Chez Rozarie

We took a ride to Short Beach yesterday afternoon.  I can't do the beach in the direct sunlight these days unless I slather sunscreen all over myself, so I have discovered the beach in the late afternoon.  It's really lovely, usually quiet, and the birds are all over the place.   Yesterday, the tide was either coming in or going out (a subject of much debate - yet no one checked on their smart phones - sometimes it's just fun to argue!).  It was high, and there were waves (unusual at Short Beach).  We felt the spray, and all had salt on glasses.  Really a true beach lover's afternoon. On the way to the beach, we passed the old Avco parking lot.  Now, I know that wasn't the last company to leave the Army Engine Plant, but it is still called Avco by us old time folks.  I guess I have to call myself one of those now. In the parking lot south of the building, there were hundreds of orange traffic cones in some sort of pattern.  The gate...

I just turned around and "caught" my Dad reading Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues"...really!  I've been talking about Eve's letter to the Huffington Post all week - you know the one - that addressed Akin's horrific commentary about rape. Have you read the "Monologues"?  If not, I highly recommend it. I know Dad is having a rough day.  He just bitched out loud about Mom to Mom.  She's been quite off today - messing with stuff - totally ADD/Dementia behavior.  Dad has been stressing all week about being with her too much, but doesn't typically take any offers to cover Mom so he can check out and be off the clock for awhile. So I sit here and try to think of ways to get him to accept those offers, especially now that he may need back surgery.  I have to go back to the good days to get a picture of Dad and Mom back then. Dad worked summers at the stand at Short Beach when Vinny ran it.  Some of you may remember him.  Mom alwa...

So while our guest was here last week, Dad also asked her about her car.  He has been interviewing people about their cars since they came north in May. "Do you like your car?  How does it run?"  He starts with questions like that.  He then begins to talk about his car for awhile. "I have so many miles on my car, and I think I want a new one, but I'm not really going to buy.  Do you like your car?  Does it run alright?" People answer him, thinking he is seriously asking about the car, even though he says he is not really going to buy.  How does someone "not really buy" something?  Is he going to steal it?  Borrow it?  Rent it? They answer him with responses like, "I like it, and it runs good.  Good mileage."  Pretty much the same answer no matter who he asks.  He keeps asking though.  I think he hopes to get a different response from each person he asks.  I really hope he's not stalking people in the parki...

Last night, we had a guest, and we were getting ready to go out.  Our guest wanted to see my Mom and Dad, but they were not yet home.  We assured her they would either get in before we left, or be there when we got back. As luck would have it, Mom popped her head in soon after that conversation, with Dad right behind her.  Now, I did say, "Guest", right?  Mom does her introduction thing and goes and sits on the couch.  Dad, however, says "Hi", then goes right into a litany of his daily issues with walking. Dad walks most days down the end of our block and back, probably a bit less than half a mile.  He walks up and down the stairs many times each day - up to their room, down the basement to his baseball card room (that's what we now call one of our rooms in the basement).  He occasionally complains of a bit of stiffness, but has not said he can't walk. Last night, he grimaced after saying, "Hi", and said, "I can't walk".  He is s...

Great lunch today with the family and others for Carla's birthday.  Mom and Dad came along, and some of Carla's friends and "family" as well.  Long table of 14, which sort of stinks because it's hard to talk with those at the other end.  Anyway, I sat directly across from Mom and Dad and had the pleasure of listening to them most of the afternoon. A quick aside here about the restaurant - great food, a regular stop of ours.  The server, however, left much to be desired.  Many of us at the table had restaurant experience, and appreciate good service. This was not what we got.  She was unprepared for a party of 14, never anticipated any of our needs (like water pitchers at the table, or extra napkins, or refills of anything).  She knew that tip would be included.  Fortunately, the manager popped over, spoke to us (we do know him), and insisted we get some great cupcakes on the house.  This convinced the server she blew it, and the manager w...

Our youngest has moved to New Orleans, which means I have learned how to use Skype.  It's not enough, however, that I use it.  The youngest wants to talk to her dog, and her grandparents as well. The dog is easy.  She whistles and I put the camera near his face so she can see the big "ole" boy.  She talks to him, and he perks up his ears, then runs around a bit looking for her.  It's, of course, funny and a bit sad at the same time.  Every time we talk and Santana is around, this is what happens. The grandparents are a different story altogether.  Let's talk about Grammie (my Mom) first.  She's the one with dementia or Alzheimer's Disease, or whatever the term of the week is. The youngest says, "Put Grammie on."  I tell Mom to come over by me and hand her the camera that's usually perched on my laptop (it's about 3 inches long, 1 inch wide). I say, "Mom, talk into the camera, then look at the laptop screen when Casey's ta...

So, back in the day, Mom and Dad used to host outdoor and indoor parties.  At least 4 Saturday nights in July and August, it would be time to have a picnic.  Then they had a regular crowd for Thanksgiving weekend, and various other times during the winter.  Summer time meant kegs in the garage, a semi-permanent grill set up, and a box of paper goods in the porch.  The winter parties will have to wait for another post. Dad had a friend who worked at Schaefer in NYC so a delivery of a few kegs would occur regularly.  A great tap (the one with the cooler so all you had to do was ice the line) was a fixture in the garage.  One of those grills made out of the old thinner hot water heaters was set up on v-shaped posts, with a piece of specially cut fencing placed on top.  Every year a new piece of fencing was put on, the grill fired up big time, and the fence "cured".  People would bring paper goods every time there was a party, and Mom stashed them i...

Mom's social life is ramping up a bit lately.  She's going to a play today.  Dad says, "Somewhere in Ansonia or something.  What should I put on her?"  She has on belted shorts, a striped pink shirt, and a pretty necklace.  I asked him what the play was, "I don't know."  "Who's going?"  "The girls." That says so much, doesn't it?  So I figure it's hot, she should just put a nice pair of sandals on - she'll be good.  "Well, how do you know?" Dad asks.  "You should call one of the girls and ask her."   "No, I don't want to do that."  "Then this is good." Nuff said, right? After last week's event at Short Beach, a friend and I agreed to get our parents together for dinner, and we invited another friend to come with her mom as well.  I explained it to Mom as follows: "We're going out for pizza with some people you know, and a few you don't. Mr. So and So...