Nastia is between semesters at RCC. If left to her self she would watch TV until about midnight, go to bed and wake up around eleven, then go back to watching TV. Maybe sometime during the day go visit with David.
So We, Teri and I decided to give her jobs and encourage her to do things around the house. Admittedly there is little that she can do during the day outside the house. We encouraged her to tell work she was available to work during the day, so for one day they had her work earlier then four PM.
On Tuesday night she was encouraged to do several things on Wednesday. It was suggested she do her sister's chores as well as her chores. I told her it sucks to do that, but it would be nice and she had nothing to do anyway. It was also suggested, by her mother she do the laundry. Laundry is a tricky thing. Modern laundry is easy to do, I do it, but it gets tricky when the wash is going and you go off and do something fun, like watch TV , you forget about it. Well Nastia did several loads and did well until we left for bowling. At that time the dryer and washer were loaded. I noticed it that evening when I went to take a shower. I was about to lend a hand when I thought, you know it's late and I'm feeling lazy and it will be there in the morning still and it would be better if she finished her job. So I left it.
Thursday comes and I work late and the girls go to work before I get home. I go down stairs that evening to take an other shower and notice the dryer door open and the light was on. I walk over and see Nastia had folded the clothes in the dryer and left the wet clothes in the wash. I walk upstairs to talk to her in the living room where she is go ahead and take a guess...watching TV, good guess.
I start by pausing the TV. She looks up at me and I think she knows something is up. Several years ago I tried to stop yelling. I noticed that even when I was not angry my voice sounded angry, so I quit yelling. My Voice still sounds angry though. "Nastia", I go, "You were doing such a good job yesterday and you blew the whole thing by not finishing the job. The Clothes in the washer have sat for over twenty-four hours and most likely have to be washed again." I see her face redden, I know what's coming. I soften my tone more and try to be a little nicer and I also talk a little softer. I go on to say, "If You were to become a teacher and you taught kids 3+5= you would have not finished the job and you would not last very long in that job." Her Eyes are getting glassy and shine a little more in the light then normal. I soften more and try to be a little more consoling. "There is really no reason to cry, I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed." I say it softy and I watch a big old crocodile tear roll down the right side of her face, followed by a second. She is hiding her face slightly under the covers. I resist holding her in my arms debating wither or not it is the right thing, after all I am trying to teach her. I try to console her more telling her not to cry, but I guess sometimes you just have to. An other tear, smaller rolls down her face. She hides her face under the cover. I ask her if she would like a tissue, she says no, using the palms of her hands to wipe her face, going up her cheeks over her nose and eyes to her hair. I tell her she better watch out or she get green hair from boogers. I get half a smile. It all winds down about not. I go back to shower telling her I will finish the laundry up. Is that a good thing? I don't know.
Cory arrived in Africa recently I pray he will be safe and it will be a good adventure for him.
a
Friday, January 11, 2019
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Happy New Years 2019, sorta
I was sitting at my brother Eric's house, it was a few minutes before midnight, I was half dozing and began to think about the last few New Years when the ball dropped and I kissed Teri and said this year will be better then last year. I grew sad because this year I couldn't. Every Year I have said that to her it feels like it has been more of the same. It was a good year, because it could have been worse. Yes each year has had it's high points and it's low points, but I'm at the point of my life where I want more and better good times. I see the environment changing for the worse despite what Trumps says. I see anger every where I go and yes people still care, but it seems different. Thinking and praying for our soldiers used to be more then a political statement. It was the populace saying we're sorry about the mistakes of Vietnam on both sides and We will never make them again, we're just making them in a different way.
I was going to make this blog posting about my laments over the last few years and not talk politics, I'm sorry, I don't want to get into that crap. I just wonder what we're leaving the next generation. I see some amazing people in my family and hpe they will have the opportunity.
New Years was a same old, same old except I didn't tell my wife this years will be better then last year. Her usual reply would have been, I hope so. This year , I said Happy New Year. Then I said something that I hoped would have supplanted the this year will be better then last year, I just don't remember what it was and I guess maybe that is for the best. I need to stop comparing the years to each other and just be happy that everyone has survived the past year, more or less in tack and remember that I have an amazing wife and two wonderful daughters that are on track to be amazing women. People that Russia will be sorry that they gave away.
I was going to make this blog posting about my laments over the last few years and not talk politics, I'm sorry, I don't want to get into that crap. I just wonder what we're leaving the next generation. I see some amazing people in my family and hpe they will have the opportunity.
New Years was a same old, same old except I didn't tell my wife this years will be better then last year. Her usual reply would have been, I hope so. This year , I said Happy New Year. Then I said something that I hoped would have supplanted the this year will be better then last year, I just don't remember what it was and I guess maybe that is for the best. I need to stop comparing the years to each other and just be happy that everyone has survived the past year, more or less in tack and remember that I have an amazing wife and two wonderful daughters that are on track to be amazing women. People that Russia will be sorry that they gave away.
Went to see the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center
Well my Wife talked about it for several weeks and I kept saying yes, being it was several weeks away and I didn't have to worry about it yet, well it finally came. We went to see the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center, on a Saturday no less.
In the Eighties, I went with my friend, Rob, his girlfriend and my girlfriend. it was great. There were people, but We could move around and We even went for a horse drawn carriage ride. It was relaxing and fun wandering around the city, we were young and it wasn't packed.
Flash forward thirty, I mean forty odd years and Teri is talking about going to see the tree. OK, no problem, except the girls have to get off of work or at least get out of work early. I'll finish this later
It all gets arranged and We are set to go to Manhattan to Rockefeller Center and see the Tree. We went several years ago when New York City's tourist traffic was booming. The Tree was surrounded by wave after wave of people. This Year I had hopes for better.
The Girls got home rather quickly and We all piled into what is now Nastia;s car, the Escape. I gave her the car and bought a 2000 White Grand Am, it's my fun car. We took the Escape because a full sized SUV, like Teri's Highlander would be more expensive to park. It might cost like ten dollars more, on top of the forty dollars it costs to park now. (I hope someone is laughing at my estimation of the cost of parking a car in the city) We all pile into the car and head out. Teri has the GPS going and I head down King's Highway and see the huge tree that someone decorates every year out front of their house. Teri asks me where I'm going. Being a lad from West Nyack, everytime I went to the city I would get on the thruway and go up to the Palisades Parkway. Teri being from that cosmopolitan city of Nyack alway went down Rt 303 to the Palisades. I'm not saying she's wrong, been married too long for that, I'm saying old habits are hard to brake. I get to the Palisades Mall and see that traffic is backed up going north on the thruway, so I head to Rt 303 and go south, like Teri thought I should.
She has the GPS still going and when we get to the city it tells us to get off at 57th street, the sanitation dept. exit. It then tells me to go north. Now I'm old school/new school so I listen to it after all it is a women's voice and I have been listening to a women's voice for so long it is second nature for me EVEN WHEN IT TELLS ME TO GO NORTH TO SEE THE TREE. I listen thinking I really don't remember where Rockefeller Center is and maybe it is north. I cross several Avenues before I head up town. At the traffic circle I am told to make the second right and the GPS then turns me around and I go throught the traffic circle again again takin the second right this time heading down town, until it wants to turn me around to head back up town. At this point I ask Nancy to look up the location of Rockefeller Center because I'm going old school,
I'm going to count the streets until I get to the right street then I'm going to count the Avenues until I get to the right one. It sort of works. I am reminded on my trip cross town that there are no turns off the roads in midtown. I drive straight until I think fifth Avenue to make my right. I watch several lights change without moving wondering why idoits are in the intersection when the light changes, well unil I do it anyway, it looked like I'd fit. The Cop I didn't see tells me he said to stop. No ticket, thank god. Down fifth Avenue until I get to 48th and I turn right. I'm looking for parking. 48th was a big mistake. We sit and watch the light change several times and only move a few feet. I think back to all the stories about how bad traffic in the city has gotten over the years and remember it was never this bad when I went to see the tree. It get worse when an Ambulance tries to squeeze down the street. After twenty minutes, half an hour I get moving again. I'm squeezing in front of cars, going places I would never have gone just to get out of the traffic we've been sitting in. I scare myself. Later Nastia comments about it. I don't apologize, maybe I should have, it is her car now. I just show bravado, Well I got us here, didn't I? Wrong message to send really.
It takes two hours from house to parking garage. We finally see one 257 West 47th street, I pull up, exhausted only to have the attendant wave we away. I begin to back out onto the street when he runs down saying someone is leaving. We have a parking spot. Life is good.
We walk toward Rockefeller Center and follow all the people. It gets more and more crowded. We are heading east, then We turn uptown on some Avenue and are stopped by huge crowds. We are only able to move forward when the walk signal says to. It takes several changes for us to get to the signal. We cross thinking it will be better on the other side, it is not. We go another block. I see Radio City and remember Rockefeller Center is near. We get to that block and it is no where to be seen, I want to go home. Nancy says to circle around, so We do. We go left a block, right a block, the crowds start to get heavy again we hang another right and end up back were we were. Someone, maybe Nancy says to go toward Radio City it's on the other side.
Finally we find it. Everyone is happy and I think it looks like the one down the street on Kings Highway, only this one took over two hours to see. We take lots of pictures and leave. Carmines where we wanted to eat is booked . Teri called several days ago. So We head to the parking garage to pick up Nastia's mud splattered car.
Mud splattered because she is parking on what was a one time the lawn. I glance at the price of parking, expecting something around $40.00 here is the laugh from earlier, $57.00, I pay it and increase my tip to the guy getting the car to $6.00, it's all the cash I have. I'm a little out of touch I guess. We go home and have a nice dinner at a diner in Nanuet. All in all much walking was had by all.
//
In the Eighties, I went with my friend, Rob, his girlfriend and my girlfriend. it was great. There were people, but We could move around and We even went for a horse drawn carriage ride. It was relaxing and fun wandering around the city, we were young and it wasn't packed.
Flash forward thirty, I mean forty odd years and Teri is talking about going to see the tree. OK, no problem, except the girls have to get off of work or at least get out of work early. I'll finish this later
It all gets arranged and We are set to go to Manhattan to Rockefeller Center and see the Tree. We went several years ago when New York City's tourist traffic was booming. The Tree was surrounded by wave after wave of people. This Year I had hopes for better.
The Girls got home rather quickly and We all piled into what is now Nastia;s car, the Escape. I gave her the car and bought a 2000 White Grand Am, it's my fun car. We took the Escape because a full sized SUV, like Teri's Highlander would be more expensive to park. It might cost like ten dollars more, on top of the forty dollars it costs to park now. (I hope someone is laughing at my estimation of the cost of parking a car in the city) We all pile into the car and head out. Teri has the GPS going and I head down King's Highway and see the huge tree that someone decorates every year out front of their house. Teri asks me where I'm going. Being a lad from West Nyack, everytime I went to the city I would get on the thruway and go up to the Palisades Parkway. Teri being from that cosmopolitan city of Nyack alway went down Rt 303 to the Palisades. I'm not saying she's wrong, been married too long for that, I'm saying old habits are hard to brake. I get to the Palisades Mall and see that traffic is backed up going north on the thruway, so I head to Rt 303 and go south, like Teri thought I should.
She has the GPS still going and when we get to the city it tells us to get off at 57th street, the sanitation dept. exit. It then tells me to go north. Now I'm old school/new school so I listen to it after all it is a women's voice and I have been listening to a women's voice for so long it is second nature for me EVEN WHEN IT TELLS ME TO GO NORTH TO SEE THE TREE. I listen thinking I really don't remember where Rockefeller Center is and maybe it is north. I cross several Avenues before I head up town. At the traffic circle I am told to make the second right and the GPS then turns me around and I go throught the traffic circle again again takin the second right this time heading down town, until it wants to turn me around to head back up town. At this point I ask Nancy to look up the location of Rockefeller Center because I'm going old school,
It takes two hours from house to parking garage. We finally see one 257 West 47th street, I pull up, exhausted only to have the attendant wave we away. I begin to back out onto the street when he runs down saying someone is leaving. We have a parking spot. Life is good.
We walk toward Rockefeller Center and follow all the people. It gets more and more crowded. We are heading east, then We turn uptown on some Avenue and are stopped by huge crowds. We are only able to move forward when the walk signal says to. It takes several changes for us to get to the signal. We cross thinking it will be better on the other side, it is not. We go another block. I see Radio City and remember Rockefeller Center is near. We get to that block and it is no where to be seen, I want to go home. Nancy says to circle around, so We do. We go left a block, right a block, the crowds start to get heavy again we hang another right and end up back were we were. Someone, maybe Nancy says to go toward Radio City it's on the other side. 
Finally we find it. Everyone is happy and I think it looks like the one down the street on Kings Highway, only this one took over two hours to see. We take lots of pictures and leave. Carmines where we wanted to eat is booked . Teri called several days ago. So We head to the parking garage to pick up Nastia's mud splattered car. Mud splattered because she is parking on what was a one time the lawn. I glance at the price of parking, expecting something around $40.00 here is the laugh from earlier, $57.00, I pay it and increase my tip to the guy getting the car to $6.00, it's all the cash I have. I'm a little out of touch I guess. We go home and have a nice dinner at a diner in Nanuet. All in all much walking was had by all.
//
Friday, December 28, 2018
Christmas Hang over
Christmas is over and all those - "Well, I'll deal with the credit card next month' days are upon us, well almost, New Years is in a few days. Teri kept saying she wanted to get the girls automatic car starters. I thought it was a bad idea, the cars being old and how many years will they keep them. It was their favorite gift and they can't wait to get them installed.The Girls gave me money as part of my gift. I want to put an expensive radio in the Grand Am. It will be AM, FM, have Sirius, be blue tooth and maybe have GPS. All of that will be more then $500.00, big money for a radio in 2018 and even in 2019!(that's a joke. I'm told no one gets my jokes) it's big money.
The Girls have also put big money into their cars this month. I feel bad for them, but it was something that needed to be done. The big question is when is it too much money. Nastia was given my car. It has 155,000 miles on it. I knew it needed some work, but David her boyfriend found more that it needed and she spent $1055.00 on it. ( yeah, big money in 2018 and even 2019). It needed a head gasket, brakes, two front tires, more stuff then I can remember.Elena gave Nastia $700.00 for the repairs she did on the Toyota that Teri's father used to drive. then recently she hit a curb and a new tire and straightening out the rim cost $47.00. New Struts and a power steering hose set her back another $1,300.00, When is it too much? At this point both have cars they are happy with and run safely, god willing.
Next they get the automatic starters installed. At least Teri prepaid for that.
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Christmas Day
Christmas is no longer the day it was. It used to have a little magic to it and the Girl belief in Santa Claus helped. I remember telling them as I ran up stairs I think I heard Santa's sleigh and they better get to bed. Or the other time I told them about the time I saw Santa Claus when I fell asleep in the chair in Nyack one Christmas eve. These are stories I guess I'll have to save for the grand kids
I watched Nasta wrap some of her presents. She used twice the amount of paper needed and half a roll of tape to sort of wrap a present for Teri. I stepped in to show her how to measure the paper and how to fold the corners and end up cutting the wrapping paper about an inch too short. some lesson. She comes up with cutting out trees from the design on the paper to hide the shortage, good idea. Elena is better, she uses less paper. You can still tell she wrapped the present her self. I have to say I am proud how they have both grown to buy their own presents with their own money and to wrap them mostly on their own. It was only a few years ago I supplied the money and helped wrap them. They bought their presents down and put them under the tree. Teri spent a day and a half wrapping presents and I helped her bring them down from where she wrapped them in the attic. We didn't wait for them to fall asleep like in the past.
This Year there was no letter to Santa, no cookies or chocolate milk. We bought the Santa my mom made a few years ago (over ten years ago now) and pulled out a letter to Santa from Nasta and Elena. It might have been their first letter to Santa. We passed the letter around and put it back where it was for someone to discover it again in the future. Everyone went to bed late and when the sun rose the next morning it was just Teri and I who got up early. Nancy joined us and I went back to bed to keep Mosha company in the bed room while Nancy's dog, Nevel got some time to run around. Around eleven we opened gifts. Then We made a trip over to Karl and Madeline's for a visit and a little brunch. Dinner was about 3 pm and We had a very tasty Rib Roast. Dinner was attended by Teri, Nastia, Elena, Nancy, Amanda Tony and myself. I was a nice dinner.
I tried off and on to take a nap, never quit succeeding. Every time I tried there was a chore I was needed for.
At 5 pm David joined us. Around 6:30 We, now a group of eight went over to Eric and Lynn's. Eric had fallen two days earlier and had limited mobility. His poor legs. Karl and Madeline made a rare appearance and it was a nice night. We played the Yankee Trader gift game and some where in the middle the rules got broken, no one seemed to mind. People were teaming up and working to get the present they wanted. It was funny, but it got redundant after a while. Someone would take a gift from Nastia, then she would take her boyfriends gift and he would take the gift she wanted back. There were several couples that did this. It was funny at first, later it got a little boring. Teri wanted to keep a picture my mom drew and Denis wanted to take it from her, so she tried to hide it under her shirt. Denis one upped her when he put on a pair of rubber gloves and used a grabber people in wheel chairs use. It was the funnest moment of the night. Company and deserts were nice. Now finally Christmas is over. Just New Years left.
I watched Nasta wrap some of her presents. She used twice the amount of paper needed and half a roll of tape to sort of wrap a present for Teri. I stepped in to show her how to measure the paper and how to fold the corners and end up cutting the wrapping paper about an inch too short. some lesson. She comes up with cutting out trees from the design on the paper to hide the shortage, good idea. Elena is better, she uses less paper. You can still tell she wrapped the present her self. I have to say I am proud how they have both grown to buy their own presents with their own money and to wrap them mostly on their own. It was only a few years ago I supplied the money and helped wrap them. They bought their presents down and put them under the tree. Teri spent a day and a half wrapping presents and I helped her bring them down from where she wrapped them in the attic. We didn't wait for them to fall asleep like in the past.
This Year there was no letter to Santa, no cookies or chocolate milk. We bought the Santa my mom made a few years ago (over ten years ago now) and pulled out a letter to Santa from Nasta and Elena. It might have been their first letter to Santa. We passed the letter around and put it back where it was for someone to discover it again in the future. Everyone went to bed late and when the sun rose the next morning it was just Teri and I who got up early. Nancy joined us and I went back to bed to keep Mosha company in the bed room while Nancy's dog, Nevel got some time to run around. Around eleven we opened gifts. Then We made a trip over to Karl and Madeline's for a visit and a little brunch. Dinner was about 3 pm and We had a very tasty Rib Roast. Dinner was attended by Teri, Nastia, Elena, Nancy, Amanda Tony and myself. I was a nice dinner.
I tried off and on to take a nap, never quit succeeding. Every time I tried there was a chore I was needed for.
At 5 pm David joined us. Around 6:30 We, now a group of eight went over to Eric and Lynn's. Eric had fallen two days earlier and had limited mobility. His poor legs. Karl and Madeline made a rare appearance and it was a nice night. We played the Yankee Trader gift game and some where in the middle the rules got broken, no one seemed to mind. People were teaming up and working to get the present they wanted. It was funny, but it got redundant after a while. Someone would take a gift from Nastia, then she would take her boyfriends gift and he would take the gift she wanted back. There were several couples that did this. It was funny at first, later it got a little boring. Teri wanted to keep a picture my mom drew and Denis wanted to take it from her, so she tried to hide it under her shirt. Denis one upped her when he put on a pair of rubber gloves and used a grabber people in wheel chairs use. It was the funnest moment of the night. Company and deserts were nice. Now finally Christmas is over. Just New Years left.
Setting up the Christmas Tree
Setting up the Christmas Tree has become a chore. Way back in the before time (When is that?, Well I guess that was when it was fun to put up the Christmas Tree) it was fun to put up the tree.
Since I have known Teri, she has had something against putting up Christmas Trees. The first year We were together, my Mom gave her a small tree put put up in her apartment. It was a foot or so tall, fake and of little bother. She at first didn't want to take it. She thought since she was not celebrating Christmas their it was not necessary to have any Christmas decorations. She took the tree and put it up in her cramped little Apartment.
I'd been out of my mother's house for a few years before I met Teri and I'd had a Christmas Tree every year and begun collecting Hallmark ornaments for the tree. More about that later. The Trees had always been real and full sized. My Mother gave me some ornaments for the family collection to start me off. I chose several of the ornaments that I had memories of putting up on the tree. A bird with faded paint, some thin glass ornaments that when they were bought were felt best put on the bottom of the tree so if the animals knocked them off and broke them who cares. They now held a place of value in my heart. The most important one was an ornament so old the writing was barely legible. It was silver and one of m,y Dad's. I wrote in another blog, in an other life about how I imagined it came to the family and then how It was given to me by my mother and several years ago broken purely by mistake. One of those events, that no matter how you spin it could of happened to you, it just happened to someone else.
Teri's and my First Christmas together she suggested we not have a tree. "Why have one when We are not going to be here" She said. A Valid point, but I wanted one and I needed one. It wouldn't be festive without one. So We got one. It was a real tree and Teri didn't like the mess of it. Needles falling off it every day, watering it every day and the fire hazard. We came to a compromise, fake one year, real the next. We did it for a few years until one year I thought, "Man real trees are a pain. let's go fake." so We did.
The Fake Tree we used for years required you to put up a three piece center pole, then take a lower branch, smooth out the needles and limbs, then put it in the correct slot. Each Branch took several minutes to straighten after it had spent eleven months in a bag.
A new Tree was purchased two years ago. It has two separate strings of lights already hung on it and all you have to do is set up the three pieces of the tree, the branches are pre-hung along with the lights. Of course, you still have to smooth out the needles and branches.
Is piece was not supposed to be the length of 'War and Peace' so I a\m sorry I have rambled.
On the night We,Teri decided to set up the tree, a discussion between Teri and I erupted, yes discussions can erupt. It centered on the thought from Teri that the Tree had to be put up on this night.(December 9) before it got too late.
In fairness We do a bad job of getting decorations up in a timely manner. We scoff at the people who put them up just after Halloween, We laugh at the amateurs who insist just before Thanksgiving is acceptable. "Fools!!" We decry, "How can You have the Christmas spirit when we have not even celebrated the day of giving thanks declared by Abe Lincoln, himself after the Civil War!" "Cynics, money lenders, Store Owners you all...." I guess I've gone off topic again, sorry.
After all that decrying, suddenly it's the week before Christmas and We are the only Christian house without lights. Even the Jew have Hanukkah lights up. So in our hast We put up some lights on the house, never the way it was planned, try to stick stakes in the frozen ground to hold down the light up deer (really feel Christmasey doing that) and finally the tree gets up. After it is all up and We sit back, we wonder why we waited and didn't do it sooner. Ah, life is funny.
Well, Teri wants to put up the tree on December 9th, Sunday. It had not been a day of rest for me. I started cookie baking because just like the Christmas tree, cookies never seem to get baked like they did back when I was a kid and my mom would set aside a day to do it with us. I started out with my Christmas cookie,
the pinwheel cookie. I don't know how or why I associate this non denominational cookie with Christmas except it was baked around Christmas one year and I guess I loved it and decided I needed to have it again when I thought about cookies for Christmas the next year. After that I made Russian nut balls. The Name get Nastia's attention until she hears nuts are in them. Crazy Kids, one day she will grow up and realize life is incomplete without some nut, relatives or from a tree, it doesn't matter. I thought I was making Teri's favorite Christmas cookie, it was not her's it was her sister's, opps. And finally I made Raspberry chocolate bars, but I put all of the raspberry jam into Nastia's cheese cake so I had to use Blackberry Jam. It was almost as good.
So I guess after all of that I was tired. Plus We went to see a real good movie called Green Book.
I'll finish this later
I'd taken teh tee down a few days before. I have learned to some time anticipate what needs to be done and do it in advance. Other times I procrastinate and let it hit me full in the face, but not this time.
The Girls get involved in putting up the tree. Elena is figuring out what goes firdt and I show her willingly stepping aside to watch the tree go together. Slowly all the pieces are put together and the different outlets are connected. I want to put some of my old Hallmark orniments up and I bring down a string of lights they fit. The Girls start to pull out the orinments from Hallmark and I remember why I stopped putting them up. I guide them, Teri says lecture them on the proper way to handle them. Some go up and some of the older one are not working so well. The Train with Santa in it is not going off like it should and the whistle sounds drunk. I get sad, theses stupid orniments are important to me and it is too soon for them not to work. I look at the box on one, it is from 1992. I remember I'm 60 and I bought this almost half a life ago.
Tree is up and the boxes go back up stairs, to make Teri happy. An Other Lesson I've learned over the years. Christmas is here and the tree is up. Now what about those lights. Oh yeah, I got the ones from last year still up All I have to do is find an extension cord. Christmas is so much fun.
s
Since I have known Teri, she has had something against putting up Christmas Trees. The first year We were together, my Mom gave her a small tree put put up in her apartment. It was a foot or so tall, fake and of little bother. She at first didn't want to take it. She thought since she was not celebrating Christmas their it was not necessary to have any Christmas decorations. She took the tree and put it up in her cramped little Apartment.
Teri's and my First Christmas together she suggested we not have a tree. "Why have one when We are not going to be here" She said. A Valid point, but I wanted one and I needed one. It wouldn't be festive without one. So We got one. It was a real tree and Teri didn't like the mess of it. Needles falling off it every day, watering it every day and the fire hazard. We came to a compromise, fake one year, real the next. We did it for a few years until one year I thought, "Man real trees are a pain. let's go fake." so We did.
The Fake Tree we used for years required you to put up a three piece center pole, then take a lower branch, smooth out the needles and limbs, then put it in the correct slot. Each Branch took several minutes to straighten after it had spent eleven months in a bag.
Is piece was not supposed to be the length of 'War and Peace' so I a\m sorry I have rambled.
On the night We,Teri decided to set up the tree, a discussion between Teri and I erupted, yes discussions can erupt. It centered on the thought from Teri that the Tree had to be put up on this night.(December 9) before it got too late.
In fairness We do a bad job of getting decorations up in a timely manner. We scoff at the people who put them up just after Halloween, We laugh at the amateurs who insist just before Thanksgiving is acceptable. "Fools!!" We decry, "How can You have the Christmas spirit when we have not even celebrated the day of giving thanks declared by Abe Lincoln, himself after the Civil War!" "Cynics, money lenders, Store Owners you all...." I guess I've gone off topic again, sorry.
After all that decrying, suddenly it's the week before Christmas and We are the only Christian house without lights. Even the Jew have Hanukkah lights up. So in our hast We put up some lights on the house, never the way it was planned, try to stick stakes in the frozen ground to hold down the light up deer (really feel Christmasey doing that) and finally the tree gets up. After it is all up and We sit back, we wonder why we waited and didn't do it sooner. Ah, life is funny.
the pinwheel cookie. I don't know how or why I associate this non denominational cookie with Christmas except it was baked around Christmas one year and I guess I loved it and decided I needed to have it again when I thought about cookies for Christmas the next year. After that I made Russian nut balls. The Name get Nastia's attention until she hears nuts are in them. Crazy Kids, one day she will grow up and realize life is incomplete without some nut, relatives or from a tree, it doesn't matter. I thought I was making Teri's favorite Christmas cookie, it was not her's it was her sister's, opps. And finally I made Raspberry chocolate bars, but I put all of the raspberry jam into Nastia's cheese cake so I had to use Blackberry Jam. It was almost as good.
So I guess after all of that I was tired. Plus We went to see a real good movie called Green Book.
I'll finish this later
I'd taken teh tee down a few days before. I have learned to some time anticipate what needs to be done and do it in advance. Other times I procrastinate and let it hit me full in the face, but not this time.
The Girls get involved in putting up the tree. Elena is figuring out what goes firdt and I show her willingly stepping aside to watch the tree go together. Slowly all the pieces are put together and the different outlets are connected. I want to put some of my old Hallmark orniments up and I bring down a string of lights they fit. The Girls start to pull out the orinments from Hallmark and I remember why I stopped putting them up. I guide them, Teri says lecture them on the proper way to handle them. Some go up and some of the older one are not working so well. The Train with Santa in it is not going off like it should and the whistle sounds drunk. I get sad, theses stupid orniments are important to me and it is too soon for them not to work. I look at the box on one, it is from 1992. I remember I'm 60 and I bought this almost half a life ago.
Tree is up and the boxes go back up stairs, to make Teri happy. An Other Lesson I've learned over the years. Christmas is here and the tree is up. Now what about those lights. Oh yeah, I got the ones from last year still up All I have to do is find an extension cord. Christmas is so much fun.
s
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
The rest of Her birthday
As far as Birthday's go, this one had a little drama, a few tears were shed and I felt bad for causing them. So It was a standard day in the life of our family.
After I stopped yesterday, Nastia and Teri went off. Nastia gets dropped off at College, because she is still not sure of the way home, then Teri goes to work in Mahwah NJ. I left around quarter to nine to go visit my mom, then head to world in Elmsford. Elena had left for North High School around 6:30 in the morning.
I get home around 3:30. Nastia is home, but where is Elena? A quick Phone call finds here shopping for her sister's birthday gift, daughter like father, I guess. Teri says she will be home by 6 pm. Around 5 pm Nastia gets a text from David, he can't make it to her birthday. I've gotten the feeling lately David is making space between her and him, but this time I think the reason is earlier in the week I had asked for it to just be the four of us. Usually when We go out it is not. We invite others and it's nice, but it is also nice to occasionally have it be just the four of us. Nastia had asked that David be included and immediately Teri and I had said yes. Well Nastia told David we had wanted it to be just the four of us, but she had asked for him to join us and I thought that was what had happened. After all the grief I'd given him before, now that I wanted him to be part of of life and family he was not going to be there on this important day. So I did what I do best and yell. It was not the fierce roar of a lion, I can't yell like that anyway any more, it was more of a semi restrained 'See this is what happens when you tell someone something that they don't need to know' voice. I tried to keep it calm, but I didn't succeed. Near the end of the sort of short tirade I manage to soften my voice, but it is too late. Nastia's head is bowed, she's looking at the floor, seeing nothing and I know what is next. I take her in my arms and hug her telling her I didn't want to make her cry on her birthday. Resilient as ever she is back to herself soon, me, I feel like crap for a while longer. Feeling bad I text David being diplomatic and still thinking he isn't coming because of his chat with Nastia I say
" I heard you can't go with us. I hope everything is ok. I also want you to know how important it is for you to be with us tonight if there is anyway you can make it. You would be a welcome addition.' He texts back asking when and where we will be. Teri texts him that he is a part of this family whether he likes it or not and has to come, or something to that effect
Teri gets home around 6:30 and off we go to Gilligan's in Mt Ivy, one of Nastia's favorite places to eat. It's a Monday night, business is slow so they have only one room open. There is a short wait and We are seated. Muscles are ordered and Teri and Nastia proceed to devour them. I used to eat them and try one.They are good and garlicky. Teri goes to the bathroom and the weirdest conversation happens. Lets see if I can get this straight.
Nastia is devouring the muscles and she asks Elena if she wants some.
Typical Elena says, "No" then adds, and I should of seen this coming. " Do you know what these look like?", as she picks one out of it's shell I knew where this is going, but it is like an accident, I just can't look away. " It looks like a Vagina," she says. I chuckle.
Nastia, without a blink says,"Well these are juicy vaginas and I'm going to eat them."
Daughters, you've got to love them.
About halfway through dinner David does show up and tells why he is late. It seems his half brother got into a fight and was taken to the Hospital. He lost a tooth and might have some damage to a bone in his face. It wasn't clear what happened, except he got his butt kicked. He will be alright it looks like.
David orders a burger, Elena ordered chicken fingers and fries.While waiting she ate bread. When Her meal arrives, she doesn't touch it. I had promised Teri I would say nothing. Every so often I would look over at her plate, the Chicken and fries covered with ketchup getting cold. I managed to say nothing all night, but guess what she is having for dinner tonight?
Nastia ate ok. She ate a lot of the Muscles and about half of her Scallops and linguini in a white sauce. Davidate 3/4 of his burger and since he is not officially family yet, I also kept quiet.
Teri had a lobster dinner for one and did a good job on her meal. I don't worry about her taking leftovers home. She will eat them.
Me, I ate some bread, I ordered Fish and chips. The Fish was a little over breaded and dry, but I finished all of it,because that was how I was raised. Remembering my mother saying there are starving children in China. We were done by about 8:45 and it was a nice evening.
b
After I stopped yesterday, Nastia and Teri went off. Nastia gets dropped off at College, because she is still not sure of the way home, then Teri goes to work in Mahwah NJ. I left around quarter to nine to go visit my mom, then head to world in Elmsford. Elena had left for North High School around 6:30 in the morning.
I get home around 3:30. Nastia is home, but where is Elena? A quick Phone call finds here shopping for her sister's birthday gift, daughter like father, I guess. Teri says she will be home by 6 pm. Around 5 pm Nastia gets a text from David, he can't make it to her birthday. I've gotten the feeling lately David is making space between her and him, but this time I think the reason is earlier in the week I had asked for it to just be the four of us. Usually when We go out it is not. We invite others and it's nice, but it is also nice to occasionally have it be just the four of us. Nastia had asked that David be included and immediately Teri and I had said yes. Well Nastia told David we had wanted it to be just the four of us, but she had asked for him to join us and I thought that was what had happened. After all the grief I'd given him before, now that I wanted him to be part of of life and family he was not going to be there on this important day. So I did what I do best and yell. It was not the fierce roar of a lion, I can't yell like that anyway any more, it was more of a semi restrained 'See this is what happens when you tell someone something that they don't need to know' voice. I tried to keep it calm, but I didn't succeed. Near the end of the sort of short tirade I manage to soften my voice, but it is too late. Nastia's head is bowed, she's looking at the floor, seeing nothing and I know what is next. I take her in my arms and hug her telling her I didn't want to make her cry on her birthday. Resilient as ever she is back to herself soon, me, I feel like crap for a while longer. Feeling bad I text David being diplomatic and still thinking he isn't coming because of his chat with Nastia I say
" I heard you can't go with us. I hope everything is ok. I also want you to know how important it is for you to be with us tonight if there is anyway you can make it. You would be a welcome addition.' He texts back asking when and where we will be. Teri texts him that he is a part of this family whether he likes it or not and has to come, or something to that effect
Teri gets home around 6:30 and off we go to Gilligan's in Mt Ivy, one of Nastia's favorite places to eat. It's a Monday night, business is slow so they have only one room open. There is a short wait and We are seated. Muscles are ordered and Teri and Nastia proceed to devour them. I used to eat them and try one.They are good and garlicky. Teri goes to the bathroom and the weirdest conversation happens. Lets see if I can get this straight.
Nastia is devouring the muscles and she asks Elena if she wants some.
Typical Elena says, "No" then adds, and I should of seen this coming. " Do you know what these look like?", as she picks one out of it's shell I knew where this is going, but it is like an accident, I just can't look away. " It looks like a Vagina," she says. I chuckle.
Nastia, without a blink says,"Well these are juicy vaginas and I'm going to eat them."
Daughters, you've got to love them.
About halfway through dinner David does show up and tells why he is late. It seems his half brother got into a fight and was taken to the Hospital. He lost a tooth and might have some damage to a bone in his face. It wasn't clear what happened, except he got his butt kicked. He will be alright it looks like.
David orders a burger, Elena ordered chicken fingers and fries.While waiting she ate bread. When Her meal arrives, she doesn't touch it. I had promised Teri I would say nothing. Every so often I would look over at her plate, the Chicken and fries covered with ketchup getting cold. I managed to say nothing all night, but guess what she is having for dinner tonight?
Nastia ate ok. She ate a lot of the Muscles and about half of her Scallops and linguini in a white sauce. Davidate 3/4 of his burger and since he is not officially family yet, I also kept quiet.
Teri had a lobster dinner for one and did a good job on her meal. I don't worry about her taking leftovers home. She will eat them.
Me, I ate some bread, I ordered Fish and chips. The Fish was a little over breaded and dry, but I finished all of it,because that was how I was raised. Remembering my mother saying there are starving children in China. We were done by about 8:45 and it was a nice evening.
b
Monday, December 3, 2018
Nastia at 20, OH MY GOD!!
It is Nastia's birthday, she is twenty.I looked back at some of her birthdays and I can remember some as clear as day,others are in the distance seen through a heavy fog.
I read some out loud to Nastia, I thought it a fun way to spend a morning. One I had to stop reading before it made me cry, her eighteenth. I can't be seen crying over a silly thing like what I wrote about her eighteenth birthday now can I? I then went to a safer one and read the first few lines of her first birthday in America. It was sweet and innocent and my favorite part was when she told the principal at Congers Elementary school,Mrs. Ryan, it was her happy birthday to you.
I guess it is time to share a paper Nastia did for school in October. It is not really in the spirit of the day, so excuse me, it's just I want to now.
I read some out loud to Nastia, I thought it a fun way to spend a morning. One I had to stop reading before it made me cry, her eighteenth. I can't be seen crying over a silly thing like what I wrote about her eighteenth birthday now can I? I then went to a safer one and read the first few lines of her first birthday in America. It was sweet and innocent and my favorite part was when she told the principal at Congers Elementary school,Mrs. Ryan, it was her happy birthday to you.
I guess it is time to share a paper Nastia did for school in October. It is not really in the spirit of the day, so excuse me, it's just I want to now.
Anastasia Muller 9/28/18
The Narrative Essay
My life changed completely when my sister and I were adopted in September 2009. This is a story of how I became who I am today and how my sisters and my life changed for the better.
I was born December 3rd, 1998 in a small Russian village in the far east called Obluchye. My Russian mother was only nineteen years old when when she gave birth to me and and about twenty when she had my sister. When I was about three or four years old I was taken away from my mother in hopes that she could take care of my sister and I would be returned later. She was unable of being a mother because she had problems with drinking and because of that she lost her parental rights to us. After my mother died at age 23 bouth my sister and I were taken to an orphanage where we spend half of your lifes.
The orphanage was in a city called Birobidzhan and the city was nothing like my hometown. There were a lot of people walking around cars driving by and wild animals like dogs running around trying to find food. Growing up in the orphanage was not easy for me because I dd not have any friends, all the kids were mean to me and bullied me for no reason. I had one lady who came once a week to take me out and spend some time with me. She would always bring treats for me like ships and soda which I enjoyed and I could not wait untill she would come back again. As I got older I went to school to learn and become smarter. The school was very small and the education was not that great because the teacher did not know what she was doing. Even though the education was not good I still learned little things like how to speak properly and use words in the right way.
There was a time where during the holidays the whole orphanage would get together and celebrate. For Example when it was christmas we would have this giant tree with different decorations on it and all of the kids would come around the tree and dance. I remember wearing this beautiful dress and dancing around the tree and that was the time I was very happy and grateful for having something this great in my life. I remember this one time where the people who ran the orphanage would take us out in the winter time to a giant mountain of snow where we would slade down the mountain and crush into a pile of snow. I also remember during the fall the hole orphanage would gather all of the leafs put the leafs in different piles and then burn them. Those days were the best times I ever had. One of the days that I did not like was my birthday, because when my birthday came around no one would wish me a happy birthday or gave me a gift. That day I would always be sad and just stay away from people and have a day to myself where no one could bother me. The only person that I had in the orphanage was my little sister and even she would be mean to me and I never knew why. After awie my sister and I got closer to each other because of the incident she had. We were all outside playing on a playground just having fun. My sister decided to go on the monkeybars and climb like a monkey would,little that she knew that the monkey bar would be slippery so when she went to crab one of the bars she slipped and fell landing on her arm and breaking it. After that happened she had to go to the hospital so I did not see her for awhile. When she returned to the orphanage I was so happy to see her that I jumped on her and pushed her stomach a couple of times. From there my sister I were closer than we ever been.
My time at the orphanage went by so fast it felt like I just got there a small little girl who was scared and alone. I was not a little girl anymore and I was not alone with my sister by my side. Years had passed by and I was still in the orphanage wishing I was out. One day the greatest day of my life happens to be where two american couple fell in love with my sister and I and wanted to adopt us. Your first time in america was when we went to spend the summer with the american couple. We got to do so much fun stuff like go to a summer camp and a gymnastic camp. After we got to meet them we felt the same way they felt about us. When the summer ended my sister and I had to go back to Russia because the american couple had to do all the paperwork before we can go with them for good. The adoption process was long and annoying but we finally got through it. After we got adopted our journey to a new county began. The plane ride was very long and uncomfortable,but my sister and I were too excited to care. Once we got to america we went to a family friends house so that the family can meet us and we can meet the family. As the years went by my life changed so much I had a new home and new family that loves me and friends that care about me. I also learned a new language which was very hard to do because I could not understand my parents and they could not understand me. Also school was not easy for me either because I could not understand the subjects and the language and I had to start fourth grade when school started and I did not like it.
Coming to America from Russia was the best change that ever happened to me because I have a family that loves me friend who support me and best of all a better life than I could ever ask for. I would not change anything for the world because the change made me who I'm today and nothing can ever change the decision I made.
More about her birthday later.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Cars, Cars, mud and more cars, oh my god.
The Girls are at that age, no not the age where they get the talk about sex. One day, though, when we were talking about sex, Elena was surprised I knew what scissoring was. Come on think about it, it'll come to you.
Anyway, after Elena got her license and then a few months later Nastia got hers, the next step was what to do about cars? Pop pop's old Toyota had been fixed by David for $700.00 with the idea that Nastia would use it. Nastia was never very much in love with it, it was a car!
A Search was started for a car for Elena. A really nice Honda was found at a gas station. It was a little old, but it was in nice shape. I saw it, both girls saw it and Nastia kept saying that if Elena didn't want it she wanted it. Nastia's boyfriend looked at it and liked it, but wanted to see it on a lift to check something out. It took about a week to for him to find the time and by then the car was gone. An other car was found by Teri in West Nyack. It was a Chevy. The Owner had fixed it up and it was in really nice shape. While looking at it the Owner makes a comment that his brother in law had offered $2,800.00 for it but he turned him down because he wanted $3,000.00. I thought he was posturing, he wasn't. I started to negotiate with him when he stops me saying he knows what the car is worth and he wants $3,000.00 for it again reminding me he turned down $2,800.00 from his brother in law. I smile, tell him it's a nice car, good luck, bla,bla, bla,shake his hand and leave. That's not the way to sell a car unless your on a power trip. This is the price and I'm going to get it! You price a car a little higher then what you want for it then let the buyer get the price down so he feels he got a deal. Deal Making 101.I think the car is still there and yes it is still a nice car AND it is still an old car and I guess he has not read Deal Making 101.
The Car search went on.
One Day Teri sees this Pontiac Grand Am for sale. It has low miles (82,000 miles) and it's for sale for $2,000.00 I call the guy. He has the car at a lot over on Rt. 59, in West Nyack near the car wash and I could see it the next day, Sunday at 10 AM. I go over to see it, drive it and not wanting to lose it like cars in the past, I make an offer on it. We settle on $1,600.00. The next Day I give him cash and it goes over to Mavis Tire where David proceeds to work on it. A few Weeks later I bring it to Alexander Brothers to fix something he is unable to and I take it to drive.
The Deal worked out by the three of us was easy. Nastia wanted my car, the Escape. Elena wanted a car and I liked the idea of driving the Grand Am having owned one in the 80's, which I have talked about. And like the previous Grand Am the current one had more problems then I figured on, but it is a fun car to drive.
The Fun of parking four cars in a three car driveway was temporarily solved by the girls parking on the grass on the north side of the house. That ended rather quickly when it rained and snowed, then rained some more. The Girls lack of refined driving skills soon made a mud puddle out of a mole hill.
The final total on the repairs of the Grand Am are not in as of 11/30/18. The Car cost $1,600.00, repairs from David were cheap, maybe $100.00, Alexander brothers as of 11/30/18 are $2,100.00 with more coming this afternoon.
Come Spring the Air Conditioning will need to be fixed, something about the compressor. Yet when You find a slightly open road in Rockland and you get the chance to open the car up a little, all the cost you have put in to the car seem far away. Your still on that high when You start to slow down and your smiling because life is good. Then You look down at the gas gage and realize you went through a half a tank of gas and you remember all the expense this damn car is costing.
Anyway, after Elena got her license and then a few months later Nastia got hers, the next step was what to do about cars? Pop pop's old Toyota had been fixed by David for $700.00 with the idea that Nastia would use it. Nastia was never very much in love with it, it was a car!
A Search was started for a car for Elena. A really nice Honda was found at a gas station. It was a little old, but it was in nice shape. I saw it, both girls saw it and Nastia kept saying that if Elena didn't want it she wanted it. Nastia's boyfriend looked at it and liked it, but wanted to see it on a lift to check something out. It took about a week to for him to find the time and by then the car was gone. An other car was found by Teri in West Nyack. It was a Chevy. The Owner had fixed it up and it was in really nice shape. While looking at it the Owner makes a comment that his brother in law had offered $2,800.00 for it but he turned him down because he wanted $3,000.00. I thought he was posturing, he wasn't. I started to negotiate with him when he stops me saying he knows what the car is worth and he wants $3,000.00 for it again reminding me he turned down $2,800.00 from his brother in law. I smile, tell him it's a nice car, good luck, bla,bla, bla,shake his hand and leave. That's not the way to sell a car unless your on a power trip. This is the price and I'm going to get it! You price a car a little higher then what you want for it then let the buyer get the price down so he feels he got a deal. Deal Making 101.I think the car is still there and yes it is still a nice car AND it is still an old car and I guess he has not read Deal Making 101.The Car search went on.
One Day Teri sees this Pontiac Grand Am for sale. It has low miles (82,000 miles) and it's for sale for $2,000.00 I call the guy. He has the car at a lot over on Rt. 59, in West Nyack near the car wash and I could see it the next day, Sunday at 10 AM. I go over to see it, drive it and not wanting to lose it like cars in the past, I make an offer on it. We settle on $1,600.00. The next Day I give him cash and it goes over to Mavis Tire where David proceeds to work on it. A few Weeks later I bring it to Alexander Brothers to fix something he is unable to and I take it to drive.The Deal worked out by the three of us was easy. Nastia wanted my car, the Escape. Elena wanted a car and I liked the idea of driving the Grand Am having owned one in the 80's, which I have talked about. And like the previous Grand Am the current one had more problems then I figured on, but it is a fun car to drive.
The Fun of parking four cars in a three car driveway was temporarily solved by the girls parking on the grass on the north side of the house. That ended rather quickly when it rained and snowed, then rained some more. The Girls lack of refined driving skills soon made a mud puddle out of a mole hill.The final total on the repairs of the Grand Am are not in as of 11/30/18. The Car cost $1,600.00, repairs from David were cheap, maybe $100.00, Alexander brothers as of 11/30/18 are $2,100.00 with more coming this afternoon.
Come Spring the Air Conditioning will need to be fixed, something about the compressor. Yet when You find a slightly open road in Rockland and you get the chance to open the car up a little, all the cost you have put in to the car seem far away. Your still on that high when You start to slow down and your smiling because life is good. Then You look down at the gas gage and realize you went through a half a tank of gas and you remember all the expense this damn car is costing.
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
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.
m
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.
m
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
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.
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.
Thursday, October 4, 2018
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.....
v
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.....
v
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
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.
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.
Tuesday, September 4, 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.
Friday, August 31, 2018
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
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.
/
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.
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 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.
/
Friday, August 24, 2018
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.
Friday, August 10, 2018
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.
m
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.
m
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
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!!
c
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!!
c
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