May:
Since the 1st was a Saturday, Eileen and I went to Taco Bell in Commack on Jericho Turnpike, to give Ellen more time to work on the tax returns. We each ordered a chalupa special ($5 each). When we finished eating we drove to Kings Park since I could not find the southbound exit on the Sunken Meadow. We exited at Pulaski Road to check out Celtic Crossing. It turns out to be a pub as opposed to a Irish goods shop. We then headed to Islip and the Flea Market at the Methodist Church, first parking in the Town Hall West Lot and walking across Main Street. I ended up with a book, Tales of the Radio Traveler by Russell Johnson. Eileen got a white bear in a Santa Claus hat - #108 in her collection. We named him Santa Bear.
On Sunday afternoon I helped Ellen with the e-filing of the taxes. I also read an article in LI Life section of Newsday about which moments in your past would you pick to revisit (referring to the scene in Our Town when Emily goes back to her 12th birthday). The author had picked 5, I picked 6:
Later after lunch I drove to the firehouse and parked the car and walked to the 7-11 across Saxon Avenue from Bay Shore Commons and back. While there I treated myself to another Kinder Joy egg – another great wild bird, #85, which I gave to Eileen. We also did a walk from the firehouse to the Islip post office so we could mail some letters. For Sunday dinner I ordered from Bo Wah and we all ate well on Sunday evening and had enough leftovers for Monday. Later I emailed an old St. John’s friend about going to a Long Island Ducks game but responded that he is busy with an exam. He gave me the e/mail address of another old friend of ours and I contacted him. This man wrote a book about Liberty Street and 9-11. After lunch Eileen and I did a brief walk to Nikia Drive when it started to rain so we then headed back home. I then drove to 7-11 for some candy (Reese’s Cups) and a Minion zipper pull (Stuart) which I later put on my fire company briefcase. Then it was the firehouse for coffee, checking the mail, and using the computer.
On Wednesday Eileen and I were going to go for a walk but it started to rain, so I drove to the Nassau Avenue 7-11 and got the lotto ticket for the evening and another Kinder Joy egg - #86, an orange generator truck. The next day Ellen headed to Plainview for a visit to the neurologist. Eileen and I went for a walk through Greenview Village to the Little Shop of Shamrocks to get some Irish candy and then walked back to Commack Road and then through Tex Court and home.
I finally fixed my Ancestry.com issues and can access my personal page and added several pix of the 3 of us onto the tree. On Friday after I picked up Mother’s Day cards, I stopped at the 7-11 on Main Street and Carleton Avenue and picked up a Kinder Joy egg #87, a yellow dragon. I have that one in the book case so I gave the new one to Eileen. The next day was Saturday, the 8th, so for lunch Eileen and I rode to Babylon and went into Del Fuego for lunch. The hostess took us to a table by the bar and brought us menus. The problem was that the light was kind of low and the background of the menu’s pages was tan so it was very hard to read. But we were able to order iced tea, beef brisket burritos, and a side of rice & beans. There was also a large selection of hot sauces to choose from. I also watched part of the Delaware – South Dakota State football game and the Blue Hens got creamed. After we finished ($25 for the meal plus a $5 tip) we went for a short walk down Deer Park Avenue and then back to Totten Place. We then drove home and stopped at the Nassau Avenue 7-11 so we could get the lotto ticket for Saturday night and some candy. Eileen walked to the aisle where the Kinder Joy eggs were and we grabbed two. Once we were home we enjoyed the candy and learned what animals were inside the eggs. There was the grey panther #88 and a Columbia blue wild bird & chick #89. The gray panther is already in the book case so I let Eileen have that one; I did not have the bird & chick in that color so I took that one to put into the book case. I have been listening to TED Talks on You Tube and one speaker told me that you can get anything you want if you try and are bold. Make at least 10 attempts at something. Another said that there is more to life than being happy and that a life should be meaningful. Belonging and purpose are very important. For Mother’s Day we ordered out from Mango Tango, after Mulberry Street was only doing pizza pies and salads and Bo Wah gave me a busy signal when I called.
On Monday the 10th I was using the computer at the firehouse, and since it’s 50 years since I graduated St. John’s the first time around, I signed up for a couple of events, including the virtual tour of the Transit Museum and a panel of the university’s athletes. I then went to Chase Bank's ATM room to do business, and on the way back to the firehouse I stopped at Sugared Up and got Eileen a Beanie Baby zipper pull – Heather, a unicorn cat, #109. I also treated myself to a new coffee cup that celebrates retirement. After lunch on Tuesday I took part in the virtual tour of the Queens Botanical Gardens with St. John's Alumni. As usual, the video did not work here. But it was fun to be in the old neighborhood even if not exactly in person. Later I listened to more TED Talks from Celeste Headlee and she is pessimistic for the fate of the country. We are divided and intolerant. People take what they hear for granted. She also said that there is no such thing as a dream job, and mentioned people who got into what they thought was a dream job and hated it and did not last too long (sounds way too familiar). Later on while at the firehouse I listened to some more TED talks: How great leaders inspire action by Simon Sinek (https://youtu.be/qp0HIF3SfI4), Why are we happy? Why aren't we happy? By Dan Gilbert (https://youtu.be/LTO_dZUvbJA) and The power of vulnerability by Brené Brown (https://youtu.be/iCvmsMzlF7o). The next day was Wednesday and Eileen and I did a short walk to Greenview Village but had to turn back since Ellen had to go to the doctor’s office and I had to help her with the garage. Once Ellen left, Eileen and I went to the Islip Avenue Valero and gassed up the CR-V. Despite all the panic after the pipeline being hacked, there was no lines at the station. Then we headed to the Nassau Avenue 7-11 to get Wednesday's lotto ticket and two more Kinder Joy eggs. Once home we opened them up and one was a hammerhead shark (#90) and the other was a hawk (#91). Since I have a shark in the CR-V door, Eileen got that one. I got the hawk which we put into the book case. The next day, I drove to Party City and I ended up with another Kinder Joy egg, #92. It’s a scale with acrobats, and I put it into the book case. But the figures cannot seem to stay on the platform, and the balance sometimes does not stay on the vertical support. Oh, well. On Saturday Eileen and I headed out to lunch at the North Babylon Taco Bell. We both ordered the same thing – a taco, iced tea and a crunch wrap. After lunch we stopped at 7-11 on Bay Shore Road and got some M&M’s candy and then headed on to Islip. After we got off at exit 43 we headed into town and I noticed a sign that listed a moving sale taking place on Shebar Drive. We made it to the house but there was nothing that we needed so we then drove to the firehouse to park and then we walked to Sugared Up to check out the Beanie Babies. We decided on a rainbow sheep named Rainbow – who is #110 in the collection.
On Sunday (the 16th) afternoon I spent a good time in the afternoon filling out the paper work for the US Census field representative job. I also drove to the 3rd precinct to inquire about fingerprinting and they told me to come back on Monday. The next morning after firehouse coffee I went back to the 3rd Precinct to get finger printed for the census position. I don’t know why I needed to go through that since the Bureau fingerprinted me last year at their Melville office. After some detours I made it to the 3rd Precinct. When I walked in they barely acknowledged me and three people in the reception area ignored me for over 20 minutes so I finally said "fuck it" and headed home. Then I had more second thoughts about the position. I hated imposing on people last year as an enumerator. Doing follow-up interviews is going to be tough since people may not want to be bothered. I discussed it with Ellen, and even Charlie, and I decided not to pursue it. I don’t need the job, being retired.
Later during Monday morning I went for a haircut at Universal Cuts, and then returned bottles at Stop & Shop and then went to Fairview Properties Park (formerly Bethpage Ballpark) to get a Long Island Ducks t-shirt. I arrived early so I walked around the grounds and took pictures of the historical plaque praising the Ducks, as well as monuments at the Firefighters Museum across the street from the ballpark. When the Waddle In Shop opened I went inside and checked out the t-shirts and other items and ended up buying a nice kelly green t-shirt and a Quackerjack Lego figure (which is on top of the armoire). Later after lunch Eileen and I went for a walk through Greenview Village to the Nassau Avenue 7-11 to buy a lotto ticket and get two Kinder Joy eggs. We then retraced our steps back home and enjoyed the candy and checked what we got. One egg had another hawk, but blue and yellow this time. It’s #93 and that is in Eileen’s room. The other was a monkey hanging from a branch sideways. That one is #94 and it’s in the book case. On Tuesday around 10am I headed to Islip High School to vote in the school board elections. The School Board candidates were running unopposed so that was easy. I voted “no” on the budget since we are already being taxed out of existence. In the midafternoon I took Eileen to Suffolk County Community College for her dose #2 and it went well – even though she did not like getting stuck. We sat for 15 minutes for observation and then headed home. I learned that there is no connection to the south bound Sagtikos Parkway from Crooked Hill Road and we drove through Edgewood for a bit. On 5th Avenue I wanted to turn left onto Candlewood Road but a car turning left into a strip mall was blocking the street. We finally made it home and I read chapter 15 of Sooley. After bowling on the 19th Eileen and I stopped at the Nassau Avenue 7-11 for some candy (Kinder Bueno, easy to share) and she got a beanie octopus which she has given the name of Limey, since he is lime colored, and is #111 in the Beanie Babies collection.
The next morning on Thursday when I was at the firehouse computer, I applied online for work with the Long Island Ducks, based on what the young lady at the Waddle In Shop told me. We shall see what happens. Later in the day I also listened to some talks by Simon Sinek and he talked about a just cause and it recaps as follows: Just Cause: The cause is just and I am willing to sacrifice for it, like turning down something or being away from family. You must pass three things to be a just cause:
The primary benefits go to someone other than the contributor. Cannot make decisions to only help yourself. The others are primary, and you follow them. On the 21st I listened to a TED Talk, How to Believe In Yourself by Jim Cathcart. He said that you know what person you were designed to be. Think like an oak and not an acorn. The acorns have
What kind of seed is in you? He says to see how to make yourself valuable. How would the person I’d like to be do the things I want to do. We must respect and know our nature. How are you smart? What motivates you? How do you come across to other people? Apply and nurture our nature. Jim mentioned Earl Nightingale and spending an extra hour a day studying your chosen field, to become an expert. Nurture your nature and be valuable. How would the person I’d like to be do the things I am about to do?
The next day was a Saturday so Eileen and I went to the Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen at South Shore Mall for a 4 piece meal that we shared, with an additional iced tea and rice & beans side - cheaper than buying two two-piece meals. After lunch we walked through the Mall to Dick’s Sporting Goods and then to the new 7-11 in the Mall. We got two more Kinder Joy eggs and opened up when we got home. We got another space top, which went to Eileen (#95) and put into her room, and a purple racing car (#96). Sunday was a scorcher outside and that means shorts and a t-shirt. I was anxious to go on a short road trip and decided on Hofstra University. After dodging Sunday drivers I finally made it to the campus and parked on the eastern end of the North Campus not far from the Marriott Hotel and the Nassau Coliseum. I started to take photos of the Dome and the softball stadium before driving close to the residential village to take pictures of the buildings, the three bears statue and the field hockey stadium. Then I drove to the South Campus and took photos of Hofstra Hall, sculptures around the small grass quad by Brower Hall, the middle pedestrian walkway over Hempstead Turnpike, the statue of Frederick Douglass across California Avenue, the herb garden by the theater building, as well as the building itself. I left around 3:30 and drove to the Meadowbrook Parkway northbound, and it was rush hour like to where the Northern State and the Meadowbrook merge. I exited at NY 231 and stopped at Uncle Giuseppe’s in North Babylon and bought a chicken pot pie and a dinner of roast chicken and roasted veggies. On Tuesday the 25th I went to the Islip Terrace Post Office to mail three bills and then went next door to 7-11 to get a Kinder Joy egg and then drove to the firehouse for coffee and to check out the egg. It was the monkey hanging sideways from its right side, #97 in the collection. On Wednesday there was a mass shooting at a light rail yard in San Jose CA. The gunman killed 9 coworkers and then himself. News reports said that he had numerous firearms and ammo at his house. Sounds too much like some of the Islip “patriots” and I am worried that it could happen here. On Thursday evening I went to the executive board meeting at the American Legion Post where we discussed what we will be doing on Monday, Memorial Day and also for the month of June.
For the last Saturday, Eileen and I went to Taco Bell for a nice lunch and then parked at the firehouse so we could walk to the ATM room at Chase Bank to deposit a check and then we stopped at Sugared Up so Eileen could finally get Colby – the Ty Beanie Baby field mouse, and #112 in our collection. We then got into the car and stopped at the Nassau Avenue 7-11 for some candy before arriving home. On Monday the 30th the History Channel featured a story about the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot & Massacre. Judging from the false story by the white owned newspapers about a black man assaulting a white woman, the white community went out for blood. Almost 100 years later, trump demonizes Chinese people by calling COVID the China Flu and the Kung Flu – and Asian Americans are getting assaulted regularly. Some things never change. After the Memorial Day ceremonies with the fire department and the American Legion, I came home to change clothes and then head to the cemeteries for another road trip. My first stop was Long Island National Cemetery to check out the graves of Bob Sheppard, the Voice of the Yankees and my speech teacher at St. John’s, as well as two other celebrities – Jules Munshin and Maurice Gosfield, and the parents of my first girlfriend. Then I went to Mt. Saint Mary's Cemetery and visited the mausoleum where my parents' ashes are and where an aunt and uncle are interred. I also went to find the grave of a grade school classmate who was KIA in Vietnam and took photos. I came upon the tombstones of two other couples from Queensboro Hill and photographed them as well. Then I headed home and once in Islip I stopped at the 7-11 on Islip Avenue for some peanuts and a Kinder Joy egg #98. It is the monkey swinging sideways, which I already have so I gave it to Eileen.
June:
On the first morning in June I stopped at the American Legion Post after coffee at the firehouse to help with some building cleanup in a “work detail.” Later in the afternoon Eileen and I walked to Little Shop of Shamrocks to say hello to the owner and get some nice Irish candy. The next day Eileen wanted to see the new movie Cruella, so I checked where it was playing. We decided on the Huntington AMC Theater (actually in East Northport). We arrived there early so we walked around a bit until 2 pm when the doors finally opened. We went upstairs and got popcorn and a bag of M&M’s, which set me back $15.00. The tickets for the two of us were also over $20.00. Definitely sticker shock! As for the movie, I liked the footage of England, especially London and the mansions. Thanks to the movie I wanted to be more fashion conscious but it’s too costly and it's never ending so it’ll never happen. All of the cast members were good. After the movie we headed back to Islip and stopped at the 7-11 at Nassau Avenue where I got the lotto ticket for tonight and two Kinder Joy eggs that we opened up at home: one was a truck with the hood that opens up, that Eileen got (#99). I got the maroon claw truck, which I put into the computer room (#100). Even though I have a green version in the CR-V, I liked the color of this one. On the first Thursday we had our monthly social meeting at my American Legion post, where we discussed our agenda for the next few months On the following evening I stopped at the post again, to say hello to everyone and to wish our recent past commander well in his being sworn in as County Commander. The Saturday Growers Market returned to Town Hall on the 5th and I was up around 8 to head over, and got some strawberries, croissants and bread. Later, Eileen and I went out to lunch at Salah’s Halal Restaurant near St. Mary’s Church. We each had a rice dish – lamb for me and chicken for Eileen. The owner is also a Harley Davison fan, and rides with a bike club. After lunch we went to an estate sale at 68 Suffolk Lane where we got some things: a stuffed bear (named Suffolk, which is #113 in the Beanie Baby collection) for Eileen and a coffee cup for me. Charlie and I exchanged emails about the owner of the restaurant that Eileen and I visited today and told him that the owner is an immigrant, Muslim, brown, and is a Harley owner and rides in a club. Charlie could not understand why I was surprised. Charlie never met the pseudo-patriot schmucks here in Islip. Bravenet sent me a message telling me that my website with them will be shut down if I don’t visit it soon. I did go check it out but just to be certain, made a backup up website about the 2004 Clifford Chance Softball World Series on www.Yola.com. Here is the URL: https://the-clifford-chance-east-coast-softball-challenge.yolasite.com/.
Before lunchtime on June 8th Ellen went to the cardiology practice on Brentwood Road and I watched Eileen. We had lunch and then headed out for a road trip. We would have liked to go walking on a boardwalk but it’s not free until after Labor Day. I finally got her to go with me to Kings Park where we can do some walking and stop at a 7-11. We got off of the Sunken Meadow Parkway at Indian Point Road and took that into the hamlet, and once by Route 25A I went into the fire house parking lot to park – the Islip FD stickers help. I used her camera to take some pix of her and the restaurant across Indian Head Road. It was called Baker Street when Ellen and I almost moved there in 1982, and later it became Long River Chinese, which it remained for some time. Now it is a Brazilian/Portuguese eatery, that I have to check out. We crossed Main Street and took more pix in front of the veterans’ monuments and then went inside the library. We got to use their computers and I was able to print some pictures of Journey dolls for Eileen. Then we headed to Old Dock Road and the dock at the mouth of the Nissequogue River and took more photos. We could not stay too long since its restricted to Smithtown residents and Islip is not part of that town. Then we headed to Pulaski Road and the 7-11 but missed it so I turned onto Old Commack Road and crossed the tracks to make a U-turn. An eastbound train was coming so we stopped at the crossing and that allowed me to take two more pics. We made it to 7-11 where we bought two more Kinder Joy eggs that we opened when we got home. We learned that we got another monkey swinging sideways (#101) and a new one – a blue and yellow parrot (#102). Eileen will get the monkey and the parrot went onto the desk in the computer room. I also uploaded the photos that I took onto the hard drive, Google Photos, and Facebook. On Thursday after lunch Ellen went to Memorial Sloan Kettering in Commack for another mammogram. She has to go back on the 22nd for another biopsy. Yes, I am worried. While Ellen was in Commack, Eileen and I walked through Greenview Village to Little Shop of Shamrocks and back to say hello to the owner and get some Irish candy. On Friday (the 11th) I stopped at the supermarket to get bottled water, and then went to East Islip Shell to gas up the CR-V, and then back to Islip past the former Chatterbox Nursery School and the Hibernians hall to stop at the Saxon Avenue 7-11 to get another Kinder Joy egg – a red and blue rocket car (#103). At 7 pm Ellen and I joined the Zoom meeting of the St. John’s Alumni Wine Tasting. SJU arranged for alumnus-owned Drive Wines to ship us a rosé Pinot Noir and red Zinfandel ,which we each enjoyed with the other alumni on the Internet. The 12th was a Saturday and around 12:30 Eileen and I went to the Islip Post Office and then to the North Babylon Taco Bell for lunch. After we finished we headed home on the Parkway to exit 43 and on Commack Road I saw a sign for a garage sale on Richmond Street. It was at the home of Eileen’s high school friend Marissa and both girls were happy to see each other. Marissa said that what we select was on the house. We got a Beanie Baby dog, named Sarge for Eileen (#114) and a DVD for all of us – For A Few Dollars More. Another friend of Marissa’s, Katrina, made bracelets and Eileen got one – for $2 and she and I each gave Katrina a dollar each. We then went to town to visit Chase Bank – going around masons who were spreading stone dust on the sidewalk outside the pub next door. We walked through the pub to get through the Chase banking floor to get to the ATM room. After the banking visit we walked back to the fire house to get the car and drive to the library. Today I got my DNA results from Ancestry.com. There is 75% Italian in me. The remaining is 14% Greek & Albanian, 7% Turkish and Caucasian Regions, 4% elsewhere (Middle Eastern).
My American Legion Post had its Flag Day ceremonies a day earlier, on Sunday, the 13th. The BPO Elks and Boy Scout Troop 370 would also be there participating. Once the ceremonies began the Elks lodge’s leader gave us the history of the American flag from colonial times through today. He introduced the flags and a member of Troop 370 would bring a sample of the flag in the front. We had the Pine Tree Flag, the Snake Flag, the Grand Union Flag, two 13 Stars & Stripes Flags, the 15 Stars & 15 Stripes Flag, and the 48 Star Flag. The Post had a flag retirement ceremony but no flags were burned since the Islip FD could not stand by. On Tuesday the 15th after lunch the 3 of us went to Babylon Honda to maybe purchase our new Accord - we decided on a white LE trimmed 4 door with an ivory interior. Both Ellen and I test drove it and we liked it. The next day Eileen and Ellen helped me empty out everything from the old Accord's trunk, glove compartment, and consoles. The next morning we left for Babylon Honda to pick up our new Accord. Once we got there we started the paperwork and turned in the keys from the 2009 model and once the paperwork was done we became the proud owners of a 2021 Honda Accord! Ellen drove it home and parked it in the driveway. In the late afternoon I put items that were in the 2009 Accord’s console, glove box and trunk into the same spots on the new one. I also added two Kinder Joy items in the console under the dashboard: the alligator truck and a Minions skin diver. After bowling on Wednesday Eileen and I stopped at the Nassau Avenue 7-11 where we got some candy and she got a new Beanie Baby – from another company named Cats vs Pickles (its website is https://catsvpickles.com/). This cat is named Aloha Cat: #017 in their catalogue and #115 in our Beanie Baby collection. On the 3rd Thursday of the month my American Legion post normally had its second meeting of the month. During the pandemic we were closed for a while and then reopened for one meeting – on the 1st Thursday. But for June 2021 we had the Installation of Officers. I headed down to the Post after I put things back into the new Accord and then help Ellen put the car into the garage. I ran late, since I got stuck at Moffit Boulevard and the LIRR crossing, arriving around 5 minutes late for the swearing in. As I walked in the Auxiliary officers were being sworn in by Suffolk County officers of the Legion Auxiliary and then the Legion officers were sworn in. Since one of the vice-commanders could not make it, I stood in for him and went through the swearing ritual. We had a decent dinner and I got to talk with several of the other Post members.
The next day Ellen and I enjoyed a video of Trevor Noah talking about the 2020 summit in Helsinki between trump and Putin. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/iPh1gFp1vBs. On You Tube I checked some breastfeeding videos, and then a TED talk by Julian Treasure, titled How to Speak So People Want to Listen. There were these main points: He told us to avoid these:
And then acronym - HAIL - to greet or acclaim enthusiastically
After lunch on Father’s Day, Eileen and I went for a walk through Greenview Village to 7-11 where we got some candy and then retraced our steps back home. Around 5:15 we took the new Accord to Viva La Vida in Oakdale for Father’s Day dinner. It was the first trip with the new car since we brought it home, and the first time in 15 months that the 3 of us went together to a restaurant to dine in.
On Tuesday morning Ellen went to the radiologist at the Memorial Sloan Kettering outpost in Commack. The radiologist said that she managed to extract all of the calcifications for testing. The next day she got the great news from Memorial Sloan Kettering that the calcifications were benign.
I also added to my Kinder Joy collection. On Tuesday on the way to the Squad meeting I stopped at 7-11 and ended up with a mandrill sign (#104) which is in the CR-V door. The next day on the way home from coffee at the firehouse I stopped in the 7-11 on Saxon and got a triceratops, #105 in the collection which ended up in the book case. After breakfast I went to East Islip Shell to gas up the CR-V, and on the way home I stopped at the Nassau Avenue 7-11 for a Kinder Joy egg. I got the see-saw with the acrobats on it (a duplicate). It’s #106 in my collection and is on the computer room desk.
Eileen and I went to the Islip Library on Thursday (the 24th) and when we got home we walked through Greenview Village to the Nassau Avenue 7-11, to get some exercise and get some candy. We bought a 4-pack of Reese’s white chocolate peanut butter cups – 2 each for each of us. We also stopped at the auto shop at the fork in Nassau Avenue to take pictures of a 1935 Auburn reproduction. On Thursday morning I headed to the Northport Veterans Administration Hospital for a blood test, as part of the Million Veterans Program. I got there around 8:30, early, and had no trouble finding Building 200. Soon a technician drew blood as part of the program and I was heading home around 9 am.
For lunch on Saturday afternoon Eileen and I went out to lunch at Salah’s in East Islip where she had a chicken gyro and I had a fried chicken sandwich. The meals were good but a bit messy so after lunch we rode to the firehouse to wash up and then went to the library for our usual session. After the hour at the computers we stopped at the Nassau Avenue 7-11 to get some candy for us and a Beanie Baby for Eileen - the New York Giants bear, #116 in the collection.
For the last Monday of the month we drove in our new car east to give it a run and do some sightseeing. I had suggested Wading River but Ellen suggested the Big Duck on Route 24. I said why not. When we got there we learned that it’s still closed, until further notice, due to COVID. Well it saved us some money since we could not buy anything, but we did get a photo op. Once the photo shoot was done we headed to the Sunrise Highway to come home. After my visits with Eileen to the library and 7-11 I took part in a tour of the Transit Authority Museum through the St. John’s Alumni. Too bad that my video camera did not work, making me heard but not seen. But it was great to see some history of the New York City subway system and I even got to give my 2ȼ in. The next day, Tuesday, after Eileen and I came back from the library, I went to the firehouse for a snack and to watch TV, and then went to the Islip Terrace 7-11 and got another Kinder Joy egg – the brown monkey next to a banana palm tree – it’s a duplicate of one in the book case so I put this one on the computer room desk, as #107.
July:
I started July with a meeting at the American Legion post. We swore in a new member who was also installed as the Post’s 3rd Vice Commander. On the first Saturday Eileen and I headed over to Go Greek in Bohemia for lunch. She had been asking that we go to a Greek eatery so I obliged. We ordered a lamb gyro for Eileen and a chicken gyro for me, and a platter of grape leaves to share. We liked it but is was not cheap. After we finished we headed back to Islip and stopped at the 7-11 on Sunrise Highway in Islip Terrace, but we did not get anything since there was nothing we were interested in. We then went to the Nassau Avenue 7-11 and were able to get 2 Kinder Joy eggs which we opened up at home. Eileen got a frog (#108) and I got an elephant (#109). The frog is in her room while the elephant is on the computer room desk. I also looked up critical thinking, and I know that I need to use it more than ever. Here is what one site said:
Steps of Critical Thinking
Eileen and I have continued our walks through Greenview Village along the usual route. After breakfast on the 5th I went to the Bay Shore Stop & Shop to redeem bottles and get some lunch provisions as well as another Kinder Joy egg – a grey gorilla on a tree, #110. Later I read some articles in the Washington Post about COVID and some of its deniers. One covered Appalachian Ohio and the hicks who vote against their own interests. One paraphrased comment said: For years I felt that this country was basically stupid, despite the numerous brilliant and thoughtful citizens, as well as genuine advances in a number of areas about which we collectively can feel some pride. But all these poorly educated and backward-looking folks keep voting against their own interests. Soon they might have the chance to vote for another grifter/trump type, a native Ohio hillbilly, blindly following him into deeper irrelevance while the rest of the nation struggles with the damage wrought by their choices. It is hard to feel sorry for them.
After bowling on Wednesday Eileen and I went to the 7-11 at #2 East Main Street to get some candy and a Kinder Joy egg. It had an albatross - #111 in the collection – which went onto Eileen’s end table. A couple of days later I drove to the 7-11 at 500 Islip Avenue and got some candy and another Kinder Joy egg – the Marvel Hero With Rocket Hand III - #112 in the collection, which I also gave to Eileen. The 10th was a Saturday and in the early afternoon Eileen and I went to the Islip Library and after our 60 minute computer sessions, we headed to Taco Bell for lunch. After we finished lunch we rode to the firehouse to park the car and walk to Chase Bank to use the ATM and then stopped at Sugared Up for some candy and a Beanie Baby – Mandarin, who looks like a cat. He is #117 in the collection. We also went past the new cookie store next door to Mango Tango – Duchess Cookies. There was a large crowd outside so we decided not to go inside right now. But I did take two pix of Eileen with my cellphone The next day, Sunday, I went to the crafts fair at the Suffolk County Transportation yard at Saxon Avenue and Union Boulevard. There were several tables, including the Ladies’ Auxiliary of my American Legion post. I got several free items and did not spend any money. Like the day before at Duchess Cookies, I took photos, this time with my Canon camera, and also uploaded them to the hard drive, Google Photos, and Facebook. A few days later I headed to the PSEG office in Brentwood to pay our bill in person since the check we mailed to PSEG had not yet cleared. It turns out that the office is being renovated and I was told to pay by phone or go to another location like Lindenhurst or Patchogue. Oh, well. On Friday I accessed our Chase account online and it turned out that our check we had mailed to PSEG cleared on the 15th, so that saved me a trip to their office in Lindenhurst. After I learned that I could not pay my bill at PSEG Brentwood, I went to Fairfield Properties Park to maybe get a Long Island Ducks stuffed critter but the Waddle Inn Shop would not open for a few hours. Next stop was the Suffolk County CC Brentwood campus to maybe get something at the bookstore. It was closed too. I had been looking for a “mascot” to put onto the dashboard – something that will stay put. I then came back to Islip and visited my favorite 7-11 at Nassau Avenue. I got myself a coconut flavored coffee and a dashboard critter – a purple frowning octopus that I named Grapes. He will be #118 in the collection but will be in the CR-V instead of the house.
On Friday evening, Ellen and I went through her father’s old slides. We were able to transfer a few to the hard drive but then the upload stopped. One box was of the 1964 World’s Fair – a trip down Memory Lane for me, and another was from the 1939 World’s Fair – maybe not Memory Lane but a great trip just the same. The next morning I was up a bit early and headed to the Growers Market and then the firehouse, where I had some coffee and watched TV. On the way home, I stopped at the Rusy Bohm Post to check out the parking lot (yard) sale. While I did not buy anything, I saw a few things that either Eileen or I might like and planned to go back later with her. In the early afternoon Eileen and I went to the Islip Library to use the computers and when our session was over we drove to Deer Park Avenue in North Babylon to have lunch at a Chinese eatery called Hau Sing Kitchen. We shared a won ton soup and then I enjoyed spicy chicken, while Eileen had shrimp with Chinese veggies. It was pretty good but the dine in area had no A/C. When we were done I paid for it - $18.24 – and then we headed back to Islip to get a pack of store brand 7-Select cookies from 7-11 that we shared. 7-Select is as good as the name brands, and less expensive. When we arrived at the Post just before 3 pm we saw that it was over and the lot cleared out. They must have sold everything! We then went to an estate sale on Richardson Lane and checked out what they had. Since it was a scorcher we decided to make it a short visit and came home with a free stuffed Christmas penguin that Eileen named Henry - #119 in the Beanie Baby collection. The next day I went to the firehouse to watch TV and saw an episode of The Untouchables from 1961, titled The Loophole. The guest star was Jack Klugman, with other supporting actors like Martin Landau, Gavin Macleod, Karen Verne, and Joe Turkel. For Sunday dinner the 3 of us went to Viva la Vida in Oakdale. I had chicken with chipotle sauce, and Eileen & I shared a tortilla with avocado soup. The bill was over $130 but we don’t do this that often. On Monday after firehouse coffee Ellen told me that our doctor’s office called me 10 minutes prior. I was a bit worried because maybe borderline diabetic (?). When I got through they told me to come down to the office for another blood draw. It turns out that my potassium level is high and could lead to cardiac arrest. I have to drink more water and stay away from bananas and coconuts in excess. No problem here – I don’t like bananas and the only coconut I had was coconut flavored coffee last week and some macaroons after the fire department meeting. On Tuesday I went to my appointment at Northwell Urology Associates in Hauppauge. They ran a bit late and while my appointment was at 11 am, they did not get to see me until 11:36. No problem, I was not going anyplace. So far the prostate may be a bit enlarged, but no cancer. After breakfast on the 23rd Ellen went to the dentist in Great Neck so I watched Eileen. We decided on a walk through Greenview Village, the LIRR parking lot and on to the Little Shop of Shamrocks for some nice Irish items at 33% off. We spoke with the owner and her assistant, and in the end we got a pair of shamrock socks and a new Irish doll for Eileen, and some unsweetened cookies for all of us. All three items cost a total of $16.42. We then walked back home along the same route. I listened to one of Brené Brown’s TED talks about fitting in versus belonging: Have the Courage to Stand Alone (Find True Belonging). Fitting in requires that you do things that you don’t want to do so you will belong but it’s not a real connection (these “friends” will usually not be there for you). Belonging allows you to not change but lets you still be you and still have the friends that you wanted. Brings back my time in high school when I wanted to have lots of friends, and at SJU when I wanted to be in a frat to supposedly have lots of friends. The next day was a Saturday so in the afternoon Eileen and I went to Taco Bell in Islip for lunch. Since we spent a bit more last week at the restaurant, I told her that it’s either McDonald’s or Taco Bell this time. Eileen opted for Taco Bell. Around 5:50 on Tuesday Eileen and I headed into town to go to the block party on Main Street. It was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the Tradewinds music group. We parked at the Rusy Bohm Post and walked to Main Street, which was closed between Town Hall and Smith Avenue, and headed to Coyle’s to have ice cream: vanilla chocolate chip for Eileen and Erin’s Irish cream for me. We then walked towards Smith Avenue and stopped at a table that the Presbyterian Church set up. We spun their wheel and I won a bottle of water while Eileen won candy. Since we are both trying to lose weight I asked that they give her popcorn. Eileen wanted to go home so we walked back towards Town Hall. By Bubba’s we ran into my friend Michelle along with her husband and daughter. I took a photo of Eileen and Michelle and suggested that we all get together again, like we did in January 2020. There was a photo op at the Town Hall Veterans Park before going back to the Post’s parking lot to come home. On Thursday I was up at the usual time but did not go to the firehouse since the man from Roto Rooter came by at around 9 am. It turns out that we did have a slight leak in the water main that had to be fixed so it would not get worse, and we could stop paying for water that we do not actually use. The excavators came a bit later and used a back hoe to expose that pipe and replace it. They had to shut off the water to the house so I went to the firehouse to brush my teeth after lunch and use the “facilities.” After they finished the lawn has dirt and sand where they dug up, and we will have to ask the landscaper to fix that next week. Someone posted on Quora about New York City and why people live there despite the crime. Responders said that per capita, the crime rate is lower than most other major cities. And it has people with open minds where you can live your life without harassment and/or persecution. There are people from all over the world, and therefore cuisines from all over the world. I ended July by sticking around the house most of the day except to take Eileen with me to Taco Bell for lunch, and to go to the firehouse for coffee, use the facilities, and change the wallpaper on my computer account. I then went to the library to print 6 pix for Eileen. Roto Rooter was back to replace the spigots and pipes for the outside water supply. Cost us around $1,000.00. But the pipes and spigots needed to be replaced.
August:
I started August by going to the 9 am Mass at St. Mary’s. Father talked about going to Church to get something out of it, and not just to ask God for something. We should have a relationship to God and the Church. He used an analogy of buying cheese at the supermarket – you go there to get something but normally would not have a relationship with the company. So that is the attitude that I want to cultivate. Ellen, Eileen and I started August with having our Sunday dinner at Vinny’s Mulberry Street in East Islip. I had a new chicken dish with peppers, sausages and shrimp; Ellen had short ribs; and Eileen enjoyed shellfish. After dinner we gave the new car a run by driving through Great River and then along the Parkway back to Islip. On Tuesday I was able to take out Sooley and resumed reading it from page 97. The next day I culled the collection of Kinder Joy friends. Duplicates and a few that I don’t really like were taken from the bookcase, Eileen’s Room, the computer room and the CR-V and put into a bag and with the ones that were in the CR-V console and were put into the old toy chest in the TV room. There are only 75 now on display in those three rooms and the two cars. After lunch on the 5th, I drove out to Patchogue, parked at the Patchogue firehouse, walked to Main Street, and checked out the Paper Doll Curiosity. Across Main Street, Duchess Cookies took over the former Sensationally Sweet storefront but like its Islip counterpart, is closed for maintenance. On the way home I stopped at the 7-11 on Waverly Avenue and Roe Boulevard and treated myself to a coffee and a small bottle of hand sanitizer, before heading back to Islip, where I stopped at the firehouse and the library. Later in the evening I went to the business meeting at the American Legion post. We mentioned the fact that thanks to the Delta variant of COVID, we may have to go back to 2020 precautions and cancel events and watch the Town of Islip cancel all activities.
On Saturday the 7th Eileen and I went out for our weekly lunch, this time to Bubba's Burrito Bar here in Islip. It is a very popular spot here and from what we had today, I can see why. We split a burrito and each of us also had iced tea and a taco – for just over $20. We then went to the library for the usual. I took out U2’s earliest album, Joshua Tree. Earlier I had taken out Achtung Baby and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Later in the day I went to the 4:30 Mass and Father talked about going to Mass because we want to and brought up guilt from his Irish American family. While I am only Irish by marriage, the nuns at St. Ann’s were all Irish American and I picked up Irish guilt. The next day was Sunday, and poured all morning, so Ellen and I decided to scrap our trip to the North Fork, and maybe do it next week. In the afternoon I went to Uncle Giuseppe’s to get a rotisserie chicken, Cole slaw, potato salad, chicken croquettes, and pastry for Sunday dinner. I took Bay Shore Road to the store this time and stopped at a 7-11 for coffee. No critters for the dashboard, though. The next day I went to the firehouse for morning coffee and on the way down I stopped at the Nassau Avenue 7-11 and got my new dashboard mascot – an orange octopus, who I named Otto after the Syracuse University mascot. He is on the dashboard and is #120 in the Beanie baby collection. At 1 pm on the 10th I joined a Zoom meeting with the St. John’s University McCallen Society covering social sites on the Internet, called Tech 101. Finally, I learned how to add pix on Instagram. I was able to go to the apps store on my I-phone and add the New York State Excelsior app onto the phone and got a COVID vaccination card downloaded. Now I have to do a few things on Google to send files more efficiently.
I did some edits to a kind of tongue in cheek website about a micronation whose symbol and flag charge will be the heron. I read that herons are somewhat solitary and avoid crowds. I know that I am happiest when I try to be me, not follow the crowd, and be content with the family and few friends that I have. The pattern showed that since high school, wanting a lot of friends only made things worse. Today I don’t have my parents pressuring me to mingle with others whether I am comfortable with those people or not. After Eileen and I came home from bowling, I listened to a Youtube video about the killing of the mind and the rise of blind followers. The link is https://youtu.be/09maaUaRT4M. This video is both scary and true. Hopefully I will not become like the masses, but think for myself.
After the 13th's supermarket trip I had lunch and then did some errands like the post office, the ATM at Chase, and then I decided to drive to Kings Park to unwind and maybe visit a few places. I parked at the firehouse and walked across 25A to the library to use it for around 40 minutes. Then I walked to the Long Island Toy and Hobby Store and after chatting with the owner, got a small plastic statue of a Ninja that makes farting noises when a button is pushed. I wanted to gas the car up but noticed that it’s at least 15ȼ more per gallon in Kings Park than in Islip, so that meant doing it when I got home. After visiting the Islip Avenue Valero to get $20 worth, I went to the firehouse for a slice of leftover pizza and some club soda, and then called Ellen from the district phone to tell her that I would be home in a few minutes and that my cell phone had died.
Since the next day was Saturday lunch Eileen and I went to the local Taco Bell and then we headed back home to go for a walk through Greenview Village. The next day the 3 of us had dinner at Aji 53 in Smithtown. I tried a seaweed salad and recommend it to everyone. On the way home we took 25A through Smithtown and Kings Park to the Sunken Meadow Parkway and then to the Southern State Parkway. On Monday morning I went to the firehouse for coffee, and maybe a bagel with cream cheese left over from the OSHA class. There were not many types of bagels left that I would enjoy - and the night before some schmuck left the freezer door open in the walk-in fridge so the water, milk and cream cheeses were frozen. The cream cheese was tossed out. When I got home, we went to Babylon Honda to drop the CR-V off for maintenance. And $890 later it was as good as new when I picked it up in the afternoon. Later in the afternoon, after I returned Sooley I returned it and took out Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley Ford. This book was also recommended by Square Books LLC, as were most of the others that I have read so far this year.
On Tuesday morning I walked down to the LIRR station. I was heading to Manhattan to meet up with my friend Charlie & his wife Debbie and do some walking around Manhattan. It would be my first time on the Long Island Railroad & the subway, as well as in Manhattan, since I retired on December 31, 2019. I got the 9:41 out of Islip and it got me into Penn at 11:08. I then headed over to the 7th Avenue subway station to take the #2 train to Times Square and grab the 42nd Street Shuttle to take it to Grand Central. Once there I called Charlie & Debbie and we headed to Shake Shack for lunch before we walked to 5th Avenue to check out some stores and then went to Rockefeller Center. I took some pix of a large statue in from of 30 Rock and then we went into FAO Schwartz. I did not buy anything but Charlie & Debbie bought stuffed animals for the granddaughters. Then it was the Magnolia Bakery but none of us bought anything. Since my friends are Yankees fans, we went to the Yankees Clubhouse on West 49th Street to maybe get something. I bought two squash ‘em characters in Major League Baseball uniforms – one for Eileen and one for me. One was of the Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera (#24) , and the other was the Orioles’ John Means (#67). The next day I picked John while Eileen got Miguel. We also took in Times Square before walking back to their hotel at 45th & Lex. It was time to relax, use the computer, recharge the cell phones, and take pix. There was more walking and we revisited FAO Schwartz and Rockefeller Center. Then, since Charlie & Debbie had to meet some University of Dayton grads at John’s, we got the subway at Rockefeller Center station and took it downtown. They got off at West 4th Street while I continued to East Broadway and walked to Chatham Square and then Mott Street. It was another photo op for me: Mott Street, Five Points, Columbus Park, Pell Street and then Doyers Street. I had dinner at the Taiwan Pork Chop House – marinated duck with rice. It came to $8.45 and after I paid the bill, I went to St. James Place and walked towards the South Street Seaport. More photo ops and then I made it to the Seaport before walking to the Fulton Street station to grab a #4 train to Atlantic Avenue to get the LIRR to Jamaica for the Montauk train. I was home around 9:45.
On Thursday morning (the 19th) I learned that my cousin-in-law’s mom passed away on Wednesday night from COPD and maybe also COVID. She was less than 10 years older than Ellen and I are. In the evening I watched two George Goodman League all-star games. After lunch I went to Stop & Shop to redeem bottles and buy a ½ gallon of milk and get items from the deli counter. On the way to the checkout, I saw that Kinder Joy released Halloween themed products so I decided to get one, even if I had to eat a small amount of candy. I got a blue jack o’ lantern person, #114, and I put it into the console of the CRV. We are concerned with Tropical Storm Henri so Ellen sent me out to gas up the two cars on Friday afternoon. I also had to go back to Stop & Shop for water, and then to 7-11 for ½ & ½.
On Saturday it was the usual Growers Market and then coffee at the firehouse, and for lunch Eileen and I went to Taco Bell, and on the way home we stopped at a yard sale at a house on South Bay Avenue. Eileen got a red fox for $1, and since there were so many stuffed animals being sold, the young lady of the house said we could have another for free. We selected a small polar bear. Two stuffed animals for $0.50 each! The fox got the name Fox N Sox; the bear is named Polar and are #121 & 122 in the collection. Ellen also sent me to Uncle Giuseppe’s and I got the usual stuff. On Sunday it poured thanks to Tropical Storm Henri , but later it also moved further east so Islip didn’t get any high winds.
On Monday after breakfast, we left to go to the Kennedy Roth Funeral Home in Woodside for the wake of Ellen’s aunt. It was great to see Ellen’s maternal cousins and talk with them, but I wish that it had been under better circumstances. We left around 6 pm to head back to Islip and to have dinner at Oconee Diner. We were back at the funeral home on Tuesday morning and once there we had a few prayers and eulogies and then headed to All Faiths Cemetery near Christ the King High School for the burial. After the eulogies and dropping flowers into the grave we headed to the Bantry Bay Publick House on Greenpoint Avenue not far from its bridge. It’s a nice Irish restaurant, with several TV screens tuned in to sporting events. I had a new dish of chicken thighs with mozzarella cheese and cherry peppers. After lunch we went outside for a couple of pix before we said our goodbyes. Then it was the LIE home where people were rubbernecking and crawling.
Sadly, Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts passed away at the age of 80 on the 24th. We knew that he went into the hospital for surgery, but he must have been more ill that we all realized. RIP Charlie, the Rolling Stones and the music world will never be the same without you. With the passing of Charlie, my interest in and the admiration for the Rolling Stones has increased. Along with the Beatles, they are probably the most important musical influences on me.
With Hurricane Ida hitting Louisiana, my interest in the Pelican State has been revived. Would love to visit but probably not want to live there. On the last Thursday I read articles on www.reddit.com about people who refused vaccinations, got COVID, and died or are on ventilators. Some commenters said that these vaccine deniers should not take up a bed in a hospital that could go to a cancer patient or someone with a disease that they did not bring upon themselves. After lunch I drove to the 7-11 on Sunrise Highway and got a small coffee and another Kinder Joy egg. It had the see saw with two lemurs, #115 in the collection. Since we have one in the bookcase, I gave this one to Eileen. On Saturday morning after the growers market I went to the firehouse. It was a bit chilly, compared to yesterday – 20 degree drop. Later on, Eileen and I went to the South Shore Mall to have lunch at Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen. We bought a 4 piece combo meal and an extra iced tea, and with tax it was around $14.00. We did a short walk through the mall and even stopped at their 7-11 but we did not see Kinder Joy eggs or 7-Select cookies. We then headed out to the car and it had started to pour. We drove to Route 231 and took it to Union Boulevard and then visited the two West Islip 7-11’s. Neither had what we were looking for but I did get Saturday’s lotto ticket at the Higbee Lane location. We then decided to go to our favorite 7-11 at Nassau Avenue. We were able to get 7-Select cookies and two Kinder Joy eggs. Once home we checked out what we got: a monkey & the palm tree (#116), which is for Eileen. I got the green claw car (#117), which will go into the Accord’s console. On Sunday after lunch Eileen and I went to a yard sale in East Islip on West Madison Street where she got Beanie Baby #124 – Bucky Beaver, and I got another coffee cup. Then we went to the carnival at St. Mary’s. Once there we walked around and I took pix with the camera, and Eileen went up to Miss Melissa from Dance Connection to say hello to her. I talked with her and had Eileen show her the pix that I printed, including the one of Melissa with her husband and kids. I then took a couple of Eileen and Melissa together. We were going to get ice cream but the person manning the trailer was not there so we went to Coyle’s to enjoy cotton candy (me) and Oreo (Eileen). The young lady took 3 pix of Eileen with me in front of the Yankee photos by the front window. But without her sunglasses, Eileen kept squinting in all the pix we took. I ended this month with a mini-road trip with Eileen to Kings Park, exiting the Sunken Meadow each way at Pulaski Road instead of Route 25A. We had planned to get the lotto ticket, 7-Select cookies and maybe a small critter (for Eileen) at the Kings Park 7-11, but we were only able to get the lotto ticket as they did not have the other items. We then drove to the Kings Park Library to use their computers, and before we went inside, I took two photos of Eileen in the parking lot by a playground sign, and next to a sculpture. After our session, we walked to the Chase Bank branch on Indian Head Road to deposit a check and to take out $200.00 from the ATM. We then headed back to Islip and the Nassau Avenue 7-11, where we got our 7-Select lemon cream cookies and Eileen got a new stuffed animal – Mia Robin - #125 in the collection. It is made by a company called Surprizeanimals. It’s a surprise because the animals are inside a plastic ball and like Kinder Joy and a few other companies, you don’t know what you have until you open it. We were going to get Kinder Joy eggs but that would mean buying candy.