October Always Reminds Me of My Grandmother

The chilly wind on an October morning always makes me smile.  I love the Fall and everything it brings – Halloween, gusts of wind and of course Thanksgiving.

Every year when we decorate our home, I always think of my grandmother and how much she loved the holidays. She decorated every room inside her home for Christmas. Even when she was very sick she still decorated…….for me.  She wasn’t a warm and fuzzy type of grandmother but she was enamored with me and loved giving me cool things. She didn’t give me anything of any monetary value,  she gave me things that no one had given me. She cut out Betsy Girls from magazines.  

On Halloween, when kids would come to the door, my grandmother would throw them money from her balcony because she had arthritis and couldn’t go down the stairs. She loved to see how excited the kids were to get the change.

Halloween in Bay Ridge is amazing. Last year it wasn’t because of Hurricane Sandy. So I am glad to see Halloween return this year for all of the kids to enjoy!

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Quaglione Did Not Know the Referendum Being Voted on Nov 5th

On November 5th, we will be voting for a referendum that can add up to seven more casinos in NY. The issue has been on the news and in the papers mainly because Cuomo’s people have written it in such a way that it sound positive for school aide and jobs too. John Quaglione, a candidate for NYC  wants to represent Bay Ridge, yet he did not know what the referendum was at the debate today.

 We have a candidate that knows less about the upcoming election issues than I do. Read about the Gentile/Quaglione debate in The Home Reporter:

If you are thinking about voting for John Quaglione, you should read about our experience with him – he’s a terrible communicator.

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Tree Giveaway 10/12 in Bay Ridge

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John Quaglione Can’t Get Help for Himself – How Can He Help Bay Ridge?

John Quaglione has a Sunday morning complaint. Instead of filing a legitimate complaint to get help for Bay Ridge, Quaglione just complains on Twitter. Quaglione has worked for Senator Golden for 10+years. Yet, he doesn’t have  a connection to anyone who can help him with a problem. The 311 social media respondent tells Quaglione where to report the problem. Why doesn’t John Quaglione know where to report it after all these years?

In February 2013, Quaglione used Twitter to rant that his garbage wasn’t picked up. The Brooklyn Paper picked up QUaglione’s online complaining and it became the story of the week. When our garbage isn’t picked up, we call the Sanitation Supervisor who provided us with his cell phone number. Quaglione doesn’t have any connections through Golden?

You can read about Quaglione’s terrible communication and our experience with him at Golden’s office here.

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Rarely do I see my father in myself. When I watch my friends from childhood, I often see and hear their parents in their words and actions. I always tell them and we always laugh about it.

My parents had me later in life and were very conservative in their views so I never felt like I was like them.  Today, after I said something my friend said, “Hello Ed.”

We laughed so much this afternoon that the kids kept asking us why we were laughing, I couldn’t even explain it because they never saw my Dad’s mannerisms or heard my Dad speak.

I actually stopped what I was doing because it was such a rare occurrence that I wanted to note it.

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The Gift of Family

Today I opened the mailbox and inside was a large envelope. In the envelope was the sweetest note from Lee’s uncle Al and a lot of pictures. Lee’s Dad passed when he was a kid, but he has some wonderful uncles and todays package made me smile as soon as I took it out of the box.

#blessed

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Second Jumper this Week on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge 9/24/13

Another man was found attempting to jump from the Verrazano Bridge. Reportedly, he is 62 years old and from Brooklyn.  The bridge was closed as helicopters swooned around the area around 1130 am today. Luckily, ESU was able to talk the jumper down and his life was saved. The man told the police he didn’t have family and he had financial problems.Maybe this guy just needed some time to think things through and realize how valuable he is to the world. Seriously people would have been devastated over his death. (Decent Story by The Post   and good pictures in the Daily News

On Sunday, another jumper took his life on the Verrazano Bridge.

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29 Year Old Jumper on Verrazano Narrows Bridge 9/22/13

Yesterday there was another jumper on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge (attaches Bay Ridge, Brooklyn  to Staten Island). The jumper was first reported to be a 25 year old male from Staten Island. Later, reports indicated that he was 29 years old.

Initially, the news reported that the jumper was down and deceased and that ESU & Harbor units were on scene for the body recovery. Yet, the jumper is alive and in critical condition at Staten Island University Hospital.

RIP Michael Caiazzo (He was a handsome electrician from Staten Island). Prayers for his family and girlfriend. Michael’s sister said he became addicted to prescription pain medicine and hopes that people will stay away from prescription pain killers because they are addicting. She explained in detail to the paper because she doesn’t want other people and their families to suffer. 

The Verrazano Narrows Bridge has had a lot of activity this year. Maybe sensors need to be placed on the bridge to help these tragedies. 

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Genetic Testing

I had been thinking about genetic testing for awhile.  I’ve chickened out while I am at the doctor’s office because although I want to know what genetic diseases may be prevalent in my body, I also don’t want to know. And being in the doctors office always gives me the heebeegeebees!

We ordered the Genetic Testing Kit from 23andme.com  The kit provides a plastic container to collect spit (yes spit…..I didn’t want to write the word spit, but I didn’t want you to wonder what type of sample I gave).   I sent in my sample from NJ because bodily fluid isn’t allowed to be sent through the mail in NY.  I actually had to agree to a waiver online that I wouldn’t take the sample in NY or send it from NY. 

Now I am waiting for the results. I thought I would feel nervous about the results, but I don’t. I’ve told friends that I was doing this and they asked me, “well what if the results are bad – then what?”  Then – nothing. I think knowing about what I might be predisposed to will give me a bit more piece of mind.  If they are bad, I will probably pop them in a drawer and deal with them another day.  No one knows what the future holds, but it’s cool that science is able to share a bit more information about us with us. 

Just so you know: The company 23andme.com does not know me. I bought the kit with my own money and I do not work for them.

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Anthropologie Coupon

• Printable for the store or use this code online. You have to be signed up as a member to get these coupon codes for Anthopologie.

  September 22 is Anthro Day!

2013

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Writing here so I can remember

Again, I told my niece I would sign those papers that need to be signed.

She as surprised that I talked to my mother right after she came by.

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Could one phone call change your life?

Possibly. Just possibly.

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