Good morning everyone, today is April 28, 2021. And it is hump day already, Wednesday the middle of the week. The weather today is promising to reach 84 degrees but cloudy. How nice that warm air will feel. I hope everyone can enjoy it a little. I also hope all is well with everyone today.

Today I am going to intrude on you for maybe a minute. Several months ago I felt something on my leg that felt like a scab but it never went away. On a visit to the podiatrist I asked her to look at it. After an exam she said she did not know what it was and referred me to a dermatologist. The dermatologist did not know what it was either but thought a dead blood vessel and removed it and as with everything now sent it for a biopsy, it came back not benign, I can’t use that word referring to me. It’s just a fear. Now Marylou has assured me it’s not a big deal and it just has to be scrapped away. But things that are not major always backfire on me. They once had to put stints in my stomach, St Barnabas could not do it so I was sent to NYC as an emergency and within an hour I was in surgery. When they had to be removed the doctor said ‘ not a big deal’ come in the morning half hour we take them out and you go home. It took 8 hours to get them out and a two week stay. When it comes to me I’ve come to realize everything is a big deal. But that’s me, if you know me you know that’s how I am everything I do is a big deal.

Now my intrusion is please take a minute and just offer a quick prayer that all goes well this morning. All my life I have believed in two things, no doctor works alone the big guy is always behind him guiding him, helping. Two the power of prayer, nothing is stronger than that. Movies have even been made about it, one of the greatest movies of all time ‘ It’s a Wonderful Life’, in the beginning the angel Clarence says there have been so many prayers for George Bailey that they were sending him down to help. So prayers can move mountains and I firmly believe in them. I think I know most of you will help me out, so I am thanking you in advance.

I’m sure Marylou is right, everything is going to be fine and I will be bothering you again tomorrow morning. But it is reassuring to know that prayers have been sent in advance to alert the big guy to watch out for me.

Now , remember today is going to be the warmest day of the year so far, take advantage of that maybe we can even shed our coats, but whatever you do enjoy. We will talk soon, Til Tomorrow!

Good morning all, today is April 26, 2021, Monday. So we start a fresh new week today, the weather report is favorable with temperatures into the high 50’ and sunny . So it sounds like we should have a pretty favorable day. The kids will be able to spend time outside along with us to get fresh air in our lungs, which we need to keep doing. Supposedly the governor has a major announcement today about moving forward, it will be interesting to hear what he has to say.

Last night we got to watch the Academy Awards, a night to celebrate the movie industry, many of you are saying who cares and to a certain degree you are right, I watched for about 15 minutes and could take no more. But I am as you know of a certain age where movies were an important part of growing up. When I was small television was a very new thing so we still went to the movies a lot. Remember the movies were the major source of entertainment for the first half of the 20 th century, most times you got to see two movies. As a kid we could spend all afternoon at the movies , I loved watching westerns and adventures like Sinbad. Then it was the date of choice, you went to the movies and an ice cream or hamburger after. My first date withmarylou was I remember the movies. In the summer you looked forward to it because they were air conditioned. I remember seeing Jaws at the Claridge Theater in Montclair with the two Marylou’s we Waited for hours to get in to watch a movie that changed my feelings about ocean swimming forever. Or the night we saw Love Story and at the end you could hear actual sobbing, when a man got up and yelled are you people crazy it’s a movie not a funeral.

So it was natural for us to look up to the people who starred in these movies and to watch the Academy Awards to see them honored. What they wore set the style for formal wear for the year. When I had the women’s clothing store I read Women’s Wear Daily and they would devote several editons to the fashions of the Oscars. I had a friend whose father in law owned a famous dress manufacturing business and the factories busiest night was the Oscars he had people copy and manufacture the designs immediately and they were in the stores the next day. Many a girl wore copies to the prom.

Then as all things change so did the Oscars. They became a political forum in many ways. Not that we didn’t love movies stars but that’s what they were entertainers meant to entertainj not political anyalist who really cared about their political views.then it became a racial forum, yes I’m sure many black entertainers were slighted and that was wrong. But now by saying black actors need to be honored you lower the standards of it all not because of them being black but because now you are making it unfair and take the honor away from people like Hattie McDaniel. And Sidney Poirtier, and Hallie Berry who won for their craft, being the BEST performer of the year not the color of their skin. We need to stop looking at that if we ever want to all be the same. We are all the same regardless of our skin tone or nationality. I hope I did not offend anyone by these remarks that was not my intention.

Before I close today, I want to remember two friends of mine who attended the Academy Awards every year a brother and sister. He died a few years ago a fine actor and his sister who died of COVID this year along with her son. So we need to be thankful for what we have lived through. So have a great day and enjoy the weather. Til Tomorrow!

Good morning all, today is April 26, 2021, Monday. So we start a fresh new week today, the weather report is favorable with temperatures into the high 50’ and sunny . So it sounds like we should have a pretty favorable day. The kids will be able to spend time outside along with us to get fresh air in our lungs, which we need to keep doing. Supposedly the governor has a major announcement today about moving forward, it will be interesting to hear what he has to say.

Last night we got to watch the Academy Awards, a night to celebrate the movie industry, many of you are saying who cares and to a certain degree you are right, I watched for about 15 minutes and could take no more. But I am as you know of a certain age where movies were an important part of growing up. When I was small television was a very new thing so we still went to the movies a lot. Remember the movies were the major source of entertainment for the first half of the 20 th century, most times you got to see two movies. As a kid we could spend all afternoon at the movies , I loved watching westerns and adventures like Sinbad. Then it was the date of choice, you went to the movies and an ice cream or hamburger after. My first date withmarylou was I remember the movies. In the summer you looked forward to it because they were air conditioned. I remember seeing Jaws at the Claridge Theater in Montclair with the two Marylou’s we Waited for hours to get in to watch a movie that changed my feelings about ocean swimming forever. Or the night we saw Love Story and at the end you could hear actual sobbing, when a man got up and yelled are you people crazy it’s a movie not a funeral.

So it was natural for us to look up to the people who starred in these movies and to watch the Academy Awards to see them honored. What they wore set the style for formal wear for the year. When I had the women’s clothing store I read Women’s Wear Daily and they would devote several editons to the fashions of the Oscars. I had a friend whose father in law owned a famous dress manufacturing business and the factories busiest night was the Oscars he had people copy and manufacture the designs immediately and they were in the stores the next day. Many a girl wore copies to the prom.

Then as all things change so did the Oscars. They became a political forum in many ways. Not that we didn’t love movies stars but that’s what they were entertainers meant to entertainj not political anyalist who really cared about their political views.then it became a racial forum, yes I’m sure many black entertainers were slighted and that was wrong. But now by saying black actors need to be honored you lower the standards of it all not because of them being black but because now you are making it unfair and take the honor away from people like Hattie McDaniel. And Sidney Poirtier, and Hallie Berry who won for their craft, being the BEST performer of the year not the color of their skin. We need to stop looking at that if we ever want to all be the same. We are all the same regardless of our skin tone or nationality. I hope I did not offend anyone by these remarks that was not my intention.

Before I close today, I want to remember two friends of mine who attended the Academy Awards every year a brother and sister. He died a few years ago a fine actor and his sister who died of COVID this year along with her son. So we need to be thankful for what we have lived through. So have a great day and enjoy the weather. Til Tomorrow!

Good morning everyone, today is April 25, 2021, yes it is also Sunday. I just looked outside and the weather people got it right, it is raining but they Ali promise clearing later, we shall see. So I commend Amanda for her decision to change the date of the party, it worked out great.

Now we put the 5th birthday to bed and await next year. The party was a huge success and I feel everyone had a good time , it was a good feeling because I think most people were more relaxed because most were fully vaccinated and a lot of apprehension was gone, so it almost felt like days gone by. There was a tremendous amount of food but there always is, my motto has always been to have more than less. I would be so embarrassed if people ever left my house hungry or wanting for something I did not offer. But that has has never happened to me. I know that is an old standing joke about Italians, that we serve too much food but I really believe that all cultures do the same thing. Once at a Portuguese home when the hostess brought out the shrimp, I said to myself I never saw so many shrimp how will eat we eat it all, but there was not one left or a Greek home there was so much lamb, again all gone. Then there is always the multitude of desserts. So again serveing too much food is not just something Italians do every culture over feeds their guests. It is a way of showing you are welcome there and a wanted guest. I hope to never end this practice.

I have worn many hats in my life but teaching I feel was the most rewarding, not the most profitable but gave me a real

sense of purpose. Yesterday when the Ice Truck pulled up and all the children arrived it was a beautiful sight. They all lined up and got there ice from the woman and sat around everywhere to eat it, parents and siblings all joined in, then as children do ran to play with each other. The yard looked like a park. Many parents expressed to Amanda that this was the first actual outside birthday party they had been to, not a family function because of COVID. This broke my heart because this was also Rocco’s first party with his little friends. You know I have felt along that the children would be the hardest hit through all of this, and they are, they have been deprived of so much, we can’t even imagine the residual of this yet. Some will never remember it and then there will be some that the affects will be long lasting. But I do see some real light at the end of this tunnel, some lessening of fear. Thank God, maybe he is hearing our prayers.

So today again is Sunday the Lords Day and he gave us this beautiful day of rest. Even though it is raining take advantage of the gift don’t squander and waste it. Do something to make yourself happy the way he intended it to be. Again I am thankful and humbled by all the Birthday wishes you sent our way, they are greatly appreciated. Well that’s it for today so remember enjoy your day and we will talk soon Til Tomorrow!

Good morning everyone, today is Saturday April 24, 2021. The weather supposedly is going to be nice today, let’s pray the meteorologists are right on this one , if not the house will be wall to wall people. Again we made another week, schools seem to be mostly all open for in person learning, thank god for the kids, but I know it has just given teachers more to do on top of everything else they do. Last night I heard Mayor Di Blasio say if you want things to open get vaccinated. I agree with him to a point but I didn’t like the threat behind that statement, yes I am vaccinated and so is Marylou and most of my friends and family but it was our choice to do so. You don’t have the right to force people to do something. That’s all I’m going to say on that today because I don’t want to get political esp today.

Today we celebrate the culmination of the Birthday Week, the big party, I have to admit I’m a little excited to celebrate today and see people I have not seen in a while. When Amanda suggested a party, I actually gave it some thought, have the party or celebrated another way. In the end I said have the party, there is something special about a backyard party, growing up most of the parties were that and we always enjoyed them. Look i have always loved the idea of having people over, my parents loved it, my in laws loved it. So it is just a tradition to us to have people here. I had a friend who is now deceased but was always at my house and he once said to me you really need to get a Neon sign on your front lawn OPEN. Look this is how we get to know each other and children get to know their extended family and they are part of something. You know with luck and gods help I am reunited with family after over 50 years. There are cousins out there that share my heritage all over the country and when I post or we write to each other we still share a common bond after all these years, because growing up we were part of each other’s lives. There is that old sayin I never see you only at weddings and funerals, now weddings are so expensive you can’t afford to invite everyone you want. Funerals, if there is one thing I detest it is a funeral, I am not alone I’m sure you all agree on that. However , I feel I have said goodbye to to many people and I don’t like good byes it’s a finality, an end and that is one thing I can’t take, it just bothers me, a good bye for any reason. So before that happens let’s celebrate and be happy together. There is not one person on this Facebook that follows what I write that I wouldn’t give anything to sit and have a cup of coffee and kibbitz or with (talk). That would be a dream come true.

So today we will make some momories that we will carry in our hearts for years. It will take its place along side all the others. I know that sounds dramatic but to a person like me that really never forgets anything these events are important how else could I have such a bank of memories, in a way that makes me a rich man. As Aunt Dee used to say you people have a lot of Bongets (parties} she was right and in my heart she is still here and so are all the rest so there really will never be a good bye from me. Enough of that today.

Remember to enjoy yourself today and if you are lonely and want to be with someone messenger me and come on over.there is plenty of food. The Food Network chef Jeff Mauro just wrote a book and the title is ‘ Come On Over ‘ of course he is Italian and that’s the way we are, the more the merrier. I will post pictures for those who live to far or those who cannot join me. I really better get moving today. Til Tomorrow!