Good Morning everyone, today is Tuesday June, 23, 2021. The weather right now looks pretty good but we place spin the dice for later, who knows what we will get.

When I was a little boy my grandmothers bedroom was next to mine and every time she went out I would watch a ritual she did when she got home. Now these were the days when women wore gloves to social events. One day I asked her what are you doing, she answered I’m putting my gloves away so the stay nice. She said here feel them, I did they were the softest leather I ever felt , she said they are kid skin. Right now I can’t remember what that animal either a goat or a lamb. But years later I read you raise a child with kid gloves, and I thought back to that bedroom and the care that was given to those gloves. I knew right then if god gave me children this is how they would be raised.

Now in 1985 he blessed Marylou and I with a daughter, so I know how this child was going to be raised, not 10 minutes after her birth both the obstetrician and pediatrician who both I knew personally said to me who is going to pay for everything this child gets and needs. Luckily she was a decent child yes spoiled in every way but never greedy and self centered. I can take no credit for that, that is all her mother, one of the most unselfish women I ever met. Her father would say she had everything withou even asking and I guess that is true. But my relationship with Amanda has always been close, that’s how you raise a daughter to be self reliant, good self esteem and an all around good person, after all children are you life.

Now that lasts only a short time and then you are replaced by another man who they fall in love with and want to marry. Which to me is one of the hardest things a man will do in life surrender his daughter to someone else. You pray they will work together to have a good and happy life and God once again answered my prayers by sending Ronnie, He loves and cares for my daughter in more ways than I dreamed possible. He is even Italian so shares many of my values. Which I think has some importance.

So the wedding, what kind of wedding do you give a child that you have given everything to for her whole life, how do you make a lasting memory to live forever. What kind of dress will fit this occasion. As I looked at the wedding wall in my house I thought someday her picture in her gown will take its place with all the rest of our family so it better be good,

Now I believe all brides are beautiful, I think every girl looks absolutely gorgeous on their wedding day a picture of innocence and happiness. However I am being selfish here but no two brides have ever been more beautiful to me than my wife and my daughter , to me they set the gold standard .

Now the reception, I respect anyone who says we’ll have a small wedding , we don’t want a big elaborate affair that’s beautiful for them. However that was not my style, I wanted to give my daughter and new son a party that would last in the memory of people for a long time. A party outstanding but not gaudy or over the top, then it starts to look Gavone an Italian word meaning low class and trying to hard. This I would never do. This was something I worked my whole life to do and it was going to be the best, and it was everything was outstanding. Everyone who has a wedding feels the same as I do as I am explaining now. Every wedding is outstanding, I personally love going to weddings.

Well June 21, 2013 came, and it was a beautiful day as far as weather almost perfect, everything was set. The brides maids and maid of honor were more beautiful than I’ve ever seen. When I saw my wife she looked as much like a Queen as I have always made her. But when Amanda walked out my heart just broke, I was so happy for her. As we walked the aisle in church I said to myself this is one of the hardest things a man will ever do, let his daughter go under the protection of some one else. I know that sounds archaic and women do not need a man for protection like that anymore but it is symbolism. I didn’t know how I was going to get through it, but I did as men have for all time and will for the rest of time. That is how life goes on.

Well that union has produced 2 of the most special people in my life, they are the future of the family. At the wedding everyone toasted cin ton, 100 years, but I changed my feeling on that now I saw mil ton 1000 years. The legacy of this whole family should last 1000 years.like the Roman Empire. These two little boys and a lot of cousins will make that happen. Our tree is a mighty oak.

So , before I close Happy Anniversary to Ronnie ad Amanda.

Now the sun is coming in, so I will take my leave Til Tomorrow!

Good Morning everyone, today is June 19, 2021. It’s the Saturday of Father’s Day weekend. So I am celebrating the entire weekend, I feel I am untitled to that. Yesterday I shared that I would talk about father’s for the next few days and I am. I thought a lot about this yesterday, we all will talk about our fathers and I will to. We talk about new fathers, today I am going to celebrate Julian, my adopted third son at lunch during Colleens shower. Because we will have a new addition in about 6 weeks. So he will be a new father. We talk about men who have adopted children, adopted fathers, who raise and nourish in every way a child not of them. And in my life I am a father and once a new father but my role now is that of Grandfather. Somehow we don’t talk about that as much as we should so today that is what I want to talk about.

Now I have never experienced a grandfather because they had gone to eternal rest long before I was born, so this has been a new role for me , never having a role model.

Many, many years ago I read a short story by Tolstoy, The Granfather and His Grandson, I will relate quickly. The granfather had grown old and the peasant and his wife were nasty to him. One day he broke his dish, she screamed at him and told him he could no longer eat with them and she would not give him a dish but a wooden bowl and he would eat by the stove not at the table. A few weeks later the peasant and his wife saw their small son putting pieces of wood together o the floor.when they asked him what he was doing , he replied I’m making bowls for you and mama for when you get old.with tears in their eye they realized what they had done. From then on The Granfather ate at the table and gained a new respect. This has been one of my favorite tales for most of my life and through the years have read it to many students.

I guess the role of Grandfather is unique and special. The emotional closeness that children share with their grandparents is like nothing else it is not visable in any other relationship. Children feel happy and secure. Butalso deeply valued and cherished. Being who I am gives me the license to do many things a parent doesn’t one of my favorites is listen to the stories he tells no matter how uninteresting they are, to me the are great works in progress. Another is extending life stories with them, if I don’t teach them, they will never know because sometimes the parents don’t know. Making sure they are well cared for and their needs met, that is not really an issue here but who would go to store after store to find the right digestive biscuit for the morning, or stand in the toy aisle for 20 minutes and look at the same toys. Relaxing rules but guarding we don’t overdo. Doing activities. These are the things Bebop does.

So being a grandfather is very special work and it takes a lot of time and patience. I guess that’s what retirement is for. Again I emphasize the the role as keeper of the legacy, if it continues it can last 1000 years. So I want to wish all my friends and family who are grandfathers a Happy Fathers Day.

I didn’t mention weather today because I am out here on the porch speaking with you. A little cool but it is so peaceful. I can see the garden, my geraniums. The herb garden in full bloom. But a nut like me also sees all I need to do instead of relaxing. However, I vowed this weekend I was going to take it easy. We’ll see how that goes.

Well the coffee is ready so I’m going to indulge, have a great day, take a minute and think of your Bebop it could produce some nice results. We will talk soon. Til Tomorrow!

Good Morning everyone, today is Friday, June 18, 2021. I will only say this today about the weather, it is beautiful out, I have already ventured out so I can vouch for it. Well this weekend is cause for big celebrations, it is Father’s Day Sunday so of course I will celebrate it all weekend, why not, any reason to celebrate is good. So for the next few days father’s will be my topic because in thinking about, I can not just take one post and say all I have to say about Fatherhood. Which I will admit and I’m sure most men will agree Fatherhood is a scary proposition, not taking anything away from motherhood, you know how I feel about that, nothing is like that. When Justin was born, it hit me this will be my responsibility for the rest of my life, all I do will impact his life. Ultimately Amanda to. The least infraction I did would affect them.

I found this many months ago and saved it to share with you on Father’s Day. Fathers are not born but made. A man does simply not become a father by bringing a child into this world, but by taking up the responsibility to care for that child. Whenever a man accepts responsibility for the life of another, in some way he becomes a father to that person. When I read that I realized how true it is.

Today I want to pay honor to a special group of men, men who have done something for their families that I don’t know if I would have the courage to do without the help of God. The group I am talking about are men who have emigrated to a new country for the safety and well being of their family. In wanting only the best life for their children left behind everything to start a new life in a new country. I can only imagine the fortitude these men had and have to do this. When I thought to write about this I thought of St. Joseph to me one of the best fathers ever. He left Israel for Egypt for the safety of his child. Jesus ‘s safety was the only thing important. Now you know I absolutely respect the immigrants that came at the turn of the century for a better life, and I am product of that migration, but I also mean the men that come now for a better life for their children. They come from every country in the world, they face many things and overcome them, prejudice, speaking ability, housing, jobs, sometimes unfamiliar to them, a certain loss of independence, and many other variables. I salute this group of father’s today and thank them for the sacrifices they have made.

Well, we will talk soon Til Tomorrow!

Good Morning everyone, today is June 15,2021 it is a Tuesday. Today they are promising a sunny day, but I have become skeptical of their predictions so I will wait and see.

I am angry with myself because I let yesterday June 14th go without a mention. It is a day we as Americans should all remember and revere. It was Flag Day, a day set aside to celebrate the Stars and Stripes, the flag of the greatest country in the world. When that flag was unfurled throughout its history it has always meant freedom and safety for millions of people. In every war since 1777, when the flag was adopted, when people saw it they know safety was at hand and they could live free again. I can only imagine the delight of the people as the flag led the parade of liberation down the Champs d Leyea in Paris on liberation Day or the rising of the flag on Iwo Jima.

As children we celebrated Flag Day every year in school with an outside presentation and ceremony. We were taught to respect , that word again, the flag and what it stood for. Everyday the flag was raised and lowered and if, if you were lucky enough you got to raise it or lower it and fold it the proper way. We were also taught it was never to be worn as clothing, used as bedding , never at all cost let it touch the ground, so it could never be walked upon. This is just the way it was and we respected the symbol.

However, during the most unpopular war I feel of all times The Vietnam War changed all that. As a form of protest the flag was often desecrated, disrespected and even set afire, here we were destroying the ultimate symbol of freedom, so a law was passed to protect the flag. 20years later the Supreme Court decided that it was against the second amendment to prevent people from doing as they choose to the flag. In my estimation but really who am I but these are my thoughts that was the beginning of the breakdown of a respectful society, today people feel they have the right to do whatever they chose, and they do, you know why? Because we live under the protection of the greatest symbol of Freedom The Flag of The United States of America. Again I am angry with myself because I did not write this yesterday.

The picture I have posted is of Pasta with Peas and asparagus, with Pancetta. This is a big dish in Naples during the spring. I have not had this in many years and frankly I didn’t like it as a child but then again I don’t think my grandmother made it with imported peas from Italy. If she knew she probably would hit me in the back of the head for spending money on imported peas. It was very delicious.

Well I stand corrected, what is outside my window , the Sun, it’s still alive, so I will say good bye for now, enjoy the yellow orb today, see you soon till Tomorrow.

Good Morning everyone, today is Monday June 14, 2021. A new week to look forward to, I wish I could tell you it’s a beautiful day however that is not possible once again. But that is very shortsighted of me because every day that we wake up and live our life is a beautiful day.

Now I have never been a fan of lawn signs, they tend to annoy me most of the time because I don’t think they do anything but show how people are different, it brings attention to that fact, your political views, racial division. But as I drive around I see a new kind of sign, signs that signify a person in that house is graduating from some school or another, these signs I like they show achievements by people.

I think as human beings and a society we live with certain expectations of our lives. Over the years these expectations have changed they are no longer so rigid. As children we were expected to do well in school that was our job and we were expected to do the best we could, so we put a lot of pressure on ourselves. As a newlywed, we wanted to do better than the generations before us to have the best in life, as parents we expected ourselves to raise perfect children that would excel in all aspects of our their lives. In our professions we expected ourselves to be the best , teacher, doctor, nurse, clerk, truck driver whatever you chose we were expect excellence. This attitude is wonderful to have it shows the ethics you have but sometimes those expectations are set to high and we wind up destroying or hurting ourselves with too much pressure. For many years I was victim to this, I always felt I could have done better. You wind up being unsatisfied with everything, and nothing is good enough. That is the problem with expectations. I fight that inner battle everyday. Covid did not help that, now I fell nothing is clean or safe enough but I realize the fault and am trying to rectify it.

That’s why now I am such an advocate of being happy and I seem to preach it everyday. Now I’m not a fool and want to live wreckless or in a gilded world, I know the realities and struggles of life we go through everyday. What I want is to find things as small or as large as you can handle just to bring a smile or some inner peace. In our world today we all need that.

So when I see those lawn signs of graduations it makes me happy to see achievement and the person sees their name in lights so to speak and they are proud of themselves, they know they have achieved something.. we all need to feel proud of ourselves for all we do and what we have accomplished this year alone. That creates happiness.

Well every sunrise is an invitation for us to arise and brighten someone’s day, so it is out my window. Talk soon, Til Tomorrow!