About Me:
Suprises
Normally, I hate surprises. I don’t like the feeling of being caught off guard. I kn0w many people love surprises and hope that their loved ones would surprise them once in awhile.
Lee knows I hate surprises, but he loves planning them. Over the years, he has learned that it’s better to save the surprises for the kids as I don’t appreciate them as much as they do. I’ve tried to hide my hatred of surprises over the years, but he knows me and knows what a fake smile looks like.
This weekend, he replaced our flower boxes in the front and back of the house. I am really into plants and picked out what type I wanted this year. I placed a paper with their names and pictures in our house binder.
Lee went to Home Depot and the local nursery. He brought my paper from the binder so he could get the plants I wanted. Yeah that’s the type of surprise I like. He did good! Sorry for the terrible pic – it was late when I shot the photo.
*Oh if you are Lee and you are reading this….I love you, love the flowers and I love surprises like when you go to the bank and get me cash when you know I am low (best surprise ever) or you pick up juice,milk, etc. :)
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3 Years
I woke up early and went out back to sit on the deck and drink coffee. As I looked over at your tree, I noticed that it just started to bloom today. And I realized it had been three years.
RIP ECM.
Gone, but not forgotten.
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Things to do on the Anniversary of Someone’s Death
The last couple of years have brought a lot of deaths and often people wonder what they should do on the anniversary of someone’s death:
- Go to the cemetery and leave some flowers or pennies on the grave.
- Release a group of helium balloons or just one. I always buy one on the anniversary of someone’s death and send it off to him. Something about releasing it and watching it sail to the sky is cathartic.
- Go to the last home where that person lived and look around at their old place.
- Plant a tree or bush in memory of someone.
- My neighbor liked a particular flower so I planted them in my yard in memory of her.
- Let’s say your brother liked to eat Twinkies, go buy some twinkies and have one in memory of him.
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Mother’s Day Brunch in Bay Ridge 2013
Mother’s Day is coming and Mother’s Day is a great day to go out for brunch in Bay Ridge. The best restaurants for brunch in Bay Ridge are:
- Red Oak – 83rd and 5th Avenue has the best brunch in Bay Ridge
- Cafe Remy – 7110 – 3rd Avenue
- Chadwicks
- Kettle Black
- Beebo 8513 – 5th Avenue
- Cebu - 88th and 3rd
- Greenhouse Cafe (2 seatings – 11am or 12pm) 77th and 3rd Ave $25 a person
- Hom - 88th and 3rd Avenue – trendy, relaxed place
- Skinflints - 79th and 5th Avenue
- Casa Pepe - Bunch from 12-4 and then dinner from 4 on
- The Pearl Room - 82nd and 3rd Avenue
* Make sure to call ahead for reservations as everyone loves to go out on Mother’s Day!
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New Baby and Busy, Busy, Busy
Our friends just had their third child. This week, we were watching their other two children. One is two and the other is four. Our house was crazy, but we had so much fun. It was nice to get back to our own routine and slow things down a bit. I had been yawning like crazy because there has just been so much to do. Even on nights when I was exhausted, I laid in bed and thought how blessed we are.
Welcome baby – Lauren Amelia (such a pretty name).
Another friend told me a top secret last night and their news makes me so happy. I can’t share it on here yet because not everyone knows yet.
I am just catching up with all the hype of the Boston bomber, conspiracy theories and debunking the conspiracy theories of the Boston bombers!
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Verrazano Narrows Bridge Jumper April 14th
Helicopters swooned in and covered the area. I couldn’t figure out what they were looking for just a few blocks from my home. Susan Toth of Bay Ridge jumped from the bridge. They just found her body on the Staten Island side of the Bridge. Ms. Toth was 52 years old. RIP.
I hardly turn on the news because of stories like this. How did this woman get so far in her thinking that she thought no one cared if she jumped? If you feel that way, come over to my house people. There’s always plenty of family here. Lee will cook you some good food. I’ll put on the tunes. You can play with our puppy and life will feel better. I’m serious about your coming over, but if you don’t want to call The Samaritans (212) 673-3000
Jumpers on the Verrazano Bridge are usually male. Maria Lynn Bertolini jumped from the bridge in 1989 and was one of the two people who survived the jump.
3/28/13 - Angelo Biondo 58 years old and an owner of a Park Slope dog training business jumped
1/2/13 - Canarsie man dies on the bridge
10/14/12 – Long Island Attorney, Lawrence Youshah – 43 years old SURVIVED the jump
July 2012 – Man talked down from the bridge (see rescue video here)
6/28/12 – a 33-year-old man died hours after he leaped from the bridge. He left a 6-page suicide note behind.
6/8/12 – Benny Guzman, 46 years old and a Brooklyn resident jumped from the bridge
5/27/12 Joseph Battista, 54-year-old Sanitation worker from Todt Hill (Staten Island) jumped from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
4/4/12 Police stop a 41 year old man from jumping off the bridge.
In February 2012, statistics showed: “On average, the Verrazano sees about two suicides a year, and between four and six attempts foiled by officers patrolling the bridge. (source)
1/25/12 – Andre Carrasco, a 27 year old father of 6 jumped on the Brooklyn side. His niece wants fences installed on the bridge to stop people from being able to stop on the Bridge.
12/27/11 – Eric Suarez – 44 years old jumped from the SI side
* Only three people have survived after jumping from the Verrazano Narrows Bridge - Maria Lynn Bertolini (22 years old in 1989) and a college student in 1975 (source) and Lawrence Youshah – in October 2012 SURVIVED the jump
**There are six phones on the bridge.
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Does Your Political Party Stop You From Receiving Help You Need?
Ten months ago, I contacted State Senator’s office with a small problem which neighbors believed he could help with. A staff member of Golden’s office said he would handle it. I received hardly any assistance even though I contacted the office repeatedly over the next seven months. (You can read about it here). Every time we tell the story to another friend here in Bay Ridge, they ask me if I am Republican like the Senator.
I’m not – I’m a registered Democrat. Why? Because it allows me to vote in the Democratic primaries. There are hardly any Republican primaries here in NYC. Everyone can vote in the regular elections, but this allows me to vote in the primaries as well. If I was in Hampton Bays, Long Island, I would be a registered Republican because they have more Republicans there and primaries for Republican candidates. I don’t vote for parties – I vote for people who I hope want the job for the right reason. I have most everything I need, but I am a teacher of over 4oo students each year and I vote in favor of things for my students and their families. Last election, I voted for Golden.
I didn’t realize that your political party can be seen by different offices. Did my political party registration stop me from receiving the help we needed?
This weekend, a friend of mine told me about their friend Gerry Kassar, Marty Golden’s Chief of Staff. I was surprised to find him on Twitter. He follows John Quaglione on Twitter and he probably saw our exchange. If Gerry Kassar saw the poor communication I received, why didn’t he contact me? The only way Mr. Kassar didn’t see the exchange was if someone else operates his account. Would he really allow someone else to post their thoughts on his page? I don’t think so because he also has a blog. I’ll update this, if and when he responds.
Many people are not receiving help from local officials; others hear about stories like ours and they become discouraged in asking for help when it’s needed. Who do people go to when their local officials are not assisting them?
When 311 didn’t work, I went to Marty Golden’s office. When Marty Golden’s office failed to assist me, I went to the Public Advocate. Who can I go to if the Public Advocate doesn’t follow through? I’ll update this when I hear.
Does someone who is buying a home in the area need to change their party to Independent so they can get the assistance they need from local politicians?
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Gorgeous Bun – Watch the Video & Enter the Contest!
Watch the whole video and enter the contest!
Sweeps rules:
http://www.blogher.com/hair-sweepstakes-official-rules-week-3
Prizes & Promotions page on Blogher.com:
https://www.blogher.com/blogher-tv-weekly-hair-style-sweepstakes
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Happy Easter
We had a great Easter starting with brunch and a egg hunt in the morning. Log in to see kids pics!
The items here continue to change places because all the kids (even the ones who are too small to reach it) change things around.
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Good Intensions
One evening while returning home this week, the wind was strong and I pulled up my jacket’s fur hood up and forward to cover my face from the harsh wind. A man’s voice said, “Are you cold?” I answered that I as freezing and he said, “Do you want some wine? That’ll warm you up.” I laughed because I thought the guy was joking with me. I turned and saw it was a man down on his luck offering me his bottle of wine. I thanked him and as I walked the rest of the way home, I thought about what good intentions he had in wanting to share probably one of the few items he actually owned.
Good intentions.
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Best Coin Ever Spent
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Race Against Autism in Bay Ridge April 28, 2013
On Sunday, April 28, 2013 the Race Against Autism will take place in Bay Ridge, NY. The course is through the Fort Hamilton Army Base and finishes back in front of Harbor Fitness.
On site registration is from 9 – 10:15 am at 9215 4th avenue Harbor Fitness Bay Ridge.
The Pee Wee run for children under 12 is at 10 am. The adult 5k run is at 10:30 am
Registration is $25, army personnel pay $20, kids pay $5. The first 150 people to register get a t-shirt
Click for more info about the event
Post Race Party for all participants including raffle drawings, refreshements and awards.
All proceeds benefit The HeartShare School for children with Autism.
April is Autism Awareness Month.
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