Wednesday, January 27, 2010
A GET TOGETHER
Here we are with Kelly and Scott a week ago. We had lunch with them and Gail and Bob. Kelly is in grad school. Scott recently graduated from Florida State.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
SAINT MARY'S CEMETERY - NEW BRITAIN
For those of you who want to know more about your forebears, here is where many of them are buried. St. Mary's is on Stanley Street in New Britain.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
A CULINARY FUNNY
The diner asked the waitress, "What's that fly doing in my soup?" She replied,"Looks like the backstroke to me." I had occasion to recall that old joke the other day. Moe had served me some of that delicious Pumpkin Pudding. As I contemplated the treat, the surface appeared to be especially shiny. I took a closer look. A lens from my eyeglass had fallen into the pudding. Lucky I didn't cew it up at today's prices
Friday, January 01, 2010
A MORNING AT BRADLEY
HUGFEST AT THE AIRPORT
Rita’s plane was due around 12:30, so Mary and I went to the airport a little early to get ahead of a predicted snow storm. The baggage area was deserted except for a lone woman seated in the first seat of a long row of empty ones. Her attire caught my attention. She had some kind of cold weather cap I would expect to see in an Eastern European country, and a long quilted coat. The hat was pulled down, and the coat up over her chin, like she was freezing.
With time to kill, Mary and I went up to the next level to a place where coffee could be purchased. We got into a line of 6 or 7 people. The first in line was a big, young guy who would become familiar to us because the line didn’t move for about 10 minutes. The person in charge of that coffee booth , by her actions, made it clear she didn’t want to be there, and when I observed her hacking into her hand repeatedly, decided I didn’t want to be there either. We went back to the baggage area to await Rita’s arrival.
The same young woman was still there. Mary went for a walk, and the big guy from the coffee line showed up with coffee for the woman who turned out to be his wife. They seemed to be having a disagreement, when without any introduction,
She turned to me and asked how long I had been married. Never one to miss an opportunity to pontificate, I smiled, told her 58 years. I rose, walked over to her and her husband, and said, “I sensed that you were having some kind of disagreement. Perhaps you would be interested in some fatherly advice, counseling, even.” I noted sagely, “Disagreements are Ok to have. . “They are not cancer,”
I continued, addressing my remarks to the husband. I said, “One thing I have learned in 58 years is that some things my wife does to aggravate me are actually the things which keep her alive, and I have learned to tell myself, ‘Shut up, Bob, and be thankful that you have her.’ “ The woman leapt to her feet and gave me a big hug and a kiss. As though I needed further motivation, I continued asking the man, “Do you love your wife?” He assured me he did, and I said, “Then tell her you love her..” She was out of her seat again for another big hug and kiss. This time, her hat fell off revealing a pretty girl, not from Europe, but Iowa.
At this point, Mary returned and was introduced. She immediately became involved in the hugging and kissing.. I was still ahead of Mary with two hugs, to her one. I now was on an oratorical roll, “ In 58 years of marriage, my wife and I have only one fight.” I paused to assess the impact of that statement because I was even impressed myself. I then added, “the fight started the first day, and has been going on ever since with a new topic every day.” The woman shot out of her chair for the third time, saying what sounded like, “Oh, I love this guy!” I got my third hug and kiss, and Rita, who was approaching , and observing was wondering what old friends or relatives could these people be with all the hugging and kissing. Rita was introduced. She got a hug, and Mary got another one.
Midwesterners really are more outgoing. Bet I’d like it there
Rita’s plane was due around 12:30, so Mary and I went to the airport a little early to get ahead of a predicted snow storm. The baggage area was deserted except for a lone woman seated in the first seat of a long row of empty ones. Her attire caught my attention. She had some kind of cold weather cap I would expect to see in an Eastern European country, and a long quilted coat. The hat was pulled down, and the coat up over her chin, like she was freezing.
With time to kill, Mary and I went up to the next level to a place where coffee could be purchased. We got into a line of 6 or 7 people. The first in line was a big, young guy who would become familiar to us because the line didn’t move for about 10 minutes. The person in charge of that coffee booth , by her actions, made it clear she didn’t want to be there, and when I observed her hacking into her hand repeatedly, decided I didn’t want to be there either. We went back to the baggage area to await Rita’s arrival.
The same young woman was still there. Mary went for a walk, and the big guy from the coffee line showed up with coffee for the woman who turned out to be his wife. They seemed to be having a disagreement, when without any introduction,
She turned to me and asked how long I had been married. Never one to miss an opportunity to pontificate, I smiled, told her 58 years. I rose, walked over to her and her husband, and said, “I sensed that you were having some kind of disagreement. Perhaps you would be interested in some fatherly advice, counseling, even.” I noted sagely, “Disagreements are Ok to have. . “They are not cancer,”
I continued, addressing my remarks to the husband. I said, “One thing I have learned in 58 years is that some things my wife does to aggravate me are actually the things which keep her alive, and I have learned to tell myself, ‘Shut up, Bob, and be thankful that you have her.’ “ The woman leapt to her feet and gave me a big hug and a kiss. As though I needed further motivation, I continued asking the man, “Do you love your wife?” He assured me he did, and I said, “Then tell her you love her..” She was out of her seat again for another big hug and kiss. This time, her hat fell off revealing a pretty girl, not from Europe, but Iowa.
At this point, Mary returned and was introduced. She immediately became involved in the hugging and kissing.. I was still ahead of Mary with two hugs, to her one. I now was on an oratorical roll, “ In 58 years of marriage, my wife and I have only one fight.” I paused to assess the impact of that statement because I was even impressed myself. I then added, “the fight started the first day, and has been going on ever since with a new topic every day.” The woman shot out of her chair for the third time, saying what sounded like, “Oh, I love this guy!” I got my third hug and kiss, and Rita, who was approaching , and observing was wondering what old friends or relatives could these people be with all the hugging and kissing. Rita was introduced. She got a hug, and Mary got another one.
Midwesterners really are more outgoing. Bet I’d like it there
