Funny

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Fire Smell in Bay Ridge

It stinks in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn tonight as the smoke from the brush fire in Staten Island made it to Bay Ridge.  More than 200 fire fighters were at the former Fresh Kills landfill fighting off a brush fire. Apparently the fire jumped across the West Shore Espressway and it was closed. It will probably take until at least Tuesday or Wednesday to get this fire contained.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Brush-Fire-Staten-Island-Fresh-Kills–146673695.html.

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Happy Birthday, Lee!

I love April 9th – it’s Lee’s Birthday!

I love celebrating his birthday and  I pretty much surprise him every year. This year I got him a new computer for his workshop. The old one was running slow and he likes having a computer at his shop. I had a cake in the shape of a hamburger made too…..he loved it.

Today I went with Lee to get his car license renewed. Usually, you can renew over the computer, but once in awhile they make you go there or go to the eye doctor to get an eye test. Lee couldn’t read the line without his glasses. He was kind of bummed. I told him that he should get laser surgery, but he wasn’t a fan of that either. I’m thinking that would be a great present for next year!

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Another One Gone

I saw his face on my television screen and I looked away. Pictures of a fresh-faced young teen with a bright smile flashed on the screen and I looked away because it was too early to hear the news of his fate.  I went into my own thoughts about what I had to do that day as the news told his story. Not hearing his story didn’t change the circumstance, but for at least a few hours I didn’t have to feel his family’s pain.

When I got to school that morning one of sixth grade students approached and said “Another kid committed suicide because he was bullied.” All day long one or two students in each class came and told me parts of Lennon Baldwin’s story – he was 15, he was from NJ, he hung himself because he was being bullied on facebook because he was different. As the day wore on, I read the stories online. There was ‘suspected bullying’ but no one was confirming it.  So I offered that glimmer of hope to my students because hope is all I have sometimes. Please don’t let it be due to bullying, I thought.

That night it was confirmed – WE LOST ANOTHER KID TO BULLYING. Lennon Baldwin was bullied on Facebook by three other kids.  Another young spirit full of life – GONE.  RIP Lennon Balwin.  This time Lennon Balwin’s family has to suffer because he is GONE. His family will be suffering for years. Death is never easy, but when it happens because of bullying it’s senseless. And all the stories of this kid talk about how he always smiled….ugghhh he smiled and hid his pain from his family who is suffering without him.

I am a teacher And LOSING ANOTHER KID TO BULLYING tears me up. It feels like some people in society just can’t handle the technology we have today.   When will kids learn that their words really diminish other kids? I can’t imagine the amount of pain that Lennon Balwin was made to feel by his peers.

In the movie, The Hunger Games, hope is described as the only thing stronger than Fear. My hope is that this generation is smarter and kinder than the previous and they won’t allow this to keep happening. RIP Lennon Balwin.

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How can I use the Fort Hamilton Army Base Pool?

It’s getting hot and you hear everyone else is going to the Fort Hamilton Army Base Pool so naturally you want to go to, right? The FHCC (Fort Hamilton Community Club) has two types of memberships which you can purchase to the pool.

July 2018: No more memberships are for sale. Try back in April 2019.  You no longer need to be connected to anyone at the base and you no longer need to be sponsored by a current member. You just need to pass a background check and pay around $325 membership fee. 718- 765-7368   *They may bring back sponsors next year.

These are the pool hours: here   

Anyone with ID can purchase a daily pool pass:

July 2017 Update: It has become a lot harder to be a member of this club since a new base commander and club manager in recent years were appointed to the Army base. Many people who were members in the past can not get membership because they are reverting back to the old way that membership was done at the pool (see two types of memberships below). If you can’t get membership at the Fort Hamilton Army  Base, check out the Seagate Pool Club (in the gated community of Sea Gate Brooklyn – exit 6 on the Belt Parkway) and other pools in the area. 

Ft. Hamilton Army Base

207 Sterling Drive – Fort Hamilton

Brooklyn, NY 11252

One type of membership is the pool guest membership. You will need to be sponsored by a current authorized member of the club. Members can only sponsor a maximum of 4 guests for the pool season.  Sponsored guests may bring in two additional guests per day. Sponsored guests may only sponsor a family of four for the pool season.

The current member needs to send a letter (address below) requesting for you to be a pool a guest. In the letter, the current member will put your name, address, phone number and SS#. They will contact you and you will need to pay $450 for the an individual membership seasonal pass or $700 for a family seasonal pool pass. Sponsored members are limited to the Community Club ONLY.

Mr. Grant, MWR Director
137 C Poly Place Suite 3A
Brooklyn, NY 11252

The other way is Authorized membership which is open to all active duty, retired military, reservists, National guard, DOD employees, federal employees, VA, NYPD, FDNY and foreign military personnel.can get access to the Fort Hamilton Army Base pool is  if you have a family member who is a federal/state employee (like a postal worker). The fed./state employee would send a letter (address above) and ask for membership for you. In the letter, they would put your name, relation to them, address, phone number and SS#.

If you receive this membership, you will need to pay $27.00 a month to be part of the Fort Hamilton Community Club plus $250 for an individual seasonal pool pass or $395 for a seasonal family of four pool pass.

You can call 718 765-7338 to talk with them about membership. Also the operator number there is 718-765-7368    718-630-4903    718-630-4361 (old numbers: 718-630-4101 718-630-4848). Other phone numbers for the army base are here.

City employees do not qualify for membership at the army base. You may know teachers and garbage men that are members, but that means they were sponsored by someone in the military (remember this is a military base pool so there needs to be some relation to the military. Years ago, some people got membership because they allowed sponsored members to sponsor their friends…..that is not the case anymore because they reverted to the old way of membership).    See more info here.

Once you get approved for membership, you will need to go to the military base to take your membership photo. When you go on the base they will ask for your driver’s license. It must be current. Also the registration for your car must be current too. They officers at the gate may walk around your car to inspect it.

Once you pay your membership fee and for the seasonal pass, they will take your photo for a picture ID card. The pool opens kind of late and they close early, except for Friday night when they stay open for a barbecue. Every hour on the hour there is an adult swim for 15 minutes.

Locker fee for the season is $15.00

You need to pay for chair usage as well.

The only other way for you to use the pool is to be a guest of a current member. You and the current member to to the pool together on the day you want to use it. Your friend the member has to pay $20 for each adult guest and $15 for each child over 4 years old.

Outside food and drinks are not allowed, so some people leave their food and drinks in the car and go outside to eat. There is a website for the MWR Pool at Ft Hamilton Army Base (MWR stands for Morale, Welfare and Recreation), but there isn’t anything on it because the MWR pool closed up. Yes, there were two swimming pools on the base up until a few years ago.

Your child can use the Army Base Swimming Pool when they are taking lessons or practicing with their swim team. CLICK HERE FOR SWIMMING LESSONS FOR CHILDREN AT THE FORT HAMILTON ARMY BASE AND OTHER PLACES TOO

Did you know that there are stores and places to eat on the Fort Hamilton Army Base?  See here for a list  there is a Burger King and Subway Sandwich place open to the public on the Fort Hamilton Army Base? There’s also the Harbor Defense Museum. There are a few other things on the base including a bowling alley (see this page for more about bowling on base.) – most are for the military only, but not everything – here.  You can even have a ft. hamilton bowling party at the base (you get the whole bowling alley for 40-50 people, 3 hours, food and unlimited soda included – $500. Food includes pizza, and trays of chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks and wings).

There’s even a Holiday Inn on the base for military families. If you are from a military family, join the Bases FB page here.

**If you can’t become a member at the Fort Hamilton Army Base, some people head down to Seagate Brooklyn and become a member of the beach club there by renting a cabana for the seasons. More info here.

What about other pools are in Bay Ridge?

Fort Hamilton High School has a pool that ONLY alumni can use or people take classes there,

If you can’t get membership at the Fort Hamilton Army  Base – What other pools are there in Brooklyn? 

1) Check out the Seagate Pool Club (in the gated community of Sea Gate Brooklyn – exit 6 on the Belt Parkway).

2) Poly Prep has two six week program for lap swimming for adults (begins in September for the Fall Program –  there is also a  Spring program as well – no summer lap swimming program) – It’s on Monday and Wednesday nights from 9 pm to 10 pm. There is no other type of swimming membership here for adults (other than children or adults taking lessons at Poly). Ellen Kinnane is in charge of this at Poly Prep.   (718) 836-9800  extension 3220

3) Camp Olympia has Family Swim  at John Jay High School  237 7th Ave, at 5th St. (enter at the 5th St. entrance)

Only on Sundays from 3:30 pm  to 4:30 pm for $5.00 a person (even babies cost $5). They have a lot of floaties and kickboards to use. You do not have to be registered in their program to go to Family Swim. Everyone is welcome! Tip from a reader: If you go, the pool will look crowded when you arrive, don’t be intimidated – once you get in, you will see there is plenty of room and you won’t notice anyone around you. 

4) Brooklyn College Pool – $350 for  6 months or $600 for the year. Brooklyn College has a recreation center that’s open to the students all the time and to the public some of the time. *You sign up as a continuing education student (see bottom).

5) Dodge YMCA – Downtown Brooklyn diagonally across the street from Trader Joes is the Sovereign Bank with a YMCA outdoor pool there. The membership in the club is $18 a month and then the pool season pass is $225 for 2-4 family member (6 lanes – 12 when split) 5:30am – 10:30pm M-F and 8am – 6:30pm and 7:30pm on Sat and Sun  No kids after 7pm.  Info and FB page here

6) Brooklyn Sports Club has a pool. Around $600 a year for membership.

7) Redhook Recreation Center 155 Bay Street – They have a kiddie pool and a huge pool Olympic sized pool: 330′ x  130′ x 4′.   It’s a free NYC pool so it goes by NYC rules (you have to have a lock, no newspapers, magazines or electronics, real bathing suits, flip flops and only white t-shirts, etc). Plenty of lifeguards on staff. They have Red Hook Night Owl – it’s an adult swim time at night. The locker rooms are sparse and have a staff member monitoring them so they are clean.

8) Here are other pools in the area   AND even year round indoor public swimming pools.

9) Jack Rabbit Sports in Park Slope has triathlon swimming training.
If you really love swimming, check out the SWIM NY events – the Great Hudson River Swim, Statue of Liberty Swim and Governors Island Swim.

Did you know you can rent out St. Francis College pool? If you would like to use the pool, contact Carl Quigley, Assistant Athletic Director at 718-489-5252.

If you are looking for swim classes for your child, see here.

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Change is Always Good

I love change. Even when I don’t want something to change, I still love change. Change always shows me that there is hope and reason to be hopeful.

People fear change because of the uncertainty. Sometimes people don’t want change because they think change won’t be better than what they have. I have always seen change bring better things to people.

I love change. I move the furniture around in our house because I like change. I decorate because I like the change of seasons. I like starting fresh and I like being hopeful.  After school this week, I came home and we painted the house. Rooms that were painted three years ago needed change. It made me feel so good, even though it consumed my entire day.

When someone dies, there’s still hope. Many times people will feel immediate hopelessness. Yet most religions have us believe that people have achieved something better – heaven.  Life without them is different and you live in a time of change as you adjust to not seeing or being able to talk with them. There’s a time when you feel like you won’t stop crying and then you get past that point and have sadness intermittently. There’s still hope though….in the eyes and lives of their children.

One of my students shared a story  with me yesterday.  As she shared her story, her eyes beamed with hope. Her hope filled my entire classroom and just amazed me.

Finally congratulations to my friend, Karen who always has hope. Karen wasn’t happy with her job so she began looking for a new job during a time when the economy is terrible and people can’t find work. People told her not to because they feared change. She did and scored a big salary and benefits package. Karen’s a sign that people still have hope – in their lives and in tougher times.  (Since I know you read every word here K, I hope you have many years there and love it).

*We are having a day of games and egg coloring over here at Casa Anis….my day has already started with *hope*

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Chloe Loves Charlie

Chloe may love Charlie, but I don’t love the prices at Chloe Loves Charlie. They are a vintage clothing store and their things are cute, but they are a bit expensive. Until I looked in their under $50 section and then I rethought the store and said hello Chloe you can love whoever you like! Look how great these dresses are from Chloe Loves Charlie!

Cute Dress – $38

Pretty in Pink $42

Lace Knit Dress $38

Awesome dress for $42

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Donielle Nash

I love Donielle Nash. She is the sassy older daughter of  Niecy Nash and appears on Niecy’s new show. I don’t love the show and I thought I would, but Donielle has a good sense of humor and knows how to deliver a line. At first I couldn’t figure out why I didn’t like it, but then I realized that the show is scripted and some lines seem forced.  I like Niecy, her daughters and seeing the inside of their home so I keep watchng.

Donielle is going to turn 17 and she wants to get a new car, but first she needs to get her driver’s license. Neicy’s younger daughter, Dia wants to get a weave and is always bothering her mom about getting one. Niecy responds by saying, “Not until you are 16.”

I think tv networks should consider having Donielle host a show for teens as she appears to be very relateable (is that a word?). Some of my students watched the show and thought she was very funny as well.

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Celebrating our Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to us! We celebrated another anniversary this weekend….time goes by sooo fast!

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School Acceptance and Rejection Letters

I love this week on Facebook. All of my old students who are high school seniors are getting their acceptance and rejection letters to college. There are many more acceptances than rejections and those who received rejections got better offers from others schools so it’s all good. Everyone will wind up going where they are supposed to go.

My friends who have small children are also receiving acceptance letters to their local elementary schools in Brooklyn.  It’s so weird for me to hear that schools that kids are zoned for are not accepting them. We live in 11209 and they may need to go to a school outside their zip code or Bay Ridge. I thought that was the purpose of a zoned school! How are kids going to make friends with the kids in their area if they aren’t going to that school. I get that everyone wants to go to the really good schools and that there is a lottery for some of them, but sending out rejection letters isn’t good either.

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Spring Umbrellas & Flowers

It was gorgeous out today! Gorgeousssssss!

I planted yellow and purple pansies. They make the house look like Spring!

And we bought a new umbrella for the deck. I know it’s early in the season, but I really wanted to get started in setting up the yard for the summer! I love hanging out back there after school.

Right now I have the cutest baby sleeping next to me…..so blessed!

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Sunday on the Roof

The ladder Lee ordered was amazing! It’s only about 3 feet high, but extends to 14 feet. We were able to open it up and get on our roof. This is the first time I have been on the roof of our home!

Look how tiny it is:

The birds didn’t build a nest where we thought they had. But the back drain needed clearing. I sent Lee back in to get windex, paper towels, a bucket and small scoop and spray paint. The windex and paper towers were so I could clean the skylight while Lee scooped out the junk from the drain and put it in the bucket. Then I took the spray paint and painted the three roof caps which were rusting a little. I know that sounds silly and all to people who are long-time homeowners, but I try to keep up the maintenance of the house  so I don’t have to call anyone in to do work on our home. So far – so good….the only people who have worked on our home since we owned it were the awning installation guys and the oil burner guy (but he was covered under the service plan we purchased).

I loved checking out the roof and taking care of something that was on my list!

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