Who is Trump?

Some family members and friends want me to give specific examples of why I believe Donald Trump is NOT the right person to lead our country forward but when I do that they cry “ Fake News” or accuse me of listening to certain news channels that they don’t approve of and don’t believe. I pride myself on giving people the benefit of the doubt and on judging others on my own personal experiences with the individual in question. For example, if I hear from someone that a certain teacher is a “ lousy” teacher, I try my best not to let their opinion sway me. I’d rather see for myself before forming an opinion. In 2016 when Trump was running for President, I happened to stop in to my neighbors’ garage sale and I noticed a cardboard box filled with comic books and a few paperbacks. My neighbor said she was bringing them to the Salvation Army since the sale was almost over and they hadn’t sold. She told me to take anything I wanted “ free of charge “ since it would make the box easier for her to transport. There were a couple of Calvin and Hobbs comics and lo and behold a few paperbacks written by Donald J. Trump. I wasn’t a fan but I thought possibly reading a couple of his books might help me to see him in a different light. The philosophy expressed in these poorly written books was enough to turn my stomach. In a nutshell (no pun intended) his life’s philosophy and the strategies he recommended for getting gluttonously Rich was basically “ screw your neighbor” if you need to in order to achieve your goal. One of his books is actually entitled, “Think Big and Kick Ass”! I have also listened to the words out of Donald Trump’s own mouth and observed how he treats other human beings and quickly came to realize his values and behavior is totally unacceptable. I don’t hate him and I was NOT gleeful or happy that a deranged young man attempted to assassinate him. But, I believe that Donald Trump, himself, has serious mental issues and is not Presidential material. If you want examples, I can provide them, but I feel that doing so will not change your opinion about this man. It appears that his followers are so truly indoctrinated by his lies and some sort of weird power he seems to hold over them that I would be wasting my own valuable time. Even he said, “ I could shoot someone and not loose voters”. Who would want to support a person who would say such a thing?

“ As Before “ by Pat Maloney Judge

Pat Maloney Judge, SVH Class of 1957 The following is the writings of a “newfound Friend”, i.e., a St. Vincent’s Hospital School of Nursing, Greenwich Village, NYC Registered Nurse, Pat Maloney Judge ( Class of 1957 ) who currently resides at Aaron Manor Nursing and Rehab in Chester, Ct.

Reflections on Our Stay at the Chestnut Inn

Typically I spend

a lot of time reflecting and this recent get together at the Chestnut Inn was no exception. I’m going to basically brainstorm with little or no censorship so if you don’t agree with my reflections on all points i can understand. Initially, I was somewhat disappointed and felt responsible since it was basically “my bright idea” when I got an e-mail over Thanksgiving weekend announcing “ a buy one get one free “ midweek pre-season special. As most of you know the initial price I was quoted was later rescinded and information given to us was changing rapidly. Sadly, the woman who I originally spoke to was fired by the organization that owns several properties ( The Settler’s Hospitality Group ) including The Chestnut Inn. In retrospect I believe that our total of $350 for a two night stay in a lakeside suite with breakfast each morning was a very good price considering a decent but simple hotel room can easily go for $200 or more a night. Some things I liked/loved: Being with beloved family members and friends. The atmosphere surrounding us especially the ever beautiful pristine Lake Oquaga at our doorstep. The coming of age memories that come back to me whenever I’m in that area. The king sized comfortable bed, the feel of the sheets and the really nice pillows ( in retrospect I probably did not need to lug my 4 pillows from home.) We actually used the big, jacuzzi tub ( and it fit two relatively comfortably ). The water 💦 was piping hot and the jets were forceful. I slept like a baby all through the night after that experience. Also, even though I did have some initial reservations, I was able to get myself back out of the deep tub without having to call for assistance from the front desk. We never once had to resort to turning on the two Television sets in our suite. All the staff members were most accommodating and bent over backwards to get anything we asked for including hot tea and coffee during the daytime hours while we sat and chatted on the front porch. Thing I wish could be changed: Possibly, set up a coffee and tea station in the dining room so guests could grab a cup on their own. Put a small refrigerator in the rooms for cheese, sodas and other snack items, etc. Put a soda, water and snack machines in a room on the main level. Provide an ice machine for guests to use. Guests have to ask staff to fill the ice buckets whenever ice is needed. Have Cornhole, horseshoe, darts and those types of games easily available. Have a couple of rowboats, and paddle boats available to justify the resort fee. Since I imagine this is the type of place that Seniors would like to frequent consider adding a little elevator. This would be especially useful when bringing in and removing luggage. It might be wise to focus the menu on a few superb entrees at a bit more reasonable price. The burgers were excellent and not overly expensive but their were a couple of other entrees that were definitely overpriced and didn’t even come with a side salad or bread ( for example: clams with linguine was $35 ) and a glass of wine ( not too generous of a pour )was $13. Some more things: A walk around the entire lake is a great way to get some cardio exercise and it gives you just under 8,000 steps. There was a sign posted “ No swimming “ and even though the water was quite cold, this fact should have been shared ahead of time. - Possibly the resort fee should have been waived until more amenities are in place.

Grandma’s Story - Part 3

Question # 3 - What was the first movie 🎥 that you saw in the Movie Theater ? I actually don’t remember the very first movie 🎥 that I saw in a movie theater although I do have many wonderful memories surrounding the first several movies I saw in theaters as a young child. My Aunt Anne O’Donnell, who was one my mother’s younger sisters, was single and she lived with her parents in an apartment a couple of blocks from Broadway. She loved going to the movies and she very generously shared her love ❤️ of the movies with my cousin, Sharon O’Donnell, and me. Aunt Anne would walk us to one of the two major theaters on Broadway in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. Some times we would go to the RKO Bushwick theater and other times we went to the Loew’s Gates. Both theaters were beautiful as far as I was concerned. We entered the theater and settled into our seats. Sometimes the movie was already in progress, but we’d stay until the movie reached the same point where we first entered. Other times, when we arrived before the movie started, the lights in the theater were lowered and the curtains opened revealing the massive screen in front of us. I remember the feeling of excitement when the MGM Lion let out a loud roar while the exciting, dramatic music played in the background. Even now, at 78 years of age, whenever the introduction of a movie comes onto the screen, I remember Aunt Anne and Sharon and our wonderful trips to the movies together. Some of the movies I remember seeing all those many years ago were “ The Seven Little Foyes”, “Come Back Little Sheba”, “ Singing in the Rain”, “Dial M for Murder”. Several of the movie plots were beyond my years and understanding but nonetheless I enjoyed them. Back when I was a young child, the theater would show a double feature (two movies for one admission price) and they’d even show a cartoon between the two main features. When we left the theater, Aunt Anne would take us out to eat. On some occasions we’d go to the local Chinese restaurant which required a walk up a flight of stairs as the restaurant was on the second floor. Aunt Anne loved Chinese food and I enjoyed my first real introduction to Chinese food. My Mom did make a chicken chow mein meal on occasion but that was the extend of my knowledge of Chinese cuisine until Aunt Anne introduced me to other Chinese dishes at this authentic Chinese restaurant. On other occasions we went to a local Ice Cream Parlor and we’d sit in a booth and I would order a hamburger and French fries as well as the most delicious malted milk shake I’ve ever had in all my life. It was served with a glass and a very large frosty metal container that seemed endless. It felt like heaven to me! These outings to the Movie Theater typically ended with a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Anne O’Donnell’s second floor railroad flat apartment. These early movie theater memories are some of the favorite memories of my childhood. Thank you, Aunt Anne!!

Let There Be Light

There was a knock on the door a few minutes after all the lights went out. Our company stood waiting to be admitted for my celebratory birthday dinner. I had planned everything absolutely perfectly so that everything would go flawlessly. Bob and I had just put the baked potatoes and a most gorgeous Prime Rib of Beef into the oven set at 450 degrees, turned on the overhead exhaust fan, and set out the hors d’oeuvres. The salad and rolls were already on the dining room table, the fresh string beans and gravy ready to heat up on the stovetop burners. Our first two guests had already arrived and we were eagerly awaiting the arrival of three other friends. Time to have cocktails and relax! Just then the lights and everything thing else electrical-including the oven and stovetop went dark. “ Oh no!” we all said in unison. We thought possibly turning on the exhaust fan blew the fuse. Bob went to investigate only to discover our entire neighborhood was in the dark. “ How in God’s holy name, are we going to cook our dinner?!!” And, besides the cooking, it’s way too hot and humid and the A/C is not working. Soon it will be getting dark and we have no lights. Luckily we also have a lanai with another large table and enough chairs for our guests. Thank goodness I have plenty of hors d’oeuvres to hold us over until we can decide what the hell we’re going to do with the main course! I try my best not to loose my festive mood and I tell myself “remain calm”. We remember that there is a gas grill in the garage - this beautiful rental is well stocked - and so we collect the potatoes and the Prime Rib and escort them out to the grill in the front driveway. We had researched how to cook our “beautiful”roast in the oven but honestly we have no idea how to cook it on a grill. We’ll “wing it” with decide as we’re too harried for another “ Google recipe search “. The pot of string beans and the gravy won’t fit on the grill and the stovetop is electric therefore I sadly give up on serving them. Fortunately, the Caesar Salad is plentiful and ready to be served so I fill the salad plates on the dining table and distribute them to my congenial friends on the lanai. Napkins and silverware are also transported outside. Everyone seems relaxed and comfortable, so that makes me happy. All of a sudden one of our guests goes into the house and lets out a joyful sound. The lights are back on!! I’m able to heat up my gravy and mushrooms on the stovetop as we serve our potatoes and rare Prime Rib (actually the exact way I like it). We play a couple of rounds of “ Who am I?” before my dear friends sing the “ Happy Birthday 🎂 song” and we finally get to sit at our dining table inside for our yummy chocolate cake and key lime pie. Later as our guests are leaving we see that the electric company’s truck is parked down the street and the workers are feverishly working on restoring electricity to our neighbors. Bob attributes our early restoration of power to the fact that when he called “Florida Power and Light 💡 “ he mentioned that it was his wife’s 79th birthday and we were trying to make a special dinner to celebrate with our friends. I, on the other hand, couldn’t help but think that it had something to do with the theme of today’s homily at the 3PM Mass at St. Francis of Assisi - Day Light Savings Time and how Light and Truth overcomes the darkness. And, yes, Rose 🌹, the potatoes came out fine in spite of it all.

Grandma’s Story - Part 3

I never got to this particular question in my previous Blog entitled Grandma's story Part 2 and 3. The Part 3 question "What was the first movie I saw in a theater?" awakens many wonderful memories that have stayed with me throughout my these many decades of my life. I actually can't remember my very first movie in the movie theater, but I remember several movies that I saw in the theater with my Aunt Anne O'Donnell and my cousin, Sharon O'Donnell. Aunt Anne was one of my mother's younger sisters and since she wasn't married she lived with her parents in an apartment that was a couple of blocks off of Broadway in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. lost this above section and started again- Question # 3 - What was the first movie 🎥 that you saw in the Movie Theater? I actually don’t remember the very first movie 🎥 that I saw in a movie theater although I do have many wonderful memories surrounding the first several movies I saw in theaters as a young child. My Aunt Anne O’Donnell, who was one my mother’s younger sisters, was single and she lived with her parents in an apartment a couple of blocks from Broadway. She loved going to the movies and she very generously shared her love ❤️ of the movies with my cousin, Sharon O’Donnell, and me. Aunt Anne would walk us to one of the two major theaters on Broadway in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. Some times we would go to the RKO Bushwick theater and other times we went to the Loew’s Gates. Both theaters were beautiful as far as I was concerned. We entered the theater and settled into our seats. Sometimes the movie was already in progress, but we’d stay until the movie reached the same point where we first entered. Other times, when we arrived before the movie started, the lights in the theater were lowered and the curtains opened revealing the massive screen in front of us. I remember the feeling of excitement when the MGM Lion let out a loud roar while the exciting, dramatic music played in the background. Even now, at 78 years of age, whenever the introduction of movie comes onto the screen, I remember Aunt Anne and Sharon and our wonderful trips to the movies together. Some of the movies I remember seeing all those many years ago were “ The Seven Little Foyes”, “Come Back Little Sheba”, “ Singing in the Rain”, “Dial M for Murder”. Several of the movie plots were beyond my years and understanding but nonetheless I enjoyed them. Back when I was a young child, the theater would show a double feature (two movies for one admission price) and they’d even show a cartoon between the two main features. When we left the theater, Aunt Anne would take us out to eat. On some occasions we’d go to the local Chinese restaurant which required a walk up a flight of stairs as the restaurant was on the second floor. Aunt loved Chinese food and I enjoyed my first real introduction to Chinese food. My Mom did make a chicken chow mein meal on occasion but that was the extend of my knowledge of Chinese cuisine until Aunt Anne introduced me to other Chinese dishes at this authentic Chinese restaurant. On other occasions we went to a local Ice Cream Parlor and we’d sit in a booth and I would order a hamburger and French fries as well as the most delicious malted milk shake I’ve ever had in all my life. It was served with a glass and a very large frosty metal container that seemed endless. It felt like heaven to me! These outings to the Movie Theater typically ended with a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Anne O’Donnell’s second floor railroad flat apartment. These early movie theater memories are some of the favorite memories of my childhood. Thank you, Aunt Anne!!

Grandma’s Story 2 and 3

1. What was my favorite TV show as a child ? 2. What was the First movie 🎥 I saw in the theater ? 1. One of my favorite weekly shows when I was a child was a half hour show entitled, " I Remember Mama". I'm not sure what exactly drew me to this show but I looked forward to watching it every week. I think it was on TV every Saturday night and I believe the whole family watched it with me. Possibly that was part of the reason I enjoyed it as much as I did because it was comforting to be sitting together relaxing as a family. My very favorite episode was something that impressed me and always gives me a warm and wonderful feeling. It was shown at Christma time and it was about a Christmas Eve where the animals in the barn actually talked. It sounds a bit silly to even write this now, but as a child I remember feeling the tingling sensation that such a thing could really happen. That feeling was awesome and it stayed with me over these many decades. I guess as a child I accepted the fact that this type of miracle was possible and it touched me deeply. I wish I could see this episode again but possibly it might ruin the feeling of delight that my initial experience gave me. Sort of like the lyrics of a song from Babes in Toyland/The March of the Wooden Soldiers, "Toyland, Toyland, wonderful, mystical joyland, once you pass its borders, you can never return again. There were other shows I remember watching togeher as a family and I also remember the feeling of safety snd being loved as I sat in my father's lap as a young child as we watched shows such as "The Hit Parade" (where singers would perform the top 10 songs of the week). I remember, " How much is that Doggy in the Window"?; " The Green Door"; and other popular songs of the 1950's. We watched Jackie Gleason and the Honeymooners and the Ed Sullivan Show and Milton Beryl and The Texaco Hour. We were the first house on the street where I lived to own a TV set and a lot of the neighborhood kids came over to our house to see this exciting new invention. An early favorite kiddy show was the Howdy Doody

Show with characters Buffalo Bill and Clarabelle.