Donations

My wife has a very good heart. This is good but many times it leads to in conveniences. When she gets an unsolicited mail where they are asking for money, like contribution she takes it serioulsly. Then we are paying for it on the long ru

Some months ago she received a solicitation from an animal society. She felt bad and gave them money This was the start of an avalanche of animal societies asking for donations. The other day we had five pieces of mail in our mailbox but four out of the five were various animal societies. You send money to one and immediately that same one is asking again. What do they think, or they don't think at all?

I don't know how charities find out that when people donate. But one donation opens the floodgate to a myriad of others. he mail never stops coming. They know your address and they seem to know everything about you. The funny thing is that they also think they know everything. Like I keep getting solicitation about some veteran organization who keeps calling me a veteran. I am not a veteran and I was never in the military.

This just proves that how desperate and sometimes phony these organizations are. I wonder how much of my one dollar goes to the purpose it was meant for. The CEO of the American Red Cross was paid over $600,000 in salary. This is obscene. I will never give a penny to the Red Cross because I will not finance the CEO's lifestyle. And the same goes for most of these so called charitable organizations.

Good country, America! 

Busy

I think I might not be able to write today because I am very busy. But I will make it up.

A Moral Story

A railroad grade crossing is exactly that. A road crossing an operating railroad track and there are only electrically operating gates that supposed to stop traffic once these gates are down. Unfortunately, there are ways to go around these gates by people who are impatient for waiting for the trains to pass. These acts mostly result in fatalities.

Such a fatality happened in 1982 when a car filled with ten teenagers did not want to wait for the train to pass. Of the ten nine died in the ensuing crash, one survived. This happened in Mineola, Long Island at a Long Island Railroad grade crossing. This was not the first accident at this location but it was the worst. For many years they tried to change this unsafe location into a grade separated crossing which meant to raise the tracks over the road but there was never any money available for this work.

Then 1982 happened. It seems that the son of a powerful NY politician was amongst the casualties and suddenly the money was there. As a side note, my company and I were involved with the engineering design work with this project.

Why am I writing this and what is the connection between this and the latest, Nashville shooting tragedy? Here is the moral of the story.

The United States Congress will not make any laws in regard to firearms or any kind of weapons until such a tragedy will hit home. As soon as a family member of a senator or a representative gets involved they will change their attitude. This just proves that the interest of the American people is far for them.

I always said and I maintain it that our representatives only care about their own interests, they are just packaging it so it would look like it is for the good of the people.   

1982   9 teenagers

Grandma

My wife went to Florida to see her newborn granddaughter the first time. She was a little excited about meeting her which is understandable. I would probably be the same way. I saw photographs of the baby and she seems very cute. But most babies are cute, right? 

She flew because we agreed that it would be crazy to drive at least 15 hours each way for a visit of two days. There is no comparison between 15 hours of driving and three hours flying. What a difference interestingly it was around 40 degrees in New York when she left and around 80 degrees when she got there. 

I hope she is having a good time even though she will be doing stuff around the house by helping her daughter. I for now, am enjoying the peace and quiet. She stuffed the fridge with food, enough to feed an army so Abigail and I will not go hungry. During the day Abigail is off to school so it is Robin and I in the house. He sleeps most of the day meaning it is just me.

I don't my a couple of days being alone. There is so much going on in our lives that a few days respite is welcome.

Sunday

 Sunday, sunday, sunday...

Massage

My wife and daughter decided to take care of their bodies the ultimate way. Recently, not far from us they opened a Chinese (or at least oriental) massage parlor. The place looks pretty decent, clean so the girls decided a while back to check it out.

Actually, my wife was interested but Abigail is like if she wants it I want it, too trip. Mainly, if they do things together her mom pays for it. Very bright kid (too bright).

It was an interesting business venture, this massage parlor. This is a predominantly Russian, Jewish neighborhood and to open such a business shows guts. But it looks loke they are surviving because they always seem busy.

Anyway, the girls are alternating between massages and facials because they also do that. One has a massage, while the other one gets the facial. This is a monthly ritual. Since I had the spine operation and I have nuts and bolts in my neck I really don't want to chance a massage. So, today it is Abigail's turn to get the massage and my wife's is the facial. And that is where they are now. Living high on the hog.

Abigail is very skinny. The way I see it she is all skin and bones with very little muscle. I really don't know what they are massaging on her. I think she just wants it because her mom wants it, and it doesn't cost her anything. I guess I would be the same in her place.

These are the little pleasures of life we have now.

New Life

My wife has three children. So, when we got married I became an instant dad to them. They accepted me with love, and we do have a good relationship. Two of them are adults and live away from us while Abigail, the youngest lives with us. My "fathering" skills are really used on Abigail more than on the others (they are lucky).

Her other two children, one boy and on girl live their own lives in Florida. The big event is that last Friday, on April 17 at 12:30 am I became a step granddad. Our daughter gave birth to a 6.4lbs little girl. Mother and daughter are fine and the little girl is so ever cute. We get daily updates and pictures and videos of her.

I really don't know what the responsibilities of a step grandparent or any kind of grandparent are but it still warms the cockles of my heart to be one. I am impatiently waiting for the chance to see my new grandchild and enjoy her beauty and innocence knowing that the second one will not last forever. She will grow up to be a know it all teenager. The question is, will I be around to see it?

It is happy and at the same time sad to see a new life coming to this world and knowing that my presence in this world is now limited and my possible involvement in her life might be just short term. But, hey that's life, right?___________________________________________________________________________________

Just a remembrance.

Today, March 24 is my Father's birthday. He was born in 1899. What a long time ago! I loved him and miss him a lot but I have to accept the fact that if he were alive he would be 124 years old. Nobody lives that long. But his memory lives with me forever.

Excuse Me

 Wednesday and Thursday I skipped but I hope to be back on Friday. Sorry.

Engineer

My wife is a domestic engineer wit a superior knowledge of all kinds of mechanical gadgets around the house. As I noted several times we live in an apartment where space is kind of limited, yet... I mentioned before that we live in an apartment where space is ind of limited, yet she managed to acquire a respectable collection of mechanical gadgets, operations of which she is a master of.

We have a gas range/oven, a microwave, three refrigerators, an air fryer, a toaster, a Keurig coffee maker and a Nespresso espresso maker, a waffle maker, a deep fryer, a vacuum cleaner, a carpet washer, a cold cut slicer, a juicer, a blender and God knows what else. These are the only ones within my eyesight. I am sure there are some others put away that she only takes out when needed.

Amazingly, she knows how to operate each and every one of them. I am awed at her versatility. Never knew she was so mechanically inclined. Oh, I forgot that not long ago we threw out a bread maker that she did use but decided it was easier to buy bread than to make it. I'm glad we don't have a house because then we would also have the machinery necessary to homeowners, like snow blower, grass mower etc.

I am so glad that all these items are available in this country. My Mom had a manual can opener and a crank type manual grinder and was able to keep her kitchen going.

What a country.

Courtesy

Courtesy is not a known word.in the American dictionary. Maybe I am too old fashioned, maybe I am naive, maybe I am just not with the times, but I still expect a certain courtesy in the daily life. I have no way comparing daily life in other countries but here in the good old US of A it is a myth. Unfortunately, schools don't teach courtesy or common behavior neither do the families to their children.

How can a parent teach common courtesy when the parent behaves like a common oaf. I realize that New York is a mixing pot of various cultures and courtesy is different or nonexistent in some countries but for God's sake people should try to assimilate to their environment and not force their moral and physical values on to others.

I am walking with two canes for balance support. Many times I take public transportation like subway or bus. Several times I have to stand because nobody thinks to give up their seat. Rarely, an older person eventually stands up and offers his or her seat to me. But never, never a young person! The good thing is that I really have no problem standing but on a longer ride it feels good to sit.

There are drivers who just hate to wait in line when traffic conditions make it necessary. They jump the line, cut you off and try anything to get ahead. If you stop to let someone in, without exception somebody else will try to get in, too. Many times it happened to us that when we tried to park on the street and pulled the car ahead in order to back into the parking spot somebody pulled in from the back and said "oh, I didn't see you". This kind of attitude led to violence many times.

Courtesy at home is also an unknown thing. I always say 'bye' when I am leaving or say 'hello' when I return. Abigail doesn't do that. She rarely says 'good morning' when she comes out of her bedroom in the morning. If and when I complain she tells me that I am too old fashioned. That is her answer to everything. 

What a world we live in.

Sunday

 Sunday, I am resting!

Retirement

There is a belief that when a person who worked, physical work all his life, eventually retires the lack of doing something will kill him. For example, when I worked, we hired a retired older man who worked on the railroad all his life. We hired him because he was very knowledgeable about railroad operations. He was not much sitting in the office but whenever we went out on the tracks he was in his element.

He worked with us for several years but eventually we ran out of that kind of work and he had to retire again. Sadly, shortly into his second retirement he passed away. The not doing anything probably killed him.

It is a good thing that I was not a manual worker because since I don't do anything that should kill me. Even though I enjoy being useless and I am not missing work at all. This way I am just a stay-at-home smart aleck who knows everything better than anybody else. 

Unfortunately, my movements are kind of limited this way I can not do everything I wanted to do but never got to it. This way my bucket list remains uncompleted.

Chemistry

 I never liked chemistry. I didn't like it in school and I stayed away from it all my life. The reason I didn't like it because I never understood it. I didn't understand the symbols, and I didn't understand their combinations. So, life's interesting twist that Abigail find chemistry fascinating. Plus not just ordinary chemistry but organic chemistry.

I had to look up on the internet what organic chemistry is and now I am the wiser. But I still don't like chemistry in any shape or form. Abigail comes home from the college and always excitedly tells us what she did, what experiments she worked on in the labs. To me they all sound like she speaks in a foreign tongue. So, I make it like I understand it and 

How can people like this? Maybe I am a little uppity about it but I can not find anything interesting much less exciting about chemistry. To me it is an abstract science. Not like engineering where one can create things, build things. Working with molecules and atoms is just not my cup of tea. But if she likes it and understands it it is ok with me.

Alzhi

Today I heard in the news that by 2050 there will be 50% more people having Alzheimer. Wow! That means that I and some of my friends might fall into that category? I am really not prepared to deal with this event. But looking at realistically there is plenty of time to prepare for this if it will happen.

But wait a minute. In 2050 I should be 113 years old. This raises a couple of questions.

One, will I be here by 2050? Will technology improve so much that they might keep me alive at that age? And if they have the technology, will I want to be around? Only God knows what the world will look like in that time. The Ukrainian war will surely be going on and Mr. Z will be elected president of Ukraine for life. China will be still rattling its saber and N. Korea will be still shooting up missiles, claiming them to be exercises. Harry and Megan will lose their British citizenship and will be declared illegal immigrants here in the US. Hungary's Orban will be crowned the king of Hungary, but King Charles will not shake hands with him. As a matter of fact, none of the European monarchs will, and Mr. Biden will be kept alive by AI and will be still trying for a second term. 

Two, like I said I should be 113 years old. If by any miracle I am still around would I like to remember everything that happened in those 113 years? I doubt it. So, maybe a good Alzheimer might just be welcomed.

Birds

As I mentioned it several times, we have a dog. That dog needs to eat. Robin loves people food and since he doesn't think he is a dog he just not very crazy about dog food. When ads show dogs diving into a bowl and chomping at the food that is being advertised, it does not apply to Robin. Robin does not chomp. He takes one bite at a time, takes it out of his dish, takes it to the carpet and eats it. Yes, to the carpet. He loves to eat from the carpet. I don't know where he learned this from. We never eat from the carpet.

My wife loves animals, actually so do I. We live in a kind of garden apartment with squirls and sparrows outside. So, she decided to buy feeders for these things, and every day she puts out peanuts for the squirls and various seeds for the birds. Supermarkets don't carry a larger variety of foods necessary for these critters and their prices are just not low.

Now, we are regularly ordering from Chewy, a pet food company. We had a delivery today. The box was so huge it put the delivery man to task. But it had everything we wanted. Now we are set for a month, until the next delivery. 

The squirls don't complain but the sparrows can be pretty noisy when they find their feeder empty. I don't know where they learned it, not from me. I am pretty quiet when I am hungry.

Oscar

This Sunday ABC TV broadcasted the 2023 Oscar ceremony. From midday on that was all they showed. At first the wannabes show up just so they can be on tv then later on the A listers. They (the women) show off their designer gowns never forgetting to mention the names. What they always forget to note that these gowns are theirs for the evening only. The important ones never wear their own outfits, always the freebies.

They probably spend long hours fitting these gowns so naturally they all perfectly fit. Most of them also wear loaner jewelries, bags and shoes. With these outfits and professional makeups and hair anybody in this world can look good. Why don't these women show us what they look like when they get up in the morning? No hairdo, no makeup. And let's see then wo are the good-looking ones.

These ceremonies are nothing more than festivals of self-adulation. They laugh at each other's stupid jokes, their longwinded and boring speeches. The Oscar was not any different than the others. It was longwinded and boring. I can't understand that actors who supposed to know how to act can not contain their feelings when they win. They all put on such a show of surprise that it is disgusting. Also, it seems that if it is not written down for them, they can not speak.

In my book, they are certainly not worth the money they demand. Anybody can do what they do with the right coaching.

Age

How do other people see us? 

When I walk the streets, which doesn't happen too frequently I always look at other people. Just out of curiosity. With looking I try to judge their ages. When I see an older person, I look a little closer just to see if the person might be younger or older than me. And if I judge the person to be older, I give it another look to see the condition he or she is in.

There is nothing wrong with this. People like to be aware their surroundings. Now, when I get up in the morning and go to the bathroom and look into the mirror, what do I see. I see myself. And since I see that gorgeous face every single day, I do not really recognize much change. The changes are obvious when I find an old photograph of me and try to compare it with today's face. Wow, what a difference. But this is life, and this is the progression of time.

Now I wonder, that when somebody sees me on the street, somebody who does not know me what does he see? Do I appear as just another old bloke, gray haired, walking with two canes? Or he says that guy with the two canes doesn't really look that old.

I don't know the answer and honestly, I don't want to know.

Sunday

 It is Sunday and we just lost one hour of sleep.

Busy 2

So, Friday I was very busy and I just couldn't find the time to sit down and write. What was I doing?

I had to get up early because my wife decided to go to certain stores shortly after they open and that is 8am. So, we went to a Polish deli because they are the only ones who sell the bread my wife likes. We practically bought up their supply so now we have bread for a long while. After that a visit to a specialized supermarket because they have good cold cuts and fresh soup. After that a visit to a kosher store that has a wide variety of ready-made stuff like solet, breaded chicken cutlets and other stuff. My wife likes them and lately this place is part of our Friday routine.

All this before 11am because she needed to go to her hair salon. That lasted until about 2pm. In the afternoon we had to do laundry. That means to gather up all that need to be washed and go down to the building's laundry room hoping that the machines are not being used. We were lucky, they were all available. A laundry time consists of 25 minutes washing and about 40 minutes of drying. Then everything has to be neatly folded upstairs.

Cleaning the apartment is a daily routine and top of that Abigail had to be taken somewhere at 6pm where she was meeting her friends because they went somewhere.

So by the time we were finished I just lost my will to sit down and write. It is understandable, right?

Busy

 I'm very busy today and ran out of time to write. I'll make it up tomorrow.

Birthdays

March seems to be a very popular month for birthdays. Not that babies are not born every single day of every month but in my sphere, there are more birthdays in this month than any other month of the year.

Today and tomorrow are the birthdays of another very good and close friend and his lovely wife. As far as I know it is rare that husband and wife have b. days the same day or at least in consecutive days. But it did happen to this lovely couple. My friend and I go back 66 years, his wife not that long but it seems I knew her most of my life. They are lovely people and I love them both and wish them all the best life has to offer, longevity and good health!

The 24th of this month is my Father's birthday. He was born in 1899. Seems like such a long time ago. I miss him because he left too early but to be realistic, he would be 124 years old now. Nobody lives that long, at least not yet. So, I just have to accept the fact that he is no longer among us.

When I think back that my father was born in 1899, and my grandparents in the 1860s those times don't seem so pre-historic. I have photographs of when they were young and I can really associate with those. Today's kids with their uppity attitude look even to us as ancient. They have absolutely no interest about our times when we were young. They don't care what the world looked like back then. Actually they have no interest in what the world looks like now. They all live in their cocoon and that is enough.

Sad, very sad.

Professors

There are two kinds of types of high education professors. These are the people who teach in colleges and universities. One kind who maintains some kind of outside employment in their specialties. The other kind who bury themselves in books and various research projects, gathering all kinds of financial support to keep them going.

At the end of the day, they all claim superior knowledge in their selected fields. But here comes the problem. Now, this is my personal opinion. The ones who have some outside employment and work using their knowledge do possess certain life experience but the ones who bury themselves in books and in various academic exercises lack the basic life experience. These people are not as smart as they think they are. They might know how the universe was created but not necessarily able to survive in our world.

When the situation requires for one of these to voice an opinion about certain world event or something similar, their opinions or advice might not be the best and most practical. They are taken from books they were studying all their lives. Their advice is filled with would, should, might but with nothing definitive.

This guy had some problem and needed some advice from a professor. He went to his office, described the problem and asked what was he to do. The professor thought for a minute then went to his humongous bookcase picked off a book, opened it at a place and immediately gave the answer. The man was totally satisfied and asked how much he owed for the consultation. $500 answered the professor.      $500 exclaimed the guy. All you did was opened the book, read something and told me what to do.              Yes, responded the good professor, but I know where to open the book!

Biginning to End

Yesterday I wrote about a birthday. Birthday is the day we are born, the beginning of our long trip in this world. Most of the time this trip comes to an end at one point. In some cases it is a long trip but in some cases it might be cut short. When it happens to a loved one or to a dear friend this trip is never long enough.

The other day I found out that a very dear and longtime friend recently passed away. This was the second such disturbing news in a very short time. This friend was a colleague whom I know for over 50 years. We eorked in the same company, in the same group. He was an engineer and very knowledgeable in his field. When I retired and later he did we did not lose contact. Met periodically and updated each other of our personal and family situations. I knew he was very ill but never imagined that his illness would take him away from us. He was a little bit younger than I and I feel his trip was cut short by fate.

Rest at peace my friend.

Birthday

Today (Tuesday) is the birthday of my bestest and closest friend. He is the same age as I am except three months younger. If we were brothers, he would be my kid brother. That would make me the older and wiser one.

Well, one out of two is ok: I am the older. I love this guy. He has been around most of my life and certainly in all my adult life. We are not just lifelong friends, but some way also related. Unfortunately, there is nobody around who can explain how we are related but it doesn't matter to us. While we lived in Hungary, we were inseparable. We also left the country together, but fate placed us in different areas here. Not far from each other but certainly further than a few blocks away as it was back home.

But distance was not a hindrance since they invented the automobile. Kept in close contact in these past years. I can't believe that these two once carefree) guys got to this very respectable age. But remember, age is just a number. How one feels is what important.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish him a long and happy life!

Sunday

Sunday!!!!!!! 

Anticipation

Just in case the anticipation keeps you on edge to hear the reason why I skipped Friday, here is the explanation.

Friday was a very busy day at home. We had several chores that were to be completed and because of that I had no time left for myself. What drove the busy day? Ther fact that we had to leave home by 5:30pm. We decided to go to Friday night Sabbath service to Manhattan. The service at Temple Emanu-El starts at 6 and to get into the City is no small feat. But we did it, got there, thanks to my handicapped parking permit parked almost front of the synagogue and everything was ok.

The service was nice, mainly because it was primarily in English. In Hebrew it would have been a total waste for me. Years ago, a friend of mine's son got married in a Ukrainian church where the service was in total Ukrainian. Hebrew would have been the same for me. I sat there not understanding a word and not knowing what was going on.

Anyhow, after the service we, the three of us went to a Turkish restaurant for dinner. My wife loves Turkish food and I have nothing against it. My wife had lamb shish kebab, Abigail something else lamb and I had lambchops. It was four beautiful lambchops done just perfect. Oh, we also drank Turkish tea which is probably a Turkish version of Lipton tea. I couldn't tell the difference. 

But now, reading this I hope you can understand why I skipped writing on Friday.

Explanation

 I'll tell you Saturday why I didn't write on Friday.

Poppy

If I worked in a sensitive place like an atomic power plant or similar where they perform random drug tests, I would certainly flunk one. I love to eat but I do eat with control. But when something that I really like and get rarely show up on the table all bets are off.

Tonight, and two nights before my wife made noodles with poppyseed. This a very popular Hungarian dish. When I was younger and lived home my mother made it about once every two weeks. That was when we had a meatless day. Anyway, I love it.

Unfortunately, it is not very easy to find poppy seed in stores. I guess because of its relationship to opium. But in my neighborhood, there is a Mediterranean store that sells it, grinds it and voila. No more excuses. And it is not even costly. The thing with poppy it does show up in drug tests. That's why it is a good thing that I don't work at such place. Actually, it is a good thing that I don't work at all.

Now that I had two servings I can't wait until my wife decides to have it again. Long live poppy seed!

Life changing events

Foe a man being married more than once is one or more life changing experience. For a man it is a metamorphosis. Years ago, there was an Off-Broadway musical with the title I love you, you are perfect, now change. This title expresses exactly what multiple marriages are all about.

A man lives a nice and comfortable life. He is used to his things, he has his daily routines, does things his way, eats his favorite foods and so on and so on. Then for some reason he has to marry again and maybe again... His new spouse has one goal in life. To change him. To show that everything he had done prior her entering the picture was wrong. It was unhealthy and not right.

He has to get used to new daily regiments, new attitudes, new foods, new music and so on and so on. And we, guys are putty in their hands. We do what is demanded of us because we love them and want to keep the peace. If you think that it is forbidden to criticize in North Korea is bad, try criticism in a married household. Punishments are severe and swift, and memories are long. 

At every new marriage certain previously used to things disappear from one's life. Like I like classical music. There is none in my house. My wife loves country western music. I like fast food. My wife abhors fast food. I love to eat out she doesn't like it. I love the beach scene, she is sensitive to the sun and prefers the mountains. I like blood and gore movies she loves Hallmark movies.

I never lived in dirt. We used to do major housecleaning once a week. My wife, God bless her clean heart does daily once a year major cleaning. Now that is obsession. I can actually understand this because we have Abigail who is a little slob and then there is Robin. So, I got used to this also. 

These are not major things and not difficult to adjust to, but they are there. Every man that faces multiple marriages goes through similar events and every man eventually adjust to these.

I used to know a Jewish man who was not particularly religious. He married a Jewish woman out of love who turned out to be very observant. Later when I saw him, I noticed he was wearing a yarmulka. When I inquired why, he told me that his wife was very religious and he turned that way, too. Now, that must have been a life changing event. We didn't get that far in my house, yet.

Obit

I just found out on Monday that a very good, old friend of mine passed away on Saturday. It really shook me up. We used to be very close, but life placed us in different areas and as the result didn't see each other for years.

He was two years older than I and as I understand not in a prime health condition. He lived in British Columbia with his family and as I was told he died at home surrounded with the family.

I knew him since 1951, we went to the same school and were classmates. The 1956 events in Hungary necessitated leaving. He eventually settled in Montreal, Canada but went back to Europe, to Switzerland to work. After some years the good Swiss decided not to renew his work permit and at that time he went back to Canada where he stayed until the end. 

He started from nothing but created a good business and built a nice family, settling in British Columbia.

While he stayed in Europe, he frequently visited Hungary. At each time he made a point to visit my mother for which I loved him dearly.

It is funny. We all have old friends, and we all take them for granted. Never thinking about they leaving before we do. But unfortunately, it happens. And when it does that is when we realize that life has its own rules.

I will miss you G.