Good morning everyone, today is Friday, June 4, 2021, the weather shows clouds but says it will be sunny, so again it is pot luck on the weather today. It is Friday another end to a busy week, but it is also a day to make some plans for the weekend. I haven’t thought it all out , however I did make reservations for dinner tomorrow night, you know that is a priority for me. It also was the first week without a mask.most people are still wearing it though, well that is their choice and as you know we don’t question what other people choose to do. I on the other hand I am choosing to believe in science, if your vaccinated the risk is basically gone.

As I was shaving this morning and doing my morning skin ritual, I was reminded of many things. My mind is always associating things together, I don’t know why that is but it’s just the way I am. Every little boy longs for the day he can start shaving as he watches his father every morning, I know I did, but my parents would tell me don’t be so eager because it is something you will have to do the rest of your life, and you will resent doing it everyday. That is true for most, but it has never really bothered me, it is a sort of ritual done everyday like brushing your teeth the right shaving cream, the right razor, the right toner and it is sort of enjoyable. Ronnie , my son in law has actually gotten me shaving cream sent from Italy because he knew I would like that, so now each morning I envision myself shaving in a villa in Tuscany, what an imagination. I have always been obsessed with personal hygiene and beauty products. As a kid I used to get so excited when UPS would leave a package for my grandmother from Macy’s or Bambergers, I would run it up to her room to see what it was. Her dresser was lined with little jars from Charles Of The Ritz, I used to ask ‘what are they for’ and she would tell me to keep her skin beautiful. When my father splashed on after shave again I asked why and his answer to keep your face from burning after shaving and smooth and soft. So I figured there had to be something to it. When I was about 12 or 13 I wanted to buy cologne, in those days new ones were on the market up until then most men used Old Spice, that’s what my father smelled like and them my father in law smelled like it. I actually had a cousin who designed packaging for Shulton the company who made Old Spice, so I always liked to see the work he was doing when I visited. But I did not want that, there was now Canoe, Hai Karate, musk oil, well I of course choose Musk Oil, because it satisfied two things, smelling nice and my urge to be a Hippie because they wore musk and Patcholi natural scents. I could have attracted a herd of deer. So this has been part of me forever.

When Marylou and I were in Europe they had stores, Perfumeries devoted to just scents , make up , creams and things like that, and her being as bad as me loved these stores. Everyday we would stop on our way to the pool or sea and buy something and then they would deliver it to the hotel and it would be in our room when we returned. These were little things that made us happy buying a scent or any grooming utensil. After all I am a firm believer in taking care of your appearance to me that is of utmost importance, it may sound vain but it is more than that. When you are a child, and have something that makes you feel different , you find ways to compensate for it. In my case and we have discussed this was weight, I was much heavier than kids my age, so I had to take care of myself so I did not look that different. When a child is different they suffer in ways you can’t imagine it really affects everything especially around adolescent years when everybody wants to be the same. Yes unique in there own way but not look different. That’s why today companies are promoting all different body shapes as being goodand using plus size models. This is good it gives you the feeling you are not out there alone. For years most people felt these inadequate feelings only affected girls but let me assure you boys feel the same way, inadequate. In my case it became an obsession to look and smell the best, and I guess that has become my personality after so many years

So , at all cost we must never make a child feel inadequate it is devastating to them and will take years to erase if ever. No matter what their issue is build their confidence any way you can. After all isn’t that what we want a happy stabile child. Well I see the brightness in the horizon so it is my time to bid you Good Day and I’ll talk to you soon. Til Tomorrow.

Good Morning everyone, today is Tuesday June 1, 2021. So far so good for the weather outlook, I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend, if you survived the deluge. Actually yesterday was pretty nice, so I did take advantage of that.I hope you did the same.

Over the weekend the idea of trust stuck in my brain for several different reasons. TRust is the ability to believe in something or someone. That they are reliable, a matter of integrity. That a person is as good as their word. Without trust a relationship can never grow, there would always be a question of doubt. That kills all hope of having a relationship. When I was taken to NYC on two occasions as an emergency, one was a Friday night about 9:00, a doctor met me at the door and said we will get you settled and into surgery by 10:00 they were wheeling me in, I had to trust the reputation of this man and my doctor in Jersey. Months later again at night I was brought to New York, and a PA came to the room late and told me they would be operating first thing in the morning, this time I met the doctor while being prepped I had to trust again in this man’s reputation. I knew neither of these men but I had to trust them. When seven of the doctors who take care of me, and have allowed me to survive told me I had to be vaccinated against Covid, I had to listen, I’ve listened to them as they put me back together, why wouldn’t I trust them now.
When the CDC said wear a mask and social distance , I listened because I trusted their knowledge. Now when they say I no longer need the mask or social distance in most settings, I listened again I trust their word. Let’s face it we do not know everything about all things so we must trust professionals. Even a small thing, like when I bought the Bacala last week, I trusted the fishmonger, I know nothing about fish, meat I could wing a little but fish, nothing, so when I asked if it was boneless I trusted him when he said yes. Well yesterday I was wrong, I wanted to grill this fish, but first I had to remove 1000 bones. When it was cooke dI could barely eat it and no one else could either. I’m not saying the fish was bad because I’m sure it wasn’t. My ignorance I think I the way to prepare it was the problem, so most of it wound up in the garbage. So my trust was a little misguided.

We live most of our lives trusting in the word of other people and for the most part everything works out fine. But when it doesn’t we feel let down, question ourselves and our ability to do things. That’s where we are wrong, we cannot be experts on every subject so we must relie on the reputation and word of others who are the experts. Many times we are too hard on ourselves. The other night I went to the supermarket with Justin, as we walked around I realized we were the only ones without a mask, so I started to feel a little guilty like I was doing the wrong thing. Then I I said to mysel it is everyone’s purrogative to do as they chose. Masks are no longer required but if you want to wear it , do it if you don’t that is your choice.

Well June is here already, that means the summer season has begun. Tradionally summer is a time for fun and enjoyment. Let’s go back to tradition and enjoy the next few months,let’s tap our inner child and enjoy those small things like we did as a child. I ‘m looking forward to doing just that.

Well I see the brightening on the horizon, so I know that, that is my time to leave. Today I am having lunch with two dear friends that I know for many years, this lunch is a long time in planningwith vaccines, weather, schedules but today it comes to fruition, and I couldn’t be happier. That is my enjoyment for today. We will meet again, Til Tomorrow!

Good morning everyone, today is Monday May 31, 2021. Memorial Day, which is a strictly American holiday, a day to commemorate and pay homage to all the men and women who have died serving in the United States Military. It is a day to respect them for giving the most precious of gifts their lives that we might live the way we do in the greatest country in the world. The day was originally called Decoration Day because that’s what was done on May 30, decorate the graves of the soldiers who had died in the Civil War. It took place at Arlington National Cemetery. At first Southern Women decorated the graves, then others joined in. Such a fitting place Arlington was the home of Mary Ana Custice, granddaughter of Martha Washington and Her husband Robert E.Lee.

The Civil War was the deadliest of wars for America because 750, 000 American soldiers were lost. why because all the participants were American, this war was fought for a principle, one we are still battling 150 years later, race relations, and we still can’t get it together.

On this day there are no flowery speeches, it is not a day for that. It is a day for parades, commemorating, and family gatherings. It is also the beginning of the Summer Season. Let’s enjoy the day for what it was meant to be.

The weather this weekend has been horrific, I can’t remember the whole weekend being a wash out but as I sit here writing I think I see a glimpse of the sun, I hope it is not a mirage. No I actually think it is the sun.

On a personal note my brunch yesterday was excellent, the chosen restaurant was very cosmopolitan and I will return maybe this time I won’t have to swim to get in. But I truly had a nice time, despite being cold and wet.

Today I will close a little early so you can get a jump on your holiday planning. I’m not really sure what to do today, my original plan was to spend the day at the pool with the guys but something prevented that so I really didn’t make alternate plans and that is really not my style. So I will be winging it for awhile this morning. Whatever we do today, at 3:00 there is a National Moment of silence let’s try to remember that. So we can pay our respects for what the day is really about. Have a great day, we’ll talk again Til Tomorrow.

Good Morning everyone, today is Sunday May 30, 2021, day two of the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend, the weather is absolutely miserable, rainy and cold, it really zaps a lot of your energy. Now it can work two ways, you succumb to it and do nothing and stay in the house or you take charge of the situation and say it is only rain and continue on with your plans with minor alterations. We all have the choice, I think most of you know my plan is to take option two. I will carry on with what I planned to do and deal with the rain the best I can.

My post today deal with two young girls that really at times affected my life. Last night in church, I found these pictures of St. Teresa, the little flower in the back of the church , I seem to always find something there that has meaning to me. I once wrote as a boy I had a makeshift altar in my room, my plan to become a priest. It was really a shelf but I kept all my religious articles on it, my parents once bought me a statue of St Teresa so she had a place of honor on my altar, because I loved her because she taught everything deserved love and god accepted everyone through love, he didn’t care what you were. She also believed in the present, the past was over and don’t dwell on the future live a good life now. So these things were important to me. When I would be up and in pain in the hospital I would pray to her because I knew she lived in terrible pain for a good part of her life with Tuberculosis, and I would start the rosary to calm me down but would always fall asleep without finishing, I recently read she herself did this, and the Blessed Mother realizes the good intentions. Years ago after visiting Normandy on our way back to Paris the tour guide said we would be stopping in Liseux, I said to myself it’s snowing let’s just go back to Paris where it is safe off these mountainous roads. I said this because I did not realize at the time Liseux is the town where St Teresa came from, when I found out I was elated. I spent what seemed like hours in the Basilica at her shrine, to see her body in closed in glass like that just renewed and heightened my love an admiration for her. That experience has never been forgotten and she is never far from me. Everyday I thank her for something as I do with many saints. You think I could get through all this on my own no way. So when I saw those pictures last night I thought I would like to share them with you , so that is what these pictures are, I thought they were beautiful.

At the beginning of the post I said two girls, the second was Hayley Mills the actress, a child star way back when I was a child. She starred in many Disney movies while I was growing up and I always enjoyed them, those were feel good movies they made you happy, no one got killed or hurt by violence they just told nice stories that we don’t see anymore. Maybe that’s why our moral situation is the way it is. However her iconic role was Pollyanna, a young orphan girl who comes to live with her maiden aunt who controls the town. She sets off to make it a better place by being nice, again something lacking today. She played something called the Glad Game with the other characters to show life could always be worse, with the cantankerous old Mrs Snow who is in a wheelchair of her own doing, be glad you still have your hand to do things. The town fell in love with her infectious demeanor. The town held a 4 th of July Celebration as you seen in the mid west but Pollyanna was forbidden to go because her aunt did agreed with the idea of the celebration, however she got there by sneaking out her third floor window, she sang America The Beautiful at the party, the next scene climbing in her window she falls and becomes paralyzed. In the next scene she is depressed with life and is being transported to a city to be operated on, the entire city comes to bid farewell to her even Mrs. Snow out of the wheelchair. She succeeded her infectious personality changed the town. The theme is to always be happy for what you have, don’t look to get more just appreciate the life given to you and work on improving that. As you can tell this is and has always been one of my favorite movies as a teacher I read this book many times to my clas in the afternoon, it set a warm tone to the class. Why I brought this up today, last night in church at the closing of mass they played America the Beautiful, the song just does something to me, maybe it’s the movie, maybe it’s just Patriotism and I am just thankful for all I have and live where I do, or just a plain Proud American.

Well it really is running late and with no sun shinning in the window I took advantage. I certainly do not want you to miss any of your holiday plans, so have a great day in spite of the weather. I have a date for brunch this morning that I am looking forward to. We will talk again soon. Til Tomorrow!

Good morning everyone, today is Saturday May 29, 2021. The weather folks I think will be a wash out for us here in the northeast, my only hope isn’t doesn’t rain all day. After all it is Memorial Day weekend hopefully Mother Nature will take some pity on us and award us with something nice this weekend, but I don’t know. The other night I made Aqua Pazza for dinner and when I posted it a friend replied she has made it with Bacala, this sounded great to me so I said I would try that because I love Bacala. I decided to buy some , so naturally the best Bacala can only be bought in the Ironbound so that is where I set out to go yesterday morning. I asked the man for it and he replied ‘Do you want half or the whole side’ I asked to see it , when I saw it it was about 4 ft long I said can’t I buy Hal fof a half he smiled and said no. So I bought the half, now I have about 20 pieces of fish. But he assured me after it soaked you could freeze some. So be prepared for some recipes to come out of this. Now how could I be there without buying Chorizo and Linguisa so I bought that too. Great on the grill. Now off to the bakery, I had to make my trip worthwhile, so I bought bread, rolls Portuguese cookies. I was introduced to these cookies many years ago by a parent who baked them for me as a Christmas present, never had a cookie that good. I have secretly named her the best baker in Newark. I bought my Galon for the trip home. As I explained to Marylou the coffee was worth the whole trip. On the way home I decided what to make for dinner, now no holiday is complete without sausage and peppers so that’s what I made only instead of Italian Sausage, I used Linguisa and Chorizo, a whole different flavor delicious with Spanish Potatoes they also came out great. So I integrated 3 cultures together to make a great meal, and that is the picture posted. See everything can get along and sometimes change is good.

Amanda recieved a letter on Rocco’s behalf informing him about kindergarten and a meeting they will be having with the parents. It seems like a wonderful school. When I bought this house that school was actually one of the selling features , you know what I mean you are in this particular school nieghborhood. However, both Amanda and Justin were out of elementary school when we moved here so it really made no difference. Now Rocco will take advantage of something I worked my whole life for. Now she left the letter on the table so I picked it up to read it , when I got to the last paragraph there it was. They are happy and looking forward to welcoming the Class of 2034. Immediately I welled up, where has all this time gone, I don’t feel that much older. I also remembered this same letter welcoming Justin as the Class of 2000. I guess life just goes on and we really never realize time is going with it. Back in the day when I used to ask myself how old will I be in 2000 or how old will I be in 2015, I never dreamed I would be asking how old will I be in 2034. I will be 81, I guess I will be an old man at the party for his graduation. But age is only a number, and I refuse to let the old man into my life so I won’t be an old man, because frankly I don’t believe in it, the closing line of one of my favorite plays MAME, when MAME is taking her young nephew off to India to experience life, the hell with school , life is more important. Her niece asks , exactly how old is she, the response is who knows She’s the Pied Piper. Hopefully someday I could recieve the same compliment.

Well there is no sun shinning through the window this morning but it is brighter so I know my time is up, imagine if it stayed dark you would be stuck with me all day LOL. I wouldn’t mind , I enjoy this time of day talking to you immensely. But no such luck we all have lives to get to , so I don’t know what the day looks like yet so it might be a little harder to find our joy today but we have to. So I will see you tomorrow have a great day. Til Tomorrow!