The Nyack Halloween Parade and trick or treating in Nyack three days later

The Nyack Halloween Parade was cancelled on Saturday and rescheduled for Sunday. My Feeling about the parade are like a Yogi-ism (If You don't know look it up), ( OK, Yogi Berra was famous for saying things that made sense sorta, Like the one I'm going to use today, No One goes there any more it's too crowded) And that is how I feel about the Nyack Halloween parade. It's too crowded and I don't like going there any more. 
     Nancy got us a good viewing place at the corner of Broadway and Main where a scene from the new season of Ray Donovan was filmed, it was raining in the scene. Any way We got there and the parade was a little spread out, you know gaps in the action. It was better then last year and I'll most likely go again next year. The Girls really didn't dress up for the parade. I think they were trying to be vampires again. I still have the lion costumes and I think they would fit them still. It was over by seven or so and we went to eat dinner at Fridays in the Mall, it was poor.
     The real Fun was Wednesday, Halloween. Elena joined the bowling league and it was her first week, plus she had invited half a dozen of her friends to go Trick or treating and I don't think she got an 'A' for planning. Some of the kids walked, some drove and most insisted on driving to Nyack. Teri got home late and was tired, so she vacillated between telling them to go trick or treating in Conger then saying lets go to Nyack. Nyack won out, it was not even close. Nyack reminds you of what Halloween used to be when you were a kid. Broadway on Halloween in Nyack is the painting Norman Rockwell never got the time to do. It is all that and more. Which makes the next part of the story hard to believe. 
     We were late going there and Teri and I thought we would eat dinner in Nyack. We showed the kids the street signs where we parked and how to get there from Broadway, it was simple. 
      Teri, Nancy and I go to get something to eat and leave them to enjoy the evening alone. There were three guys and four girls, a large group all between sixteen and almost twenty. I felt they would be fine and I walked away in full confidence. 
     We ended up at Harry's Tacos. The food was good and for the place being empty, getting food on the table was extremely slow. We figured We'd be done by 8:45 no problem. The Food didn't reach the table until almost 8:50. I'm almost done eating when I get a call from Nastia. I figure it was her asking when we would be to the car, it was not. She starts in explaining an incident, but in bits and pieces and it took me a few minutes to understand. When I did I got up, explained to Teri the best I could in short sentences what was going on and I was out the door. I have a foot issue and I'm hobbling down the street not exactly sure what I'm going to see when I get there. Nastia's message was something like "Some Kids were bothering us and Jake tried  to hit one and they were spitting at us and calling us the 'N' word (go  figure). So I'm hustlin up the street, my key between my fingers figuring that if there is a fight I'm going to jump in.  I'll wait while you finish laughing...... I find it funny too and I know the last fight I was in. I think I was eight or ten when Karl and I had a fight in the dining room and We fell and put a big hole in the wall. So it was about fifty years ago. But I was going in. I'll wait Again.....I turn the corner of fifth off Broadway and see a cop car and a few people around him. I come up puffing like the fat old man I have become and introduce myself to the police officer. Nastia chuckles and asks if I'm alright. And did you run? And it's like hell yeah I did, sorta. '
     The Police Officer happened to be up the street and saw some kids running and decided to investigate. That was which Elena was most likely calling the Police.  The Officer as we found out later had another call regarding this group and he thought the car with the plates from North Rockland was theirs. He was going to hang around for a while to find out if it was them. 
     After a long bit of conversation the story goes something like this. One of the boys calls one of the girls a bitch playfully. The Dirtbags, looking for trouble think it was meant for them and come over, giving it their best dirt bag tough guy bully best. They got in the face of one or two of the guys and of course Elena steps in front and tells them to back off, no one is looking for trouble. One of the kids takes a swing at an other kids and somehow it doesn't turn into a huge fight. I still don't think I got it all down straight. All I do know is this was the first time We'd let them go alone in Nyack trick or treating and I was more concerned about them getting hit by a car then this. Teri was feeling real guilt about it all, but shouldn't have. Everyone survived. Some parents came to pick up their kids, others just went home. Elena's friend Jake took the fight real hard, getting down on himself for not being more of a man, whatever that is in this day and age. The bottom line is no one was hurt and it makes for an interesting story hopefully.






















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Nastia is a driver.

I just realized I didn't write about Nastia passing her driving test. It was a couple of weeks ago and no one was there to see her do it. I felt bad that it had to happen this way, but everyone was at school or work on the Friday she took the test.
    Nastia got up early on that Friday and went to work with her driving instructor at 7 AM. Teri went to work at 8 AM and I was at my mothers when the text came in. I thought the test was for 10 AM.  She went over to Orangeburg to take her test sometime after 9AM. At 9:30 I receive a text from Nastia saying she has passed her driving test. Until then I hadn't realized she would only be with her driving instructor when she passed her driving test.
     The Instructor, a women, not a T.A. newbie guy allows her to attempt her parallel parking a second time when she doesn't hit it the first time.
     In the month between her driving tests she has become a much better driver, but as I keep telling her, now that she has passed her test, she has barely mastered the bare minimum of skills to drive and it will be a slow process, just like her sister of small steps to where she will be allowed to drive.
     There will come a time, though when I will have to let her drive to work when she is working to 10 PM. The Parking lot at Shop Rite is dark and empty. she has no fear of either. 

Life...

Life, I guess that says it all. Or maybe it doesn't. I guess maybe this is life now is better. OK, this is life now...
     I get up at six in the morning, why you ask, well Elena is a senior in High School still and she has these awful hours. I get up at, well really I get up at six-fifteen when Teri's alarm goes off for the second time. I go get Elena up, she will lie in bed for, I don't know, maybe ten, fifteen minute more before she gets up. While that is happening I will go down stairs and get her breakfast ready. I would get Teri's coffee going except it is a Keurig Coffee maker and I don't drink Coffee, so I never learned how to, I'm such a bad wife to her. I wait for Teri and Athena to come down stairs so I can distract Mesha. Why you ask, well the marks on my arms from breaking up dog fights should be a hint. I throw the ball as deep into the yard as I can to give Athena a chance to take a quick pee. She runs inside and I throw the ball several times more so She has a chance to get a cookie and get to the couch, her safety spot before Mesha gets inside.
     Then Elena comes down. She usually is wearing a T Shirt, but this morning it is a little chilly, before it gets up into the high 70's so she has a sweat shirt on top of it now. Yesterday was picture day and she came down stairs looking so nice and it reminded me how beautiful she is. I never have to say that about Nastia, she know how beautiful she is. Elena eats toaster waffles and about seven AM she leaves to get Arianna and go to school.
     Nastia, depending on the day of the week gets up any where from six thirty to seven thirty. Today it is six forty-five. She also eats toaster waffles, the current crave for the two of them. They will eat the same thing for several weeks, then stop and won't have them again for several months, some times. It gets tough when you have stocked up on English Muffins and they are out of favor. Well they go into the freezer like everything else.
     Teri usually comes down with Athena around six thirty. She makes her coffee, then puts together her lunch. After Teri showers and Nastia has brushed her teeth they both leave. Then the House is quiet and I have time to look for a job I don't really want to change to. My current Job, as Iv'e said many times makes me feel good, but it doesn't pay anything, it just feels so good when a new customer says to you 'Thank You and God bless you for the food.' After dealing with customers in the milk business who feel you owe them it is refreshing to hear someone be thankful for what they are getting and the food is good.
      This Morning, I'm sitting at the dining room table thinking I'm alone while I write when upstairs there is movement and I remember Amanda came home last night. She works at Good Sam Hospital in Suffern. She has plans on getting her driving license still and getting more education, to possibly become an x-ray tech. I hope it happens. Can someone in the future let me know if it happens. She deserves it. She works hard, but it's like she works at cross purposes. She has a job, but doesn't drive. She takes lessons, but doesn't take the test. I know I don't know everything that is going on in her life, it just seems she is setting herself up to lead a hard life where she'll struggle the whole time.
     She is gone and the house is quiet again. What is happening for me? Well if you don't tell anybody.....






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Elena starts today, Nastia continues

I always thought I would look forward to the end of school for the girls. Today is the last first day of school (Teri thought I needed to be more specific about this) elementary, middle and high school for the girls. No more, after this year getting up at six AM, waking one or both up so they can leave the house before seven AM. to get to school some time later.
     Today I got Elena up at 6:05. She was grabbing a ride with Ariana to school so they could tailgate on their first day. Elena says there was music in the parking lot and people were actually grilling food there. They didn't know anybody that was grilling so they went inside.
     Elena bought home all the usual stuff from the first day at school. All the class contracts, policies on behavior and new rules. One new Rule, I think I like is all cell phones are collected at the start of class and given back at the end, no exceptions.
     Another rule that is a sign of the times, according to Elena, is no more back packs are allowed in the middle school.
      Nastia survived another day at college. She went to History and English and survived a black out. She again took a bus home, transferring buses at the Palisades Center. All is good after two and one day of class in 2018.

First Day of School Again, already

Nastia and Teri just left for RCC and Teri's new job over in Mahwah, NJ. I'm writing this blog, instead of looking for a new job and Elena asleep upstairs. She has one more day before she starts her senior year at North. Time has flown very quickly.
   
About half an hour ago Nastia was sitting at the table when I told her not to move. I ran and got my phone to take a picture of her, another in the first day of school series. She asked me why was I taking a picture? After I told her why it got me to thinking about some of the past pictures of them I've taken on their first day of school. The One when they are in the kitchen under the paper figures they drew one day in elementary school, or the one with them outside waiting for the bus to middle school. Or the one where their mother had to go to work before they got up and left them a note. Today's and tomorrow's pictures will join them
     The One picture I am dreading is the one I take a few years down the road where no one will be in it because they are no longer in school and the first week of September will only mean it's time to close the pool.

Crab Monster from 8/22/18

Elena can get real bitchie, bitchy?, well she can. She has built this high stone wall around her to keep out, or at least limit the contact of other people. Relations are always on her terms. And sometimes it can be harsh.
      The Other night Nastia comes down stairs and says Elena has thrown away her birth control pills. Teri makes a comment about Nastia being a tattle tail, which in this world of confusion we have now where if you see something, say something is the motto, there are no tattle tails.
      Teri goes to talk to her and every so often the girls forget they are not black.  Elena gets defensive about Nastia telling Teri about her throwing away the pills and says, "I don't like it when she gets all up in my business." There's no body whiter then Russians, oh boy. Well Teri try's to reason with her and Elena is ignoring her. Teri says, "Go on the computer and if it says to throw them out then OK."
     A few minutes later Teri comes down and is fuming. She says Elena is being a bitch and I need to cancel her driving test appointment and if she wants to take the test let her schedule it and get her own car up there to take it. Elena doesn't have a car. After a few more moments of fuming I am tasked with handing out the discipline. I tell Teri I will do it tomorrow. The next morning I debate wither to ruin Elena's day in the morning or should I do it in the afternoon, I choose the afternoon. After a weird day at work I get home. Nastia is ready to go out on a date with David and wants me to bring her to Sephora's at the mall because they do free makeup. I shot her down and tell her she will walk out of that place with $40.+ dollars of makeup. Next I go to Elena who is ready to drive to work. I tell her no I will drive, I need to talk to her.
     On the drive to Shop Rite I ask Elena what she was angry about late night? She says she was not angry. This makes me smile, she is using my tactics, that I invented and she is now trying to fight on my home turf.
     "Well", I say, "If You were not angry then why did your mother come down stairs fuming about the attitude you were giving her?" after a little back and forth she admits she was angry at her sister for all getting up in her business. The Whitest of White people on earth,  Russians and my daughter is trying to sound like she is from the hood. Makes you laugh.
     There was more to this story I started a few weeks ago, but time and Driving tests and the Dutchess County Fair put a hold on this story and I forgot the end. I think I take her driving privileges away for a short while, like that day.

Nastia comes up a little short

We tried for magic to strike twice in less then a week,when Nastia went for her driving test. I felt she was ready, but still had some issues.
     The Test was scheduled for 8 AM in Stony Point. Having been there just the previous Friday I was relaxed about that. Nastia was nervous about the test and was doing her usual, "I'm not going to pass this, I'm going to fail."
     We got to the test site early and pulled up behind a father and his daughter. His Daughter was taking her test for the fifth time. For Me, that said something was really wrong with this picture. If You are failing it that many times you are not practicing enough or you are panicking during the test.
     The Inspector shows up a little after eight and sits in his car. We wait patiently. The Inspector gets out and I am disappointed to see it is a different person. Elena's was a black women, this one is a Spanish guy. Both will be a little distant, but that is what you have to do if you are going to possibly fail someone. I also think that Nastia can be a charming person to guys, but she is also intimidated by people in power and people who are standoffish.
     The Inspector gets in the car with the first girl. She jerks forward a little when she starts and pulls away from the curb a little to fast. I'm thinking a bad start for a four time loser. Sure enough when She comes back the Inspector talks to the father and it is obvious she has failed again.
     Before the Inspector gets to Nastia, I remind her to check her blind spot before she pulls out. They both get into the car, he takes paperwork from her, she adjusts her mirrors, the seat, puts it in drive and  off she goes. I am optimistic. About ten minutes later she comes back and parks. The Inspector gets out and I ask the question. The Answer is no she did not pass.
     Later Nastia is talking with the driving school and they tell her he is the new guy and he is very strict. I tell Nastia, this is a test for minimum driving skills, even if you passed you would have a lot more to learn.
     The Driving school is taking over and has scheduled a test for October fifth. The Driving School and I will get her ready to pass it between now and then and she will this time.
 

Dutchess County Fair 2018, maybe the last?

The Dutchess County Fair was this past week.It started on Tuesday and ended on Sunday. We picked Saturday to go and it was looking like it would be a spectacular day. The Temperatures were expected to be in the low 80's with sun shine and everyone was interested to go.

     We bought tickets for the Fair and ride tickets in advance. There is a small discount, I think, but it also avoids the ticket buyer's line. I don't know why everyone doesn't do it.
     Teri and I were up early that Saturday, like usual and the girls were gotten up in time for them to dress and eat before we went. Our plan was to leave the house at 9:30, pick up Nancy and get to the fair before 11:30, figuring we'd leave around 10 AM and get there around noon.
     The Plan went pretty well. We left the house before 10 AM and on the way to pick up Nancy a little incident happened. We cross over Route 303 on our way to Route 9W. I notice a car on Route 303 heading south that is sticking out in the road. He had wanted to make a left turn and didn't come out far enough into the intersection so when the light changed he was stuck in a no man's land. Too far out to be out of the way of traffic and not far enough out to have blocked traffic going the other way so he could of made his turn. I point this out to the girls saying this guy didn't take command of the intersection and now he is stuck in no man's land. Teri didn't like that statement. She felt it was too aggressive in tone. We go back and forth a little with it and I tell her something that pisses her off. I wish I could remember what I said. The Reaction from her face was one of rage. I stop arguing, and let her say her piece. She explains to the girls her philosophy on overly aggressive driving. Neither one of us are very happy with the other one right now and it seems like the day is going to be ruined. We get to Nyack and Teri and I have a quiet conversation while one daughter goes in to help Nancy and the other one has her ear phones in. The quiet conversation makes neither one of us happy and a silence develops between us. Nancy gets in and we go.

     The GPS says to head up the Thruway. We've been through this several times and always seem to mess it up. Some where along the way We feel the GPS has to be wrong and decide to go the way We think is quicker. The first few years We went it was always me saying, because I worked in the are "The GPS has to be wrong, lets go this way" and I'd usually add forty minutes to our trip.
     Teri is driving and we head up the Thruway. There is a question at the Woodbury tolls and I'm still not feeling the love so I am doing as little talking as possible. Of course Teri has tried to get past it and this just gets her mad again. I seem to have issues getting past things lately, not a good thing. We think

We are getting off in Woodbury, but the GPS was just sending us through the toll booths, stupid. We get back on the Thruway and continue north. In Newburgh, Teri thinks we should get off and go across the bridge. I tell her if we stay on the Thruway we will have to go north of Rheinbeck and cross the mid Hudson bridge and come down from there. We get off in Newburgh and cross the Newburgh- Beacon bridge adding twenty minutes to our trip, like always.

A little while later We get on to Route 52, and we miss hitting the Cracker Barrel Restaurant where Teri like to look through their shop. We get to the fair a little after twelve and park in the lots north of the fair that are free and further away. 
   
     We arrive at the fair a little after noon time. We park north of the fair in the free parking like we did last year. A few comments are made about how far away we are, but we park in the free parking anyway.
     We all exit the car in the usual loose group. Teri and I who are mostly over the fight are walking sort of near each other. Nastia takes my hand and then grabs her moms hand and the three of us walk together for a while. The symbolism is not lost on me. Because We prepaid for our tickets we go around all lines getting into the Fair. We are in the northern section of the park with the animals on our left center, the midway straight ahead and the rides to our right center. Of course the first stop after a two hour ride is the bathroom, after that after a little discussion we opt for the Barns to see the animals. We hit the cows first, sheep,some bulls and finally the chickens. We all find this more interesting then the other barns. I really want to get chickens next year. The Girls like the idea and Teri is OK with it as long as there is no butchering of the chickens.
     We get lunch the girls get corn on the cob, so fried pickles, which Nastia takes the coating off, because she doesn't like the taste. I get a bean burrito. Except for the price of nine dollars, it was good. I don't remember what Teri and Nancy got.
     Now it is time for the return of the 'Danger Girls'. They have prepurchased tickets for ten rides for twenty dollars, a great deal. They goon several favorites that they have gone on in the past. But it is different. I don't see the excitement. They're enjoying themselves, but it is all old hat by now. Nasta's stomach begins to bother her after a few spinning rides. She gives her tickets to Elena and she goes for a few rides on her own. Elena does a kiddie roller coaster and has fun on it, so Nastia thinks she can handle it so they both go on it. The last few rides are gentler then the fist few so the 'Danger Girls' might just be going out on a whimper of kids rides,
     We head for the car with the intention of going to The Olive Garden on Route 84. The Girls on their way out gets fox tails.
For some reason this time Teri follows the GPS and we head north to go home. We cross the Kingston Bridge, that I thought was the Mid-Hudson Bridge a little while late, get on the Thruway and head home.
     The GPS has us hitting home around 9:30, which is too late to eat, so We stop at a rest station on the Thruway and eat McDonald's. We get out of the car in short sleeves and the temperature reminds us how summer is coming to an end.
     We arrive home a little after 10 PM and I miss both games of the Yankees sweep of the Orioles. 
















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Elena passed her driving test this morning!!

Well the title says it all. This morning at 9:22 our eighteen year old daughter Elena Kozlova Muller passed her driving test. It was never in doubt. OK, well, We were a little concerned about how she would react to the pressure of having to do something that was important to her and she did good.
     There were times I felt more nervous about what was happening then she did. Then I'd look close at her and then I could see she was nervous.
     Teri got her up at 7:33 to make sure We would be on time. Nastia by coincidence had an appointment in New City at the same time. Teri is working again so We asked Eric and Lynn for a rider for Nastia they were to pick her up at 9 AM for her 9:30 appointment. Elena and I left at 8:15 for our drive up to Route 210, to a point just pass Central Ave. a location I found a little strange. How would you find it and know that you found it. I drove, remembering an old wives tale that if the student drove to the test they would be failed.
     I went up 9 W made a left onto Rt 202, then I made a right onto what would change to Central Avenue once we got into Stony Point. I was nervous I'd not find this location, just past Central Ave so I left alot of time. About 8:30 or so I turn left onto Route 210 and start to look for ... what, I really didn't know. Then on the opposite side of the road a few cars are pulled off to the side of the road. I'm thinking it's either an accident or its this magical place 'just pass Central Ave,' I asked Elena what she thought and decided to turn around in the former location of Deli Central. As I turned around I was glad to see the owners who had tossed out Deli Central to open their own Deli back up had failed and a new place was there.
     As We pull up behind the others cars I read a small green sign that say this is where driving tests start. We get out of the car as a car two places in front of us pulls away.We sit on the guard rail,walk around talk a little waiting for Elena's turn, The Guy in front of us gets in his car and does a huge circle on Route 210 putting him and his daughter behind us. As He is getting out he says she forgot some papers and we can go first.
     The car that disappeared when we got there comes back behind us and parks. A Women gets out and asks Elena for her paperwork. She takes it and tells Elena to get in the car. After a few moments my car pulls gently away. It goes down to the light to make a right and sits there until the light changes green. I start to be a little concerned. Is she being too conservative? I wait, I read stuff from my phone and I wait. After an eternity of ten minutes or so the car pulls out from the road the previous car did and starts to head toward us. A large distance from me the car signals and begins to pull off the road. I walk up to the car and ask the instructor if she passed and she answers yes. Nice job Young Lady.
     This Afternoon as soon as I got home Elena wanted to go driving. I called Allstate learned that the driving test that cost $540.00 did not give them a discount. I got her signed up and off she went. She drove down South Harrison and up South Conger.
     I started this when Nastia said she need her schedule and Elena offered to drive her there (What a good sister)  They are back in one piece and thank god for that.
     Now for the next forty years of worrying.

Elena turns eighteen

A few years ago Teri and I bought two young girls home from Russia. I woke up this morning and I thought, "What the hell happened?" The Youngest, Elena, turns eighteen today. I got up at seven this morning and went into the room she is sharing with her sister right now, woke her up, wished her a happy birthday and asked her if she felt any different, She said no. I told her she wouldn't and that the only way to feel different was to change inside, numbers are meaningless. Oh, I did tell her not to sign any contracts because she now in the eyes of the law is an adult and can be held legally responsible. She promised not to.
    Later Today, when I get home around three, I will take the two of them over to the Mall to buy tickets for a movie they want to see tomorrow as part of her birthday celebration.
     When Teri comes home around six we will go to a place called Cho Cho San  in Nanuet. It's were the Triangle Steak Pub used to be. Yes I know that means less to a person reading this in the future then Cho Cho San does.
     The Point I guess is that in the blink of an eye both of the girls have grown up to be fine young women and I love them so much. I continue this after today ends.
     It's just the four of us for dinner for Elena's birthday. Once in a while it is nice to be just with family to do something special. We have a reservation for seven tonight and of course Teri is running late. It is not her fault, but her new boss wants to talk and she is new there, so she does which causes her to get out of work late.She gets to the house, the three of us are waiting for her on the front steps and off we go to a place I have no idea what will happen. Elena went to Cho Cho San with her boyfriend Alex for his birthday several months ago and said it was fun. Nastia went to Mount Fugi near Bear Mountain with David several months ago and both said it was fun.
     We get to the place on time with Teri doing only a little crazy driving, she doesn't like to be late for anything, The Hostess greets us wearing a jacket. I lean over to Nastia and say "You should of bought a jacket"

     We are taken to a table that sits about ten people surrounding a large cook top. Everyone is looking through the menu and the first thing I notice is it is a pricey place and I hear the girls talking about appetizers and drinks. I have become cheap as I have gotten older and poorer. I guess they go together cheap and poor.
I am always looking at prices. Teri interrupts their search through the menu saying we should all get the Hibachi grill.We all agree. Teri and I get the chicken, Nastia gets the shrimp and Elena gets the Filet Mignon. I get two bottles of beer. We are severed a clear soup with a few bits od mushroom in it that was very good. A small salad that I didn't get a chance to try and then our chef arrives to start the show and to cook dinner. The Chefs are truly entertainers and they made a nice evening even better. There was a lot of rice and noodles with the meal so I left very full.
     Elena got two very nice gifts. Cordless headphones from Teri and I.  And an X-box controller from her sister. It was expensive. Nastia always spends more then she should.











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Nastia and College

Nastia and College sounds like an 'R' rated teen slasher film, but it is more of a pull at your heart strings, child lost story.
     If Money had permitted, I would of liked our girls to go away to college. Even if Money had Nastia didn't. As Someone who was and sometimes still are scared of everything, I can understand. I was never prepared to handle the unknown. It always seemed that if I risked my security, I'd lose everything. It never was worth it to try.
     My Daughter, that intrepid adventurer who left all she ever knew in Russia, came to a land where she barely knew us and didn't speak the language has found security with us and is afraid to risk it going away to college. The Great unknown is always scary, I know. I have also found the greatest reward in taking the risk. You inch a toe out into it and just keep going.
     Selling Muller Dairy was about the biggest risk I everdid too. From a distance of eighteen years, it doesn't seem as great as it was back then. Back then, Muller Dairy was everything I knew and everything I was. When I was born, my Dad delivered milk. I remember waiting a Christmas morning on my parents bed for my father to come back home. He'd gone out extra early to deliver milk to his customers, as We waited on their bed.  I remember my dad asking Karl and I who would go to work with him on the truck. Karl would say he'd go, then I said I wanted to go also. Then Karl said, he'd stay home, then I said I didn't want to go. It went back and forth like that for a while. I wanted to go to work with Karl and my dad. I must of been five,six. I remember my Mom getting sick, I don't remember what it was, maybe colitis, maybe something else. All I remember is Karl and I delivering milk together with my Dad.
    I remember waking up on a Saturday morning, it was summer and I'd slept out with Mike in the tent. My Mom calling me to get me up to go to work with my dad, me not wanting to. What I now wouldn't give.
    Nastia has been reduced to tears a couple of times because of College. There came a point recently that Teri and I questioned if she was adult enough to go to College.We talked to her and asked her straight out if she understood what was going on and if she would rather not go to College. I was willing to let her take a year off,a scary thought and let her work for a living, pay bills and grow up some more. I was scared if she said yes she might never go to college. She admitted to being scared and not really understanding what was going on. Tears streamed down her face. I tried to comfort her, but this was a spot that her mother it seemed could only fill.
      After She calmed down, We talked more and things, I hoped, had gotten clearer. I think the big break through was when David and her went up to RCC to register and they walked around the campus. He had just finished going there and knew the place pretty well. My knowledge was forty years out of date. When I went there, food was limited to a vending machine and a microwave. Now there is a cafeteria. Wow!
      She is registered for school, taking fifteen classes, English,Math, Human Sexuality ( yeah I know, I have to remind myself still she is going to be twenty soon), dance and one other class. She starts at eight a couple of days a week and a little later the other days. She goes five days a week.
     I remember one of my favorite things about RCC was when I could set my classes up to go only Monday through Thursday and have Friday off. Three day weekends for four months!!



















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The House goes quiet, a preview of down the road?

I got home from work at 3 pm. Nastia was going to work. Elena was over at Ariana's house. Later they were both going to go over to Jessica's for a sleep over. Nastia worked until 10 pm, then David was going to take her over to Jessica's house to join the sleep over.
     It didn't hit me until later that David was bring Nastia over to Jessica's house at 10 pm. It turned out to be nothing, but Teri beat me to making sure it was nothing.
     Teri and I had a quit dinner at the table, left overs, why cook when there are only two? We decided to watch a movie after the early dinner. We watched the movie and around 10 pm Teri goes up to bed, I follow around 11:15. This is when I realize how quiet the house has become. I walk up the stairs, the house is normal quiet, but it has an empty feeling I don't like. I have not always appreciated how the girls have filled up our house and made it a happier place. About halfway up the stairs I am met by the cat. He too is lost because he has no one to sleep with and can't come into our bed room because Misha will chase him. I scratch his head and he runs off to Nastia's room like he does every night, except the room is empty and I don't shut the door. I go into the bed room and Teri is talking to Nastia. Teri had told Elena to let her know when Nastia showed up at Jessica's and she had also told Nastia to call when she got there. Neither did it so Teri facetimed them. The House is filled a little more by their presents. And then it fades as Teri's screen goes dark. Can We keep them home for a little while longer?

The Graduation Party.

What's a graduation without a party? This Party by any standard was low key and adult run. Nastia was asked who she wanted to invite and Elena was asked who she would like to invite. All were welcome, but there was a very strong Adult contingent, who attended, ran and also financed the party.
     The Planning for the party started several weeks before the actual day. Plans were made by Teri and a list of food and drinks were composed. It would be Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, salads, Sliced London Broil with soda, 'adult lemonade' and beer.
     About thirty-five people were invited. Teri put an announcement on Facebook inviting everyone. Almost immediately responses came back. Karl and Madeline couldn't make it because of a wedding. Either they give good presents or people like them. They always seem to be going to weddings.
     As the day got closer I worked on the grounds to make them nicer. I hadn't really gotten into the flower gardens in a few years. I pulled weeds out that filled parts of the flower beds. My Original plan was just to do the south side of the house. It looked so good that I kept on and over two or so days I had weeded all the flower beds and they looked nice, empty, but nice. The Pool got opened, shocked, filtered and cleaned. Nastia even went out and cleaned up the yard of dog crap.
     As the Day approached the weather started to look iffy. In the last few days before the party the weather was forecast to be overcast with a chance of rain on and off all day with temperatures going only into the 70's. 
     Waking up on the day of the party, it was over cast, but the sky didn't say rain.It didn't look like it would rain anytime soon when you looked at the horizon. To hedge our bets, I went over to my Mom's and brother Eric's house to borrow some canopy style tents. They didn't look waterproof, but I didn't think we'd need them. The Tents went up easy enough. My Mom's tent had a corner piece busted, which fixed easily and quick. It was all going really well. Teri and I did have a blow up over something so important that I can't remember what it was. That was when I went to get the tents.
   At 2 PM,We were ready. At 2:20 no one was there and for a moment I got that panicky feeling that no one was going to come, then everyone started to show up. I started cooking the London Broil about 1:45, When I felt it was done I bought it in to cool and started cooking burgers and hot dogs. When I went to slice the London Broil Sally Ann offered to take over at the grill. After the London Broil was sliced I came back to cook, but Sally Ann was enjoying herself and I found it fun not to be behind the grill, even though I enjoy doing it. Sally Ann cooked all the burgers and the hot dogs. I would have gone by demand and I felt the cold hand of a leftover burger dinner coming. The Meat would turn out to be used for tacos and they were good.
     Around four or so some of Nastia's friends from work showed up. To Me that made it complete. Everyone  showed up who said they would. We had twenty-eight out of thirty five, that was pretty good.
     The Sky remained cloudy always looking like it might rain, but never giving more than a few drops. The cool Temperatures didn't stop the kids from going in the pool and having a blast. The Trampoline even got used. Teri felt it would have been perfect if she had been more organized. I felt it couldn't of been better without being greedy.
Great Party. One down, one to go.

Graduation 2018 Nastia

Nastia is now an alumnus. She graduated High School on Wednesday June 20th, 2018. It's a day that She has long looked forward to and a day that is or will be a sign post in her life. The Sign post will read, "The Day it all changed, again".
     This is the second sign post in our children's lives. The first one obviously is the day Teri and I adopted them, which surprisingly they don't remember. This Second one will be one she will remember better. There will be the loss of security of being a child and going to school every day.
     The Class of 2018 was set to graduate from the cozy confines of the Field House at Rockland Community College. The Reason given for moving it to RCC was the size of the class,it was, by my count about 325 students plus teachers who helped to make the ceremony run smooth.
     The RCC Field House is the size of three basketball courts. At the far end of the building stands were pulled out from the wall on three sides. Seats were put on the floor for students and handicapped, plus a few hardy souls in the farthest reaches. We sat in the stands, on the gold side where Nastia would sit.

Teri found us some courtside seats near our daughter. My Mother, Nancy,Teri, Amanda and myself were all there willingly, Elena, not so much. She would rather have stayed home and watched TV. I couldn't blame her. We got there early, Nastia needed to be there by 5:15 and we were there before 5.It was set to start at 6:30. Nastia puts on her robes for the ceremony for the first time outside the field house and discovers the hat is too big. Several attempts are made to fix it including rolling up one corner of the hat in the back, using a paper clip, which gets caught in her hair. Success is never attained and she suffers with the hat. We sit on hard wooden seats waiting for the evening to begin. A little after six, a person gets behind the mic asking all students to take there assigned seats, I hoped we are beginning early. The Kids sit, all non-students are asked to leave the area. Each row is called and they exit the are and go behind a curtain to assemble, some students are given special robes for achieving certain honors.
     About 6:30,it all begins. Now I remember my High School graduation. We sat out on the football field on a Saturday, I think, it was like 90 degrees and sunny. A parade of speakers, none I knew got up to speak and all said about the same thing. You are about to start that great journey of life.... I was bored, hot and wanted to leave. After it was over, wad of gum in my mouth, I barely let my Mom take pictures. My Dad was working.

     Nastia's, in the field House is only bad because of the seats and this idiot student who kept yelling when friends got up to get their diploma. The Ceremony did have it's group of speakers talking about the great journey they were embarking on,what else could you talk about. The School Principal did talk about his backpacking trip through India/ China, I think, that was a little interesting. The Valedictorian and the Salutatorian gave the 'We are embarking on our great adventure' speeches. One did it in rhyme, which I thought was horrid, well what can I say. Everyone's speeches were short. we did run over the 7:30 end time and by the time we got out of the Field House it was late and We then went to the Hard Wok Chinese Buffet to celebrate, it was after 9. It was a long tiring day, but We all got to celebrate the graduation of Teri and my oldest daughter. I hope this is the start of a wonderful life for her. And She looks back on this day warmly. 











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Memorial Day to the almost end of School

It's time for the almost end of year wrap up. Amazing things are happening around our house.
     Memorial  Day, the day set aside, after the Civil War to commemorate all the people who died in war, I looked it up when, I think, Nastia asked me what was memorial day, was a bust. I usually like to watch the parade that passes by down the end of the street on Lake Rd., but I had to drive Elena to work and by the time I got back home it was over. I think that is the first parade in Congers or West Nyack that I have missed in a long time. The Girls first miss. That Afternoon, when Elena was finished with work we went to the movies and used our movie passes. Best to use them while we can. As far as memorial Memorial Days, this was not one.
     Nasta graduates School very soon. I am having trouble wrapping my head around that fact. We have had them for almost ten years and they should be graduating Elementary school, not High School. The End of School approaches fast as We struggles to give our daughters more freedom. My biggest problem with giving them more freedom is when I was younger, yes it is one of those stories, we had to earn our privileges, not be given them. David and Nastia are going to the shore on the eighteenth, for the day. I originally said no, Teri goes, and we have both used this line, 'Well She is nineteen, going to be twenty...' the problem is the both of them do not know how to be adults. And yes at that age neither did I, but in some ways the two of them have shown a rather poor lack of good judgement. I know they will be careful, and I need to cut the apron strings and have faith,  but it doesn't make it any easier to put their fate in God's hands. And I know we didn't bring them all this way just to have one of them become road kill. Have Faith.
     Well, after all that We are having a party for Nastia's graduation. It will be on the twenty-third. A Saturday. More about that in a later blog.
       Nastia had her Prom a few days ago. She got out of school early to get her hair and nails done. I remember going to a girlfriends prom. I worked late,it was a Friday. When I got home I was exhausted. I got dressed and we went.
     The next day We went to Atlantic City.It was over cast and foggy.
     David came over early, that was considerate. For Her junior ball he was late by twenty minutes. He comes in and is waiting for her in the Kitchen. Teri and I go down stairs and talk to him.After a moment or two she asks where's her corsage? He says he forgot to pick it up and runs out to get it. He runs over to Shop Rite and gets back before Nastia is ready. That is how early he is. She comes down the stairs and I hear David say wow,I look and understand why he said it.
Teri and I take pictures and more pictures. It's going to be her only senior prom and I want as many good memories as possible for her. David helped big time by being early. That really helped to make it nice. They leave and all the commotion ends and it is silent. I see the future and I am not entirely sure I want it to get here that soon.
     I sit down stairs in the living room waiting for them to get back. I remember every night I was out late my Father would be in his chair watching TV or doing book work or even sleeping. I don't know if he was waiting up for all of us to come in, but it is one of the memories I have, one of the securities, the constants I have when I was about Nastia's age. I also think what memories do I want both of our children to take with them into adulthood? One of them is I was always there, even if I did nothing, I was there if needed, sort of like my dad, I guess.
     A few days late Teri, Nastia and myself go to an awards ceremony. Nastia has won an award for working hard to achieve her grades. It is a certificate and a check for $250.00. Very nice and thank you Ms Chamberlain for nominating her. I took a video of the short speech and Nastia walking down to receive the award, so I only have one picture of her waiting for the announcement.

She was a nervous wreck. She didn't want to walk down there and accept someone handing her an envelope.I do understand, when I was in school, I was the shyest person there. If I had been either one of my daughters, their life would of eaten me alive, I never would have been able to do what they have done. Having done it, they can't see how miraculous it all is. I still shake my head in wonder almost ten years later what they have done and how far they have come.

Not a great joke, but...

Elena has been in a bad, dark mood for a few days. No One knows why, I don't even know if Elena knows why.
     I was driving her to work and We were talking about something. I was in a real good good. Sometimes I remember life could be worse, so it's pretty good. A few minutes into our drive, I'm driving, Elena says I have major issues, I correct her and say I have major ha-shues.
     She looks at me and asks, ha-shues? what are ha-shues?
     I say, "God bless you." . It's a bad joke but it gets a smile and a loving "I hate you " from her. Best Joke of the day!!

Easter 2018

Easter 2018 reminds me the girls are growing up. In years past Everyone would color eggs. On Easter, Nancy would bring over eggs,  Teri would set out eggs for coloring. This Year, for the first time in my memory, no one colored eggs. Easter was barely Easter. Both Girls had to work. One, Nastia to 2:30, the other, Elena to 5. Elena even tried to schedule a date with her boyfriend after she got out of work on Easter. We had a small gathering and I didn't even try to invite anyone over. I never thought  about it, until the next day when I asked my Mother what she did on Easter.
     Dinner was good. Teri made it and at least I enjoyed the food. Nastia preformed surgery on her ham. God forbid she eats any fat. I had to send her back a few times to trim the meat off the 'fat' she pushed off to the side of her plate. She has a fun trick where she doesn't eat what she doesn't want, waits for everyone to  leave the table, then she goes and clears her plate into the garbage. Come on daughter, grow up!
     While the Girls were at work, Teri, Nancy and I went to see 'The Death of Stalin', the movie that was banned in Russia. It wasn't great, but it was a fun way to spend an afternoon on Movie Pass.

A Sweet Story, sorta

No One likes to think about their mortality. Everyone, around my age, me believing I represent the average person does not like to think about their mortality too much. I believe as you get older and feel the grim reaper gaining on you, you occasionally will look back at him and acknowledge he is getting closer.
     If Anyone who reads this also watches/ watched 'This is Us', season 2 knows that the father in the show died and they showed how it happened. His death has been known for a while, but how he died hasn't.
     On Tuesday's episode, his daughter, Kate is getting married. They had a magical bond. they were closer then any other two characters on the show. His death left a big hole in her life and lead to many things happening to her that might of not happened if he'd lived.
     The Show is a bit of a tear jerkier and each Tuesday it is on you expect to cry a little list. (Except Me of course. You really believe that, you just have to look a little closer is all. I don't get all snotty and have to blow my nose. I just wipe a few tears away, when no one is looking.)
     Teri and I have a blow up before the show is over. Athena, one of our dogs has gotten into the habit of barking a lot. With all the tension of Nevil, Nancy's dog coming over and Teri losing her job a blow out was coming. I shaded the dog with a blanket so she couldn't see Misha, our Shepard, which gets her more agitated and I don't hear it. Teri is asking me to stop and I don't. Finally I hear her and I stop. Athena doesn't. I get angry and yell at her in frustration. Teri tells me to leave 'her' dog alone. I get pissed, drop the remote to the paused TV on the foot stool, out of her reach and walk away. I go up stairs and after a while I start watching 'This is Us'.
     Before it is over, My Daughter, Nastia comes into the room, it's after 10 pm I think she is saying good night. I still haven't finished the show. She gives me a hug, like always, but it continue. It goes on for almost a minute. Finally I ask her what is wrong, thinking she is upset about the fight. I get no response. Then I hear her crying. I'm a little more insistent when I ask her 'What is wrong?'
    She finally says, "Promise Me You'll live until I get married?" I'm a little surprised, I thought she would of been more upset about the fight then if I was going to live long enough for her to get married. I promised her I would . Satisfied she goes to bed.
     A couple of days later she asks me what I would do if she got engaged? It's a bit of a long story, but the gist of it is I told her I would approve her getting married when her husband to be has a good job and some money saved. She has to be out of college with a job and can afford to live on her own or their own. I also told her she has only spent a short amount of time with David and if she really wants to spent a life time with him she needs to wait and not add money problems and babies, yeah, mistakes happen, to the mix adding pressure. She said she didn't have to get married right away. I told her not to rush growing up, there is plenty of time. David and her are still just children in a lot of  ways.


I wrote this sometime around now. It is a little disjointed, but I didn't want to get rid of it. I love the title.
The Unintended life

A little back story:
     Nastia hasn't been doing her chores very well lately. She has done a poor job vacuuming, hasn't bought down her laundry on time in a month and today she went to lunch without making time to do her chores,
     Also, Tonight on 'This is Us' we find out how Jack died, There is one point in tonight's episode where Randell, Jack's adopted son talks to his daughter about fostering kids. All through the episode you think this social worker is readying this boy for them, when a white couple walks in, a moment after that an older Randell walks in and you realize the social worker is his daughter.
     My Wife and I both like older houses and enjoy rehabbing them. All of our dogs except Mosha are rescues and our children are adopted. The adopting of the girls is all Teri's doing. I never would of.
     In this day and age where it is not popular to be an immigrant, my wife and I have bought two to America. I can't be prouder of the two of them. They agreed to go to a country with two people they barely knew and where they didn't speak the language. They were as brave or maybe even braver then my relatives that came to America over one hundred years ago.
 

Snow, Snowball fights and Employment

The Weather Service predicted a huge storm to rival the one we had last Friday.
     Last Fridays storm saw a lot of rain and wind. It knocked trees down in Westchester, putting some neighborhoods in the dark still as of today. The Winds knocked over three tractor trailers on the new Tappan Zee bridge (It's not that other name of that forgotten politician). I crossed it south bound before the first one went over. I was in the south bound lane. The Wind hit my car rattling it and every time I looked down at the dashboard, I expected to look up and see myself in the next lane over. It took three tractor trailers flipping over before they closed the bridge to trucks about 11 AM. All Lanes were closed while they removed the Trucks that had flipped going in both directions. I left work at three figuring I'd be smart and go to the Bear Mountain Bridge. I got as far north as Ossining, on Route 9A. Just where it connects with the new part of the road, a tree had fallen and traffic stopped. I left that road convinced that I could find a way around the mess. Every road I went down either a tree or a burning transformer turned me around. I was to find myself back on the same road an hour and a half later. I waited in line again moving up slowly. When I realized my movement was cars turning around I too turned around figuring it would be better to sit on the bridge where I knew people were trying to open the road. I got to the Bridge about 4:30, flew across the bridge like nothing had happened and was home by five. That was the first storm a few days ago.

     Today’s Storm had been predicted for a few days. We prepared for it, getting gas and propane, picking up sticks and items that might get blown around in the storm. The Predictions of the amount of snow raised every day as the storm got nearer. Last Night predictions were about five inches to as much as fifteen.

Everyone figured it was going to be a snow day. They kept pushing back the starting time of the storm. First it was late Tuesday, then midnight Tuesday, then finally Wednesday morning. We didn’t get a call from the school until 5:30 AM Wednesday morning. My Work was closed and when I called to check to see if anyone was in the storm was still minimal. I stayed up stairs most of the day because Teri was on a conference call teaching people in Canada her job because they are closing the office she works in and she will lose her job at the end of the month.

     About four in the afternoon, I heard Elena shoveling the driveway. I thought that was very sweet of her. I got dressed and asked her if she wanted to use the snow blower.

     I don’t know if anyone remembers the TV show ‘Tool Time’ The Main character had a motto, ‘More Power’. That is me so when I bought the snow blower back in 94, I got a very big one and over the years the shifter has stuck in fifth gear. So if your not care full, it will drag you across the yard. I showed Elena all the ins and outs of the snow blower as Nastia throws snowballs at me. We snow blow the neighbors driveway before the unit quits on me. Tomorrow I’ll look at it.

     As I bought the blower back into the yard, Nastia was again throwing snowballs. I grabbed up a bunch of snow, about  8-10 inches across and tossed it at her. During the time it took me to gather up a big ball of snow and throw it at one of the girls, they're able to hit me with several. I chased Nastia into the back end of the Yard with the biggest one and sort of hit her with it. Misha, thinking she need to get in on the action followed, jumping on me and generally having a good time. After I threw the snow, I turned and chased Misha back toward the door. Getting to the back steps, exhausted and out of breath, I realized I’m getting to old for this s..t. (Thank You Danny Glover and Lethal Weapon)

     It was a fun day.

New Years

Nothing really happened this year. We went over to Eric and Lynn's again. Elena hung out with her boyfriend, Alex. His Father is a friend of Eric's. We all talked and drank a little. At Midnight we kissed and left after that because the girls had to work on New Years Day. Much fun was had by all.

My Daughter bought home a Baby this past weekend!!

Yes, My Daughter, Nastia bought home a plastic baby for her child development class. She got a black baby, named it Ezekiel. So over the weekend it would cry, fuss, need to be fed, changed and taken care of. This gave my  daughter the excuse to sit around all weekend and watch TV.
     When She tried to go out with her boyfriend to dinner on Saturday and yes she would have to take the baby, he refused. He didn't want to be see with the science experiment in public. They had dinner at our house and We went out to dinner at Brooksides, the old Pie Man. David hung around until about 10 pm , then left. Nastia was forced to sleep in the back bedroom in case the science experiment made noise. The high light of the weekend was when the Baby, named Ezekiel, by Nastia, because it was David's baby too (mental eye roll) , decided to cry out at 3:42 AM. I being not involved just smiled and rolled over and went back to sleep, my wife never heard it, as my daughter tended to the science experiment, I mean Ezekiel.
     You may detect a hint of disapproval in this blog. I don't like several things about this. I see my daughter so enamored with David that she is letting herself be used as a door mat that he can come in a wipe his feet on at anytime he wants and he doesn't even want to. He's not a bad kid, but they don't have much of an idea about what it takes to be in a relationship. It seems She is always chasing him to do something and if she didn't ask, they'd go no where. This Baby also brings up other things.
   Nastia bought it home without my knowing. I would not of stopped it, but I didn't appreciate the lack of a notice and I didn't appreciate the Baby here period. If You know, You know.

Christmas buying with the Girls

The Girls wanted to buy their mother an Apple Watch. We went about a week ago to the Apple store. It is a place I have come to hate. It is in some respects easy and to like, checking out after your purchase. And in other way it sucks. All there displays are meaningless to me. They show a bunch of Apple product. There is not description of the product, no features AND the big one NO PRICES.
     When You walk into the store a greeter greets you. I'll never get used to it, it just seems so phony. You look at the person and you know they would rather be doing just about anything else in the store then accosting customers as they walk in the door. This poor soul has an other job too which is a little bit helpful. They take your name and tell you how long the wait will be before you are helped. As I said earlier, there are displays of products but nothing to read so I scan the products, which mean nothing to me because they are just different colors and shapes and I am not current on the products, because I won't buy Apple's over priced, hyped products.
     We are helped after a little while and the sales person uses his phone to show off the products. He knows his stuff and lists the points of the watch and the differences of each along with the prices. Last Week We were in the store browsing, waiting to see if Teri's IPad would be able to be fixed. Later that day they saved it, so yesterday We were on a mission to purchase a watch. After the sales pitch and asking Elena to come back and make a decision with her sister, they decided to get their mom a series 1 Apple watch, the basic one. We didn't think she needed GPS or blue tooth at this time. Nastia paid for the watch, Elena would then go to the ATM and reimburse her. We got out of the store and went over to the Key Bank ATM and Elena withdrew the proper funds equal to half of the watches price. She gives her sister the money, which she immediately redeposits. They have both turned out to be really good savers. I'm so proud.
     Elena got back in the car and she didn't look very happy. I asked her if something was wrong? she said no. A little later, they are talking about the watch and I hear her say I just gave you one hundred and thirty dollars. I corrected her saying she paid for her half of the gift. I think she was mad at having to spend a good chunk of change. Again I am happy and proud.
     I don't want them to grow up and make who ever is on the twenty in ten years cry because they hold on to their twenties that tightly, but I do want them to be savers.

Sometimes You feel like your doing it right.

This is a quick story. Last night Elena had gone to bed. It was early, about 9 pm, but not unusual. She has to get up at 6 am every week day and when she works at night, it's a long day.
     Nastia, Teri and I are watching a show called Scorpion when we hear Elena come down stairs. It is unusual because once she is upstairs she doesn't come back down. Elena is behind me and I can't see her. Teri from the couch asks , 'What's wrong?"
     Through sobbing tears I hear something like, " Iv'e got to tell you something. It is not usual for her to cry and only occasionally will she sob so we were both immediately concerned. Teri gets up as the sobbing continues and I follow. We both get to her and are both hugging her. I'm afraid her cat is dead and she had something to do with it. Teri keeps asking what is wrong as Elena continues to sob into her chest. Our anxiety keeps raising until Elena manages to get out that she had tried smoking and had promised she never would. The level of tension and dread drop to humor and sweetness.
     It turns out someone at work wanted to giveaway a pack of cigarettes and she took them. She ended up getting rid of them, all except for two. she took a couple of drags from each, her words and didn't like them.And She had been upstairs for the last hour and a half thinking about it until she had to come down and confess her sin. She had a long time ago said she would never try cigarettes and thought people who smoked were stupid. I guess like all of us the curiosity was too much.
      Teri and I also found out that Nastia's boyfriend David had seen her smoking and I think that was how Nastia had known. Elena had told her to keep it a secret and this is the first one she has been able to keep. I guess, I'm happy? sorta, maybe? I...don't know?
     On Nights like this you feel like maybe everything you are trying to teach them that some of it is getting through. And maybe we shouldn't feel like we are failures sometime. I wish we could do better by them, but.....
     We sat down and talked it over with her and got more details out of her. The story had started that she bummed a cigarette from someone at work and took 'two drags' and didn't like it. The funny thing is her repeatedly insisting that she is not yet addicted to cigarettes. The full story,it turns out was a guy was getting rid of cigarettes at work. She took the pack tried two of them at different times and didn't like them. We didn't punish her because she came to us and told us. We let it go with promises of not doing it again. It might be brought up in the future jokingly, but I hope it is over. Cigarettes have not been kind to my family, my dad, my uncle Ken,, uncle Joe, grandfather at the least.
    The thing that bothers me the most is usually I can smell when someone has been around a smoker or smoking. I did smell smoke on her once, but I dismissed it because she doesn't smoke. I can be easily fooled too it seems.

Nastia at nineteen

It has a nice ring to it. Nastia at nineteen. I guess Nastiafest nineteen is out. Each birthday is a mile stone reached too soon for me. Every Parent says their kids grow up too soon and it is doubly true when you have only had your daughters eight years and one of them is graduating high school this year and the other next year.
     The Plan was simple for Nastia's birthday. She would go out to breakfast with David.Go and get her ears re-pierced at Clare's in the Mall, then go bowling with friend, come home for a dinner of Shrimp scampi. and a home made cheese cake for her birthday. I got to make dinner and the cheese cake.
   Nastia went off to breakfast with David at nine-thirty. We all met at the Mall to see Nastia get her ears pierced and it was a well attended show. The first time she got her ears pierced she hated it. Nastia doesn't like pain, still doesn't. But like all sequels the original was better.
     Nastia and Elena go off to bowl with a few of Nastia's friends. I go home.
At this point I think I have Saturday and Sunday confused. I know on one of the days I head to pick Elena up from work (I think that is Saturday the 2nd) but she is going to eat KFC with some friends from work. And Nastia had Saturday off so she went with her mother shopping. They are at  the Shop Rite in West Nyack when I get Elena is given the permission to eat at KFC. I'm on Sickeltown road just past West Nyack Road so I hang a left to go to Shop Rite to get stuff for Nastia's dinner and her cheese cake. I end up at the same grocery as Teri and Nastia. I take Nastia with me so Teri can shop for her gifts. I s get groceries with Nastia and after a few moments I notice I am tripping over Nastia every time I turn around. She has no concept of personal space, never has and I had forgotten about it until now. I try to tell her about personal space, but I think I hurt her feelings. I seem to be doing that a lot lately. We finish shopping and head home.
     She asked for a cheese cake. I remember the first time she ate cheese cake. She is a girl who doesn't like cheese and is lactose intolerant, so the first chees cake she ate I never told her it was cheese cake. I told her it was a raspberry (chees cake) cake and after she had a slice she said it was good.
     Her big interest in cheese cake didn't start until she dated David, who loves cheese cake. I think I see someone who is changing herself to get a boy to like her more? Davis likes White chocolate cheese cake. Guess what cheese cake I made Nastia for her birthday. No hurry, I'll just type slower and when your ready to tell me...Oh your ready, and your guess is right, it's white chocolate cheeses cake, but I added a swirl of raspberry to it and guess what David also likes that and so did my daughter.
     I also made Shrimp scampi for her for dinner. I don't know if David likes it,  I first learned to make it from my friend Fred and now that he is gone I have the same problem as Teri when she makes her mother's meatballs and says, everyone together, " there not as good as moma's", except I say it's not as good as Fred's.
    We had cheese cake afterwards. Nastia opened her presents and that was it until Nick and Amanda came over after they finished work.
   

Christmas is coming? again, so soon?

It seems like yesterday I was looking out a February window overlooking the north side of my house thinking it would soon be spring. It seems like late last night it was the end of the school term and I was thinking,Nastia only has one more year of school and we have to keep her focused on going to college. Then this morning it seemed school had just started and Elena had made her famous pronouncement about trying harder at school. In less then a day most of a year has gone by it seems. I'm going to be sixty in January, Nastia is going to be nineteen in a few days and this summer, which will most likely feel like tomorrow, Elena will turn eighteen,time is more then flying by.
     The Girls both have jobs and it really messes with dinner. Most nights one or both get out past eight at night. We still try to eat as a family, it's just not a full family at the table all the time.
     The Girls are savers it turns out to my deep pleasure. Both have saved small fortunes, for them, in a short amount of time. Both are aimed toward taking driving lessons to get a break on insurance and to get their license a little quicker then I can teach them. It's OK, teaching driving can be a scary profession.
     With both having job, they are both some what on their own buying Christmas presents. In the past I either gave them some money or just let them pick from gifts I bought Teri. Emotionally their are still younger then their age as they strive to make the giant leaps it takes to become responsible adults in this hash world. One has already learned,I hope, one of the tough life lessons of being an adult.
     I still feel they are very naive and I can still seem them going over to a van to seethe puppies in it. I hope it is just my fears of being a father and I am seeing them through tinted glass and they done really act as young as I think they do.
     Their behavior is a total 180' from when they got here. They still curse like truck drivers, but they can behave well in polite society if need be. I won't delude myself into thinking they would rather drink tea at a social, then climb trees and let all that excess energy out. They will always be a little Russian wild on the inside no matter how old they get.
    My favorite memories of this time and forgive me if I embellish the stories, cause I'm not going back to reread them, are the two times I made up stories about Christmas. The first one was Christmas eve night, I was downstairs. Teri and the girls were upstairs. I thought it was getting late so I rush upstairs all excited and tell them I just heard Santa's sleigh bells and they better get to bed before his passes our house.They both run to their beds after a quick good night.
     The second one I told them happened in the Nyack house. I was in the recliner I got from my mom after my Dad died or it was a rocker, I don't really remember ( Go look up the story, I think it would be told around December 2010). I'm under a blanket, the fireplace has gone to ashes and I have fallen asleep. I hear some fabric rubbing against itself. I half open a sleepy eye and see Santa. He quietly puts his white gloved hand to his lips for me to be quiet. I close my eye as he goes back to leaving Christmas presents. I told this story in response to the question have I ever seen Santa or something to that effect.
     Christmas is only twenty-five days away now.






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This maybe the last dress up Halloween

Everything ends, sometimes it's a pleasure when it ends, other times it's not and then their are the things that end or soon will end that make you sad, but your not entirely sorry to see them go. Trick or treating on Halloween is the number one on my list. It started out eight, nine years ago as a very fun idea. The Girls would dress up and we would go down to Nyack, Broadway and they could trick or treat while we walked along with them. As the Years have progressed the hills in Nyack and the enjoyment of the girls and myself and I think Teri have diminished considerably. I first noticed it a few years ago when the excitement didn't seem to be there as in years past. And even before this years costumes were purchased Nastia was saying she didn't want to dress up because she was getting to old. (all of 19) I told her she wasn't too old and she should hold on to this time for as long as she can. and in the future she will be going to parties on Halloween and dressing up so she still has a few years to go.
      The Nyack Halloween Parade has always been the first right of passage for the fall season. In recent Years I have gotten very tired of the people how attend and the people how insist on carrying political posters. Each year Teri and I would get a great spot to watch the parade from, right on the edge of the road and by the time the parade started we'd be five rows back and couldn't see the parade. For a few years we bought folding chairs and sat comfortably until the parade started and then stood up to try and see it.
      This Year the Girls were both working on the Saturday of the parade. Nastia was finished early enough to go to the parade on time. I went to pick up Elena from Shop Rite Pearl River. I bought with me a computer and showed her a video taken of them when they were at the beach for the first time. We got to Catherine Street and heard fire whistles going off which signed the start of the parade. We got down there and stood at the corner of South Franklin and Main until Teri said we should cross over Franklin and join the others in front of the bank. I didn't mind missing the beginning of the parade. It has gone down hill from the days of inventive costumes back twenty years ago. I think the closing of all the gay bars has taken away from the inventiveness of costumers. And of course there were the off color political jokes, that I wished would disappear. I come to these parades to get away from the stupidity of the world and our pumpkin head president.
     Near the end of the parade, I'd been there with the group about five minutes, Nastia had to go to the bathroom. I took her and we walked around the parade looking for a public bathroom. After a few minutes, We hiked up to Catherine street and she went into the bathroom in the house. I didn't mind missing the end of it. We motored out of Nyack shortly after that and got the girls a pizza and went to the Mall to see Bobby Slaton at Levity Live. They sat  the three of us, Teri, Nancy and myself in the front to stage left. There were two opening acts. The first one was ok. the second one was better. During the second comics act, my phone went off. I'd silenced it, but some how the alarm had gotten set and I heard the tones go off and I'm thinking what idiot left his phone on. I shut it off and he made some jokes about the gay ring tones and I mouths sorry to him and he let me be.
     Bobby Slaten came on after ten-thirty. He was on fire. He worked over this one table they sat right next to us in the center. It consisted of a black guy dating a white girl and two Jews with yashmaks on. The one closest to the stage got roasted unceasingly all night, poor guy. Bobby Slaten is Jewish and he made fun of all the non bacon eating, kosher keeping Jews, which this guy was. He was a good spot about it. And the show was very good. We got home a little after midnight. The Pizza the girls had was now where in sight. They did good

Donating Blood

I have donated blood since just after I turned eighteen. That doesn't mean I donated every chance I could. There were years were I didn't donate. I was asked when I  first donated why I was, because it was unusual for someone so young to do it.My reply was it just seemed right.
     All these years later, I got the idea that my daughters should donate blood. I talked with Nastia about it and she wasn't too keen about it because of the needles, plus she is less then 110 lbs, the minimum weight.
     To my surprise Elena was interested in giving blood. I found a blood drive this past September at the New City Library. Then something came up and I told Elena we would go another time. The next time was at St. Ann's School in Nyack in late September, on a Sunday. The three of us piled in to the car and went over to St Ann's. There were no signs a blood drive was happening. Driving away I saw signs for a blood drive at the Nyack Library. This time it was just Elena and I, Nastia decided to stay home. We went over, it was raining and we ran into the building, found were the blood drive was being held and went in. We registered and as I sat down I noticed there were no computers to register and no machine to give platelets.
     When We were called, I handed them my New York Blood drive card. They handed it back to me saying they were Red Cross and could take our blood, but couldn't give us credit for it. I felt bad later, but I told Elena that we were going. I wanted her to get credit for donating blood and if she racked up enough points she could get something off the web site. It was important. I wanted her to have credit for the blood donation. I wanted her to get a prize, some thing more then just the thought that she is helping someone with her blood. Something to encourage her to donate again.
     That was a month ago and at the end of last week Elena texted me a picture of a blood drive from 8 am to 2 pm, that was happening at North and she said she wanted to do it. I told her I would go and do it with her.
     On the Morning of the donation, I was tired and didn't think I wanted to do it. Teri and I talked about it and she reminded me it was Elena's first donation and I should be there. I agreed it was important and I drove Nastia over to the school and went in to find the donation location. I arrived at the front security desk and ask the security guard if the donation was open to the general public as well as the students. He didn't know, but after asking a few people, it was clear no one knew and everyone guessed it was open to the public. I walked down to the wrestling gym where Nastia and Elena both took wrestling oh those many years ago and the people who ran the blood drive were just finishing setting up. I stood out in the hallway with Nastia, Elena and their friend Jessica. Nastia hung around for a while trying to donate and I think she felt a little left out and she doesn't like that. I was the second person taken to donate and Elena, who had a 8 am appointment was probably the eighth. My Donation went quick. I have poor veins, so I have gotten used to the stick and search. I get stuck about where a vein has been found and they move the needle around until they hit the vein. Then it drains like a dam over flow and I'm out rather quickly. Elena sat down in the donation area after I was finished donating and was eating cookies and drinking warm apple juice.

It took a few minutes for the tech to get to her, there was a good crowd. The Tech was friendly and talked to her as he prepped her and when he stuck the needle in her arm she watch. She grimmest while he stuck her.
     Before He got to her I went over to talk to her and ask her if she wanted me to stay. When She replied no and I stayed, She then surprised me and said Why did you bother asking me, if it was a redundant question. (redundant-needing no answer) I was very surprised and pleased she was using one of my favorite words. I told her I was very impressed with the word. I left the area, because one of the techs had said I wasn't allowed there during donations. I told him I just wanted to check on my daughter, it was her first time and he left me alone.
     Elena came through it with flying colors. She didn't chicken out, faint or get sick. I texted her mother who said she was very proud of her daughter.

Making my Daughter cry.

Things sneak up on me, often. I have a conversation, this time with my wife, I get angry and take it out on someone else, this time Nastia, or as she is known at Bowling, Anna.
     There is some back story that will enlighten everyone to that cryptic first line. Elena got a job, as all you loyal readers know in Pearl River and Nastia, aka Anna on Wednesdays, has one in New City. We live in Congers which makes a weirdly shaped triangle. Teri has been in different degrees of flipping out over how can I get them to work on time when they are in two different directions. My response, I'll handle it, just pisses her off.
     Yesterday, Wednesday, hence the jokes about Nastia/Anna (yeah, my daughters would be saying, Jokes??) Elena had to be at work by 3:30, I had bowling and Nastia was at the Library, with the intention of walking to the Bowling Alley. Teri is at Work in Suffern. The Stage is set. At 5:10, I'm at the Bowling Alley, Nastia is walking over, Teri is still at work and Elena calls, she's done. I wasn't concerned because Teri had texted me the other day that she would pick up Elena but it would mean Elena would have to go to the Dentist with Teri.
    Elena calls me, I tell her I can't pick her up, call her mother. Teri calls me asking how am I going to pick Elena up and starts in how is this going to work? This is a good example of how it won't. I'm getting mad and I don't want to start a fight, but I have the text where she says she will pick up Elena. There is also the fact in her favor the Thruway is closed or backed up and she will be later for her Dentist appointment. She hates being late and will run the risk of driving like a crazy person not to be late. But, I have the text. No matter how you slice it Elena needs to be picked up by someone, but I have the text. I offer to call my mother, but I have the text. I call her and as soon as I make it clear this is a one shot deal, because my mom doesn't drive in the dark any more and can't do this on a regular basis, she is willing to pick Elena up, but I have the text.
     All of this back story comes into play  when I go inside the Bowling Alley and sit down to change my shoes and Nastia/Anna asks me about her sister and her tone, everyone who is a parent has heard it and everyone of you who were ever a teenager has denied using it, appears. I'm not a happy camper right now so I tell Nastia, who has asked a question putting responsibility for picking up her sister on my shoulders, BUT and lets all say it together; I HAVE THE TEXT. I tell Nastia not to talk to me because I'm in a bad mood. I think I'm doing the both of us a favor. I put my shoes on and get up to check where We are in the standings. They call practice where everyone gets to throw some balls down the alley for free. My Team mate, Gino and I practice. No Nastia/Anna, odd. Near the end of practice, I see Nastia/Anna and I ask her where she was? I see she has been crying, I get concerned. Did Someone die, did David break up with her? Is this all a dream and I'm dead??? no, I hurt her feelings when I told her not to talk to me. I thought I was doing her a favor and I have the text. No, I was not doing her a favor and I did hurt her feelings even if I had the text. I explain to her it was my fault, and it was and I am very sorry. She got this red nose and you can tell she was crying and I feel even worse as we start to bowl, but being Nastia/Anna by the middle of the first game she is laughing and dancing while she is up bowling and she even gets a spare after a gutter ball (sorta still a strike) then two more strikes after that for a high game of 130, her best yet. We end up taking all five points. We are heading for first.
     Even with the fact that I had the text, I let it all go, because at my age being right is meaningless if you reduce your daughter to tears.