36 Years Together

Mike and I celebrated 36 years of marriage yesterday. We were married November 29, 1980 at Our Lady of Victory Church in Floral Park.

Who would have known back then that one day we'd have 4 terrific adult kids? We've had our ups and downs but I think we are one of those rare couples that were really meant to be together. Mike is truly my 'other half.' I know that statistically the chances of you meeting your true partner in a world full of people is very low, so I know how lucky I am!

We were going to go to a Chinese Buffet, but I had a headache all day and the weather was really rainy, so I asked Mike if he'd mind just getting takeout. We did, and I enjoyed it as much as going out!

Outdoor Lights

We left the lights up from last year because it's getting too hard to redo them. Most of the lines were still working--luckily, the higher-up ones--but we still had to replace two lines. Much easier to do than the whole tree!

Anniversary

I forgot to post that yesterday, November 19, was the 45 year anniversary of the day Mike asked me to 'go out' with him. I can remember walking down Adams Street, a block away from my home, and saying, 'is there something you'd like to ask me?' Or something like that. And he said, "you mean, to go out?' And that's when it became 'official.' Who would have known we'd still be together in our 60s, an age that seemed ancient to us back then?

Mom Update

Mom was taken to the hospital a few days ago, with a possible blood clot. Luckily, that wasn't the case, but I'm afraid things are getting worse and worse for her. Here is my sister's  latest update:





Thanks to all the prayer warriors, Dee busted out of the hospital this afternoon.  She went in when her leg swelled, turned blue, and was cold to the touch at the wonderful National Church Residences at Mill run.  Thanks to the swift detection and intervention, Mom went to Riverside.  Fear was a blood clot but the vascular people ruled that out.  But they were still concerned about the swelling and her blood pressure.  So they kept her overnight.  She has new meds and compression stockings which will hopefully alleviate the discomfort. We discovered that she has had a prior stroke or two.   Her blood pressure is whacked out but hopefully will calm down when she settles back into her routine.  They did give her lots of breathing treatments so she is over her contagion and coughing less.  They also took her off blood thinners because the scare was largely caused by her leg suddenly discoloring from accumulated blood from a week ago.  So no more blood tests every week which leave her bruised. 

Back to New York

In the morning, Neal made me coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice.I made my own eggs, having figured my way partly around the kitchen.

We stopped to see Mom on the way to the airport. She could hardly hear me, unfortunately. She was a little stunned when I said I was heading home already. I'm not sure she realized I'd been there a few days. It's sad she was sick at the time. I hope this isn't our last visit, but recent developments make me wonder if I'll ever see her again. I will post about that later. 

I gave her a hug and told her I loved her. 

Then we headed to the airport, stopping at Krema Nuts on the way. I hadn't done any of my "Ohio Shopping," except for getting the kids some cheese curds from the local Giant Eagle. They don't sell them in New York. I picked up some nice things, including ground almonds for Meltaway Cookies.

I got to the airport too early and had to wait an hour and a half for my flight. There isn't much to do there, so I got myself some Combos and a protein drink. 

Surprisingly, the flight wasn't filled up. No one had to take a center seat, so it was really comfortable.

I used to have a lot of time between flights, so (thinking this), I stopped and got some Chinese food. And found out the connecting flight was boarding in twenty minutes! So I just ate a little of the food and brought most of it home.

It was a rough flight through clouds. Glad it was a short one. I saw next to a nice young girl from Ronkonkoma who was actually a Southwest Airlines flight attendant. (I guess they don't call them stewardesses now.)

Mike picked me up and we got some fried chicken to bring home for dinner. I had some of the Chinese, too. Didn't really like the chicken.

Later, as I was going through  my things, I found out I lost a little purse I had with money in it. It is upsetting. It wasn't in Mike's car or back at Sue's. I suppose I've made someone very happy, as there were a few 20s in it. Damn. As if I have money to throw around.

It was nice to visit, but I am always glad to be back in my own home!

Mom was much better today. She was still coughing but the scary wheezing was minimal. We pretty  much just hung out all day. We had Bahama Mamas for lunch, then, later, we looked over some old photos.

Here is one of both my grandfathers, about to serve in World War I, long before my parents were born:

Sorry it is sideways. That's my Dad's father to the left and Mom's Dad to the right. Good-looking guys!

Annie gave my Mom a cute Christmas decoration, that looks like a book:

I was happy to get my boarding pass from on-line and even happier I was in only the 30th position! 

Later, we had a really nice ham dinner. Sue made a corn casserole that was delicious to go along with it. She says she likes to cook for company because they don't get to make big dinners for just the two of them.

They don't watch much TV, but Sue and I watched a PBS series episode of Poldark. Wasn't very impressed with it, lol. Then again, I doubt my sister would enjoy "The Walking Dead."

Ohio on Sunday

Mom was much better today. She was still coughing but the scary wheezing was minimal. We pretty  much just hung out all day. We had Bahama Mamas for lunch, then, later, we looked over some old photos.

Here is one of both my grandfathers, about to serve in World War I, long before my parents were born:

Sorry it is sideways. That's my Dad's father to the left and Mom's Dad to the right. Good-looking guys!

Annie gave my Mom a cute Christmas decoration, that looks like a book:

I was happy to get my boarding pass from on-line and even happier I was in only the 30th position! 

Later, we had a really nice ham dinner. Sue made a corn casserole that was delicious to go along with it. She says she likes to cook for company because they don't get to make big dinners for just the two of them.

They don't watch much TV, but Sue and I watched a PBS series episode of Poldark. Wasn't very impressed with it, lol. Then again, I doubt my sister would enjoy "The Walking Dead."

Ohio, Friday and Saturday

I took a flight from Islip to Baltimore, then Baltimore to Columbus. My seat was A54, but I still got a window seat, just closer to the back of the plane. I could care less where I sit as long as I'm not between people.

Sue picked me up at the airport and took me to her nice new house. Neal has been working hard on some needed fixups and it looks great. I got a big kick out of their kitchen, which is original to the house (1950s era) and even has a pink wall oven!

Mom came by later. She was sick with bronchitis and really wheezing and coughing. It was so exhausting to her she kept falling asleep. But when she was awake, she was almost fully aware. The big problem is she has trouble hearing. She thinks her hearing aids have low batteries but we know  it was the head cold.

We had stroganoff for dinner. My brother Bill made the gravy and did a great  job. Bill was there with Annie and Gary. It was nice seeing them.

They are pretty much all liberals and like Obama but, happily, political talk was kept to a  minimum despite the shock of Trump winning the election. I told them I don't like Trump much, but I sure didn't vote for Hillary.

Saturday:

We picked up Mom at the assisted living place. It was really nice and Mom has a pretty room with a little kitchenette (microwave only) and a BIG bathroom. Susan keeps it decorated and even set up a scarecrow outside Mom's window!

We took a ride around Columbus, heading into German Village with the hope of getting some Bahama Mamas, but Schmidt's was closed. (Neal and Bill went later). We came home and had lunch.

We were all very concerned about Mom. Sue and I both thought was saw pink in her tissue; worried she was coughing up blood. We took her back and waited for the x-ray tech to come. Sue and Annie went across the street and got us all milkshakes, a nice treat.

After a few hours, Sue decided we'd go home and the nurse promised to keep us posted.

Dinner was those Bahama Mamas. Annie and I split one; they are so big. Finally, Sue and Annie went back to see Mom. The tech was there. Later we found out Mom's lungs are clear, so no pneumonia, thank God. They put her on antibiotics, Prednisone and Mucinext.

She sounded so much better Sunday, but that is another post.

Uncle Jimmy

I'm catching up on a few days' worth of blogs today. We got a call from Mike's brother at 6 a.m. this morning, and I knew what John was going to say. Uncle Jimmy passed away last night, in his sleep.

Yesterday, Mike and John went to visit him at the nursing home. Most times they have visited lately, Uncle Jimmy wasn't even awake and aware. But yesterday, he was talking to them and even asked for some cake. Mike got him a sticky bun from the vending machine  and some coffee. They  took him outside to enjoy a rarely beautiful, warm Fall day. It was a very nice visit, almost as if Uncle Jimmy knew he was leaving us and wanted to say good-bye to the two people who have cared for him the most.

The wake is tomorrow evening, only 2 hours.  Some of the family was estranged from him (I think I posted about that before) and some are too far away to get here. He is being interred in a vault with his sister, Rosie. The funeral is out by John's but the vault is in Long Island City, so it's a good thing we're going there on a Saturday. I can't imagine traffic if we had to wait until Monday!

Jimmy's real name was Vincent. His mother did not speak English and when she said "Vincent" it sounded like "Vee-Jim," which eventually became Jimmy.

He is the last of the Pastore siblings, which included my father-in-law, Mike. I'm pretty sure he served in the US Army during World War II. He never married and worked for many years for the New York State Racing Authority. He was a good, nice man and we will miss him!

James is 30!

I can't believe I now have 3 kids in their 30s! James turned 30 on November 1. I remember the nurses were wearing Halloween costumes when I went into the hospital. Jamie missed being a Halloween baby by about an hour and a half.

He didn't want anything for his birthday, although I offered! He did request scungilli.  Mike is actually making it for him to have after work tonight (it is now November 3rd). It's an easy dish to make and Jamie's favorite!

Halloween

Nick and Katherine both got into the 'spirit' of Halloween this year. Nick is wearing a 'Jack Skellington' suit. I think he looks like a 1920s gangster, minus the fedora!

Katherine's co-workers told her she should decorate her bun, so she did!

She said everyone she passed in her store smiled. I love her crazy sense of humor!