songbird's crazy world

Another month gone, and summer coming to a close.  Labor Day is just a week away.  One more baseball game, one more barbecue, and then we move towards autumn. Notice I didn't say into autumn.   September is sort of a transitional month, isn't it?  At  least around here.  Summer is over, but it's still warm and sunny.  The weather doesn't really change until October, it's just our social calendars that have moved into the next phase. I'm not quite ready for fall.  I still want to hold on to summer.  I guess September gives me a chance to hold on to a piece of summer for just awhile longer.

I may need to correct something I said in yesterday's blog. I really don't remember it, but Drew says he and I saw The Monkees at Jones Beach in 1986. That was the 20th anniversary tour, and all four members of the band performed. I do remember seeing Davy, Mickey and Peter. And then, later, seeing Mickey, Peter and Mike. I don't remember the Jones Beach show. Last night, of course, was just Mickey and Peter. The first half of the show was all about The Monkees, they sang hits while video of the old TV show played. One of the best clips from the show -- Mike pretending to be an inept folk singer, totally wrecking "A Different Drum", a song made popular by Linda Ronstadt. Inside joke -- Mike wrote that song. But the second half ...showed off their talents in a different way. Alternate arrangements of Monkees songs. An interesting, jazzy version of "Sugar, Sugar", a song which they turned down before it was recorded by The Archies. A folk ...

It was 1966, and a new sitcom was on TV.  It was about four young men, musicians in a struggling rock band.  Slapstick comedy mixed with groovy clothes and, most importantly, the music.  The four young men in this TV-created band were supposed to be an American response to the Beatles.  And did I mention that one of them even had a British accent? Everyone knew Mickey Dolenz, Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork. The shows were fun, the music stands the test of time; after all, some of the best songwriters of the day wrote  Monkees hits -- Boyce and Hart, Carol King, Neil Diamond all contributed material.  Tork wrote for the band, and  Nesmith turned out to be a prolific songwriter as well. The Monkees exceeded their TV origins to become one of the most popular bands of the era.  The band broke up in 1971, but the band revived when MTV ran a marathon of the shows in 1986.   The format of the TV shows ultimately led to the...

Think I found what I want to make for next week's barbecue. Ingredients                         1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed                                           1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed                         1 (15 ounce) can green beans, drained and rinsed ...

In Manhattan today. Can't imagine why this song comes to mind.

So...a moral/ethical dilemma for debate. This morning I watched two truly shocking, horrible, frightening videos.  You've probably seen the news reports of the two journalists shot and killed on the air in Virginia this morning. The reporter is in the middle of an interview about tourism in the area when shots ring out. You hear screams, and after the camera falls to the ground, you see a brief glimpse of the shooter. Then the video cuts to the studio, where the anchor ha s a shocked look on her face. You may or may not have seen the second video. The shooter posted it to his social media accounts, and although his accounts have been shut down, the video continues to circulate in various forums. It has not, to my knowledge, been shown by any news agency. He shot the video as he stalked the two victims, you can see the gun, you can see the reporter being shot. It's chilling. So the question for debate. Should either of these videos be broadcast on the news? S...

So my father spent four days in the hospital. Not fun. And then, when I came home the other night, my daughter told me that my mother was in the ER. There's a single step leading from the driveway to the front porch. She lost her balance while trying to step up to the porch, and took a bad fall. Landed on her left arm. Hurt herself so badly that she's wearing a lot of bandages and a sling. At least the ER doctor didn't feel the need to admit her. The "joys" of octogenarian parents. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

After much arguing and exchange of emails, it looks like  the family feud is moving into the ceasefire/truce stage.  Shelley apparently found someone to help her pack up Marvin's possessions, and she will be bringing everything to Drew's house later in the week. Drew said to me, "But what if there's stuff she doesn't pack and bring?" And I said, "Let it go, just take whatever she brings and don't worry about what may be missing." I don't think Marvin bought himself anything new to wear in years.  Drew plans to go through the clothes to see what should be thrown out (the winter coat, for example, needs to be replaced).  He'll take the rest to the laundromat and have them wash, dry and fold it. And then he'll buy some new things for Marvin. It occurred to Drew that Marvin's car is still parked on Shelley's driveway.  Marvin stopped driving a few years ago.  The car is well over ten years old and needs an expensive repair...

Or, in my case, NOT learning it in school. In that pre-digital world, the only way to tell time was by reading the hands on a clock.   So the lessons in how to tell time were very, very important.  I think I must have been in first grade when the skill was taught.  We spent a good deal of time meticulously tracing a circle, placing numbers on the clock face, then drawing in the hands to show the hours and minutes.  Problem was, I already knew how to tell time, and the endless repetition of the lessons became very boring.  I rushed through the exercise, hastily drawing my circles freehand (and I'm no artist), quickly numbering the clock face, drawing in the hands...each drawing accurately depicted the correct time -- 12:00, 3:15, 5:20, whatever -- but the work was very, very sloppy. So sloppy, in fact, that the teacher thought I had some sort of visual impairment, that I wasn't able to see what I was doing.  She told my mother to have my eyes...

So Drew and I went to the movies Friday night. Nothing spectacular, we saw "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", which was merely OK. But when we walked into the mall, I couldn't help but notice the Halloween store. It's not open yet, but they are setting everything up and will open very soon. We were in Poughkeepsie yesterday, visiting friends. When we left their house last night, the air was cool and crisp. I should have brought a sweater or a light jacket. Granted, Poughkeepsie is in mountain territory, and it was much warmer when we got back to Long Island, but still ... Baseball season is starting to wind down, the sportscasters all talk about pennant races. (The Mets and the Yankees are still in it!) Preseason football has hit the airwaves. The Labor Day barbecue will be two weeks from today. After that, Drew and Jen will both return to work. The community pool will close for the season. I'll be able to go walking at Jones Beach without paying the parking fee....

So my dad is home from the hospital.  He's feeling OK.  I'm glad this turned out to be something relatively minor.  He always does better mentally and emotionally when he's home. Seeing him in that hospital gown, though....I could really see how frail he's become.  So now I can focus on the whole Marvin situation, it's erupting as predicted.  Drew now has control of Marvin's finances; he had to sort out what was Marvin's and what was Shelley's --  she commingled funds -- but there shouldn't be a  problem with APS or Medicaid.   He's trying to get Shelley to give him Marvin's clothes and personal belongings, but she won't tell him when she will be home so that he can empty out Marvin's room.  She's screaming that Marvin still has to pay rent, at least for September, and that Drew needs to remove Marvin's very large, broken, TV from the house so that Shelley can get a new roommate.  Oh, and Drew and I are terrible, horrible ...

Pastrami Plus =  nirvana.   It's not much to look at, just a counter, a few tables, a board advertising the menu. In fact, we usually do take out.   But the food?  Loved my pastrami on rye. No, it's not an overstuffed sandwich like you'd find in a famous deli, but it's not an overpriced sandwich either.   Loved my kasha varnishes, the sautéed onions on top gave it a nice punch.  

I've been writing a lot about Jones Beach, the crown jewel in the state parks system here on Long Island.  Jones Beach is located on a sandbar.  The southern side of the sandbar faces the ocean -- sandy beaches serviced by several bathhouses, all connected by a boardwalk.  There are numerous parking fields, each associated with a bathhouse.  You've seen the photos from my walks along the boardwalk.  The north side of the sandbar faces back to Long Island, and features a fishing pier, marina, etc.  Bay Parkway runs along the north side of the sandbar, Ocean Parkway runs along the south side. One of the nice features of the park is the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, a 15,000 seat amphitheater, which serves as an incredible concert venue.   It's located on Zach's Bay, an inlet on the north side of the sandbar.  When I say it's on Zach's Bay, I mean that quite literally. The stage is located in the bay, the stands are on land and loo...

This is the digital age.  We take photos almost as often as we breathe.  You don't even need a camera.  Just point your smartphone, click the shutter button.  Upload dozens of images to Facebook or Photobucket or the site of your choice.  So many pictures... Posing for a photo was a much more formal event decades ago.  You had to load film into the camera, and since you didn't want to be wasteful, you tried to get everything just right before you pressed the shutter. I was visiting my father in the hospital.  My father has dementia.  When he's awake and alert I try to keep him engaged in conversation.  So I pulled out my iPad and started showing him family photos, pictures of my mother, my sisters, my children, other relatives. And as I was scrolling through my account to find more photos to discuss, I hit pay dirt. Three photos, taken during World War II.  My father in his Army uniform, home on leave before being shipped out to ...

The Renaissance Faire, that is! Once again, Drew and I made our way up to Tuxedo, NY.  This time it was just us, no friends. These days, when I go to the faire, I don't wear a costume per se, but I do wear ...well, a few chosen garments from the Pyramid Collection and/or Holy Clothing , two lines that feature a lot of boho, romantic, renaissance pieces  Brown skirt with lots of ribbons and laces, white peasant blouse, lace up green vest.  When worn together ... "costume". We stopped at the Orange Top Diner, that throwback to the 1970's.  Seriously, when was the last time you saw a restaurant cooled by a wall unit air conditioner and a couple of ceiling fans?  We dined on bacon, eggs and home fries, then made our way to the faire. The faire has a lot of entertainment -- strolling musicians and actors doing improv with the crowds, stage shows featuring comedians, musicians, magicians and the like, fortune tellers, games of skill (such as archery),...

My dad is in the hospital again.  No surprise there, given his age (88) and his ongoing medical issues.  My sisters are a bit over the top when it comes to my father's care, i.e., they'll spend the whole night at my father's bedside if the staff permits.  My father has always hated hospitals, and now that his Parkinson's-related dementia has progressed, being away from familiar surroundings scares him.  and since he's lost so much of his mobility, he relies on my sisters more and more. My mother's behavior has changed a lot in the last few months, also because of neurological impairments.  She is like a toddler these days.  You'll tell her something and think she understands, but she never fully processed it.  Or she will understand, but forget a few minutes later.  She has to be told what to wear, and she needs to be supervised as she wanders around the house  - if she tries to "help" with the housework, it's inevitable that she will creat...

So the goal this summer was to see our Ducks play each of the other 7 teams in the Atlantic League.  and with a game against the Maryland Blue Crabs, we achieved our goal. It was an interesting evening. A local medical group sponsored the game. The promotional giveaway, to the first 1500 fans, was a t shirt featuring the team mascot, Quackerjack, suited up as a doctor. Dr. Quackerjack, I presume? So of course we got there before the gates opened. And while I was waiting to be admitted to the park, I had a lovely conversation with another fan, showed her my photos from Cooperstown. Rep. Peter King, a member of the Long Island delegation to Congress, was at the ballpark to throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Bud Harrelson. I saw King and Harrelson playing catch beforehand -- rank has its privileges. The Ducks took an early lead, scored twice in the first inning. Final score 4-1. I thought this would be our last Ducks game of the season. But Drew decided to give ...

We've battened down the hatches and are hunkering down for the storm Shelley is about to release. Drew is Marvin's Health Care Proxy.  Marvin signed that document months ago, when he was first admitted to the nursing facility, because the social worker at the facility asked him to do so.   Shelley was very upset at the time.  I know she gave Marvin a hard time about it.  She has a friend who works in a nursing home, and she asked that friend to give her a Health Care Proxy form.  She planned to visit Marvin and have him sign the new form, replacing Drew as Marvin's proxy.  The friend never gave her the form. She's going to be even more upset about what happened this week. One of the reasons Drew felt he had to step in with respect to Marvin was because of money.  Marvin doesn't have a pension, his sole income is Social Security.  Awhile back, he gave Shelley a Power of Attorney, and allowed her to handle his meager finances.  L...

Meteor showers happen 2-3 times a year.  But I'd never seen one. Until now. I'd heard that this year's Perseid showers would be magnificent.  I decided that I needed to see the show. 40 years ago my neighborhood was all farmlands and woods.  These days it's a suburb pretending to be rural.  So it's fairly dark at night, you can see a lot of stars.  So a couple of nights ago I stayed up past midnight, and then went outside.  It was a cool, comfortable night.  the crickets were chirping and the tree frogs were singing, and in the distance I could hear an owl hooting.  I looked up at the stars and I tried to spot a meteor.  I tried really, really hard.  And all I saw were the stars getting blurry. When I decided to relax and just enjoy the stars.... I started to see ...something...with my peripheral vision.  Not sure what I saw, I think I just sensed some movement, but when I turned to look...nothing. And then I s...

Another fine evening at  Bethpage Ballpark.  This time, the Ducks took on the Camden Riversharks.  (Riversharks?  Really?) This time, instead of our usual spot behind the first base dugout, we sat in what's known as the "Club Seats".  These are, I believe, the most expensive seats in the ballpark (exclusive of the luxury suites), in the upper deck, behind home plate.    (It's really not that much to brag about, the Club Seats at Bethpage are cheaper than the cheapest seat at Citi Field, even less expensive than some movie tickets)  The Club Seats have access to the sit down restaurant/bar known as "The Duck Club", and there's also a hostess who will fetch anything you want from the concession stand.    The view of the field is amazing. And yes, we did eat in the restaurant.  Drew had a French dip, I had pulled pork.  Pulled pork from Smokin' Al's, the best BBQ on Long Island.  Well worth the extra calories I ...

I don't know if this is something new, or if it's been there al the time and I just didn't see it. I was up at Sunken Meadow the other night, had a lovely stroll on the Boardwalk.   And as I was headed back to the parking lot, I saw a butterfly garden.  Lovely flowers, but alas, butterflies are elusive.   

It almost doesn't pay to go on vacation, because when you get back to the office, you're going to get slammed. Still, I had a great time.  We did a lot of fun and interesting things -- Howe Caverns, Cooperstown, the Cloisters, the Intrepid.    I've got a few ideas now for day trips for the rest of the year.  I'm thinking a winery tour is in order. but since I've gone back to work...oy. Good news for Becca!  She found an apartment.    She's so excited.  Considering the disaster she had back in February, and that the almost-roommate moved into an apartment in July, the fact that she finally found a place she loves is wonderful. So grown up ...but when she's knocked out by a bad head cold, she reverts to a little girl who needs mommy to make it better. Jen and one of her friends, who was a gymnast in high school, found a great gymnastics class for adults.  They had a great time, but...Jen got hurt.  She has a torn ligame...

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum  is definitely worth a visit. We'd both been to The Intrepid, but not recently.  I've wanted to go back for awhile now, since April 2012. April 27, 2012 -- the USS Enterprise Space Shuttle was flown on the back of a jet from Washington, DC to NYC.  Those of us on the 30th floor of a certain office building in Jersey City were lucky enough to see the flyby, and lucky enough to see the Enterprise floating on the Hudson River on a barge on its way to the Intrepid a few weeks later. The Enterprise is housed in a pavilion on the flight deck.  There's a photo display saluting the cast of Star Trek -- fans of the show were influential in having the shuttle named, and the cast was invited to the ship's christening.  There are displays about the whole shuttle program, and there's a display about the Hubble telescope -- some truly incredible photos. Drew took a tour of the Growler, a submarine, but it was too ...

A couple of months ago, Drew and I spent a Saturday morning at  the American Airpower Museum.  That's a small museum in Farmingdale, on the grounds of a Republic Airport.   American Airpower Museum  focuses on the planes made by Republic Aviation, but gives a nice overview of aviation history and its connection to Long Island. When Drew heard that I had never been to  The Cradle of Aviation Museum , he suggested we go. The Aviation Museum is part of a complex which includes a Firefighters Museum, a Children's Museum and Nunkey's Carrousel -- Nunley's was a small amusement park, and when the park closed, the county acquired the antique carrousel.  All of the museums are hands-on, very good for children, but Aviation has a lot to offer adults as well. Hempstead Plains, located in central Nassau County, was known as "The Cradle of Aviation" because so much of early aviation history happened there.  The museum celebrates Ling Island's role in aviatio...