Hello on Thursday Morning

Dear Friends,

My staining of pretty much everything which I wanted to do, except the deck floor, went well yesterday. I worked from from 9 AM until 3:30 PM. I never stopped for lunch. Linda did supply me with water, beer, and a little snack food as I stained, and stained, and stained.
While I was doing my thing, Linda started working on the flower beds.
Linda got tired of working in the flower beds, and decided to help me with the staining. A color blind person needs a good deal of help. Linda said that she should have followed me around so that I wouldn't have missed so many spots.

By the end of the day, our bodies were aching from head to toe. We felt like we just came out of a multi-hour session of "Pilates". Linda was worse off than I was. We started taking Ibuprofen like it was candy. I feel pretty good this morning compared to the way that I felt last evening.

We have some late afternoon rain in the forecast today so that we will work on the flower beds instead of returning to some touch up staining.

Actually, I can't work the full day in the flower beds, because my UNICO brothers and sisters are going to help with cooking a Chicken Parm Dinner for the local "Big Brothers and Big Sisters" organization at the Eastover Resort today. We will be preparing the dinner, and dessert from scratch. The food preparation starts a little after 1 PM, but the actual serving doesn't take place until around the 6 PM hour. There is an auction at the event also.
The treasurer of UNICO is the head chef today. Even though he is a banker by profession, he is like an Emeril Lagasse in the kitchen. I learn something new every time I work with him!

I didn't mark this event on our main calendar. I think that Linda had some other plans for this afternoon, and evening. Oh Darn!

My Red Sox lost their game last evening. The Yankees won their game.
I think all three Boston teams are playing today. The Sox play at 4 PM.

Politics -- I see where President Obama got himself in trouble at a graduation speech at ASU. He was just trying to make the point that getting a college degree doesn't mean that the work done. Earning that degree is just another step along the way to a fruitful life, and a successful career. Of course, people have to twist his words, and turn it into something negative.

Observation-- While purchasing the stain at Home depot on Thursday, I ran into a former colleague who is still teaching in the Science Department at my old school. He is on a medical leave, but it more than just medical. His wife battled cancer for seven years until she passed away in January. As we conversed, I could see, and feel his emotional pain. He also said that he was lonely, and that his house was so quiet. He owns a small farm which he tends himself. His finances have been cut in half, and he is struggling to keep his head above water. He, like me, never paid the bills, did the taxes, etc. in his family. There is just so much that a partner does in a relationship.
It is so difficult when you lose your life long partner. I told him that Linda and I discussed the subject many times even though we are in relative good health. I told him that Linda has already discussed living with girl friends if I depart this earth first, and she would become of the "Golden Girls". If Linda goes first, she said that it would be okay if I find another companion. Of course, no person could ever replace Linda.
I started to act, and speak like a priest, Father Curley, and a grief counselor too.
This is just another example of "Life is Good" for some of us right now, and that life is too short to sweat the little stuff.

Well, I have to read the local newspaper, and get to those flower beds.
Have a great Thursday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad

Hello on Wednesday Morning

Dear Friends,

Our Tuesday went as planned. My four items were accomplished (Linda three). We didn't have the energy to attend the Trivial Pursuit Game at the Brew Works, or the Irish Session at O'Laughlin's.

Mom is staying a couple more days at the hospital with several more hyper-baric sessions to aid in wound healing.

I went to bed a happy man last night as I watched two of the three Boston Sports' teams win their games. I had to wait until right now to see if the Red Sox won their west coast game against the Angels. The Sox were successful too.
The New York Yankees did lose their baseball game. Oh Darn!

How could a Liberal, and mostly Democratic New England be so successful with respect to their Sport's teams?

The weatherman said that we have no chance of rain today. I am going off to Home Depot, and purchase several gallons of stain, and do the time consuming railings, and spindles, and benches, and tables on the deck.

I also have to do the minutes of last evening's Irish Sister City Meeting.

Sometimes there not enough hours in a day.

Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad

Hello on Tuesday Morning

Dear Friends,

Linda and I made it through a busy Monday, but today even has more items on our social agenda.
Linda's golf and Mah Jongg went well.
My UNICO board meeting and the Italian American Club's "Steak & Dandelion Dinner" went well too.
Our Dandelion wine was a big hit once again.

I will be leaving the house first today since the Curley's have a 9:30 AM family meeting at Berkshire Medical Center about Mom.
After the meeting, I head back home to pick up Linda for our trip (40 minute drive) to south county for our REAM (Retired Educators Association of Massachusetts) Luncheon Meeting. Since I am President of the Berkshire County Chapter, I will be running the meeting.
The luncheon usually ends a little after 2 PM.
The day continues on, but back in Pittsfield. I leave the house first once again for a 5 PM UNICO Scholarship meeting.
Linda leaves the house for a 6 PM Irish Sister City meeting while I am at the Scholarship meeting. She will act as the recording secretary (which is my official position) until I make it to the Irish Sister City meeting.
If we have enough energy, we could attend the Irish Session at O'Laughlin's Pub after the Irish Sister City Meeting.

Politics -- Dick Cheney, and Rush Limbaugh got the political ball rolling with some of their comments over the past few days about President Obama, and his approach to solving the woes in the United States.
Since I didn't have any sports to watch, I turned on the television just in time to watch Larry King Live. Larry's guest was former governor of Minnesota Jessie Ventura. He was great, and he refuted anything that Cheney, and Limbaugh said. Since Jessie was a Navy Seal, and Cheny was a five time draft dodger, during the Vietnam War area, Jessie had some choice words about the former President's Bush Vice-President.
Jessie also talked about the Water Board torture controversy. He said that you can get anybody to say what you want them to say just so that they will stop the torture.
He said that we should lift the Cuba embargo since we are now fiends with nations which we went to war with, like Vietnam.
Jessie said that he wouldn't run for President. I like the guy because he doesn't mince words.

Well, I have to create an Agenda for today's REAM meeting.
Have a great Tuesday.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad

Hello on Monday Morning

Dear Friends,
It is a balmy 41 degrees as I start this e-mail. The weather prognosticators say that we are in for another repeat of yesterday. We might hit 63 degrees during this cool and sunny day. I turned the heat back on last night.

Yesterday was a pleasant Mother's day for Linda and I. After reading the two Sunday newspapers, we headed off to see Mom at Berkshire Medical Center. Mom was just finishing her lunch when we walked in. Dad arrived shortly after we got there.
Mom had just gotten back from getting her hair done, and she looked normal as ever as she sat in her wheel chair. I did take her for a short ride in the hospital, but it was too cool to go outside. After a couple hour visit, my sister, and her family came into to visit Mom and wish her a Happy Mother's Day.

After the visit with Mom, we headed off to the Mall looking for a possible movie to go to. We looked at the marquee, and decided the movies weren't anything that we had any desire to see. We went home, and I watched golf while Linda did a little knitting.
For supper, we went off to East Side Cafe, and have some wood fired pizza. The place was packed with parents and kids who looked like they had just came back for soccer, and baseball games.

We came directly home, and got into our sleep wear, and settled in front of our respective televisions. I was trying to juggle watching three sporting contests while savoring a book. I went to bed a happy man since all three of my Boston based teams won their respective contests. The Celtics and Red Sox were involved in a couple of "nail biters", while the Bruins shut out their opponents.

Social Calendar -- I have to go back to a little carpentry this morning before picking up a book for Linda at the Library. It is her book that she must read before her next Book Club meeting.
This evening I have a UNICO board meeting at the Italian American Club at 5:30 PM. The Italian American Club also has their annual "Steak & Dandelion Dinner". I am going to try and run a quick meeting so that I can attend this event.
Linda has golf at 3:30 PM, and then she scoots off to a session of Mah Jongg at 6:30 PM.
Monday is only the first day of a very busy week for us.

World News -- Women in the United States should consider themselves very lucky to live in a Democracy after reading the report handed down from a judge in Saudia Arabia. He said that Saudia men do have the right to slap their wives across their face if they spend too much money. I guess that women are second class citizens in this society. The Burka's that Saudi women where hide more than their faces.

Have a great week at work or play!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad

Hello on Mother's Day

Dear Friends,

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there as well as the prospective mothers (our daughter-in-law Kyla)!
I am one of the lucky ones to have mother still with us. I do appreciate the warm and nurturing family which I grew up in. Mom's are the glue that holds the family together.
I do realize that motherhood is a full time job. There are so many things that my Linda does that I don't do. Many of our family members would probably never get a birthday card. I am not the bill payer in the house. The inside of the house gets changed for every season which I wouldn't deal with. The flowers beds would still be part of the lawn if it was up to me. When I say: "Let's invite friends for dinner or a cookout!", Linda knows that she will be taking care of the details. Linda is my travel agent when we decide to go on trips by searching the internet for the best deals.
Mother's Day, in my mind, is not just one day of the year. Mothers take care of their children, and husbands (me especially) all year long.
Even though my Mom can't be with us this Mother's Day, my sister and I love her dearly.
For some of you whose Mom's have passed away, it is a good day to reflect on the good times. Maybe take out an old photo album, and go through it so that you can bring back some memories of those good times.
Photo Albums are another thing which I don't participate in.

Speaking of Mom, I visited her yesterday around 10:30 AM. She was sitting in her wheel chair when I arrived, so I decided to give her a ride outside the hospital. She appreciated the fresh air even though it looked like it was going to rain any minute. Mom is still in good spirits, and still has most of her mental faculties. She remembers who comes to visit her even though I have to remind her what day or month it is. If you were in nursing homes and hospitals for over four months, and have gone through a couple of operations, you too would have trouble remembering those details.
When I visit her, I could visualize her in her own home until she wants to go from her wheelchair to the hospital bed bed. It takes two people , and board to slide her from the chair to the bed. She also needs help to take of bodily functions which I could never too. I am pretty sure the time line is to return her to a nursing home by the middle of next week before there is any chance of getting her back in her own home, or to an assisted living place which my father is investigating into.

We were visiting friends last evening when a thunder and lightening storm, with high winds, came through their town. The power went out in an instant. The candles came out, Chinese food was delivered, and we had a candle light dinner. We stayed for a while to keep our friends company, but we finally left in the dark. Some power lines went down about a mile from our friend's home. The word was a that a tree knocked down some power lines right outside the Dalton American Legion. We had to take a detour on the way back home.

My Red Sox were embarrassed at Fenway yesterday. The Yankees had the same type of trouble in Baltimore
The three Boston teams do battle this evening. I will be using the remote for many hours.

Social Calendar -- I am going to let Linda dictate what kind of a day that she would like today. If she wants to stay in her sleepwear, and read the local newspaper , and Boston Globe for most of the day, that will be alright for me. If she wants me to make a gourmet breakfast, I will do that too. If she wants to dine out, that is fine with me. I am going to be at her "Beck and call". I won't even suggest things that she should be working on. If she wants to be a total slug, I will accommodate her.

News --- I am betting that a law of "no text messaging while driving" might have a good chance of being passed in Massachusetts since a 24 year old subway driver admitting to doing so. His texting to his girlfriend caused two subway cars to collide, injuring over a 100 people. Luckily no one was killed.

Weather -- It is windy and cool outside today. We might not get out of the 50 degree range.

Have to go, and read the newspapers.
I think that this is a quiet activity.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad

Hello on Saturday Morning

Dear Friends,

My golf day went okay, but I did not help the team. If I was playing for Coach Bill Belechik for the New England Patriots, he would have benched me.

While I was doing the Friday golf thing, Linda did some errands and stopped in to visit dear old Mom. The surgeon happen to see Mom while my dad and Uncle Joe were there with Linda. The doctor wants to put Mom in a hyperbaric chamber for two hours on Monday which will aid in the wound healing process.
We are also booked in for a family meeting on Tuesday at 9:30 AM. Mom is expected to be discharged on Wednesday. She will be heading to the Laurel Lake Nursing and Rehab Center in Lee. The saga continues!

We ate a quick supper at the Shamrock so that I could get home in time to watch the Red Sox, Boston Bruins , and the Boston Celtics do battle.
Two of the three Boston Sports team lost once again last evening. It was difficult trying to use the remote to watch three different sporting contests while savoring another book.
My beloved Red Sox was the only team which brought joy to me. A come from behind win with the help of a couple of home runs, and great job by the Red Sox bullpen were all that was needed.

Linda is going off with a girlfriend at 10 AM to do a little recreational shopping. This could consume most of the daylight hours on Saturday.

I have to get mentally psyched to attack the flower beds before some afternoon, and evening rains come in. Of course, I have to visit Mom since I did not do so on Friday. I also have to set aside time to either watch or listen to the 7:08 PM Red Sox game.

Mother's Day -- Don't know what we are doing for Mother's Day. We usually have a cookout, and invite most of the local relatives. The weather is usually cold or rainy, and we end up eating inside. We have cool weather in the forecast for Sunday, but we have no cookout or gathering planned. There are a bunch of places offering Mother's Day meals, but we have made no commitment. It might be just a quiet day for Linda and I.
It just isn't the same this year with Mom being in the hospital.

We have another busy week coming up with some days having at least three items on the agenda.
The craziness begins on Monday.

Have a great weekend and Mother's Day.
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad

Hello on Friday Morning

Dear Friends,

It looks like it will be a pretty nice day for golf with my seniors buddies today. Any chance of a thunder shower doesn't appear likely until the supper hour.
I had planned to go from golf to a couple of hours of "Downtown Cleanup" with a crew of Irish Sister City Workers. The 2:15 PM until 4 PM event has been canceled due to the threat of rain. I am not sure if I can make the rain date at the end of the month.

Our Thursday went as planned. I did a partial closet rearranging of my stuff after Linda woke up, and before I decided to go back to some deck work.
I took out the power washer, which belongs to my sister, and attacked the deck. I had to practice not destroying the wood which a power washer can do. The paint person at Home Depot, whom we have dealt with before, warned me that a power washer could render the stain useless, if we go beyond removing the old stain. Yes, they have paint an stain stripping stuff at Home Depot, but I am trying to avoid using those chemicals.

Mom -- I did go off and visit Mom at Berkshire Medical Center. She caught a cold, and has a bladder infection which is not good. I did give her a wheel chair ride outside of the hospital so that she could get some fresh air. I soon realized that pushing a wheel chair is not an easy task unless you a little person. My back was killing me because I spent the thirty minutes bent over while pushing the wheel chair. The wheel chair design has to be tweaked to make it more comfortable for the person pushing the wheel chair.

Sports -- I know that it is early in the season, but the Red Sox won their game, and the Yankees lost theirs.
The Bruins and the Celtics return to their playoffs soon.
Manny Ramierz was the big talk in the Sports world on Thursday. Suspended for 50 games, and thus losing about $7 million is quite a big hit for steroid use.

Politics -- Not too much going on in the world of politics.

Observation -- Maintaining a home takes a good deal of time, energy, and money. As you get older, it turns from fun into a chore. We wish that we could just hire someone to do what needs to be done, and just write out a check, and pay them for their services.
Our flower beds are still a mess. There is more grass growing in them, which I haven't dealt with, before the perennials start their summertime growth.
We haven't begun to think about flowers in the deck planters, and flower pots, hanging baskets, barrels, etc., since the deck has to be stained first.
I did ask Linda to help me with the flower beds when we have some free time. She said that she will supervise, but that she doesn't want to participate in the actual grunt work.
Condo living is starting be look more attractive once the grand children get a bit older.

Have to do some quiet chores, and select my golf wardrobe. I think shorts might be a possibility this morning.
Have a great weekend!
Talk to you soon. The Curley Lad