Happy New Year. I was home from work on January 4th, since New York and Long Island got pelted by a nasty snow storm - about 10 inches in Islip.
I was able to dig out of the snow with the help of members of my fire company. But it remains cold - down to single digits - until around January 10th, when it reached the mid 30's.
On January 8th, I was heading to my fire company meeting when I was backing the CR-V out of the garage and collided with the side of the garage door frame, damaging the passenger side mirror. While I was able to "Jerry rig" a repair using duct tape, I still have to have it replaced at Babylon Honda. Ellen told me that I had to make the appointment and I will take the car to the dealer, which I did do on January 13th.
After I helped activate the cell phone of my cousin in law Charlotte, Verizon recommended that I upgrade to an I-phone, which arrived on January 10th. And since I know little about hi-tech, on the next morning I stopped by the Verizon Store at Madison & 43rd Street to have a technician help me set it up. It seems to be working OK, but I will have to get used to the mechanics.
Ellen, Eileen and I were supposed to go out to dinner with my brother in law and sister in law on New Year's weekend, but thanks to the extreme cold and icy conditions, we had to postpone it until the snow and ice were gone. Besides Ellen, her brother also suffers from myopathy so neither wanted to go out until the grounds were clear. And that came over the weekend of January 13th. That is when we all met at Cafe Testarossa in Syosset. I enjoyed some grilled octopus for an appetizer, and linguine with white clam sauce for the main course - all washed down with white wine.
Ellen and I have been trying to get Eileen to do more walking, so on January 14th, after a trip to the Islip Library and then lunch at the local McDonald's, we drove to Babylon Village and walked for a few blocks along Main Street, stopping a couple of times to take photos.
I was off on the 15th for Martin Luther King Day, so when I got home from some errands, Eileen and I went to the movies in town to see Paddington 2. I loved the footage of London, and really would love to visit it again. I also liked what they said about Paddington himself, that he always wanted to see good in people (even convicts in this movie). Maybe I should also be like that and treat people like I would want to be treated.
Since January 16th, I have been reading Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit. Once I got past the first several pages, it has grabbed my interest. I enjoyed reading about how Tony Dungy changed the thinking patterns of both the Indianapolis Colts and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, to the point each team eventually won a Super Bowl, and how Bill Wilson founded Alcoholics Anonymous and how it works to change routines and habits but does not change the cues and rewards. I liked how Proctor & Gamble changed the habits of millions with its new product, Febreze. There was a chapter dedicated to Alcoa’s CEO Paul O’Neill and how he changed the culture at that company, just by having certain habits of both management and workers at Alcoa by stressing safety and keeping communications lines open. Then there is a chapter about Starbucks, and how it changed the habits of its employees to always treat customers properly no matter what the circumstances (makes me want to visit one of their locations soon).
Over the weekend of January 20th and 21st, Eileen and I have gone for some nice walks. On Saturday we were going to go for a walk in Patchogue, but then I decided to walk around the Stony Brook University campus. since I rode past in numerous times, but never went on it. Our walk on the 20th was enjoyable, and I mounted a few pictures from the day. Then on Sunday we decided to walk along the boardwalk in Sunken Meadow State Park. Like the day before, I brought along a camera, and took several pictures.
During the following weekend, on January 27th, we went for a walk in Patchogue. But first we had lunch at the Subway in East Islip before heading east. Once we arrived in the village, I parked the car at the YMCA lot and then we walked along Main Street towards the east side of Patchogue. We saw that the village is becoming a foodie mecca, as well as a shopper's destination. Naturally we took some photos, and after about a mile walk we drove back to Islip and did another walk from the firehouse to Town Hall and back but stopped at a gift shop (Nook & Cranny) and Eileen treated herself to a ballerina finger puppet.
I finished reading The Power of Habit and realized that there are some habits that I need to change - such as skipping candy, and certain beliefs about who is always right. When I finished The Power of Habit, I returned it and took out NBA Legend Bill Walton's autobiography, Back from the Dead. In this book, Bill has told us that he had a stuttering problem when young (I never knew that) and that basketball, and rock music, were his escapes.
On January 30th, I was off from work because I had an appointment with the dermatologist. The doctor wanted to check the cysts in one armpit (gone) and the eczema on my hands (almost gone).
On February 3rd, I paused to remember "the day the music died" and later I took Eileen to Starbucks where we bought a turkey sandwich, chips, and a brownie to take home and which she enjoyed. I enjoyed the Chef Boy-Ar-Dee spaghetti that I got from the firehouse (it was OK, but not like my grandma used to make). Then we went into town to visit the bank, and then the library. We also walked from the firehouse to the Oconee Diner by Islip Avenue to get some exercise. Ellen had gone to the supermarket by herself. She was still out around 4 PM, and I wanted to go to the 4:30 Mass at St. Mary's (to get the obligation over with). So I took Eileen with me to the 4:30 Mass at St. Mary’s. She behaved OK, as I promised her that we would stop in Sugared Up so she could buy another Beanie Baby if she behaved. She basically did, but we had to leave right after Communion since she was getting restless. We did stop at Sugared Up there on the way home and she got a penguin, bringing her collection up to 11.
Ellen, Eileen and I went to my American Legion Post to watch the Super Bowl just like we did last year. But this year we had planned to have Eileen’s coworker Shannon join us, but her mother told her she could not go. Maybe her mother does not know us that well, and I will not argue with her mother. We arrived early and had to wait until an officer opened the doors. The steps to the basement are very steep and Ellen would have had a very difficult navigating them. So she got to break in the new stair chair – and I learned where it was. We watched the game in the bar room in the basement – 3 TV sets, and pub grub and other goodies available for us. Something Eileen ate got her nauseous, because when she and Ellen left at half time to go home, Eileen heaved in the Post’s parking lot and on our walkway. Luckily it was raining, so the rain washed away the gunk from the parking lot and our walkway. I don’t know what it could be since neither Ellen nor I felt ill. As for the game, it was a very close cliff hanger, and in the end, the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots 41-33.
On February 10th, the 3 of us headed over to St. John’s University for the annual Blessing of the Couples, an annual celebration the University has for couples for whom the University played a part in their meeting. When we arrived on campus this year, we got to park in a handicapped space (good for Ellen) and then walked over to St. Thomas More Church. The Mass went well, and afterwards SJU honored three couples with the Fidelitas Award. After the ceremony we headed to the 4th floor of the D’Angelo Center where Ellen & I had our picture taken, and the 3 of us enjoyed some wine and hors oeuvres. Then we went inside the ballroom to table #8. It turns out that one of the guys at the table was a man whom I remember from undergrad days - and went to his house in New Hyde Park with another classmate to study for finals in mid-1971. His wife was there with him and there was another couple at #8. The wives of the two other men were sorority sisters back when I was there in 1971.
The next day, Eileen wanted to see Peter Rabbit at the Islip Movie House so that is where we went shortly after I got back from the supermarket. This was a live action version with computer generated images of Peter Rabbit and his rabbit family, along with several of the other animal characters from Beatrix Potter’s books. I liked the movie and I think that Eileen did too. Brought back memories of reading the books to Eileen over 25 years ago, and also memories of the numerous stuffed toys of the books’ characters that we bought Eileen when she was a baby. The stuffed animals were recently donated to the thrift shop where Ellen and Eileen work, but we still have the books. I also liked the footage of the English countryside.
On February 16th I finished reading Bill Walton’s book, Back from the Dead. In chapter 14, he talks about he learned how to speak and overcome stuttering. He told us that we should concentrate on one word at the moment (the one I was trying to say), and not several words or phrases. I should also read out loud when I can. He also spoke about Coach John Wooden and his laws of learning: demonstration, imitation, correction, and repetition. Also persistence, discipline, and perseverance to get what you want. Since Bill played his last seasons with the Boston Celtics, he has gotten me interested in the team. Not to root for them, since it’s a Boston team, but enough to admire the greats who coached and played for them: Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, K.C. Jones, Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Bill Walton, and Red Auerbach. In the last chapter he mentions the great mentors he had through most of his life – people like Coach Rocky, Coach John Wooden, Coach Jack Ramsay, Ernie Vandeweghe, Duane Roth, and Chick Hearn to name a few.
On February 17th, Eileen wanted to go to Starbucks, and the library. I had lunch at home and after that we went to the Islip Starbucks where we bought a cake pop, potato chips, and a sandwich. Since a large number of St. John the Baptist crew team girls were there, we decided to eat at the firehouse rec room. After lunch we headed to the library where we hit the computers, and Eileen took out The Boss for home viewing. After the library I parked the car at the firehouse and we proceeded to walk east on Main Street to Islip Avenue and the Little Shop of Shamrocks. Eileen wanted an Irish doll, but I said no. We did get some white chocolate Dairy Buttons, and then walked back to the firehouse, stopping in Sugared Up where she got herself a Hello Kitty zipper pull. Then it was home where I started to watch TV (University of Illinois – Chicago vs. Southern University) until I nodded off.
Eileen and I have done more walking during February. On the 18th, we went over to Babylon Village and walked from the Village Hall to the train station, going past the rear of the St. Joseph parish buildings, and then the junior/senior high school buildings. We also went past the village’s American Legion post – number 94, founded in the same year as Rusy Bohm (1919), but it is a few months older. I was off on the 22nd and even though it was raining, we got our walk in by going over to South Shore Mall and walking the corridor from one end to the other. We entered through Macy’s and walked to the Sunrise Highway end (J. C. Penny) and then to the north end (Dicks Sporting Goods) and then back to Macy’s and out to the car.
Eileen and I even got to the movies again. On Presidents Day we headed to the Islip Movie House to see Black Panther. It was not about the political party from the 1960’s. Instead it was based on a Marvell Comics hero who is king of a fictional country in Africa called Wakanda, which is scientifically and technologically years ahead of the rest of the world but seems to be a primitive 3rd world country (shit hole to pseudo-conservatives). I liked the special effects with computer generated images, as well as the footage of Africa, Korea, and London. While I will probably never visit Africa, it is a fascinating continent, and worth reading about. And many of the immigrants from the continent whom I have met were quite nice people.
Over the Presidents Day weekend I started to read Change Anything by Kerry Patterson et al, recommend by the Pace University Book Club. The book says that there are 6 sources of influence: personal motivation and ability; social motivation and ability; structural motivation and ability. I have some things I want to change: stop dwelling in the past and digging up people like some of my pseudo-friends (except to learn not to trust certain people), some people from high school, and the welfare people back in the 1960’s & 1970’s. When I am walking between Penn Station and my office is the worst time for this. I could try another way to go between the two points, but I don’t want to spend money on the subway unless it’s raining. Maybe I will have to work it out by myself, one day at a time. The writers also mentioned speaking with your boss. But I tried that, and it failed at two former places of employment. I now will have to figure out what are my crucial moments (digging up past wrongs) and vital behaviors (rules to follow when tempted). The book reminded me that I will have to watch who my friends are (not that I have many) and avoid people who encourage bad habits and harmful behavior. I want to watch spending even more than I already am. Cut back on alcohol – one drink at a restaurant, if any. I want to stop playing the old tapes. The book reminded of the poison people I knew at Bankers Trust who spent all of their money, played keep up, and back stabbed. All to get ahead and dazzle the shitty managers with bullshit.
I was able to get some walking in with Eileen over the last weekend in February and the first one in March. Last weekend we decided to stay in Islip and walked from the firehouse along Main Street to Willow Avenue (across from Teller’s and Verace) and then down Willow to its end at Raymond Street and back to the firehouse. I think that we got in about ¾ of a mile. On March 3rd we went into town to go to the library, and then go for a nice walk in Islip – from the firehouse to the Oconee Diner at Islip Avenue and Montauk Highway and then back to the firehouse and stopping in Sugared Up for a Ty Beanie Baby (an owl zipper pull). Since the walk took a little over 15 minutes, we probably went about a mile on this walk.
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On March 2nd I went to my internist’s office for a sonogram. The office is on the Upper East Side in the 400 block of East 72nd Street. To make it a one seat ride, when I got off of the Long Island Railroad I walked over to Herald Square to grab the Q train to 2nd & 72nd and went to #420. It turns out that my heart is OK, and now I have to go to the urologist and the sports medicine doctor. Then after the visit I went back to the 72nd Street station and took the Q to Times Square and then the shuttle to Grand Central. This way I stayed underground for the longest amount of time. And speaking of doctors, last month on February 21st, I had my annual fire department physical. Yesterday I got the results back from that doctor’s office. The papers said that my PSA is high, as are my triglycerides. That means no more or almost no more sweets in the foreseeable future. Now I can practice what I learned in Change Anything.
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After work on March 2nd, I met my friend Charlie and family at John’s in Greenwich Village. The weather was terrible, and it was a rough walk from my office to the Rockefeller Center station to get to West 4th Street, and then an unpleasant walk from that station to John’s on Bleeker Street. Besides Charlie & Debbie, along with their daughter Emily, son-in-law and granddaughter, there was Emily’s University of Dayton roommate Kate and her friend Steve, who is from Australia. I spent most of the evening talking with Steve about Australia, Guam, and New York City. Since it was a Friday in Lent I had spaghetti with marinara sauce (also one slice of pizza). Then I had to leave early to get the 7:30 train home.
The next day Ellen and I read the reports from my February 21st fire department physical and it said that my PSA is high, as are my triglycerides. That means no more or almost no more sweets in the foreseeable future. Now I can practice what I learned in Change Anything. Later in the morning I returned that book and took out The Black Bruins: The Remarkable Lives of UCLA’s Jackie Robinson, Woody Strode, Tom Bradley, Kenny Washington, and Ray Bartlett. It is by James W. Johnson. As of March 9th I am halfway through and learned what a remarkable quintet these men were. Woody and Kenny re-integrated the National Football League in 1946, and Jackie broke the Major League Baseball color barrier in 1947. I managed to get a walk in with Eileen later that day - from the Islip firehouse to the Oconee Diner and back and stopping in Sugared Up for a Ty Beanie Baby (an owl zipper pull) for Eileen.
On March 10th, I took Eileen to the movies in town to see A Wrinkle in Time. I think that we both liked it, and both Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon were great in it. And the special effects were first rate.
Eileen and I are continuing to get our walks in various towns when I am home. After the movie on March 10th, we headed out to Sayville for a walk – from the firehouse to the Irish Exit pub, and then along Montauk Highway to the traffic light by the Methodist Church and back to the firehouse – around a mile. On the next day we walked from the Islip firehouse to the library to drop off some items, and then we walked to Chase Bank and I deposited the American Benefits check, and then we kept walking east on Main Street all the way to St Mark’s Church where we took some photos. Then it was back to the firehouse and drove to the library and St. Mark’s to retrace our steps and figure out how much we walked (it was about 1.2 miles).
On the 13th, we had our third nor’easter of the month. I decided not to go into the office, since I was not certain how the trains will be later. In the late morning I went to the firehouse to respond to a call and had coffee and then hit the computer. Then it was home to shovel out the driveway and walkway, and then have lunch. Two days later, when I got home from work I went to the American Legion meeting. March 15th, 2018 is the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Legion, and also the Rusy Bohm post. After the meeting I joined the other members for a toast to the Legion and to the Post (I had some Jim Beam Red Stag).
I finished The Black Bruins on March 15th and came away admiring the five men (Jackie Robinson, Woodie Strode, Kenny Washington, Ray Bartlett, and Tom Bradley) even more. They are five great role models for any person. And I am now a UCLA Bruins fan and am interested in the Pacific Coast Professional Football League, the Los Angeles Bulldogs, and the Rose Bowl. The next day I started reading Herman Melton’s Liberty’s War. He is telling us about his years with the U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II and it's very interesting so far. Since Herman’s first convoy headed to Murmansk in Russia I have gotten interested in the city, and also sometimes makes me wish that I joined the Merchant Marine. Since we gave Russia hundreds of P-39 Airacobra fighter planes, and the Russian Air Force greeted our Liberty ships in Murmansk while flying P-39’s that plane is now one of my favorite World War II planes.
On the 16th, my firm had a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast, and I enjoyed scrambled eggs (both whites and whole eggs), soda bread scones, and yogurt. I was not sure if eggs were OK on a Friday in Lent, so I googled abstinence and saw that it was OK. When I got home I put on my orange Syracuse University cap and my orange and blue sweatshirt and went to the firehouse for coffee and to use the computer. When I got there the only comment was a fellow Johnnie/Red Stormer as to why I was wearing Syracuse stuff when I am a St. John’s University grad. Not one noticed that I was wearing orange. The next day, after lunch the 3 of us drove to Inwood to help Ellen’s cousin Charlotte. I helped by taking junk out to the dumpster. Ellen and Eileen assisted Charlotte by doing the laundry. Ellen then made certain that Charlotte took her pills. We were there for a few hours and when we arrived back in Islip we ordered Japanese cuisine from Koi Kokoro, which we enjoyed. Then on the 18th, Eileen and I went to Babylon to go for a walk. We parked in the municipal lot behind where Brixton Pub is and walked to Deer Park Avenue. I tried to take a photo in front of an historical sign post but the battery in my digital camera went dead, and I could not get the cell phone camera to work. But we continued down to Main Street and headed west to Carll Avenue and crossed Main Street and headed east again. Since the 19th was Eileen’s birthday, I decided to pick up a birthday card at a shop called Roe Roe’s Sweet Street. I did get a card and decided to let Eileen buy a mini Beanie Baby – a bee called Zinger – for her birthday. Later in the day we went to my American Legion post for its annual St. Patrick’s Day dinner. We all had a good time, and I enjoyed the corned beef, cabbage, potato, and carrots. There was also soda bread and afterwards coffee and cake. Since I pigged out, we decided that Eileen and I would walk home and meet Ellen there. That is what we did, taking the slightly longer route through Greenview Village to get to our street. When we got home I watched baseball (Texas vs. LA Angels) basketball (Houston Rockets vs. Minnesota, and women’s Michigan vs. Baylor) on TV. During the third work week of March I wound up being out for a day and a half thanks to the fourth northeaster of the month. On the 21st, I went into work and it was snowing when I got into the city, necessitating taking the subway both ways. The firm let us out early (1 PM, but I clocked out a bit earlier to make the 1:22). When I got into Nassau County on the way home the snow stopped but we had sleet. But in the evening the snow reached Islip and we then had several inches. It snowed liked hell over the 21st & 22nd and Islip ended up with almost 12 inches. I updated my automatic response on Outlook to tell my boss and others that I will not be in that day. Then it was time to shovel the driveway and walkway. A neighbor helped me using his snow blower, and then it was a shower and breakfast. I checked the train schedule and saw that if I took a train at 11:25 I would get into Penn at around 1 PM, barring any delays, and be in the office at 1:30 or so. That would mean 4 hours of work. Ellen suggested staying home, since I can use PTO and not lose it. And since we only went to the American Legion for a dinner on the day before Eileen’s birthday, on March 25th we went to Café Americano in Islip for a nice sit down dinner. We will probably have to walk some more, even though Eileen and I walked for over a mile earlier in the day in Babylon Village.
Eileen and I have been doing more walks as the weeks went by. On Easter Sunday we went back to Babylon Village and walked from the municipal lot behind Del Fuego and the Brixton, down to Main Street to Thompson Avenue and the Sterling National Bank branch (the 6th name, which started with Suffolk County S&L), and back eastward to Don Ricardo’s. I took 7 pictures - mostly of places we have patronized or plan to. When we got home I relaxed and watched some TV, and then Eileen wanted to go for another walk. So we drove to the firehouse and walked from there to the Treme Jazz club and back. Six days later at around noon Eileen and I headed up to Northport for a walk. We had not been there is a while (the last time being to go to the theater there). We took the Sagtikos/Sunken Meadow Parkway to Route 25A and then headed to Vernon Valley Road and where the village’s Main Street ends (and where Pumpernickel’s German restaurant is) and then got onto Main Street to head into downtown. I decided to park on the Northport Fire Department grounds since I am a member of another department. Then we walked down Main Street towards the harbor. There were numerous boutiques and restaurants, even a couple of barber shops. It was a trip down Memory Lane for me, since I can remember coming to the village when I visited my late aunt and uncle, who lived just outside the village. When we got close to the harbor I saw Tom’s Shipwreck Diner at #46 and decided we can stop for lunch there. It was crowded but Eileen and I got a table by the door and front window. Since I did not have a lot of cash, and it was a cash only business, we ordered cheap: a cheese burger for me and fish & chips for Eileen, and water for both of us. But I was able to pay the bill ($28.13) and leave a decent tip ($4.50). We continued our walk into the harbor park where Main Street ends, and then headed back up Main towards where we started. I was amazed at the houses with their foundations built right into the hills (Main Street is in a valley). Nothing like that on the South Shore. We stopped at the Northport Historical Society and I checked out the history of the LIRR in Northport (not there any longer, but only in East Northport), the military uniforms, and the model of downtown Northport from around 1910. The we took a photo of the American Legion post (#694) and then went up to the Methodist church before turning and going back to the firehouse to get the car. On the way back to the firehouse Eileen ran ahead of me and down an alley When we got to Islip we stopped at Little Shop of Shamrocks since they wee have a 30th Anniversary sale – 30% off certain items. I checked the sweatshirts and long-sleeved tee shirts but could not find what I was interested – a Kelly green crew necked sweatshirt, so I passed. Eileen was interested in an Irish doll, so she got a nice rag doll maned Roisin (Rose) and it is a hit with her. Then the next day we returned to Babylon for another walk, this time from the municipal lot to the Babylon Cemetery north of the train tracks, and then back down Deer Park Avenue to Main Street (Route 27A) and back to the car. I brought my camera as always, and among the photos was a shot of three restaurants that I hope to patronize in the future.
On April 9th, I went to the NY Urological Associates over on East 54th Street. It looks as if the results are somewhat favorable (PSA is a bit high but not dangerous) and I don’t have to go back until next April. In the evening I went to my fire company meeting.
I finished Ron Darling’s Book, Game 7, 1986 and liked it. I was glad that the Mets bounced back in that game to win it all. In the last chapter, Ron talked about his 3 best friends forever (BFF’s) from the Mets: Kevin Elster, Ed Lynch and David Cone. I have to admit that I only had a few BFF’s, including my friend Charlie and my soul mate – Ellen. Since that book is done, I have started to read Machers and Rockers by Richard Cohen. It is about Chess records and the great artists who recorded there, such as Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, and Buddy Guy to name a few. The book brings back memories of my early interest in the blues men while in high school, when it was not popular to do so. On April 20th, I finished Machers and Rockers. Yes, the Chess brothers and Chess Records were a major force in putting the blues men on the map and helping to develop Rock & Roll. The recordings by the Delta blues men influenced British artists like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Animals, the Pretty Things, the Yardbirds, and John Mayall (6 of my favorite recording acts), and these groups influenced me. They got me to be sympathetic to underdogs and a supporter of social justice since I often felt only a step or two above the downtrodden. I then started to read Berlin 1936 by Oliver Hilmes, about the infamous Berlin Olympics. It also gives us an insight into life in Nazi Germany 80+ years ago.
Eileen and I got in more walks during April. I had considered a nice walk in Huntington Village, since it has some great shops and eateries, and is quite historic. On April 14th, we headed up the Sagtikos/Sunken Meadow to the LIE and then to New York 231. But I was in the wrong lane and opted to go to East Northport instead, on County 66 to Jericho Turnpike and then to Larkfield Road. There are many memories in that hamlet with my late aunt & uncle, and cousins so I figured it is worth a trip down Memory Lane. First, we had to have lunch, and when we saw a list of business in a strip mall on the southern end of town with one being a Greek restaurant – Athens Square – we decided that Athens Square is the place as Eileen did not mind going Greek. When we were done we headed north towards Pulaski Road and we drove onto Diane Court where my late cousin and her family lived back in the 1980’s and 1990’s. We parked there and then we walked past the Hewitt Square shopping center at Larkfield & Pulaski Roads and then headed towards the LIRR station and then headed back to the car, up Kew Avenue onto a dead end (University Place) that led to little league baseball fields – the home of the Larkfield Little League. While I never played for the league, my cousin did, and my late uncle coached, and I got to watch many games. We continued to walk back to the car and then drove east on Pulaski Road to the Sunken Meadow and home On the next day, after lunch Eileen and I went to Babylon to go for another walk. This time we went from the municipal lot to Main Street and east to the end of the Village. Then we headed down Suydam Place to Prospect Street (lots of 19th century houses here) to Fire Island Avenue and back to Main Street. After a stop in Roe Roe’s Sweet Street (Eileen got another Beanie Baby – a lady bug named Trixie, and some candy for us) we walked to South Carll Avenue and went inside the library. While I did not bring a camera, we took some photos with my cell phone. I was off on Wednesday the 18th, since Ellen and her brother had to go to see the myopathy specialist at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, and they did not want to bring Eileen with them. Around 9 am we walked over to Chase Bank from the firehouse and then down Willow Avenue to Raymond Street and then the library. After some time on the computers we walked back to the firehouse In the afternoon we headed over to my dentist’s office at the eastern end of East Islip, so a cap could be replaced. Then we walked over to the stationery store next to Stanley’s Bakery to buy lottery tickets and back to the car – a 1.4-mile round trip. I promised her a new Beanie Baby if she cooperated with me during the day, and since she did, we stopped at Sugared Up and she got one named Jelly. Since the 18th is a Wednesday, we then went to East Islip Lanes so Eileen cold bowl with her league (she got a 72 and an 84 in the two games).
On April 21st, St. John’s University Department of Fine Arts Student Thesis Exhibition in Long Island City (sponsored by the McCallen and Loughlin Societies). It began at 1 PM so I had to leave at around 11 AM to get to 47-05 Center Boulevard – right by the East River in one of the new developments built over the last several years. It was smooth sailing until I got off of the LIE, as the GPS told me to go down Hunters Point Avenue, and I was not able to get to the garage on 5th Street in the 47-00 block thanks to one ways. But with a lot of perseverance, I was able to park on level 3, go down to the lobby, and out onto Center Boulevard and walk to Skinny’s Cantina at the corner with 47th Road where the reception was being held. Once I got inside Skinny’s I relaxed and spoke with the SJU staff and the bartender before taking my seat at a table – where I could see across the East River to the Empire State Building. Eventually more people came – student exhibitors, Fine Arts Department faculty, and other members of the Societies. I enjoyed a Modelo beer with some good Mexican food -fried squid, tacos, and quesadillas. At the table next to me were two Fine Arts Department professors – two ladies from Pennsylvania. The lady from Harrisburg is also a fan of the Harrisburg Senators and had seen several games at their City Island ballpark. Eventually we walked to the Dorsky Art Gallery a few blocks away at 11-03 45th Avenue. Since I am used to walking, it was not too bad a trek, and I hopefully walked off some of the lunch. I walked with another Fine Arts faculty member, talking about SJU, military service, and NYC. Once at the gallery I admired the artists’ works (had some favorites) but wanted to get home since I was there alone. I walked back to the garage and got the car and soon was on the LIE heading home. First, I stopped at Mt. St. Mary Cemetery to visit Mom & Dad’s interment site and then headed to the Grand Central Parkway, but it seems that all of LI’s Sunday drivers are out a day early since it took forever to get to Islip. I ended up taking the Wantagh Parkway to the Ocean Parkway and home. Before I returned to 304 I stopped at the firehouse to go over the Rescue Squad’s finances with a lieutenant before coming home to relax. With the slow pokes on the parkways, I definitely want to get the hell off of LI.
Besides the walks, on April 14th the 3 of us went to Birdland’s 11 PM show to see Eliane Elias again. Her new show featured versions of songs from Man of La Mancha, as well as some of her hits from her CDs. Since we got into Manhattan a bit early, we had some pub grub at the New York Brew Company (and an Ithaca Wheat Apricot for me). We also enjoyed some more pub grub at Birdland. All in all, we had a great time even if it was not a cheap night out.
On April 22 the 3 of us went to the Rusy Bohm American Legion post for the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Medal Ceremony. 8 other Vietnam Era vets and I received citations from the Town of Islip, Suffolk County, and the American Legion for our service during the Vietnam War (even though we did not serve in country). Somehow, they had me down as serving in the Army from May 1968 to May 1970 instead of the Air Force from July 1971 to March 1975. After the ceremony and breakfast we came home, and I changed out of my jacket & tie into my normal weekend garb. After relaxing for a bit. Eileen and I went up to Kings Park for a walk. After parking on Main Street, we walked a short way to the Kings Park Fire Department for some photo taking and down Indian Head Road to the development that has the house on Balboa Drive that Ellen and I almost bought in 1982. I wanted to walk to it, but I was not certain of the street layout and my various map apps on my cell phone would not open. But we did walk from our spot on Main Street to Hudson Drive & 1st Avenue and then back – a total of 1.4 miles. On the way home we did drive past the house on Balboa Drive but did not take a photo since people were out in the driveway.
During the work week on April 23rd we had some staff appreciation events. On Monday I got a new duffel bag which will come in handy on softball game days and later on when basketball starts up again. In the afternoon thee was a get together where mini-cupcakes were served. Then on Friday we enjoyed a staff appreciation breakfast, and I got to have some scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns (stuff I almost never make at home) and yogurt.
On the train I was reading Berlin 1936 by a woman named Oliver Hilmes. The book has my interest and it is a great insight into life in Germany during the early years of the 3rd Reich. The book also tells us how repressive the ultra-conservative Reich government was. Reminded me of how ultra-conservative Central Louisiana was in the 1970’s – a cultural wasteland - 45 years ago – most activities were either too black, foreign, Jewish, homosexual, East or West Coast, Catholic, sinful, or intellectual. The book is also getting me interested in German history and culture, again, including cities in eastern Germany like Chemnitz, Jena, Leipzig and Dresden. I finally finished the book on April 30 and my interest in Germany is revived. I have checked out the language, history (Wilhelmine Germany, and the colonies), the Volkswagen, and its basketball and soccer teams (but which are my favorites?? Probably ALBA Berlin – the A level basketball team, and the soccer team in Wolfsburg – VfL Wolfsburg, as B level basketball teams like Science City Jena and the Chemnitz 99s). Yes, there were the Nazis in Germany after Wilhelmine Germany, but they got their asses whipped, and the new country is a strong ally. To get a new book to read, I checked out Square Books’ website and decided on two: Jacqueline Woodson’s Another Brooklyn, and The Underworld by Kevin Canty. I did an on-line request through the Islip Library’s website and got them this evening. I will start on Another Brooklyn first since it’s shorter.
Around 11:20 on April 28th, Eileen and I started our walk to the library. We did not go all the way down our street but headed over to Watson Place and then to Locust Avenue. When we got to Main Street we decided to have lunch at Bubba’s Burrito Bar (we each had cheese quesadillas) and then stopped at the firehouse so Eileen can have some iced tea, I could fill my water bottle. Once at the library I picked up 2 Jimmie Rodgers CDs and the way home we stopped at Sugared Up and Eileen got another Beanie Baby (Gidget, a white critter). The walk was about 2½ miles. The next day we went for a nice walk in Huntington Village. We made it to Main Street (New York 25A) and parked on Main Street/25A at the Chase Bank next to St. Patrick’s School and parked. Then we walked along Main to the library (pictures) and then pictures in from of the Greystone St. John’s Episcopal Church and then to New York Avenue/NY 110 to the Paramount and then the next corner (Carver Street). We then headed over to the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building with its 19th century cannon that I was always afraid of 65 years ago when we went to my aunt and uncle’s house in Northport. While there was a Starbucks, Eileen and I stopped for iced tea (her) and coffee (me) at the Book Revue Café on New York Avenue. Then it was back to the car but not before I took a photo of Eileen next to a sandwich board that had a quote from Coco Chanel on it: “in order to be irreplaceable one must be different”. We got in about 2 miles before heading home.
On May 5th, Eileen and I went to Farmingdale Village for a nice walk. I parked the car in a municipal lot on Main Street just north of the LIRR tracks and we proceeded to walk south. There were several different types of restaurants on Main Street and I concluded that this is another foodie’s mecca. We decided to have lunch at the Grecian Grill at the corner of Main & Conklin Streets. Eileen enjoyed a lamb gyro, and I am convinced that she does like lamb. We then walked south to the village hall and then back north to Conklin Street where we turned east and headed to St. Killian’s Church, before heading back up on Elizabeth Street to a street that parallels the tracks and then back to the car. We got in about 1 mile of walking.
We did another walk a week later, and this time we went back to Sayville. We had lunch at a place called Texas Taco, on par with Bubba's Burritos in Islip, and walked past a demonstration against puppy mills in front of a pet store. We got about a mile of walking in. The next day we walked around the St. Mary's Parish grounds before going to the annual Spring Carnival at Main Street. Eileen and I each tired our luck with a boss toss game (no luck) and enjoyed some zeppoles. Then we came home before going back into Islip for a walk on Main Street to Willow Avenue and back. Then around 4:45 the 3 of us drove to Babylon to enjoy Mother's Day at Pier 44 on Fire Island Avenue - a favorite of ours.
I was hoping to play softball with the Bees on May 17th, but the game was rained out and that ended a conflict that I had with my American Legion post. They scheduled their meeting at the Islip Library to join the Islip Historical Society in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, and the 100th anniversary (in 2019) of the founding of the American Legion and our post - Rusy Bohm #411. Members of the post told war stories of their participation in conflicts ranging in time from World War II to Iraq.
On May 18th, Ellen called me at work to say that our computer was acting up. When I got home I called Dell and a technician worked with me to resolve the issues (viruses). He also recommended that we replaced our 4 year old computer, which we will do. A new one was delivered on May 24th, and the next day I took the day off so I could work with Ellen to set it up. So far, it works great.
On May 27th drove to Babylon’s Municipal Lot and parked behind the Brixton pub, and walked down Deer Park Avenue to Main Street. I had some banking to do, so we stopped in the Chase Manhattan Bank branch where I deposited a check and took out some cash. We continued west to take some photos by the Historical Preservation Society building and then to the southern shore of Argyle Lake for more pix. I had promised a Beanie Baby so we walked past her favorite shop in the Village – Roe Roe’s Sweet Street - where she got another Beanie Baby (a New York Yankees bug), and some candy for us. I also got to speak with the owner (Rose Ann) who turns out is from Corona – across the Flushing Meadow Park from Queensboro Hill! Then we walked back to the car and drove to New York 231 and home.
We have done so many walks that I decided to create a website to give details and hold more photos. The address is https://cricketbilly8.wixsite.com/billy-walking4health.
I was off on May 25th to work with Ellen in setting up the computer. When that was done, Eileen and I went back to Babylon for another walk through town. We made a stop at Chase Manhattan Bank to do some banking business at the ATM and re-visited Roe Roe's Sweet Street again for a new Beanie Baby for Eileen (a dog named Marci) and some candy for both of us. The details are on the new website.
During mid-May I read a book by Rich Westcott titled Biz Mackey – A Giant Behind the Plate. Biz was perhaps the greatest catcher in the Negro Leagues and one of the best in all of professional baseball. The book has filled me with even more respect for the Negro Leagues, its teams, and the players who played for them. I also checked the bibliography and requested two more books covering the Negro Leagues from the library. The two books are Josh Gibson – A Life in the Negro Leagues by William Brashler and, Black Diamonds by John Holway. I am going to have to figure out how to read both at the same time
I was off on May 25th to work with Ellen in setting up the computer. When that was done, Eileen and I went back to Babylon for another walk through town. We made a stop at Chase Manhattan Bank to do some banking business at the ATM and re-visited Roe Roe's Sweet Street again for a new Beanie Baby for Eileen (a dog named Marci) and some candy for both of us. The details are on the new website. On Sunday the 27th after lunch I drove to Long Island National Cemetery to photograph my grandparents’ headstone (my grandfather, as the veteran, has the front; my grandmother, as his spouse, is on the reverse) and then a Marine Corps lieutenant who was Ellen’s history teacher at St. Agnes High School, and was killed in Vietnam in 1969. Every Memorial Day, and if I am at the Wall, I stop to remember him, along with schoolmates Frank and Pierce who are also Vietnam KIA’s.
After the Memorial Day Parade I had a snack at my American Legion post, and then headed home to change and take Eileen to East Islip Lanes for some bowling. With the pain in my left hip and femur, it is painful to stoop when it’s time to release the ball, so I got more gutter balls than I needed and only had an 83 average (93 & 73). On the morning when I headed back to work after my 4 day Memorial Day weekend, when I got up I could not find my glasses. After looking for them in the bedroom, I gave up and had to go to work without them. But on the way home from work, while on the train, Ellen called me to tell me that she found my glasses – they were under the hope chest. Apparently when I was reading on Monday night, they fell into the bedding and when I tossed and turned during the night, they fell off of the bed and under the hope chest.
On the evening of Friday June 1st, I got in contact with Dell Computers so that they can fix some issues with our new computer (setting up the printer, getting rid of unwanted files). We also bought a new service contract for 5 years to cover our new computer, as well as the printer and our tablet).
The next day was the annual Grand Alumni Homecoming weekend for me. There were also events stating on May 31st and going on to June 3rd, but I only had time and money for stuff on the 2nd. While Ellen, Eileen and I have been going since the first one in 2009, this is the first year that I drove to and from SJU alone, and have the ladies meet me there. That is because I wanted to go to events that started before or after the BBQ/picnic that would have been held on the Quadrangle/Great Lawn. This event was moved inside (the Taffner Field House) due to the forecast of rain that never came, so a lot of people cancelled out). The 3 of us enjoyed the picnic indoors, but I also went on a tour of the Taffner Field House, where the jocks work out and have their locker rooms, and also a talk about great places in Queens to visit. There was also the 5 PM Mass at the church on the Quadrangle, and at 6 PM a get together with the school I attended (Tobin College of Business Administration). I must have forgotten to register for the last event since my name was not on the roster (or the SJU computers fucked up), so they made a name tag for me. I then enjoyed some free goodies, but since I was not dressed in a jacket and long pants (having been there since 10 AM, on a hot day) and sick of hearing the same bullshit, I left after about 15 minutes.
The next day was a typical Sunday in the morning, but in the early afternoon Eileen and I walked from our house to Main Street by Town Hall to enjoy the annual Islip Street Fair. We stopped at any table that had freebies and picked up a ball, pens, beach balls, and crayons, I got Eileen a small bunny ballerina from the Dance Connection table, and afterwards we stopped in Coyle’s for ice cream. Once we got to our street (it begins at Main Street) she started to walk toward home so I got the hint that she wanted to go home. After we dropped off the freebies at the house, I drove back to town to help man the table that my America Legion post had set up.
Eileen and I managed to get in two walks over the June 9th weekend, On Saturday we did a trek from Islip Fire Department Headquarters to Little Shop of Shamrocks. We bought some Dairy Buttons and then trekked back to the firehouse, but before we arrived we stopped in Nook & Cranny to say hello and buy a nice small Irish teddy bear. Its "fur" is green with shamrock patterns. Then on Sunday afternoon we headed over to Lindenhurst to do a trek up and down Wellwood Avenue. Stops included the Polish Festival in the Village Square, and the Lindenhurst House Museum.
On Bloom's Day (June 16th) Eileen and I went for a nice walk around Islip, going through Greenview Village near the train station. And on the train, for the past week I have been reading Mind Set by Carol Dweck Ph.D. Mind Set tells us that a fixed mindset is detrimental to everything, while the growth mind set is the one that is beneficial. That pertains to learning, running corporations, and sports among other facets. Over the course of the last 65+ years, I generally had the fixed set. But when I used the growth set, things were a lot better for me. On Father's Day, after church Eileen and I walked to the Islip Movie House to see Incredibles 2. We had seen the original Incredibles back in 2004. We liked this one too. After the movie we walked back home to relax and then head over to Babylon to have dinner at Fancy Lee on Main Street. It's an Asian fusion eatery and I recommend it highly.
On June 30th, Eileen and I went to the Islip Library and the Islip Hardware Store and drove to Babylon for a walk and to pick one another Beanie Baby. Once we got to Babylon we parked on James Street and Totten Place and walked to Main Street and to Roe Roe’s Sweet Street. Eileen had a difficult time deciding which Beanie Baby to get, but finally decided on Curly the Pig. We also got some candy and proceeded to walk to the library on Carll Avenue. We did not on inside like in April but did take some photos with the cell phone and then went to Prospect Street to walk east on the street to Suydam Place and then up to main Street (the almost reverse of our April 15th trip), and finally walked up Totten Place to the car. When we got home I dropped Eileen off and then headed to St. Mary’s for the 4:30 Mass.