degree. We are keeping our eyes on opportunities with the Fed'l gov't in the PHX area. Because his GPA is over 3.0, he qualifies for entry-level jobs with the Fed'l gov't as an outstanding scholar. Let's hope and pray for an opportunity to bless him.
My fingers are now tired from all the typing. So glad I don't maintain this blog daily. On a final note, today i'm making Liver and Onions for supper, baking some cranberry-nut bread, doing neverending housework.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. What a drag...........
Love and peace to all my peeps,
a
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Into The Darkness? Not moi......
For anyone who cares, my excuse for the lapse in posting is being "off for the holidays".
We have a new President about to be inaugurated, and my heart is singing and dancing with optimism. Over many decades of life, I've seen the ebbs and flows of good and bad economic conditions, peace and war, high times and high unemployment. I've never, however, observed such pervasive public depression as I do today.
The immediacy of the internet combined with the advanced technological state of U.S. media inflate the gloom, doom, and apocalyptic predictions that inundate us. To remain somewhat distant from this woe, I don't watch the dire news on TV or listen to it on radio, and I keep my nose to the grindstone, not acknowledging the worst until it actually happens. Our elder generation of Americans have lived our future in their past. Knowing what transpired during the Great Depression, I pray not only for me and mine, but for all who are increasingly affected by misgovernment and misdeeds.
Instead of wallowing in the darkness, I choose to count my blessings every day.
I am employed, David is employed, Steven is employed. We are healthy, but not wealthy, and moderately wise.
David (aka Vern) and I made a quick trip to TN in mid-December to visit his kin for the holidays. His Dad has been in declining health because of kidney failure related to congestive heart disease. His mobility is extremely compromised. We hope that medical science will be able to ease his suffering with dialysis in the near future. It was therapeutic, especially for David, to spend quality time with his parents and his aunts, uncles and brother and family.
Steven continues to progress toward his Bachelor's degree from AZ State this spring. He is on the Dean's list for the Fall 08 semester and quite enjoys working full time as a sushi chef. He is immersed in cosmetic remodeling of the inside of his newly purchased home in Tempe, where he is landlord to 2 roommates.
Holidays were quiet. Steven visited us for an overnight and Christmas dinner of Big Bird. My sister sent us some kielbasi and pierogi from a Chicago deli. My God, I was in heaven! Every time I opened the fridge, the smell of garlic wafted up and stimulated my senses until I had to grab a quick bite! In no time at all, three lbs of kielbasi bit the dust. I let Vern have a few pieces, but he didn't stand a chance with me being home during the day over the holidays. Gifts to ourselves this year included a backyard greenhouse for me, a future flat-screen TV for Vern (when our present one kicks the bucket), and a stainless steel stove exhaust hood for Steven's new home.
The weather is always lovely this season in Tucson, and each glorious day of sunshine and warmth invigorates my spirit. I'm anxiously awaiting the burst of spring wildflowers and increasingly longer days. Bad karma on me, I watch the Weather Channel and secretly giggle upon viewing subfreezing temperatures, ice, and snow in other parts of the U.S. I know...I know....two steps backward on the stairway to heaven for such gloating.
On a sad note, my good friend Patty in Tennessee lost her mother suddenly on January 3. The pain of such loss is immeasurable. My heart and prayers go out to her and her family.
Until I have another original thought, I wish blessings on all who read this.
We have a new President about to be inaugurated, and my heart is singing and dancing with optimism. Over many decades of life, I've seen the ebbs and flows of good and bad economic conditions, peace and war, high times and high unemployment. I've never, however, observed such pervasive public depression as I do today.
The immediacy of the internet combined with the advanced technological state of U.S. media inflate the gloom, doom, and apocalyptic predictions that inundate us. To remain somewhat distant from this woe, I don't watch the dire news on TV or listen to it on radio, and I keep my nose to the grindstone, not acknowledging the worst until it actually happens. Our elder generation of Americans have lived our future in their past. Knowing what transpired during the Great Depression, I pray not only for me and mine, but for all who are increasingly affected by misgovernment and misdeeds.
Instead of wallowing in the darkness, I choose to count my blessings every day.
I am employed, David is employed, Steven is employed. We are healthy, but not wealthy, and moderately wise.
David (aka Vern) and I made a quick trip to TN in mid-December to visit his kin for the holidays. His Dad has been in declining health because of kidney failure related to congestive heart disease. His mobility is extremely compromised. We hope that medical science will be able to ease his suffering with dialysis in the near future. It was therapeutic, especially for David, to spend quality time with his parents and his aunts, uncles and brother and family.
Steven continues to progress toward his Bachelor's degree from AZ State this spring. He is on the Dean's list for the Fall 08 semester and quite enjoys working full time as a sushi chef. He is immersed in cosmetic remodeling of the inside of his newly purchased home in Tempe, where he is landlord to 2 roommates.
Holidays were quiet. Steven visited us for an overnight and Christmas dinner of Big Bird. My sister sent us some kielbasi and pierogi from a Chicago deli. My God, I was in heaven! Every time I opened the fridge, the smell of garlic wafted up and stimulated my senses until I had to grab a quick bite! In no time at all, three lbs of kielbasi bit the dust. I let Vern have a few pieces, but he didn't stand a chance with me being home during the day over the holidays. Gifts to ourselves this year included a backyard greenhouse for me, a future flat-screen TV for Vern (when our present one kicks the bucket), and a stainless steel stove exhaust hood for Steven's new home.
The weather is always lovely this season in Tucson, and each glorious day of sunshine and warmth invigorates my spirit. I'm anxiously awaiting the burst of spring wildflowers and increasingly longer days. Bad karma on me, I watch the Weather Channel and secretly giggle upon viewing subfreezing temperatures, ice, and snow in other parts of the U.S. I know...I know....two steps backward on the stairway to heaven for such gloating.
On a sad note, my good friend Patty in Tennessee lost her mother suddenly on January 3. The pain of such loss is immeasurable. My heart and prayers go out to her and her family.
Until I have another original thought, I wish blessings on all who read this.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
EDWIN STARR: War! What Is It Good For? (Absolutely Nothing!!)
Can you believe it?
I'm going to post again.....is the sky falling, Chicken Little? is it snowing in the desert? Has Sarah Palin become qualified to potentially govern our nation of 300 million people rather than a measly 650,000 citizens, predominantly oil workers and Inuits, in Alaska?
I have always not liked politics very much. Who could really get into it when you grow up watching multiple politically motivated assassinations within a decade, wars fought against an ideology (communism), money spent going to the moon rather than helping the disenfranchised at home?
In the recent past, the only politician who captured my attention was Bill Clinton. I am impressed by eloquent and articulate speakers like Bill, however, NOT without consideration for what they are saying. Mostly, like many boomers, I was attracted to Bill's youth and down-to-earth demeanor. Not an old fart, not a rich Ivy League blowhard, but a down-home guy with a silver tongue.
And on the edge of another reality, I liked the John McCain who used to be...the one who marched to the beat of his own drum. I sooooo respect his strength of conviction while a POW in Hanoi. An American hero he is and was, but our powers that be did not regale him in the ilk of an Eisenhower or Patton. While McCain sacrificed his health and physical being and was acknowledged with military honors for such, he was never elevated to the high priesthood of those whose intellectual abilities won wars.
I believe wars are the Achilles heel of mankind. We've got a wonderful planet to occupy and an omnipresent sun that allows plants to photosynthesize to support life. Why can't humans be content with what they have and leave other humans to cultivate their own gardens? Did God punk us with an innate desire to ultimate destroy all humanity in His name?
The Viet Nam years sculpted my "passive activism" toward the injustices that gov'ts impose upon their citizens when they justify "war".
During the escalation of VN, I watched as my male friends sweated the Federal number plucking that decided their fate. Low number, on the chopping block....high number, make a novena for the rest of your life.
My ex-husband enjoyed a deferment due to a heart murmur. One of my classmates in college got a deferment because he was allergic to wool. Another joined the Marine Corps band to blow on the baritone horn rather than wade thru the rice paddies. My brother-in-law joined the National Guard, at a time when those folks rarely served even one term of duty overseas. Others went and were never the same again. Had I had 'cojones' during the draft years, i'd have been shoveling manure on a farm in Saskatchewan.
Because of his tours in VN, one of my high school mates, a talented athlete, has not known even a nanosecond of the quality of life that I and other mates have experienced as we head into our 60s. He has resided for many years in a nursing home in PA after decades of wandering the streets of Wyoming Valley in a green military trench coat, regardless of ambient temperature and season, speaking in tongues that not even God could interpret.
None who went to Korea, VN, Iraq I, Iraq II and Afghanistan came or will come home to the hero's welcome that we recall watching on the news films made in NY City when WWII ended. Instead, today's military heroes (i.e., every one who serves) arrive home not to the resounding joy that characterized the end of WWII, but with limbs missing, brain cells addled, joy lost... and to date about 5000 who are silent forevermore. Something's VERY wrong with this picture.
Yes, Nancy Grace remembers a fallen hero during each of her broadcasts. (You go, girl.) And local morning, noon, and evening news shows across America pay isolated tribute to the fallen or incapacitated servicemen who are known among their audience. Don't our soldiers merit a much more impressive THANK YOU for their toils and sacrifice? Why hasn't our vacuous President, who is on a first-name basis with Christ, been more vocal and visible when our soldiers return to US soil. Is it because he knows that those of them who are still able to draw a breath and/or walk or hold a cup of coffee are going to be sent back to harm's way?
I believe that President Bush has a heart, and that he no doubt grieves personally for lives lost and disrupted by the Iraq war.
But I'm tired.
Tired of my leaders sending my homies to fight in distant lands whose names we often can't pronounce in order to "engage terrorists on their own turf". I respect Gov. Palin for her courageous support of her eldest son as he departed US soil for Iraq. Ditto for Senator Joe Biden. I pray their loved ones remain safe. But I honestly think they should never have had to go there in the first place.
And so, I've decide to support the candidate who wants to bring them home soon...the same candidate who wants to talk diplomatically rather than impulsively whack someone of a different religion, skin color, ideology, sexual orientation, etc. with the big stick he carries.
I wish i could feel better now that i've vented. Perhaps a dreamless nap will get me thru the next few hours. Thanks for listening.
Love and peace to all.
a
I'm going to post again.....is the sky falling, Chicken Little? is it snowing in the desert? Has Sarah Palin become qualified to potentially govern our nation of 300 million people rather than a measly 650,000 citizens, predominantly oil workers and Inuits, in Alaska?
I have always not liked politics very much. Who could really get into it when you grow up watching multiple politically motivated assassinations within a decade, wars fought against an ideology (communism), money spent going to the moon rather than helping the disenfranchised at home?
In the recent past, the only politician who captured my attention was Bill Clinton. I am impressed by eloquent and articulate speakers like Bill, however, NOT without consideration for what they are saying. Mostly, like many boomers, I was attracted to Bill's youth and down-to-earth demeanor. Not an old fart, not a rich Ivy League blowhard, but a down-home guy with a silver tongue.
And on the edge of another reality, I liked the John McCain who used to be...the one who marched to the beat of his own drum. I sooooo respect his strength of conviction while a POW in Hanoi. An American hero he is and was, but our powers that be did not regale him in the ilk of an Eisenhower or Patton. While McCain sacrificed his health and physical being and was acknowledged with military honors for such, he was never elevated to the high priesthood of those whose intellectual abilities won wars.
I believe wars are the Achilles heel of mankind. We've got a wonderful planet to occupy and an omnipresent sun that allows plants to photosynthesize to support life. Why can't humans be content with what they have and leave other humans to cultivate their own gardens? Did God punk us with an innate desire to ultimate destroy all humanity in His name?
The Viet Nam years sculpted my "passive activism" toward the injustices that gov'ts impose upon their citizens when they justify "war".
During the escalation of VN, I watched as my male friends sweated the Federal number plucking that decided their fate. Low number, on the chopping block....high number, make a novena for the rest of your life.
My ex-husband enjoyed a deferment due to a heart murmur. One of my classmates in college got a deferment because he was allergic to wool. Another joined the Marine Corps band to blow on the baritone horn rather than wade thru the rice paddies. My brother-in-law joined the National Guard, at a time when those folks rarely served even one term of duty overseas. Others went and were never the same again. Had I had 'cojones' during the draft years, i'd have been shoveling manure on a farm in Saskatchewan.
Because of his tours in VN, one of my high school mates, a talented athlete, has not known even a nanosecond of the quality of life that I and other mates have experienced as we head into our 60s. He has resided for many years in a nursing home in PA after decades of wandering the streets of Wyoming Valley in a green military trench coat, regardless of ambient temperature and season, speaking in tongues that not even God could interpret.
None who went to Korea, VN, Iraq I, Iraq II and Afghanistan came or will come home to the hero's welcome that we recall watching on the news films made in NY City when WWII ended. Instead, today's military heroes (i.e., every one who serves) arrive home not to the resounding joy that characterized the end of WWII, but with limbs missing, brain cells addled, joy lost... and to date about 5000 who are silent forevermore. Something's VERY wrong with this picture.
Yes, Nancy Grace remembers a fallen hero during each of her broadcasts. (You go, girl.) And local morning, noon, and evening news shows across America pay isolated tribute to the fallen or incapacitated servicemen who are known among their audience. Don't our soldiers merit a much more impressive THANK YOU for their toils and sacrifice? Why hasn't our vacuous President, who is on a first-name basis with Christ, been more vocal and visible when our soldiers return to US soil. Is it because he knows that those of them who are still able to draw a breath and/or walk or hold a cup of coffee are going to be sent back to harm's way?
I believe that President Bush has a heart, and that he no doubt grieves personally for lives lost and disrupted by the Iraq war.
But I'm tired.
Tired of my leaders sending my homies to fight in distant lands whose names we often can't pronounce in order to "engage terrorists on their own turf". I respect Gov. Palin for her courageous support of her eldest son as he departed US soil for Iraq. Ditto for Senator Joe Biden. I pray their loved ones remain safe. But I honestly think they should never have had to go there in the first place.
And so, I've decide to support the candidate who wants to bring them home soon...the same candidate who wants to talk diplomatically rather than impulsively whack someone of a different religion, skin color, ideology, sexual orientation, etc. with the big stick he carries.
I wish i could feel better now that i've vented. Perhaps a dreamless nap will get me thru the next few hours. Thanks for listening.
Love and peace to all.
a
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Part Deux de New York
I promised to recount our visit to Rochester, NY, for my nephew Nicholas' wedding to Alison Schmitt. This is primarily for me to document things that have occurred in the recent past, as the storage sites in my brain are rapidly decreasing in number.
We'll start on the morning after our 3:30 a.m (Wed., 7/23) arrival at Rochester. Of course, we slept into the afternoon. Nick and Alison had a little gift basket in our hotel room....so nowwwwwww, isn't it? i didn't do a damn thing for the folks from outta town who attended my Wedding Numero Uno.
Late Wed p.m., Nick phoned and offered to dine with us at a bistro just across the parking lot from the hotel. It was not a college hangout, but was of the ilk that catered to youth. Lotsa tv's turned to sports and other stuff, huge bar, and the roar of lotsa folks chatting. We ate a lovely meal and toasted a few times to the groom. His bride arrived later, and we toasted her as well. Steven and I drank a bottle of wine toasting.
Our childhood friend and quasi-sistah, Kathleen, arrived on wheels from Wilkes-Barre that evening. We all decided it would be more comfortable to move across the parking lot in a different direction to the Residence Inn, which unlike the Courtyard Marriott, offered breakfast and dinnertime hot snaxxx. So David (aka Vern) scored us two rooms and we moved there asap. (Another reason I wanted to move was the non-compliant guest in the room next to ours who smoked like a chimney.) Steven took off with Nick and Alison, and I have no idea where they went.
Next day, Thurs, 7/24, my sister en familia arrived from Ithaca (about 100 miles southeast). The plan was that we would do a family dinner in Niagara Falls, Ontario, to relive the visit to NF that we did jointly 18 years prior. At the event in 1990, my sistah and I sang with the band playing by the pool (uninvited, there was no karaoke back then)at the hotel where we stayed. Song was "The Happy Wanderer", a German beergarden ditty.
Things have changed quite a bit among the attractions, hotels, etc., but the Canadian Falls remain brilliant. We dined at a posh restaurant overlooking the Falls (spitting distance) on which colored lights gaze at night. Dinner was good, but verrrry expensive. When we'd been to the same place 18 years prior, it was a seafood joint that had mediocre overpriced food and a great view. This time it had very good pricey food and a still-great view.
After dinner, we meandered to the outlook before heading back. Nick, his brothers Peter and Mike, and Steven headed out into the wild night to engage in traditional bachelor party activities. I won't repeat their antics here for fear of the NF, Ont., police reading this and issuing warrants for any or all of them. Suffice it to say, they each looked like crap the next day, all day, thru the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. They had a hotel room in NF, but probably didn't use it til morning thru early afternoon.
When they returned to Rochester, it was for the rehearsal at Alison and Nick's church. I can't recall the church's name, but it was a contemporary structure in a very nice middle class neighborhood with lotsa trees. Afterward, we headed down to the shores of Lake Ontario for a post-rehearsal dinner hosted by my sister and her husband, Mike.
The festivities were held in a Coast Guard Auxillary Bldg sitting aside one of the canals that serves the Port of Rochester. One of Alison's relatives had a power boat, and many of the younger kids in her family enjoyed several rides. Nick is in the auxillary and i think Alison's family is active in it as well.
Jo Anne (Jay), my sister, fed us Cajun chicken, rice, veggies, and shrimp kabobs. The chicken and fixin's were catered by a local restaurant. Her husband Mike and Alison's father (his name is no longer in my brain) cooked them on a couple onsite grills. Jay did a wonderful job of planning and executing the reception.
After the rehearsal dinner, we retreated to the comfort of our hotel.
The wedding was at 2:30 pm on Saturday, 7/26. As expected, it was simple and lovely. I was one of 3 lay readers....I read a responsorial Psalm. Damn near fell on my way to and from the lectern, cuz I was wearing these black velvet, open-toe stilletos that matched the sparkly black dress that my sister had bought for me to wear. Totally inappropriate for a plump old broad like me.
The music at the wedding ceremony was outstanding. Both Alison and her brother are seasoned musicians and vocalists. Her brother sang a hearty baritone rendition of Ave' Maria.
Reception was at 6 at the local Country Club....a sit down dinner with choice of entree following a free cocktail and hors d'oeuvres hour. They had a dj/karaoke in lieu of a live band. Needless to say, we made fools of ourselves singing and dancing til 12:30 a.m., when the dj ended the party with Frank Sinatra and all of us crooning New York, New York. Steven and his cousin Peter (my sister's youngest) rapped a version of Baby Got Back. My sister and her kids sang Crazy Little Thing Called Love. My niece Natalie soloed on Can't Help Falling in Love. Nat asked the dj to play a CD of Serbian gypsy music, to which the family danced a "kola". It was a great time. My sister feigned wonder during my wild dancing about how quickly I had "recovered" from my bout valley fever. I told her i wasn't recovered, but I had decided that i'd rather have a good time and die, then not party at all.
Next morning (Sunday), we went to a park on Lake Ontario after breakfast at a greasy spoon that Alison's family frequents. I was sooooooooooooooooooooo tired. I have not danced that much for over 25 years. After the park, we drove back to Jay's house in Ithaca. We stopped along the NY Thruway for a light repast at a Sbarro (pizza). Also stopped at a gas station somewhere on the east side of Cayuga Lake for some huge tasty muffins.
Stayed in Ithaca Sunday night and Monday night. I crashed as soon as we got there (8 p.m.....the partying caught up with me). Over the next few days, Jay and Mike hauled us around to various points of interest. We went to an Indian restaurant for lunch. All Vern had on his plate was lettuce and tomato. It was a buffet of mystery dishes, and he's not a very adventurous eater. Jay asked them to bring him some tandoori (spicy) roast chicken, which, thankfully, he ate.
Mike drove us back to Rochester on Tuesday afternoon for our connecting flight to JFK en route to PHX. It was not nearly as draining as the TO: ROC flight. Still, we learned that flying JETBLUE thru JFK suxxxx big time. Our flight from ROC was on time, but we circled over the tri-state area for awhile due to heavy traffic. Everything was cool with our next flight to PHX until we got in line on the runway. There we sat for a couple hours waiting on airport staff to clear a disabled plane from a runway. While we were waiting, i had to use the potty. Steven had moved from the center seat next to me to an aisle seat in front of me. As I passed his seat, he grumbled at me "I hate you for scheduling these flights." Thank you very much, my son.
The plane eventually took off, and despite a head wind, we flew at almost 600 mph to make it to PHX about 1/2 late at 11 pm. Steven's friend Alan picked us up and deposited us back at the condo where he lives. We, then, drove back to TUS, arriving around 2 a.m. Another exhausting trip.
Vern had to work the next day, but i stayed home to rest. I have no idea how he made it thru the day. Sometimes i think the man sleeps with his eyes open.
Anyway, that's the end of our story. Nick and Ali left the following Friday for a 2-week honeymoon in Germany. Someone in her family gave them a week at a German resort as a gift, and then they planned to stay with some of her kin in Germany.
They as well as we have since settled down to our normal routines.
Catching up on other non-events in my life, V and I drove to San Diego a few weeks ago for my biannual endocrinology appointment. Results of blood tests were unsurprising. My blood glucose is maintaining an average of 134, which is a bit higher than normal (doctor's words), but not noteworthy.
I had a chest x-ray as well to check on the valley fever. The radiologist reported the nodule in my right lung to be 1.1 cm x 0.9 cm, which is where it was back in June as I recovered from the valley fever. I need to follow up w/ the pulmonary specialist in TUS about whether or not a CT scan is necessary.
It was very warm and breezy in San Diego, and we enjoyed one night at our favorite haunt, the Pacific Terrace Hotel. We had a terrace room. Left the sliding door screen open all night (locked of course)so we could listen to the surf. Verrrry relaxing. I wish i was rich and could do this more often.
Speaking of rich, I'm $8K poorer thanks to the economy tanking. My gov't 401K dwindled with every fall of a bank or mortgage lender etc. Steven managed to get his mortgage completed by 9/30. Ended up not costing him a dime to buy his house!
Time for a nap-ki for me. V is already in la-la land.
Adios, mi amigos y amigas.
Vaya con Dios.
a
We'll start on the morning after our 3:30 a.m (Wed., 7/23) arrival at Rochester. Of course, we slept into the afternoon. Nick and Alison had a little gift basket in our hotel room....so nowwwwwww, isn't it? i didn't do a damn thing for the folks from outta town who attended my Wedding Numero Uno.
Late Wed p.m., Nick phoned and offered to dine with us at a bistro just across the parking lot from the hotel. It was not a college hangout, but was of the ilk that catered to youth. Lotsa tv's turned to sports and other stuff, huge bar, and the roar of lotsa folks chatting. We ate a lovely meal and toasted a few times to the groom. His bride arrived later, and we toasted her as well. Steven and I drank a bottle of wine toasting.
Our childhood friend and quasi-sistah, Kathleen, arrived on wheels from Wilkes-Barre that evening. We all decided it would be more comfortable to move across the parking lot in a different direction to the Residence Inn, which unlike the Courtyard Marriott, offered breakfast and dinnertime hot snaxxx. So David (aka Vern) scored us two rooms and we moved there asap. (Another reason I wanted to move was the non-compliant guest in the room next to ours who smoked like a chimney.) Steven took off with Nick and Alison, and I have no idea where they went.
Next day, Thurs, 7/24, my sister en familia arrived from Ithaca (about 100 miles southeast). The plan was that we would do a family dinner in Niagara Falls, Ontario, to relive the visit to NF that we did jointly 18 years prior. At the event in 1990, my sistah and I sang with the band playing by the pool (uninvited, there was no karaoke back then)at the hotel where we stayed. Song was "The Happy Wanderer", a German beergarden ditty.
Things have changed quite a bit among the attractions, hotels, etc., but the Canadian Falls remain brilliant. We dined at a posh restaurant overlooking the Falls (spitting distance) on which colored lights gaze at night. Dinner was good, but verrrry expensive. When we'd been to the same place 18 years prior, it was a seafood joint that had mediocre overpriced food and a great view. This time it had very good pricey food and a still-great view.
After dinner, we meandered to the outlook before heading back. Nick, his brothers Peter and Mike, and Steven headed out into the wild night to engage in traditional bachelor party activities. I won't repeat their antics here for fear of the NF, Ont., police reading this and issuing warrants for any or all of them. Suffice it to say, they each looked like crap the next day, all day, thru the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. They had a hotel room in NF, but probably didn't use it til morning thru early afternoon.
When they returned to Rochester, it was for the rehearsal at Alison and Nick's church. I can't recall the church's name, but it was a contemporary structure in a very nice middle class neighborhood with lotsa trees. Afterward, we headed down to the shores of Lake Ontario for a post-rehearsal dinner hosted by my sister and her husband, Mike.
The festivities were held in a Coast Guard Auxillary Bldg sitting aside one of the canals that serves the Port of Rochester. One of Alison's relatives had a power boat, and many of the younger kids in her family enjoyed several rides. Nick is in the auxillary and i think Alison's family is active in it as well.
Jo Anne (Jay), my sister, fed us Cajun chicken, rice, veggies, and shrimp kabobs. The chicken and fixin's were catered by a local restaurant. Her husband Mike and Alison's father (his name is no longer in my brain) cooked them on a couple onsite grills. Jay did a wonderful job of planning and executing the reception.
After the rehearsal dinner, we retreated to the comfort of our hotel.
The wedding was at 2:30 pm on Saturday, 7/26. As expected, it was simple and lovely. I was one of 3 lay readers....I read a responsorial Psalm. Damn near fell on my way to and from the lectern, cuz I was wearing these black velvet, open-toe stilletos that matched the sparkly black dress that my sister had bought for me to wear. Totally inappropriate for a plump old broad like me.
The music at the wedding ceremony was outstanding. Both Alison and her brother are seasoned musicians and vocalists. Her brother sang a hearty baritone rendition of Ave' Maria.
Reception was at 6 at the local Country Club....a sit down dinner with choice of entree following a free cocktail and hors d'oeuvres hour. They had a dj/karaoke in lieu of a live band. Needless to say, we made fools of ourselves singing and dancing til 12:30 a.m., when the dj ended the party with Frank Sinatra and all of us crooning New York, New York. Steven and his cousin Peter (my sister's youngest) rapped a version of Baby Got Back. My sister and her kids sang Crazy Little Thing Called Love. My niece Natalie soloed on Can't Help Falling in Love. Nat asked the dj to play a CD of Serbian gypsy music, to which the family danced a "kola". It was a great time. My sister feigned wonder during my wild dancing about how quickly I had "recovered" from my bout valley fever. I told her i wasn't recovered, but I had decided that i'd rather have a good time and die, then not party at all.
Next morning (Sunday), we went to a park on Lake Ontario after breakfast at a greasy spoon that Alison's family frequents. I was sooooooooooooooooooooo tired. I have not danced that much for over 25 years. After the park, we drove back to Jay's house in Ithaca. We stopped along the NY Thruway for a light repast at a Sbarro (pizza). Also stopped at a gas station somewhere on the east side of Cayuga Lake for some huge tasty muffins.
Stayed in Ithaca Sunday night and Monday night. I crashed as soon as we got there (8 p.m.....the partying caught up with me). Over the next few days, Jay and Mike hauled us around to various points of interest. We went to an Indian restaurant for lunch. All Vern had on his plate was lettuce and tomato. It was a buffet of mystery dishes, and he's not a very adventurous eater. Jay asked them to bring him some tandoori (spicy) roast chicken, which, thankfully, he ate.
Mike drove us back to Rochester on Tuesday afternoon for our connecting flight to JFK en route to PHX. It was not nearly as draining as the TO: ROC flight. Still, we learned that flying JETBLUE thru JFK suxxxx big time. Our flight from ROC was on time, but we circled over the tri-state area for awhile due to heavy traffic. Everything was cool with our next flight to PHX until we got in line on the runway. There we sat for a couple hours waiting on airport staff to clear a disabled plane from a runway. While we were waiting, i had to use the potty. Steven had moved from the center seat next to me to an aisle seat in front of me. As I passed his seat, he grumbled at me "I hate you for scheduling these flights." Thank you very much, my son.
The plane eventually took off, and despite a head wind, we flew at almost 600 mph to make it to PHX about 1/2 late at 11 pm. Steven's friend Alan picked us up and deposited us back at the condo where he lives. We, then, drove back to TUS, arriving around 2 a.m. Another exhausting trip.
Vern had to work the next day, but i stayed home to rest. I have no idea how he made it thru the day. Sometimes i think the man sleeps with his eyes open.
Anyway, that's the end of our story. Nick and Ali left the following Friday for a 2-week honeymoon in Germany. Someone in her family gave them a week at a German resort as a gift, and then they planned to stay with some of her kin in Germany.
They as well as we have since settled down to our normal routines.
Catching up on other non-events in my life, V and I drove to San Diego a few weeks ago for my biannual endocrinology appointment. Results of blood tests were unsurprising. My blood glucose is maintaining an average of 134, which is a bit higher than normal (doctor's words), but not noteworthy.
I had a chest x-ray as well to check on the valley fever. The radiologist reported the nodule in my right lung to be 1.1 cm x 0.9 cm, which is where it was back in June as I recovered from the valley fever. I need to follow up w/ the pulmonary specialist in TUS about whether or not a CT scan is necessary.
It was very warm and breezy in San Diego, and we enjoyed one night at our favorite haunt, the Pacific Terrace Hotel. We had a terrace room. Left the sliding door screen open all night (locked of course)so we could listen to the surf. Verrrry relaxing. I wish i was rich and could do this more often.
Speaking of rich, I'm $8K poorer thanks to the economy tanking. My gov't 401K dwindled with every fall of a bank or mortgage lender etc. Steven managed to get his mortgage completed by 9/30. Ended up not costing him a dime to buy his house!
Time for a nap-ki for me. V is already in la-la land.
Adios, mi amigos y amigas.
Vaya con Dios.
a
Monday, September 29, 2008
Gwammy Wants Ta Know
in response to Aunt Gwammy Woobie's tag:
1. What were you doing 10 years ago? Sending out resumes in anticipation of the Department of Energy giving us newbies a pink slip. Word was that a Reduction in Force (RIF) was imminent, and I was 6th from the bottom on a list of environmental scientists. Paved the pathway to Arizona!
2. What is on my to-do list today? R&R at the Pacific Terrace Hotel in San Diego....sun, pool, surf....good for the heart, soul and mind. Also curls/frizzes my hair to the max.
3. What if I were a millionaire? Yeah, right....if i had a million, i'd subsidize all the pet shelters in America for as long as possible, pay off the house, help my Auntie Ann move into the best senior digs wherever she chose, quit my job, invest and travel travel travel. And respond to friends and family in need at their request.
4. Places I have lived? Wilkes-Barre, PA; West Pittston, PA; Oak Ridge, TN; Houston, TX; Knoxville, TN; Lenoir City, TN; Yuma, AZ; and Tucson, AZ.
5. Bad Habits? Impatient, impulsive, impetuous, bossy, demanding, and like to pick at zits.
6. Snacks I Like: DARK CHOCOLATE, SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS, i could survive on chocolate alone.
1. What were you doing 10 years ago? Sending out resumes in anticipation of the Department of Energy giving us newbies a pink slip. Word was that a Reduction in Force (RIF) was imminent, and I was 6th from the bottom on a list of environmental scientists. Paved the pathway to Arizona!
2. What is on my to-do list today? R&R at the Pacific Terrace Hotel in San Diego....sun, pool, surf....good for the heart, soul and mind. Also curls/frizzes my hair to the max.
3. What if I were a millionaire? Yeah, right....if i had a million, i'd subsidize all the pet shelters in America for as long as possible, pay off the house, help my Auntie Ann move into the best senior digs wherever she chose, quit my job, invest and travel travel travel. And respond to friends and family in need at their request.
4. Places I have lived? Wilkes-Barre, PA; West Pittston, PA; Oak Ridge, TN; Houston, TX; Knoxville, TN; Lenoir City, TN; Yuma, AZ; and Tucson, AZ.
5. Bad Habits? Impatient, impulsive, impetuous, bossy, demanding, and like to pick at zits.
6. Snacks I Like: DARK CHOCOLATE, SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS, i could survive on chocolate alone.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Part I: Flight to Hell and Back
Yeah, yeah....i know that i'm a real slacker when it comes to blogging. I spend most of my work days in front of the computer screen reviewing environmental documents. Makes me reluctant to create yet another document (and i review IT before I post). And sometimes (like this entry) the details of certain activities are painful to report.
I promised to write about the trip to Rochester, NY, for Nick's wedding.
We flew JETBLUE RT from PHX to ROC via JFK on Tuesday, July 22.
A doozy of a mistake.
Reason for selecting JB was that it has nice, soft, comfy leather seats, lotsa leg room (and I paid $30 each for us to have the luxury of even more), free snaxxx, free movie, and in general, good service. For a 4.5 to 5 hr flight cross country, it seemed like an excellent plan.
It was not.
Yes, all the amenities were there. What was not there was an on time arrival at JFK for a connecting flight to ROC. We were ahead of schedule, thanks to a great tail wind, when we began our descent to JFK. Then, folks began to notice that our speed had decreased a good deal and we seemed to by flying in circles. Yes, we were indeed flying in circles for what seemed like an eternity (actually, maybe an hour and a half). It was dark, so most of what we could identify on land were the lights of the NY metro area and the lights of ships at sea. It got old looking at the same lights for that length of time. Flight attendants were buckled in, so there were no goodies flowing our way to quiet our nerves. Then, a ding, and the PA system was activated.
"Well, folks....from the flight deck...this is First Officer So and So. You've probably noticed that we've been put into a holding pattern over JFK for a while now. We've been advised by Ground Control that an American Airlines flight made an emergency landing just before our arrival, and all incoming and outgoing traffic was placed on hold. Now, we have a nasty thunderstorm pounding JFK that is adversely affecting an already big queue of arrivals and departures."
"We're getting low on fuel, and we've been diverted to land at the Newburgh, NY, Airport to refuel and await further instruction on when we might be able to return to JFK."
Large groans and consternation.
In about 20 minutes we had landed at an Air Nat'l Guard facility near Newburgh. It was after 11 pm. Our scheduled arrival at JFK was 8 p.m. We'd already missed our departure to ROC. Lovely.
Except for the capability to refuel our plane, this airport had pulled up its sidewalks for the night. We were held captive on the plane, since there were no services open, including rental car desks, which many residents of communities surrounding NYC thought they might use in lieu of returning on the plane to JFK.
The flight deck resumed chatting with us on the PA system. We were told that no one could "deplane" (one of Geo Carlin's favorite made-up words) except the 4 parties who had pups in carriers onboard. That was nice....for the pups and the rest of us. The pups got off to poop, others of us also relieved ourselves many times until we were given the okay to return to JFK over an hour later.
While waiting in Newburgh, some passengers negotiated with the powers that be to leave the plane for good, as they had phoned home and obtained rides to wherever they resided. About 25 passengers chose to split in Newburgh, knowing that their luggage was not going with them. If they had checked luggage, they would have to travel to JFK the next day to fetch it.
When we got into JFK, it was about 1 a.m. The terminal was CRAZEE. We of course were not the only flight that was delayed, and it was total chaos. To relieve you of the pain of reading about what we endured at a foodless, drinkless terminal trying to get on the last flight to ROC, let me just say it was a preview of hell.
We arrived in ROC at 3:30 a.m. to an empty terminal with some very very very unhappy ground crew personnel who either had to come in to service our flight or had to stay put for several hours to service our flight. Lucky for us, our luggage made it, and we headed for a Marriott in a town where none of us had ever been.
God sped us to our destination, the check-in was quick and we fell into comas til mid-day on Wed.
Marriotts are by design all non-smoking hotels. However, someone with complete disdain for rules and regulations puffed incessantly in the room adjacent to ours. Just next door was a different Marriott, a Residence Inn. We moved there the next day, after i dragged the desk attendant back to our room to inhale deeply and complain that this did not suit us at all.
To add insult to injury, they charged us for the first night (4 am arrival) at the first hotel. Royally pissed me off.
The other Marriott was WONDERFUL! Gorgeous spacious rooms with full kitchen, just lovely.
Will continue with the saga in a subsequent post. I've only described our ordeal in arriving in ROC. Need to discuss what we did there, the rehearsal, the wedding and our visit to my sister's 90 miles away in Ithaca, NY.
Later (i'm wasted).
a
I promised to write about the trip to Rochester, NY, for Nick's wedding.
We flew JETBLUE RT from PHX to ROC via JFK on Tuesday, July 22.
A doozy of a mistake.
Reason for selecting JB was that it has nice, soft, comfy leather seats, lotsa leg room (and I paid $30 each for us to have the luxury of even more), free snaxxx, free movie, and in general, good service. For a 4.5 to 5 hr flight cross country, it seemed like an excellent plan.
It was not.
Yes, all the amenities were there. What was not there was an on time arrival at JFK for a connecting flight to ROC. We were ahead of schedule, thanks to a great tail wind, when we began our descent to JFK. Then, folks began to notice that our speed had decreased a good deal and we seemed to by flying in circles. Yes, we were indeed flying in circles for what seemed like an eternity (actually, maybe an hour and a half). It was dark, so most of what we could identify on land were the lights of the NY metro area and the lights of ships at sea. It got old looking at the same lights for that length of time. Flight attendants were buckled in, so there were no goodies flowing our way to quiet our nerves. Then, a ding, and the PA system was activated.
"Well, folks....from the flight deck...this is First Officer So and So. You've probably noticed that we've been put into a holding pattern over JFK for a while now. We've been advised by Ground Control that an American Airlines flight made an emergency landing just before our arrival, and all incoming and outgoing traffic was placed on hold. Now, we have a nasty thunderstorm pounding JFK that is adversely affecting an already big queue of arrivals and departures."
"We're getting low on fuel, and we've been diverted to land at the Newburgh, NY, Airport to refuel and await further instruction on when we might be able to return to JFK."
Large groans and consternation.
In about 20 minutes we had landed at an Air Nat'l Guard facility near Newburgh. It was after 11 pm. Our scheduled arrival at JFK was 8 p.m. We'd already missed our departure to ROC. Lovely.
Except for the capability to refuel our plane, this airport had pulled up its sidewalks for the night. We were held captive on the plane, since there were no services open, including rental car desks, which many residents of communities surrounding NYC thought they might use in lieu of returning on the plane to JFK.
The flight deck resumed chatting with us on the PA system. We were told that no one could "deplane" (one of Geo Carlin's favorite made-up words) except the 4 parties who had pups in carriers onboard. That was nice....for the pups and the rest of us. The pups got off to poop, others of us also relieved ourselves many times until we were given the okay to return to JFK over an hour later.
While waiting in Newburgh, some passengers negotiated with the powers that be to leave the plane for good, as they had phoned home and obtained rides to wherever they resided. About 25 passengers chose to split in Newburgh, knowing that their luggage was not going with them. If they had checked luggage, they would have to travel to JFK the next day to fetch it.
When we got into JFK, it was about 1 a.m. The terminal was CRAZEE. We of course were not the only flight that was delayed, and it was total chaos. To relieve you of the pain of reading about what we endured at a foodless, drinkless terminal trying to get on the last flight to ROC, let me just say it was a preview of hell.
We arrived in ROC at 3:30 a.m. to an empty terminal with some very very very unhappy ground crew personnel who either had to come in to service our flight or had to stay put for several hours to service our flight. Lucky for us, our luggage made it, and we headed for a Marriott in a town where none of us had ever been.
God sped us to our destination, the check-in was quick and we fell into comas til mid-day on Wed.
Marriotts are by design all non-smoking hotels. However, someone with complete disdain for rules and regulations puffed incessantly in the room adjacent to ours. Just next door was a different Marriott, a Residence Inn. We moved there the next day, after i dragged the desk attendant back to our room to inhale deeply and complain that this did not suit us at all.
To add insult to injury, they charged us for the first night (4 am arrival) at the first hotel. Royally pissed me off.
The other Marriott was WONDERFUL! Gorgeous spacious rooms with full kitchen, just lovely.
Will continue with the saga in a subsequent post. I've only described our ordeal in arriving in ROC. Need to discuss what we did there, the rehearsal, the wedding and our visit to my sister's 90 miles away in Ithaca, NY.
Later (i'm wasted).
a
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Going Green: East and West!
Gazing into the Sonoran desert these days you see nothing but green green green. Been raining almost daily for 2 months now. Not that it seriously compromises one's sunning, swimming and other outside activities, cuz for the most part, the rain happens after 3 pm until late in the evening. We need to be careful to not venture in a vehicle across flowing washes (they'll take you to Yuma if you aren't), but otherwise, it's great to have a few months of lush green vegetation, wildflowers, and happy hydrated critters. For an East Coast transplant like me, this is all the green (and humidity) I need on an annual basis to remind me of both the good and the bad back yonder.
Since I've last been on the blog, we've lost 2 Colorado river toads to the elements in our pool. These brazen toadies believe that we put in the pool just for their personal use. When we got back from trip #1 to PA, we found one floating and one in the skimmer basket, eroded to skin and bones. YUK!
While I cleaned the pool after trip #2 (Rochester and Ithaca, NY), a third toad did a backflip off the skimmer flap into the pool right next to me! I quickly lifted Sir/Mdme Toad out with the net and deposited him/her on the pool deck. This booger was HUGE....glared at me with huge bugged out eyes for interfering with its plans....eventually hopped thru the fence to its burrow. These monster amphibians are poisonous (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_River_Toad)....they present a deadly curiosity to predators and playful house pets. White sacs on the side of the head contain venom. Wouldn't ya know it....tweakers and other dopers out there "milk" these sacs, then dry the venom and smoke or inject it for kicks...bizarre.
Re: Trip #1, Wilkes-Barre, PA, and Paramus, NJ
7/3/08: Flew Delta thru Atlanta to W-B...no issues, nice flights. Vern watched a movie without headphones...even laughed at stuff...i dunno how he does it, good lipreader i guess.
Spent 7/3 and 7/4 nites at Comfort Inn, W-B...not prime real estate but in a convenient location to surf my old haunts.
7/4/08: Friday, slept late, lunch at Perkins, visited Uncle Beetle (George), my mom's youngest brother, then off to Exeter, PA, for the world's BEST pizza at Sabatini's....mmmm, salivating thinking of it.
As part of this excursion, we drove to West Pittston, where I lived for 6 years (early '70s) in the LaPorte family home. It was a lovely Victorian mansion built in 1870. My ex-husband and I lived on the second floor on the left side of the home. Had floor-to-ceiling bay windows in all rooms, hardwood floors, huge pedestal sink, fireplace (non-working). I still dream about this apartment, as it holds some great memories of a very active period of my life. When i visited W-B in 04, the house was under some sort of construction. I was puzzled, but hesitated to inquire of the laborers the nature of their work. I thought maybe someone had purchased the house and was remodelling. I left pondering its future.
During July's visit, I was shocked and awed to see the house transformed into a full stacked-stone castle! The new owners retained the buggy stair-step and the hitching post, which pleased me, but what a change!
We circled to the back of the house, which sits on its own acre-island on Susquehanna Avenue, and had to stop for some folks shooting off fireworks. After we stopped, I noticed a swimming pool in the back yard and a young woman and an older one descending the back porch and walking toward us, where the group was doing the fireworks.
I said hello, and asked if these folks were related to the owner. The young woman said, "I am the owner!" I then told her how I had lived there for many years and how wonderful my landlord and her daughters treated me. Told her about every Sunday afternoon, when Mrs. LaPorte (the mom) would send one of her adult daughters up the back porch with a plate of spaghetti w/ chicken livers for me. Also about how I scared them many times when one of my hamsters got loose. She told me she knew the LaPortes and that Julie was the only one still alive. Said after the home was completed, she gave Julie a tour. Julie is probably close to 80, but managed to make it to the 3rd floor of the home on her own.
The lady introduced herself as Pam Minichello and said that she'd bought the home at a Sheriff's auction for the price of the land (a terrific steal). Apparently, after Mrs. LP and 2 of the 3 daughters had died, the home became too much of a burden for Julie. Her brother Gaetano (Guy) then sold it for $550K to a pulmonary doctor. The Dr. planned to renovate and live there, but never got around to it (family problems, divorce etc.) and split town without paying the note. Eventually, the property went up for Sheriff's sale and the Minichellos purchased it. I told Pam to say hello from me to Julie should she run into her at the supermarket, which she said happens occasionally. She offered for us to tour the remodelled house, but I couldn't bring myself to see it different than I remembered. Am I a wuss or what....
This experience left me in shock most of the night; i didn't sleep well at all.
7/5/08: Off to the reunion at Centre Inn in Sheatown (Newport Twp)....the backwoods of Nanticoke, PA. Got there about 1 pm. The Inn was closed and the parking lot had but 2 cars meandering about. Who should walk up the hill as we were pondering where the hell the clambake was but Bobby Brittain, my homie from Lee Park. We grew up together, really. His family's home and mom&pop grocery store were but 3 houses away on Wyoming and Oxford Sts. A woman was with him; I assumed it was his wife Linda and introduced myself. Was I ever embarrassed to learn that it wasn't his wife, but one of our home room classmates (for 5 years no less), whom I did not recognize because she was heavier, had glasses and had lightened her once very dark hair.
After Bobby, Vern and I parked our cars, I asked him where Linda went. He said, "Linda's at home painting." I said, "Well, who was that woman with you?". And then he told me it was our classmate since 8th grade, Mary (Marion) Boyle. Immediately, I found Mary in the pavilion and apologized profusely. She said she was confused, because she thought it was me, but the tags on my car were from New Jersey and she knew I lived in AZ.
Overall, the reunion was soooo much fun. Except for the fact that this was an unconventional 42nd reunion of the class of '66, it was a warm, loving gathering of 60-year old 'kids' who had many stories to tell. Beetle warned me that i wouldn't recognize many and they me, and he was dead-on. Generally, the men lost hair and the women gained weight and dyed theirs......most of us wore glasses and those men who had hair were white, silver, and grey. I don't remember any of the women in my class going grey...such vanity, but after all, we are baby-boomers and wanna stay young 4-ever.
A really nice surprise at the reunion was my longtime friend from PA Gas and Water Company, Rick Wilkes. He biked to the Inn from his home many miles away in the far reaches of Nanticoke backcountry, Wapwallopen. I was sitting at a picnic table in the pavilion delighting in greeting old mates when I glanced at someone sitting quietly at a picnic table across from me. It was Ricky, decked out in full bicyclist regalia! I was delighted to see him, but sooooo taken aback.
Unfortunately, our visit was brief....i was totally overwhelmed by the reunion experience and was unable to focus for longer than 30 seconds of conversation. Rick said that one of these days he's going to bike cross-country and stop in Tucson. He visited our home in Yuma several years ago on a road trip to CA to pan for gold. It was great seeing him hale and healthy (looks really lean from all the bicycling), despite his heavy consumption of kielbasa and beer. If you read this, Rick, keep in mind that i am expecting you to visit us and i promise to be more attentive....you'll be my captive audience!
The night before the reunion, Vern asked me "just what is a clambake", as this type of party is unheard of in the South, where he grew up. I said it was not really easy to paint a visual of one with words, then attempted by saying, "well, there's a grove or pavilion with benches and picnic tables, and a kitchen at one end. Folks are served breakfast, lunch, and dinner there. There's always one or more brews on tap, soda, and plenty of ice. At some point during the day, all are served a generous portion of steamed clams. Some clambakes have a live band, but today djs are popular."
And thus, Vern attended his first clambake. He only ate a couple clams, declared they were too "chewy" and gave his to me (i was NOT disappointed).
The day ended for us around 7 pm. We drove to a city about 20 miles from W-B (Hazleton) and checked into a Fairfield Marriott. I wanted some place that was non-smoking. PA legislature is trying to pass a non-smoking law, but at present, it has more holes than Swiss cheese. We stayed there Sat and Sun nights.
7/6/08: Picked up my childhood friend, Kathleen Reiss (president of club 7), and we drove to Tunkhannock to meet with my sister, Jo Anne, and her husband, Mike. We met at what used to be a country dairy and ice cream bar near Lake Carey, PA. My family (2 aunts/1 uncle) owned a cottage at the lake, where J and I had a childhood full of great times. The former Shadowbrook Diner was now a Perkins, but we ate there for old times sake, overlooking the resort and golf course. Then we drove out to the lake and circled it, checking out the changes that have occurred since we were teenagers. A tornado hit the lake several years ago, but its effects were not very evident on the small lake (there are 2), where our cottage was located. Nevertheless, the cottage retained none of its previous charm. It looks like it was remodelled to become a year-round home. No more screened-in back and front porches, no more outhouse. Looked like any other city home. After our goodbyes with J and Mike, we drove back to W-B the back way along the Susquehanna River. This route brings you to West Pittston, so we drove K to the LaPorte house to show her the changes. Then, we stopped for another Sabatini's to take home with us.
Went to K's house, where Vern set up her VCR/DVD and rearranged furniture. I helped her navigate her word processing software on a computer she inherited from her deceased cousin. After eating more pizza (i'll never get sick of Sabatini's pies), we drove back to Hazleton.
7/7/08: Went back into town to say goodbye to Beetle and to visit my Aunt Rose Wargo (age 85) and my mother's cousin Mikey's widow, Helen Sirak. It rained most of the day. The humidity about killed me.
Late in the day, we had supper at Abe's, famous for its hot dogs (unlike anything in TN or AZ). I had some homemade pierogies too (they paled compared to my mom's). Then we drove 2 hr to NJ to my mother's brother Dick's house. We stayed at another Marriott about 1 mile from his house, cuz he doesn't believe in air-conditioning and I don't believe in dying of heatstroke.
Visited with him the next day and part of Wednesday. We got some goodies at his favorite deli to take back with us. Unfortunately, our visit was extended, though not at our choosing. Delta cancelled our return flight from Newark on Wed, 7/9, because of bad weather. Had to stay near the Newark airport overnight and catch a 6 a.m. flight. That meant we had to arise at 4 a.m. to catch a hotel shuttle. THIS SUKKED BIG TIME.
My tail dragged heavily behind me all day. Could not wait to get home to my own bed. On a positive note, DL placed us in first class for the 2 hr flight to Atlanta, so we got some free headphones and extra legroom. We arrived in Tucson late in the a.m. and spent the rest of the day at home doing nada.
I'm going to save my recollection of Trip #2 for another day. I'm fairly certain that this long-winded post has less than captivated yer all's attention. But i need to keep the blog alive as i age so that i'll be able to "jog down mem'ry lane" as Steven so often reminds me.
Blessings to all,
a
Since I've last been on the blog, we've lost 2 Colorado river toads to the elements in our pool. These brazen toadies believe that we put in the pool just for their personal use. When we got back from trip #1 to PA, we found one floating and one in the skimmer basket, eroded to skin and bones. YUK!
While I cleaned the pool after trip #2 (Rochester and Ithaca, NY), a third toad did a backflip off the skimmer flap into the pool right next to me! I quickly lifted Sir/Mdme Toad out with the net and deposited him/her on the pool deck. This booger was HUGE....glared at me with huge bugged out eyes for interfering with its plans....eventually hopped thru the fence to its burrow. These monster amphibians are poisonous (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_River_Toad)....they present a deadly curiosity to predators and playful house pets. White sacs on the side of the head contain venom. Wouldn't ya know it....tweakers and other dopers out there "milk" these sacs, then dry the venom and smoke or inject it for kicks...bizarre.
Re: Trip #1, Wilkes-Barre, PA, and Paramus, NJ
7/3/08: Flew Delta thru Atlanta to W-B...no issues, nice flights. Vern watched a movie without headphones...even laughed at stuff...i dunno how he does it, good lipreader i guess.
Spent 7/3 and 7/4 nites at Comfort Inn, W-B...not prime real estate but in a convenient location to surf my old haunts.
7/4/08: Friday, slept late, lunch at Perkins, visited Uncle Beetle (George), my mom's youngest brother, then off to Exeter, PA, for the world's BEST pizza at Sabatini's....mmmm, salivating thinking of it.
As part of this excursion, we drove to West Pittston, where I lived for 6 years (early '70s) in the LaPorte family home. It was a lovely Victorian mansion built in 1870. My ex-husband and I lived on the second floor on the left side of the home. Had floor-to-ceiling bay windows in all rooms, hardwood floors, huge pedestal sink, fireplace (non-working). I still dream about this apartment, as it holds some great memories of a very active period of my life. When i visited W-B in 04, the house was under some sort of construction. I was puzzled, but hesitated to inquire of the laborers the nature of their work. I thought maybe someone had purchased the house and was remodelling. I left pondering its future.
During July's visit, I was shocked and awed to see the house transformed into a full stacked-stone castle! The new owners retained the buggy stair-step and the hitching post, which pleased me, but what a change!
We circled to the back of the house, which sits on its own acre-island on Susquehanna Avenue, and had to stop for some folks shooting off fireworks. After we stopped, I noticed a swimming pool in the back yard and a young woman and an older one descending the back porch and walking toward us, where the group was doing the fireworks.
I said hello, and asked if these folks were related to the owner. The young woman said, "I am the owner!" I then told her how I had lived there for many years and how wonderful my landlord and her daughters treated me. Told her about every Sunday afternoon, when Mrs. LaPorte (the mom) would send one of her adult daughters up the back porch with a plate of spaghetti w/ chicken livers for me. Also about how I scared them many times when one of my hamsters got loose. She told me she knew the LaPortes and that Julie was the only one still alive. Said after the home was completed, she gave Julie a tour. Julie is probably close to 80, but managed to make it to the 3rd floor of the home on her own.
The lady introduced herself as Pam Minichello and said that she'd bought the home at a Sheriff's auction for the price of the land (a terrific steal). Apparently, after Mrs. LP and 2 of the 3 daughters had died, the home became too much of a burden for Julie. Her brother Gaetano (Guy) then sold it for $550K to a pulmonary doctor. The Dr. planned to renovate and live there, but never got around to it (family problems, divorce etc.) and split town without paying the note. Eventually, the property went up for Sheriff's sale and the Minichellos purchased it. I told Pam to say hello from me to Julie should she run into her at the supermarket, which she said happens occasionally. She offered for us to tour the remodelled house, but I couldn't bring myself to see it different than I remembered. Am I a wuss or what....
This experience left me in shock most of the night; i didn't sleep well at all.
7/5/08: Off to the reunion at Centre Inn in Sheatown (Newport Twp)....the backwoods of Nanticoke, PA. Got there about 1 pm. The Inn was closed and the parking lot had but 2 cars meandering about. Who should walk up the hill as we were pondering where the hell the clambake was but Bobby Brittain, my homie from Lee Park. We grew up together, really. His family's home and mom&pop grocery store were but 3 houses away on Wyoming and Oxford Sts. A woman was with him; I assumed it was his wife Linda and introduced myself. Was I ever embarrassed to learn that it wasn't his wife, but one of our home room classmates (for 5 years no less), whom I did not recognize because she was heavier, had glasses and had lightened her once very dark hair.
After Bobby, Vern and I parked our cars, I asked him where Linda went. He said, "Linda's at home painting." I said, "Well, who was that woman with you?". And then he told me it was our classmate since 8th grade, Mary (Marion) Boyle. Immediately, I found Mary in the pavilion and apologized profusely. She said she was confused, because she thought it was me, but the tags on my car were from New Jersey and she knew I lived in AZ.
Overall, the reunion was soooo much fun. Except for the fact that this was an unconventional 42nd reunion of the class of '66, it was a warm, loving gathering of 60-year old 'kids' who had many stories to tell. Beetle warned me that i wouldn't recognize many and they me, and he was dead-on. Generally, the men lost hair and the women gained weight and dyed theirs......most of us wore glasses and those men who had hair were white, silver, and grey. I don't remember any of the women in my class going grey...such vanity, but after all, we are baby-boomers and wanna stay young 4-ever.
A really nice surprise at the reunion was my longtime friend from PA Gas and Water Company, Rick Wilkes. He biked to the Inn from his home many miles away in the far reaches of Nanticoke backcountry, Wapwallopen. I was sitting at a picnic table in the pavilion delighting in greeting old mates when I glanced at someone sitting quietly at a picnic table across from me. It was Ricky, decked out in full bicyclist regalia! I was delighted to see him, but sooooo taken aback.
Unfortunately, our visit was brief....i was totally overwhelmed by the reunion experience and was unable to focus for longer than 30 seconds of conversation. Rick said that one of these days he's going to bike cross-country and stop in Tucson. He visited our home in Yuma several years ago on a road trip to CA to pan for gold. It was great seeing him hale and healthy (looks really lean from all the bicycling), despite his heavy consumption of kielbasa and beer. If you read this, Rick, keep in mind that i am expecting you to visit us and i promise to be more attentive....you'll be my captive audience!
The night before the reunion, Vern asked me "just what is a clambake", as this type of party is unheard of in the South, where he grew up. I said it was not really easy to paint a visual of one with words, then attempted by saying, "well, there's a grove or pavilion with benches and picnic tables, and a kitchen at one end. Folks are served breakfast, lunch, and dinner there. There's always one or more brews on tap, soda, and plenty of ice. At some point during the day, all are served a generous portion of steamed clams. Some clambakes have a live band, but today djs are popular."
And thus, Vern attended his first clambake. He only ate a couple clams, declared they were too "chewy" and gave his to me (i was NOT disappointed).
The day ended for us around 7 pm. We drove to a city about 20 miles from W-B (Hazleton) and checked into a Fairfield Marriott. I wanted some place that was non-smoking. PA legislature is trying to pass a non-smoking law, but at present, it has more holes than Swiss cheese. We stayed there Sat and Sun nights.
7/6/08: Picked up my childhood friend, Kathleen Reiss (president of club 7), and we drove to Tunkhannock to meet with my sister, Jo Anne, and her husband, Mike. We met at what used to be a country dairy and ice cream bar near Lake Carey, PA. My family (2 aunts/1 uncle) owned a cottage at the lake, where J and I had a childhood full of great times. The former Shadowbrook Diner was now a Perkins, but we ate there for old times sake, overlooking the resort and golf course. Then we drove out to the lake and circled it, checking out the changes that have occurred since we were teenagers. A tornado hit the lake several years ago, but its effects were not very evident on the small lake (there are 2), where our cottage was located. Nevertheless, the cottage retained none of its previous charm. It looks like it was remodelled to become a year-round home. No more screened-in back and front porches, no more outhouse. Looked like any other city home. After our goodbyes with J and Mike, we drove back to W-B the back way along the Susquehanna River. This route brings you to West Pittston, so we drove K to the LaPorte house to show her the changes. Then, we stopped for another Sabatini's to take home with us.
Went to K's house, where Vern set up her VCR/DVD and rearranged furniture. I helped her navigate her word processing software on a computer she inherited from her deceased cousin. After eating more pizza (i'll never get sick of Sabatini's pies), we drove back to Hazleton.
7/7/08: Went back into town to say goodbye to Beetle and to visit my Aunt Rose Wargo (age 85) and my mother's cousin Mikey's widow, Helen Sirak. It rained most of the day. The humidity about killed me.
Late in the day, we had supper at Abe's, famous for its hot dogs (unlike anything in TN or AZ). I had some homemade pierogies too (they paled compared to my mom's). Then we drove 2 hr to NJ to my mother's brother Dick's house. We stayed at another Marriott about 1 mile from his house, cuz he doesn't believe in air-conditioning and I don't believe in dying of heatstroke.
Visited with him the next day and part of Wednesday. We got some goodies at his favorite deli to take back with us. Unfortunately, our visit was extended, though not at our choosing. Delta cancelled our return flight from Newark on Wed, 7/9, because of bad weather. Had to stay near the Newark airport overnight and catch a 6 a.m. flight. That meant we had to arise at 4 a.m. to catch a hotel shuttle. THIS SUKKED BIG TIME.
My tail dragged heavily behind me all day. Could not wait to get home to my own bed. On a positive note, DL placed us in first class for the 2 hr flight to Atlanta, so we got some free headphones and extra legroom. We arrived in Tucson late in the a.m. and spent the rest of the day at home doing nada.
I'm going to save my recollection of Trip #2 for another day. I'm fairly certain that this long-winded post has less than captivated yer all's attention. But i need to keep the blog alive as i age so that i'll be able to "jog down mem'ry lane" as Steven so often reminds me.
Blessings to all,
a
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