Sunday, June 27, 2021

Covid-19

My first Pandemic. 

I am old enough to have experienced a lot in my life.

  • The Cold war.
  • VietNam war
  • Assassinated President
  • I have lived through all kinds of killer flu's.
  • Killer bees
  • The Great Northeast Black Out
  • Many End of the world predictions
  • Cancer causing food (not cranberry sauce!)
  • HIV.
  • Hurricane Katrina
  • Oil spill

Now the Covid-19.

It is scary, schools closed, restictions on just about everything else. 
Toilet paper is hard to find, some foods. People are panic buying. 

My first scare, although being young at the time I did not realize how scared I should have been, was Polio.

Polio infected kids in the early 1900's. In the summer kids would get sick and some  had to go into the hospital. A neighbor 3 houses down, had polio in her leg. She wore a brace and the polio leg was skinny. She had to buy 2 pairs of shoes because her good leg/foot was a size 6 but the polio foot was a 4. 
My father in law had polio in his arm. He said he spent a year in the hospital. 

Some kids had to live in an iron lung. How terrible to live your whole life in that.

So in the 1950s there was another bad outbreak of polio.  I was lucky, a vaccine came out. Dr.Salk discovered it and became a hero.

I remember  we had to line up in the hall at school and put a sugar cube in our mouth that had medicine on it. We had to stand there in front of the nurse when we did it and show her our opened mouth, that it was all gone.

That was...1957-59...or both. I think we had to have it done a few times.

With this New virus, at least children are not the main subject of attack. It's the old people with chest problems that need to be careful.  
So we need to stay calm and carry on with common sense and in a few months it should be mostly gone. *fingers crossed*          


The flu

It's been about 13 years since I last had the flu. I was in NY.  I went to the doctor because I had an UTI and found out I had the flu. 

Liam had the flu and we all had tamiflu but I caught the flu. I week later I went to the doctor because I thought I was getting an UTI, but it was a bladder infection.

It is 9 days later. I stopped my cough pills and the mucinex I was taking with it. I just felt it was not working and I felt awful, so was just taking my bladder pills. I still feel crappy, and I think its the pills but I won't stop taking them. I don't want the infection to come back.

So, another thing about getting older. It takes you A LOT longer to get better if you are sick or if you pull a muscle etc.  That is hard to get used to. 

Although I am feeling much better, I am tired and use up my energy pretty fast.  I can only do a little work round the house and I am done. I need to rest and a nap is always around the corner. Very frustrating. 

The first time I had the flu I caught if from my daughter in the late 70s or early 80s. 
I didn't think a person could feel so sick! 

Anyway, I am getting better...just not fast enough for me. 

Star Trek

The  post about favorite movies  got me thinking about, this TV show.

Star Trek aired on Sept. 8th, 1966, when I was 15 years old.




I just LOVED it!  I wished I lived in the future where I could travel to distant places on a star ship! 

They had amazing technologies.  They could just scan the body to find out what was wrong with it. They would give medication with some kind of air shot.  They could communicate using these little hand held things AND beam up and down from the ship! 

Except for the last thing, we have all these technologies now. 

I will tell you what impressed me the most when I watched this show. 
People would walk towards a door....and.....it would...open by itself! and close after you went through it!! 

Your thinking...really? Everything they showed and this impressed you? Yep.

Just think what it was like back in the 60s and earlier and later going into and out of a store. Especially a grocery store.  You carry out your grocery bags (brown paper bags, no plastic back then) and with your arms full, try to open and close the door.  
Or you have your shopping cart, you have to open and shut the door  wheeling that thing.  You get lucky sometimes if someone is coming in or out the same time that will hold the door for you. 

It was many years later, when I was walking up a door, that opened for me, that it dawned on me....the future is here!  


Movies I like

For some odd reason I have been thinking about an old Christmas movie the last few weeks.  I did get to see it last holiday season and it was the first time in years.  So here are a few of my favorites in no particular order.

The movie I was just talking about is, The Bishop's Wife.  I always feel warm and fuzzy after watching this movie.  It has Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Nevin, what a cast!   It is a holiday favorite along with A Christmas Carol, with Alistair Sim, made the year I was born.   I have to put in A Christmas Story, Although this movie is set in a time even before I was born, it brings up a lot of memories of the past.  You either love or hate this movie, my sister Barbara hated it.

I saw this movie in the movie Theater in 1963, I was 12. My mother and sister Peggy took me.  Cleopatra with Elizabeth Taylor.  I guess I have always found ancient civilizations interesting. This movie was wonderful to see on the big screen!  It was awesome, all the colors and the music and enormous sets! I may have seen it again when it came on TV.

Another favorite is Men in Black, a fun, weird movie.  There were sequels but the first is always the best.

Star Wars, talk about expanding your mind! The movie was funny and thrilling, it opened up your brain to all kinds of possibilities! I've watched a few sequels after this one but the first was the best.


I do like a good scary movie. Many Stephen King Movies. I have always liked his books better than his movies, here are a few I did like. The Shining goes to the top of the list. CarrieChristineCujoPet Cematary  I also like his,  Shawshank Redemption and Misery 

Goodfellas, hands down, one of the best movies ever made.  I've watched it many times along with this movie,  The Godfather, excellent. 

This is an oldie that my mother loved, too. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It reminds me of the Bronx. Another warm fuzzy movie. 

So, I see I can go on and and on. I didn't realize how many movies I liked and I can still add more. 



Emptier nest

So, the granddaughter, the only granddaughter, had the nerve to up and marry and move out.  Her older brother moved out, but that was for college and then he got an apt.  near the school with his girlfriend. He kinda snuck into his new life style. 

The first day she was gone, I was pretty upset.  I would glance out across the street to find an empty spot where her car would be.  Not hearing her bedroom door open and close.  sigh

But I am fine today.  I don't like change, so I need a period of time to adjust to it, thankgoodness I usually don't need a lot of time.
I am excited for her and she is excited to be on her new adventure with the person she loves. 

We have Liam home and I hope he does not want to flee the nest for sometime.  I can't have too many changes close together.  :)  

I don't have newer pictures of them on my laptop, yet.  

Moving away...

 


So, the Granddaughter that had the nerve to get married and go to the next state west of us,  is now moving 4 states away east of us.  She is now in a different time zone than us. sigh

This would have been a very rough day but we like her wife and we know they are very happy together and will take care of each other.  So instead, this was just a rough day.  It is not easy when the birds leave the nest.  

Yesterday wasn't easy, but today is better. I know we will all relax once they are in their new apartment today.  I hope their apartment and jobs are all they hoped for. 

It's a great new adventure for both of them. 

...and Tater. 

xoxox




Lucky 7

Today I am 69.  It is hard to believe.  I am now older than my dad.  He died 3 weeks before his 69th.

I never  thought I would live this long. I think a lot of people say stuff like that because when they are young, they can't picture themselves old.....

Do I have any words of wisdom at this ripe old age?  Not really.

Listen to your heart and your head. Follow your INTUITION. It will not lie to you.  That's it. 💗

What I learned as an old lady.

I don't care what I look like as long as my hair is short. 
After spending most of my life with long hair, I used to see old women with really short hair and I would think...don't they care what they look like? They have a man haircut! Geez!  

The answer is no, they don't care and they don't care what you think. Comfort and ease is NO.1 when you get older. 

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I used to think..you get older you stop tweezing your eyebrows? Don't you care what you look like??
Again, the answer is no. 
And tweezing the gray/white hairs HURTS. I don't know why it HURTS, but it does. Do they have deeper roots or something? I have no clue but I am not as diligent about tweezing  as I used to because it hurts. 
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I don't care what the shoes look like as long as they are comfortable, that goes for shirts, pants and anything else that goes on the body.
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At this age, I am sick of all the bullshit. I don't watch much news. If I have it on, I will shut the volume off till a story comes on I want to hear about.

I am happy staying home, doing my little routine around the house, wearing my comfy clothes, playing with stuff in my room, watching tv and/or all snuggly  in bed with a movie. 

I can do this thanks to my daughter and son-in-law.  I am lucky. 

When I was wild...😂

P.S. A bit of advice my mother gave me. Grow old with dignity. 
You know, don't be one of those women who dress like a 20/30 year old. Lots of make-up will not make you look younger. Oh yeah no one can tell your hair is dyed and you don't have even one little strand of gray/white in your head.

It is another phase of your life.  Learn from it.











Venturing out with the virus

Two weeks ago was the first time I went out to the store since March 12th. 
I went out because Liam wanted to get a few things and so did I. 
It was weird seeing people walking around with masks' on.  I did not have a mask, so Liam made me and himself one out of ponytail bands and a bandana and a pin.   It worked good but it killed my ears. 

Most people wore masks in Walmart but a good number of people did not including Liam. He said it is hard to breathe, which it is but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.

We did shopping, came home and washed our hands.

I went with him again the following week. Some foods are hard to buy or now costs much more. Meat is scarce or expensive.  I got some chopped meat and  chicken breasts.  Canned goods are getting scarce. That aisle was pretty empty I got creamed and kernel corn for 50 cents each but the pea's were $1.50! I only got 2 can't of those.  Every time I go now I will try to stack up on some cans and meat.

DD had to search around for canning lids, which is also scarce.

Today I asked Grace to take me to the bank, the first time I was there in many months.
I put my mask on and walked up to the door that had a guard standing in front who promptly yelled at me to use the hand sanitizer. I did not even see it to the left on a stand. I was then allowed to enter. The bank was just about empty but there were prompts on the floor to stand 6ft apart. I was in and out in minutes.

Grace and Liam have returned to work at a local restaurant, there are still restrictions to obey. I think it's too soon, but I guess the country has to try to get back on our feet soon.  Bill works from home every other week, but Agnes works every day.

A wild year 2020

It has been a wild year to say the least.  This has been a weird year and I am pretty sure '21 is going to be just as weird and crazy.  Starting with a new President who does not belong in that house. People who hate Trump are going to wish he was back in office. Mark my words.

Family and friends who caught the virus recovered, thankgoodness. All except my friend Amy. I heard the virus is mutating, just in time for the New Year.  They have a Vaccine now. You have to take it twice,  21 days after the first shot.   

If you don't want the vaccine that's fine. But,  your job can tell you to get the shot or get fired. Probably the schools will tell you your child will not be allowed in school without the shot. There will be other ways to force the vaccine on us. I will not get the shot unless forced to do so.

Many more UFO sightings all around the globe.  Even the Gov. came out with more information.  That is interesting. But I know they are here and have been here for a very long time. 

Some interesting video's of bigfoot too.  

Awhile ago I saw a documentary on this man who cloned his favorite polo horse and now he has a whole clone herd of them.  I was amazed. You can't tell me if they can do that, that they are not cloning humans. 

Those chemtrails ARE  hurting us. 

This is a man made virus. 

We need to wake up and smell the Roses. Many people around the globe are doing just that.

So, yes, I believe in a lot of crazy stuff.  Stuff I would have laughed at years ago.


You don't have to believe, just keep an open mind and don't make fun of someone else's beliefs. 

Happy New Year.





Music I like

So besides "normal" music there are other music I like.  I am not sure you would consider this, music, but I love Haka. 

It is actually a  a war dance of the Maori people of New Zealand.  It is also a great honor for it to be performed  for a person. 

Here are two that I love the most. 

I find the top two to be very emotional and I would probably cry if I did not have dry eyes.

High school Haka

Military funeral

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These are good ones too.

Military course completion

They surprise the maori bride with a haka

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Pipes and Drums are another favorite! 

Edinburgh Military Tattoo

I know, you either love it or hate it.

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I like some Gregorian chants, but I could not find any I liked, but I found this. lol Sounds of Silence-Gregorian


And this should be at the top of the list, I love it!  I love the video too.

Wolf Totem-Hu


I guess that's enough for now.



I hate moving

 There is soo much work involved in moving.  We moved from the Bronx to College point in Queens in 1957 and that is the last move my parents made.  I lived in that town most of my life and moved  in 2000 to Gulfport Ms.   

I moved numerous times while married and living in town.  All my moves were only blocks away from the last so it was not like Agnes had to change school and make new friends etc. 

Our first Apt. was on 18 ave. I did a post about it already.

After that we moved on 127th street, a tenant to Charlie Gratz and right next door to my in laws. It was another 3 room apartment but bigger.  The bathroom was awful! The house was old and the bathroom was an add on with NO INSULATION.  Me and Bill would fight all the time on who was going to take a shower first and warm up the  room a little for the next person. lol

After a couple of years we moved across the street into Mrs. Valaski's  upstairs apt. This had 4 rooms. We were there about 5 years.  Mrs. Valaski wanted the apartment for her son who was getting married.

We moved around the corner into a downstairs apartment. The  Irish owners were fixing the house up and then putting it on the Market to sell. Years ago an owner could do that, but now  you have to tell the renter so they will know they'll probably have to move again and move again we did a year later to across the street into Mr.Bystroms first floor Apt. 

That was my favorite Apartment. 6 rooms, we made friends with the people upstairs, we were already friends with everyone on the block. We stayed there a number of years.

Our next move was to 9th ave. to the worst apt. I had. `

From there Agnes moved and I left to move back home. 

Then Ag moved home and from there we all moved to the Rice's first floor apt. on  26th Ave.  Then Ag took the basement apt. 

From there she moved to Connecticut  and then Gulfport - and I moved to  28th ave. (?) 

From there I went Gulfport, then New York, then to Long Beach and a second move to Long Beach. 

That is my  moving history. 




Traditions

 Many people have some sort of tradition/superstition they follow that has been passed down from their parents..ect. 

When I was young my family did not have any that I can remember. Since we had turkey on Thanksgiving, we had Ham for Christmas. We would have a leg of lamb for Easter. I think that was just not to have the same thing for every holiday.

I used to take down my Christmas tree before Jan. 1st because I did not want to start the New Year with the tree still up. But that was just personal preference, not a tradition.

New Years day was not a special day, really.  Many people would have Chinese food, because who felt like cooking when you were up late and possibly drinking the day before. Was that a tradition..? I would say no, it was just a lazy day and a cheap meal.

My father in law would wake us early on New Years day, he would bring us italian bread and step over our threshold with his right foot, first. That was a tradition from his family, it would bring good luck and assure  you, you would always have food on the table.  He would go to all his childrens home, who still lived in town, and do this. 

There is one thing I have been doing for a few years is watch The Twilight Zone Marathon on TV on New Years day.  I love that show and never get tired of seeing them, even when I can repeat the dialog along with some of the shows. lol

Is it a Tradition? Only for me. 

I wonder how many people are making a dinner  or  watching a show or visiting a place because their parents did it, not because they really want to do it. 

So, if it makes you happy, brings you joy...then do it. If not.....then don't do it. Simple as that. 



Celebrities my family met.

Many years ago my father in law caddied for W.C.Fields, who was a  famous  comedic actor.

He played  mostly a child hating, scoundrel who was a drunk. He was in a number of movies with Mae West, a famous actress in her day.  Pop said he was a nice man who bought him a bologna sandwich.
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My father was in the Army with Hans Conried. He was a character actor. His most famous role was playing Uncle Tanoos on the Danny Thomas show. 

I have a picture, rolled up of my fathers Army unit and he is in the picture. My father said he did nothing but lay around reading scripts. He was transferred to the entertainment division. 


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My mother grew up in Manhattan/Harlem/Bronx.  They new Bobby Darin and his family.


Bobby Darin was a famous singer, songwriter and Actor in the 1950s and '60s.  He also had his own TV show.  The family lived around the corner. His sister was really his mother. He grew up believing his Grandmother was his mother.  It seems everyone in the neighborhood knew this.

They had to tell him the truth, because he wanted to run for some political office and the truth would come out if he did.
He  died in 1973 of congestive heart failure at the young age of 37.  He packed so much into his short life it was almost as if he knew he would die young.
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My father was the night manager of a parking garage (Ho-Penn) in Manhattan near Madison Square Garden. 
One day, Joe Louis, a famous boxer, parked his car  in his garage.  My father told a friend of his, you know this  may sounds crazy, but I think I could take him. LOL
Dream on dad......dream on. 
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Years ago, I was about 13/14, my sister Peggy and her husband took us and my mother to Palisaides Park, in  New Jersey. I was pretty upset because half the park was roped off because they were shooting a TV show.  It was a teen show, I think it was Hullabaloo.
One of the groups there were Gary Lewis and the Playboys.  I think the Supremes were there too. 

We were walking around one place, when coming in the opposite direction and separated by wood horses were Jay and the Americans.  Now, I am not a screamer and I am not the type that would run up to someone to beg for an autograph. So I just starry eyed watched them as they walked passed. 
They were busy smoking and talking and did not notice me or the family.
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My husband worked across the street for the Chemold Corp. They made tennis rackets, balls, etc.
Charlton Heston was a friend of the owner of the company and came by to get some rackets.  My husband called and told me Charlton Heston would be leaving the building. I got my camera and ran outside to take a picture of him leaving. I did get a picture. But it is blurry and you wouldn't know it was him, even if I told you it was him. sigh

I stood next to, Ozzie Davis  on a street in Manhattan outside a restaurant. I think he was waiting for his driver.  He was a famous actor and so was his wife.

No, I said nothing to him, I looked at him with the corner of my eye so he would not catch me. lol

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My penpal came over from England in 1995. We were in Manhattan near the Dakota Apt. building, when walking in the opposite direction was, Carly Simon. She is a famous singer. I liked her song, your so vain. 
Even with sunglasses on she is unmistakable with that Mick Jagger mouth.  She looked over at us and then looked away. Cheryl said...was that Carly Simon? I said yes, I think it was. Cheryl ran down the corner to see where she went. Cheryl said she went into the Dakota. (That is the building John Lennon was shot in front of when he was returning home..

So that's some memories I nearly forgot about.  





















Seventy

  Did I ever expect to live to 70. Nope.  The main reason is because not many in my family made it to 70.

Mom-59

Dad-68

Grandpa Joe- 74

Grandma Maude- 60

Sister Peggy-67

Sister Barbara-58

Aunt Mae- 73

The longest lived relative, that I know off is......Aunt Rita - 82! 

There might be others, but this is what I have so far.

 So the odds of not making it out of my sixties seemed pretty good. I am older than my parents and my older sisters. 

How do I feel about turning 70. I feel, surprised, that's about it. 

I am still here for a reason.  I guess I still have lessons to learn or something to give. 


This was taken  67 years ago in the Bronx. I think it was taken in my Aunt Mae's apartment because even today, that linoleum looks familiar but it is not from our apartment. 

She doesn't know all the heartbreak and all the happiness that is in her future.
But whatever is thrown at her in this lifetime, she will stay strong even if she feels defeated. 
When she feels like giving up, she won't. When she feels lost she finds hope.  She will bend with the wind. 
She'll know she is the only one that can change her life.
She learned all that from the strong women in her family. 
They are amazing.






My Best Friend

When my daughter started school, I stood with all the other women who's children were in the same class. These women were all neighbors, living within a few blocks radius. 
Amy was in the group, I thought she must be stuck up because she is beautiful!  She had short black hair and everything was perfect, make-up, nails, clothes. But she seemed like a normal person. 
I guess we started to gravitate towards each other for some reason. She invited me over for coffee after dropping off the kids. I drank tea.

We were complete opposites.  She took hours to get ready with the hair, make-up, clothes, mainly hair. I did not. She liked Kenny G and romantic music. I liked Rock. She liked romance Novels, I liked Stephen King. She loved to drive. I did not.
In spite of our differences we some how became good friends. She had a good heart and a good sense of humor. She knew she was beautiful, but she did not let it go to her head, it was just a fact of life.


Here she is. She kept her hair long, soon after her short black phase was over,  most of her life. 

I could not believe the reaction she got the first time we walked up town. Guys were beeping horns, whistling, waving, calling out, she just  ignored everything and kept on talking like nothing was happening.

The second time I went with her and the reactions were the same, I said to her, do you see what these guys are doing??  She said, yeah, they're jerks...and that was that. She rarely acknowledged them unless they made her laugh.

I was in the car with her when we were the second inline to get gas.  We pull up and she says $10 please.  When she goes to give the guy the money he said, the man in the car that was in front of you paid for your gas. WOW.

Another time I went with her to the Sears store in Flushing because she needed vacuum cleaner bags.  The store was packed because they were having some kind of a sale. Oh great we will probably be here about an hour.   Nope.
Two sales guys spotted her as soon as we walk in the door.  Do you need help they both say. No she says I just need vacuum cleaner bags. Both of them guide her to the bags, they take what she needs, they guide her to a CLOSED register (all the open registers have LONG lines) ring up her order, bag them and wish her a good day. Took maybe 3 minutes. I looked back as we were leaving, I saw people running to that register but the sales guy shook his head no and closed it back up.
That is one of my favorite memories of her, we had such a laugh about that.

There were many highs and many lows in life.  

We could tell each other anything. We loved to go out dancing.  Amy would  get many free drinks and sometimes if we were lucky, we would too. LOL
We also had a few free breakfasts at diners afterwards, thanks to Amy. 

Later, for the most part,  we kept in touch by phone when I moved out of New York.

We had some laughs and I told her,  I think of her a lot and I always picture us on the dance floor at a club.
We always ended the conversations with, love you...

On April 13th  the Covid Virus made her a spirit in the sky. 

I was so lucky to have this wild woman in my life.


She was incredible. 






Losing my religion Part 2

So,  I stopped believing in the Catholic Religion.  I do think there was a Jesus. And I do believe in God/Higher Power/Source.  What do I believe? 

I started out believing in this :

With the Big Bang, The Power/God  Sent out sparks of light that were us.

We watched as the great Creator...Created.  We wanted to Create too.   Planet Earth was beautiful.  We lowered ourselves to feel what is was like to feel water, to Be water!  A tree, an animal.  To breathe.  How food tasted etc.  We were still light beings and we would zip in and out for eons. 

But then some got stuck and forgot where they really belonged. That they were a spark of the Creator.
 Light beings came down to help them get unstuck. But some of them got stuck too. 
Many were now trapped on Earth and returning to earth because they thought this is home, when it is not home. 

And that is how it all started. 

It is not exactly what I believe now.  I am not sure what I believe which is why I watch a lot of video's and listen to a lot of people who channel or are psychic. 

We are all here for a reason. When we die we just shed our earth body.  

I believe I have been incarnated many, many times here and other planets. I believe there are other beings all around the universe including here on earth.   I believe we (and EVERYTHING) are vibration and we can raise and lower what we see and feel.

So, I think that's enough for now.

Losing my religion Part 1

I am Catholic. My parents went to Catholic elementary school. I went to Catholic school along with my sisters. But we all went to a public high school.

When I was very young, I wanted to be a nun. I had no special calling for this. I thought it might be the only way to get into heaven.  Also, going to a Catholic school they have all that time to try and brainwashing you into it. 


St.Fidelis Church. The School was across the street.

A catholic knows even thinking of something, like killing someone is a mortal sin and you are going straight to hell. Missing mass was a mortal sin.  Yes, you can confess to a priest but seriously, you would have to confess every few minutes  with all your mortal sin thoughts.
Yep, no chance.

My parents did not force us to go to church. But we had to attend with our school class, which took attendance. I did not like church. I still did not go every Sunday. On Monday if the nun called on me and asked why I was not there,  I said I was at my families vacation house up state or somewhere. 

I thought church was boring and if Jesus saw what his church was doing now, he would not be happy.
People were hypocrites. They were cursing  on  their way out of church.  I have bad knees from all the kneeling we had to do.

I could not believe that if a baby only lived a few hours...that would be its only time on earth. I didn't understand how God could allow all this suffering.   Just from not going into a building on Sunday I could spend the rest of my life in hell if I died before confessing. 

I could pray a lot to get someone out of Purgatory.  A priest told us if your parents don't make you go to church, they are committing a mortal sin and will go to hell.  I stayed awake many a night begging God not to blame my parents because I don't go to church every Sunday.

My sister Barbara was the only one who did like to go to church on occasion. She would always go to church on Holy Days, Christmas Eve Night Mass, Easter, Palm Sunday etc.

I suppose when I was around 12-13 I started reading stories about reincarnation. I thought these people were crazy, they were doing this to get their story in the paper.  (these stories would be in The Star or National Inquirer, not a normal newspaper)  But some of them didn't want their real name mentioned. They didn't want their faces shown. .... It made me think and read more stories about this. The Catholic church did not believe in Reincarnation. 

 I must say though, sometimes on my way home from work at St.Agnes, I would stop in church just to sit in the back and think before heading home. I found it very soothing. 

I started reading books...and that continued for many years.....


Meeting Dave-2

 So, eventually I decided to give it one more try. I think I wrote to 5 people this time, I won't try again.

One of the people was a man from Birmingham U.K.,  who said he loved all things American.  I wrote him and said I love all things British.   He wrote back. 

He told me later, I was the last person he was going to write  because he had over 80 responses!  He felt terrible because people (all women I think) wanted to write to him but he could not keep up with all the emails. He started apologizing and sending out emails that he was so sorry but he could not write to them.

We had a good time writing back and forth, Dave was very witty and told wonderful stories.  Eventually he told me about all the other women he was writing and shared some of their stories with me. 

At some point he told me about a woman in Texas he was going to visit in a few months.  She was wealthy, had a good job, a married son.  He talked with the son online and everything was set.  

At some point Dave told her who he talks to online  and  she wanted him to stop.  He told her, I was a friend and he would not.  She stopped talking to him and blocked him.  I think he was a little shocked by how suddenly she dropped him.  But he told me, I think if I did go, she would not have let me leave. I laughed, but he was serious. He said money is a very attractive influence and that played a big part in meeting her. 

It was the following year we decided to meet. I told him my friends thought I was  crazy he could be a murderer! He said, well, his friends were worried too. I said, what are they saying?  He said, Ada said, remember Dave, she is an American. She will want to hug you when you meet. 

I think I laughed for a full 20 minutes. LOL

That's how we met. He came to New York. I went to England. He came to Gulfport.... Our next vacation was to Graceland and the Heartbreak Hotel in Tn. Then to Civil War battlefields in Jackson. Then back to our favorite Hotel on the Florida Panhandle and a week with family. 

But a month before the Vacation he died and all our plans died with him. 

His friends sent me a copy of his service and lovely notes. Even his boss, who was Knighted by the Queen, sent me a letter if there is anything he can do. 

So that's the story of my Dave.....







Internet penpals- Meeting Dave Part 1

When I got a computer back in the '90s  one of the first things I did, was to go to AOL pen pals.  I had penpals growing up and still had my first penpal, Cheryl,  so I thought it would be fun having a penpal on line. 

I wrote to men and women because I wanted to met people from all over. I wanted friends not romance.
I wrote to women who said, they would love to hear from men or women. I wrote to alot of them and NOT ONE woman wrote back.  Which made me believe they were  just looking for men.

Some men did write back.  Most in England, because that's where my interest was.

One older gentleman was a ghost hunter and told me amazing stories.  But the sad things was, he was not the least bit interested in me. He never asked me a question.  So, eventually I stopped writing/emailing him. He probably never noticed.

One was a widower with a son who was never marrying again because he collects widower pension and was going to Washington D.C on business and wanted to meet up with me.  So, I told him no and stopped writing him.

I did write a man named Dave, who was a carpenter, married with 2 kids.  I enjoyed his emails and I don't remember why we stopped. He was a nice man who told me what he found behind walls etc. as a carpenter and about his two teen age children. 

Many people I wrote, never bothered to write back.

I discovered other interests online like, AncientSites. A website of adults who love ancient civilizations, that became almost a second home. 

I gave up trying to find a penpal  for awhile.










My first apartment

51 years ago I got married.  It was a very warm sunny day.  I wore a yellow dress, white headband, white sandals. 
I got married in St.Fidelis between weddings so the church was decorated.  
We were going to get married in...January or February (I can't remember which one but it might have been February since I turned 18 that month) but for some reason (that I can't remember why, now) we did not. So in May I was about 7 months pregnant. 
This was not uncommon in my day. They were called shotgun weddings.  We found out many years later that my sister Barbara was pregnant when she married and had a miscarriage on her honeymoon.

I did not want anyone at the wedding. I just wanted to get it over with. But my sister Peggy showed up with her kids anyway.  It was a quick ceremony with John Murphy and Maria Franceschetti as our witnesses. 

We  then stopped at my parents house and then to pops. We were going to stay at pops in Billy's room because the apartment was not ready. 
An old man lived there before us and we had to clean out the apartment  before we could paint. 
The rent was $60 a month which my father thought was an outrages amount of money.
This is the apartment house  125 street and 18th avenue.



It was a two family that was converted into a 4 family apartment house. Ours was upstairs in the back. An old couple lived in the front.  
Downstairs an old Italian man lived in the front studio apartment and in the back was Honey, Timmy and their two daughters. 
The old man was the only one with a phone in the building. He would let you use his phone for a nickel, back then it was 5 cents a minute for a phone call. 

Our apartment was 3 small rooms. You walked into the livingroom, to the right was the bathroom, then the bedroom and to the right the kitchen.

We got hand me downs for the furniture. Johnny's in laws gave us a black sofa, his friend gave us his bedroom set he had from his first marriage.  The dresser came down with us through the years and it's last stop was Mississippi.

It was a crappy little apartment,  very hot in the summer and the furnace would break down a lot in the winter. We  put the oven on  with a pot of water in the oven for heat when that happened.

I think we stayed there a little over a year before moving to Charlie Gratz's house on 127th street. 


July 25th, 1969

The Birth of my daughter. 

But, we have to start from the day before.  I was not feeling that great.  Through the latter part  of my pregnancy I was having dizzy spells. I did tell the doctor who told me that is not unusual. I felt like something was wrong but hey, I am not a doctor.

Billy said, I'm going to the bar for a few hours. I was not happy. I am never happy when he goes to the bar but he knows I am nervous being close to having a baby.  He said I'll be home by 10pm.  That rarely happened. 

But it did happen that night.   He came in and started making spaghetti because he was hungry. He tried to get me to eat, but I was not hungry, thankgoodness!  ( If you ate  soon before going into labor, they would not give you drugs.) So he ate, left a big mess in the kitchen and went to bed. 

Some information about giving birth back in the stone age.  You were completely shaved. No one else was allowed in the delivery room. 
You  were strapped down, arms and legs, like an animal. 
But you were given drugs...good drugs :D. 

I woke  at around 3ish, with some pressure pain, and I was bleeding a little. I thought this might be labor.

I woke Billy and waited, the pressure pain continued, I called the doctor. He said, this is your first one, it will be awhile, just keep track of labor pain, you have a long way to go.

So, I laid there waiting. 

I have to explain, the only information I had about water breaking was from my mother. Women would say, my water broke and soon after labor started etc. But my mother said, when her water broke it was like a dripping faucet. So that is what I expected.

About 4am I hear a loud SNAP and liquid is gushing out of me!  I think I am bleeding to death because I was bleeding lightly earlier. I can't speak because I think I must have only seconds to live with that much blood pouring out of me! 

I hit Billy, who is also wet from this avalanche of water. He goes to turn on the nightstand light and gets a little zap from it and the light blows out and he jumps out of bed and turns on the over head light.

We are both a little shell shocked. 

He is looking  down at me and I must have this look of horror on my face and I finally look at my body and sheets  and only see sticky-ish water instead of a river of blood.

We both have to get out of our wet clothes  and  I get hit with a pain that lands me on the sofa.  The pains are pretty intense, I know I bit Billys leg at one point. We timed the pains and called the doctor again who said, again, you have plenty of time blah blah. 

We had no car, so the time I went into labor decided which father would be home from work, that we would call. Billy's father was home so he was called. 

The pain is getting worse, I am starting to push!

Billy called the local ambulance. He kept dialing the number wrong so he runs out to go down there and get them, about 6 blocks away,
......leaving me alone on the sofa in labor. 

I hear Pop come in and the smile soon leaves his face. I am on the sofa in great pain and his son is nowhere around. I tell him where he went.  

 Pop said, we need to get you out of here. So between pains I run downstairs and get in the backseat of his car.  
He starts up the car just as Billy arrives with the ambulance. 
They drag me out of Pops car and put me in the ambulance. I lost my slippers at that point.

I am tested to see how dilated I am,  I hear the usual, its a first one there is plenty of time.  

We get to the hospital and I am put in a small room, with a big clock on the wall.  It is 4:50am
I am now starting to push more!

Someone comes in and wheels me to an elevator, I am pushing more, she tells me to stop. She tells me to breathe fast when I feel the urge to push. I breathe fast and push. I tell her I can't stop the pushing!

There is a man in the elevator with us and he is not happy to be there, I am pushing all over the place. 

We get to the delivery room, A nurse with very thick glasses, dry shaves me. My arms and legs are strapped down and I don't like it! 
I am telling them to unstrap me! At least my hands, unstrap my hands! But no. I tell them I want drugs!

GIVE ME DRUGS! 

I finally get them as I feel, what feels like a  bowling ball is coming out of me...I am..out.

I seem to come up from a dark place because a  nurse is slapping my face, telling me to stop it.
"stop it Rita, stop it Rita, stop it Rita"...I think I said,"what am I doing??" 
But I think, oh, now they want me awake, this is not over! I am going back to sleep till it's over. 
And I do.

Around 9am ish, I wake up, still in the delivery room. I look down and I am surprised to see a flat stomach and a nurse pressing on it. I can feel something is coming out.  

She stops and tells me I had a girl. I knew it was going to be a girl.  5 lbs 6oz. 19"long, A+blood.
 I ask if she is ok, she said she is fine.

She says something about I have an irregular heartbeat but I am ok, they were just watching it. I wonder if that is why they tried to wake me earlier. 

So I arrived at the hospital at 4:50am and Agnes was born at 5:10am. 20 minutes later. 

I am pretty sure my doctor did not arrive in time because she was being born when I passed out and he was not there. He said he was.

Some other information. 

When we got to the hospital, Billy said he wanted coffee, the ambulance guys told him, go get coffee, you  have plenty of time to wait around, its her first one. 
When he got back he was told he had a baby girl.  Most Italians want a son, but Billy was not like that, he was happy having a girl.

During labor she turned. They called it a breech block. I think, I would have had her at home if she didn't turn. 

I did not see her till the next day.  Everyone said she was beautiful, they took me in a wheelchair to finally see her! I was dizzy and had told the nurse, but I guess that was a normal thing because nothing was done about, again.

 Back then, it was a 3 day stay after you had a baby.  On the second day I fainted. Peggy and Billy were there, thankgoodness because Billy caught me.  I fainted in front of everyone in the visiting room on our floor. sigh

I had to stay an extra day because they took tests.  I was NOT happy.   I was anemic, that's why I was dizzy.
  I went in the hospital about 130 lbs and came out 105.  I must have had 15 lbs of water. I would not doubt it! 

Peggy came to take us home. She brought two outfits for me, one to wear home because none of my clothes fit, so I wore a stripped short jumper.  Agnes wore a blue dress with red and white flowers around the collar her Nana bought for her.

We stopped at Nana's house, so they could run down to the car and see her. I asked everyone, who does she look like and they all said....Billy.  Pissed me off..

So, that was the first 4 days of the life of Agnes. 

When we got home, I found out her Uncle Johnny had a fight with Joann  and was staying at our tiny apartment, on the sofa.  Just wonderful...


















Sunday, June 20, 2021

I like to read

 I don't know why I like to read. People think, if your parents read, you will read. That is not true because I know someone (Agnes) who LOVES to read and has read since she was a child, and NOT ONE of her children reads.  

My mother read books, mainly mystery's but also magazines and newspapers.  She liked the Perry Mason Mysteries and Agatha Christie books.

My dad would read certain books, like photography books, fish books, american indian books. He also read magazines and newspapers.  My older sisters read magazines and newspapers. My sister Barbara read books, but I don't remember Peggy read books. Me and Barbara liked the same books and loved to talk about them with each other...I miss her.

 My younger brothers did not read much of anything. My mother got the Hardy Boys books for Charlie which I don't think he read. I am not sure if I read them.

I liked the Dick and Jane books  our first reading books in first grade.   

I was very excited to get my library card! My mother took me to the library and it took me forever to decide what book to take out.  I took out, The Sun, of all things.  So I learned about the sun and I was late taking the book back and I am sure was talked to by my mother. I did not take a book out for a long time after that.

You could also buy books in Woolworths (5&10) store up the street.  A favorite book I got from there was, Eight Cousins.

I just loved that book. It is on ebay for just over $10. I might just get it one day. 
My mother also subscribed me to get 2 Nancy Drew books a month. I could NOT wait for them to arrive! I was  heartbroken when I read them all and my mother had to cancel it.

I also read magazines and newspapers.

Here I am reading, maybe The Star or Enquirer. I am pissed because I got out of the bath and I am in my pajamas and my hair is wet and my father wants to take my picture. I would not look at him. lol
sigh....I miss him.....

I liked Mystery and horror books. Then I found, Stephen King! And Peter Straub!  They were/are my favorites. I read some Sci-fi and ghost books.  True crime was a favorite too.
I like ancient civilizations and read books on those.  But Mr.King will always have a special place in my heart even if I did not care for the endings on some of his books.

I still read but much slower. I could read 2 books in a week. I would try to slow down, not read so fast but it was impossible back then. Now it could take months for me to finish a book. I am ok with that.

Many of the people I follow on YouTube tell stories about mysteries and murder.  A continuation of my reading.  

My grandchildren are not readers as I stated above. It is sad. When I read, I am not just reading the book. I am there in the room! I am watching what is going on.  In rare cases, like in the book, The Clan  of the Cave Bear, I was one of them!  They can take you away to different places. So much fun! 

So, reading has giving me, and continues to give me much joy in my life. :)