songbird's crazy world

 We signed the lease for the new house Thursday. On Friday I told our current landlord that we’re moving. He posted an ad Friday night and he’s got prospective tenants coming tonight,

 Another “your choice” week. Before I get to my theme, here’s a baseball song from the 80’s that just seems appropriate right now. Figure out my theme.               

 This is what’s growing at my house,

If you live on Long Island you’re acutely aware of the multiple levels of local government — county government, school district, fire district, water district …But most municipal services come from “the Town”. There are three townships in Nassau County — Hempstead, North Hempstead and Oyster Bay — and 10 townships in Suffolk County. We live in Hicksville, which is within the Town of Oyster Bay.  The Town is named after the hamlet of Oyster Bay, a community located on the shores of Long Island Sound, most famous as the location of Sagamore Hill, Teddy Roosevelt’s family home.   One benefit of living in the Town of Oyster Bay — residents can get a beach pass to use Tobay Beach, a lovely facility on Jones Island, just east of Jones Beach State Park. Another benefit? You know all those documents you don’t want to throw away because they contain too much identifying information?  Bring them to the town waste disposal facility on Homeowners Cleanup Day and the Town will happily shred the pap

 We signed the lease Thursday.  The new house will be ours on July 1. Can’t wait.  The new house is significantly larger than our current abode, and the layout is perfect for entertaining friends and family.   We plan to move July 15,  That will give us two weeks of overlap, where we can figure out what goes where before the movers show up. Our current landlord isn’t happy to see us leave.  He’s being a bit …difficult.  I gave him official notice Friday afternoon, and the house was listed on Zillow Friday night.  I’m not sorry that my time dealing with him is coming to an end. The new place has a professional property manager, we haven’t met the owner and are unlike to meet her.  So there are a ton of things we need to do.  I should make a list…maybe I can find the list I made last year, when we moved into this house. I am nervous and anxious but I am also excited.

  I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive Welcome to   Saturday 9 . What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme! Saturday 9: I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive (1952) Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it  here .  1) In this song, Hank Williams sings that his fishing pole is broke and the creek is full of sand. OK, so he can't spend his Saturday fishing. What are your Saturday plans? I’ve got a pool pass and I’m not afraid to use it. Actually most of my day will be devoted to packing,  we signed a lease on a new house, and we will be moving shortly. 2) He regrets how sha

 What would you have done? As I mentioned before, I live near a public park — climb over my back fence and you’ll find yourself in the park. Just beyond the park is a public elementary school. Walk in the opposite direction and in about half a mile you’ll reach the Catholic high school.  Walk another half a mile and you’ll find the public high school.  We’ve reached the end of the school year, the high school students are in the midst of final exams. We’re in the midst of a heat wave.  It’s 90° out there right now. A few minutes ago my doorbell rang.  It was two young ladies from the Catholic high school. Given our proximity to three schools I would never be surprised by students going door to door selling …whatever they sell for school fundraisers these days. But these girls weren’t selling anything,  After their final exam they had walked over to the park, and were now on their way back to school.  Could they please have a bottle of water? I gave them each a bottle of Poland Spring.

 They love the window. They love watching birds on the lawn.

 Yes, that was a dragon wrapped around the Empire State Building.  Actually it was a giant balloon, placed there to promote the tv show House of the Dragon.   I’m used to seeing King Kong put in an occasional appearance, but a dragon?  🐉  Very nice.  There are times I miss traveling into the city. The Mets are hot!  A seven-game winning street and suddenly they’re contenders for the wild card … I hope they can keep it up. Speaking of “hot”, the heat wave continues.  Yeah, summer has arrived in force. And by the time you read this we will have signed a lease! Yeah, we got the house.  It’s about a mile from here, but it has a Levittown address (goodbye Hicksville).  It’s a Levitt house, but the owners built up and built out so you can barely recognize the original structure. The kitchen seems a bit small because they added additional counters and cabinet space, but the living room/dining room is huge!  I’m already planning the menu for when we invite friends.   I’m excited.

 I got my first Fitbit activity tracker in 2015, and while I have experimented with other brands, I always come back to Fitbit. I  currently wear a Fitbit Sense 2, but I still have my original Versa and my Luxe.   I’m thinking I might upgrade to the Google Pixel smartwatch (Google bought Fitbit a couple of years ago), but maybe I’ll wait… …because rumor has it that a Fitbit is developing a smart ring; smart rings are the latest trend.  The leader in ring technology is Oura, but Samsung is about to release a ring.  And according to  Forbes , the Samsung ring and watch will work together, so you can wear both devices and get better data.  I’d like to see Fitbit do that ,,, I am amazed at myself, being so enthused about fitness trackers.

There are a few large, ugly weeds growing among the gladiols.  Ugh … Looks like the orange lilies are back, I’ll have to post a picture later. I’m going to miss the flowers, but the pine cones and pine needles … sorry not sorry to leave those behind. We’re having a heat wave … a tropical heat wave … and it’s not even summer yet.  The solstice arrives tomorrow.   I’m going to have to get that beach pass …  Fingers crossed … landlord requires a background check … then the next step would  be signing the lease …

 The Mets retired his number in 2022, belatedly keeping a promise made in the 1970’s. He played in the Negro League, then the NY Giants and the San Francisco Giants before ending his career with the Mets. One of the greatest players of all time, he died yesterday at age 93. Rest in peace, Willie Mays.

 Got my refund for the purple dress.  Moving on … So I ordered shoes for the wedding,  they’ll be here next week.  The ones I had in my closet just didn’t seem to go with the vibe Becca wants. I also bought something to change into at the reception.  Slippers   I plan to do a lot of dancing at the wedding … Still waiting to hear about the house, but I think I may have found another house I like…can we fast forward to ‘the lease is signed, here are the keys”? I really want this to be resolved,   In the meantime we’ve started to pack up the house. We will be ready to move as soon as we have a new place. So grateful for the pool pass now that we’re about to experience our first heat wave of the summer. It’s very hard to focus on work when there’s a sleeping cat in your lap.  Shadow is my baby.   Duchess has never been a lap cat.  She’s affectionate but simply won’t curl up in anyone’s lap. She’ll rub against me, let me pet her, but no one can pick her up or cuddle her.  ,

 And it’s time for the Father’s Day tribute. My father’s name was Leon.  We always called him “Lion”.  So I’ll focus on songs about lions.         And this last one … when my father worked at the day camp he took the melody of this song and rewrote the lyrics, made a song about the group of boys he worked with … but the original song is about Lions!   

 When Levitt & Sons erected their prefab houses in the 1940’s and 1950’s, they didn’t just build homes, they built communities.  Neighborhoods throughout Levittown included shopping centers, parks/playgrounds and pools!  There are 9 swimming pools throughout the Levittown area (two are actually here in Hicksville) maintained by our local municipality, but use of the pools is limited to those who live in a Levitt house.  All you need to do is go to Levittown Hall, show proof of identity and residency, and you will be given a pool pass good at all 9 pools. Well … we live in a Levitt house.  And we have a pool pass. The closest pool is actually about half a mile from my house.  I often  walk past the pool  during afternoon walks.  So I packed my towel, pool pass and sunglasses, donned my suit, and walked to the pool for my first swim of the season. The water was a bit cold, as you’d expect in an outdoor, unheated pool.  But I was able to do a few laps in the lap lane, which felt so go

 We saw a house yesterday.  It was listed for rent on Thursday and we were the first prospective tenants.  We put in our application as soon as we walked out of the house.  Broker had two additional appointments to show the house yesterday. Still upset about the first house, it would have been perfect, but this house is very nice, has a great location, and we’d love living there.  I want this settled soon.  Fingers crossed. We had our Father’s Day celebration last night.  Jen is going to a bridal shower today.  She’s a bridesmaid and has known the bride since they were in kindergarten.   Besides, Becca and Brendon had to run errands for their wedding, so they were out on Long Island all day.    The restaurant was wonderful, even had numerous gluten free choices.   So today we’ll do some cleaning and packing.  Friday night could be interesting…the full moon coincides with the summer solstice…will there be magic in the air? Look what showed up in our garden.  I’m not sure what it is, but

 Sigh.  We didn’t get the second house.  Still looking…we have feelers out on several houses… wish us luck. Shadow lived up to her name yesterday.  I think she was a bit clingy, probably because of the unsettling weather — we were anticipating thunderstorms in the afternoon. The storm didn’t hit until 7:30; it was wild but didn’t last very long. Drew’s tux issues have been resolved, he will head back to the tailor next week.  Now on to my shoes … I love a man who picks up dinner on his way home.  There’s a great chicken restaurant, it’s called  Zorn’s , And it’s been a Long Island staple since 1940.   It started as a poultry farm, but eventually the food service part of the business took over.   Cherries!  I found cherries at Trader Joe’s, and I’ve been indulging. 

  Wait Till You See Him Welcome to   Saturday 9 . What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme! Saturday 9: Wait Till You See Him (1967) This song was chosen in honor of Father's Day. Hear it  here . 1) This is Nancy Sinatra's celebration of her father, Frank. She singles out the sound of his laugh as something special. Do you know anyone who has a great laugh? Nothing out of the ordinary.  But I really love my daughter’s giggle. 2) Frank Sinatra recorded this song himself a decade earlier.  It was one of more then 1,400 recordings he made over his career. When you think of him, what so

 So … I sampled the gluten free options at MetLife stadium (great burgers), UBS Arena (cheeseburgers and hot dogs) and Citi Field (burgers, chicken tenders, quesadillas, but pre cooked and under a heat lamp …). But the best ballpark for gluten free food?  Fairfield Properties Ballpark, the home of the Long Island Ducks.   You have to have access to the Duck Club (the full service restaurant), and it’s a bit more expensive than the food at the concession stand, but …there are many options and it’s all cooked to order.  Last night I had a sausage and peppers hero with French fries, and the most delectable flourless chocolate cake …The options include hot dogs, burgers, grilled chicken, a roast beef sandwich and pulled pork. So I was able to actually enjoy a meal AND watch some interesting baseball.  Not a bad way to spend an evening.

 A first — Duchess came upstairs to my office. I’m used to Shadow traipsing in and out, but Duchess tends to stay downstairs. I think she’s starting to like me again.

 With India’s victory over the USA, Eisenhower Park’s hosting of cricket games is officially done.  I tried to avoid the neighborhood during the cricket matches, but I had to go there earlier this week because of a doctor’s appointment.  Traffic wasn’t too bad that day.  But I am glad to get my park back. We put in an application for a rental house, and should hear back shortly.  Fingers crossed. I may not have to buy shoes for the wedding.  I have a dressy pair of sandals, I have to see if they go with the dress. The purple dress saga … finally heard back from the company, they canceled the order and will issue me a refund. Or so they said.  I’ll believe it when the money is in my hand. Drew is frustrated.  He bought a tux, took it to his tailor … tailor said it’s too small, he has to exchange it …

 Today is Shavuot, a very important  Jewish holiday. Shavuot is the commemoration of Moses receiving the Law at Mount Sinai.  On Passover we remember the Exodus from Egypt, on Shavuot we remember the Ten Commandments.   It’s observed with prayers in the synagogue and a festive meal at home. What’s different about Shavuot? Traditionally we don’t eat meat on Shavuot.  We feast on blitzes, cheesecake, noodle pudding, anything dairy …  It’s tied to words from the Song of Songs, “Honey and milk are under your tongue, and that Israel is called “the land of milk and honey”. I found gluten-free cheese blintzes and gluten-free cheesecake.  Pure happiness.

 My cousin J, who lives in Myrtle Beach, was unable to attend Becca’s shower, but sent her love and a generous gift. My cousin loves to tell the story about her own bridal shower.  J and her late husband got married in 1964.  My mom and my dad’s sister Sonia (who lived with us) decided to share the cost of a  shower gift, and bought a toaster.   Well, apparently that toaster was built to last.  In July 2023 my cousin posted that she still uses that toaster every single morning. My mom is gone, my aunt is long gone, J’s husband died about a year ago, but that toaster endures.

 We may have found something …not perfect but close enough …fingers crossed.

 Another “your choice” week. As you know, I’m  from Long Island.  It’s a beautiful and diverse place.  And it has been the source of much of our pop culture.  You can hang out with Billy Crystal (Long Beach), Rodney Dangerfield (Babylon),  Melissa Joan Hart (Smithtown), Ralph Macchio (Dix Hills), Eddie Murphy (Roosevelt), Kate McKinnon (Sea Cliff), Idina Menzel (Syosset), Rosie O’Donnell (Commack), Telly Savalas(Garden City), Carl  Yastrzemski (Southampton), Natalie Portman (Jericho), Tony Danza (Malverne) Let’s start with a girl from Merrick.    From Hewlett A band from Massapequa (according to Jerry Seinfeld, “Massapequa “ means “near the mall” — when Seinfeld lived in Massapequa he must have spent quite a bit of time at the Sunrise Mall.)    (Massapequa is also the hometown of the Baldwin brothers.) From Levittown     From Freeport   From Lindenhurst    A band with origins at the State University of New York at Stony Brook    From Huntington, a man who was so much a part of this

 Everything was ready! Yes, those are pink jellybeans on the table … The party was wonderful.  Becca was glowing.   And there’s a side story … My Aunt Eileen, of blessed memory, loved bridal showers.  And she loved to do craft projects.  Every bride I. Our family would receive a shower gift from Eileen: a beautifully decorated umbrella.  She’d sew lace and artificial flowers onto the umbrella, to be used as a party decoration and then kept as a momento.  My umbrella is buried somewhere in my parents’ garage.  But my cousin loaned her umbrella to my sisters, to be used as a decoration at Becca’s shower. Eileen died before Becca was born, but I’m sure she would have loved my baby — she loved Jennifer so much — so it was nice to have a piece of my aunt at the party.

  Footloose Welcome to  Saturday: 9 . What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9  questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love to answer the questions, however, and here are today's questions!   Saturday 9: Footloose (1984) Unfamiliar with this week's tune. Hear it  here . 1) In this week's song, Kenny Loggins encourages everyone to lose their blues by dancing. What reliably shakes you out of a funk? I can’t stay upset when hugging this little furball. 2) To cut footloose, he has to kick off his "Sunday shoes." What's on your feet as you answer these 9 questions?  I’m barefoot. 3) This is the title song of the popular 1984 movie of the same name. It's

 So I saw an ad for a house.  Charming older house, the description includes most of the features we are looking for …only problem, it says “no pets”.   Usually, but not always, that means “no dogs”. But before I contact I always do a little research about the house. The ad says “whole house rental” but that’s not true.  The owners converted the garage and a portion of the house into an (illegal) accessory apartment. The house is located next door to a county storm basin. And the back yard shares a fence with …a funeral home. Thanks, I think I’ll pass …

 Guard duty … protecting the house …

 The rental house situation is very frustrating.  We fell in love with the house, put in an application … broker told us we’re a “go” … then told us the landlord won’t sign the lease because he thinks “something better” will come along …We told the broker we will be looking at other houses and that if we don’t have a signed lease by Monday … well, the landlord better hope “something better” comes along because we are done.  We saw an ad for another house …it looks good …maybe … it’s frustrating. I’ve been getting a lot of spam phone calls lately, more so than usual.  Grrrr…. Drew ordered a shirt and shoes and etc. to wear with his tux, so that’s a bit less stress to deal with.  Just got a “severe weather alert”, a major thunderstorm ⛈️  is expected.   It’s raining right now, but so far no thunder or lightning. ⚡️  Somehow the rain ☔️ suits my mood.

 The pink jelly bean crisis has resolved.  On to the next crisis… I filed a formal dispute with PayPal over the dress I ordered for the shower, the purple one that never arrived. I will wear the teal backup dress 👗  I still need shoes for the dress I’m going to wear for the wedding, I can’t get the dress altered until I get shoes… We are looking to move.  This house is ok but too small, I’m not crazy about waking up to Little League games in the park every weekend, I don’t like dealing with the annual pine cone and needle invasion, and our landlord … ‘nuff said.  So we think we found a house, the broker said it was a “go” but now seems to be backpedaling … My former colleague’s files … I will be very busy for awhile. Deep breaths …

 Drew picked up our pool pass yesterday.  Community pool, here I come. Now we have to get the beach passes and we’ll be all set. Good thing, too.  I need to relax.  Usually my job gets easier in the summer, but one of our teammates just left the company and the rest of us will have to pick up the slack, so I anticipate a busier-than-normal summer. I’m also dealing with last-minute tasks for Becca’s bridal shower and getting stressed over …pink jelly beans … 🙄  no, you don’t want to hear it. Drew bought a tux and some accessories but still needs a shirt and dress shoes.  Yet we’re making progress. Part of me is looking forward to the shower and the wedding.  Part of me is very stressed.

 And the theme? Wedding Songs – play at or wished you had or want.  Well, my daughter Becca is getting married next month, so wedding music is on my mind. Here are a few songs that were played at my wedding. Let’s start with a dance tune.     Yeah, Drew got on the floor and did the worm.   This was Billboard’s #1 song that year, and of course we danced to it.    Somewhere there is a photo of Drew’s sister “walking like an Egyptian”… My sisters sang this one.  They were a tad bit …tipsy … at the time, so I won’t use the footage of them …    As I mentioned before, this was the song for my father-daughter dance.    Yes, we were married under a chuppah , and Drew smashed a glass at the end of the ceremony. And yes, we danced a hora…    You haven’t lived until you’re sitting in a chair held up off the floor … like in this clip from Fiddler    We had a photo montage, and chose this song as background music    And I saved the best for last.  Our song.   

 For the next two weeks, residents of Nassau County, NY are losing the use of two — yes, two — of our county parks,  Eisenhower Park  and  Cantiague Park . As I’ve mentioned  before , Nassau County was chosen as the site of several World Cup cricket matches.  A temporary stadium, capable of holding 34,000 fans, was built in Eisenhower Park.  This is probably the biggest event ever hosted in Nassau County, and we’ve hosted several PGA tournaments at Bethpage State Park … So I saw the stadium during one of my walks in the park.  I posted some photos  here. Last night I took a few more photos as we drove through the park. There was a practice match scheduled for today, and starting Monday there will be 8 matches over the next two weeks,  The park will be closed for the duration, and streets around the park will be closed on match days.  Spectators can park at the Nassau Coliseum (about a mile and a half from the park) and take a shuttle bus.  Spectators arriving from NYC can take the Long