Tuesday This and That

Miracles happen to those who believe in them.

Bernard Berenson

 Miss Minga on Sunday while I played a game on the computer.  She is always at my feet.  Love this little girl.

What a weekend it was!  It was a weekend of stress, grief, and miracles.  It was a weekend of remembering those who went before, those who gave their lives that we may be free.  I honored my loved ones by visiting their graves online and placing flags in remembrance.  This was the first year I was able to place one on both my maternal grandfather and father's graves.  Last year at this time I they were not online, but thanks to some wonderful volunteers I now have photos of their grave sites.

Our Lady of Lourdes was with us this weekend. She always is there for me in difficult times.

Let's see, what else did I do this weekend?   Well, for one thing, I went and got myself a new phone.  My old one is working well, but it is too small, and my eyesight is not as it once was so it was hard to see the letters.  I got the same phone only in a larger size.  That way I don't have to re-learn how to use it.

I lost myself in a great book this past weekend.  It isn't the sort of book I would normally buy, and in all honesty, I don't even know how I found it on Amazon, but I am glad that I did. Once I started reading I couldn't stop until I completed it.  The book is called, 'We'll Go To Coney Island' by Barbara Scheiber.  The book relates the story of Aaron and Minna who reside in the tenements of the Lower East Side in New York City in the early 1900's. An occasional trip to Coney Island is like traveling to the other side of the world.  Minna is a young Jewish immigrant; Aaron is a dreamer and quite a ladies' man, but nevertheless Minna falls madly in love, and they marry.  Minna bears Aaron two children, Rachel and Daniel.  But the day eventually comes when she is tired of spending her nights alone, and they divorce.  Here is the book overview:

 'We'll Go to Coney Island' a novel in stories by Barbara Scheiber, tells the story of two generations of a family, haunted by a magnetic father's endless search for love. At the dawn of the twentieth century, with only the force of his charm, intellect and "golden tongue," Aaron Gershon escaped the Jewish tenements of New York City's Lower East Side. Courting the women who loved him with promises and dreams, Aaron left a tide of longing in his wake. The stories follow his wives, his lovers and his daughter as they are swept in and out of his orbit and ultimately learn to walk their own paths.

Needless to say, not only did I not want the book to end, but it also made me yearn for those  those seemingly more innocent times. For example, in the heat of summer, they soothed themselves by sleeping on fire escape or  the roof. Who amongst us city dwellers would do that today? Sadly, we don't even know most of our neighbors enough to even say hello. Or got up before dawn and headed to the park while it was still cool...something we could never think of doing today. They knew nothing about air conditioning, something we could not live without.

Speaking of books, I am so happy.  About 21 years ago when hubby and I first moved to Brooklyn I had purchased "The Brooklyn Cookbook". It was a fabulous book, and each chapter filled with fantastic recipes and heartwarming stories  that capture the essence of the different Brooklyn ethnic groups from the 40's through the 80's. Each recipe had its own story of origin.  Basically, it is a history book filled with amazing old-fashioned recipes. We've moved four times since then, and the book was lost along the way. I've searched and searched and have never been able to replace it until...last night I found it online and bought it.  Can't wait for it to arrive. 

Before I sign off, I do have a laugh for you.  I was trying to record a greeting for my voice mail on my new phone, but once recorded, I couldn't find it.  Then, on Sunday hubby was fiddling around trying to help me with recording sound, and he stumbled across it.  Guess where it was?  On You Tube with the title 'Greeting' by unknown artist.

And with that, I'm off for a shower.   I missed going to the Center yesterday.  I need that time to unwind and be amongst others.  Have a great day.