Back to School Issue

Summer has reached its end but life, happily, moves on. 

For three-year-old Jolie it means the start of nursery school.  For Emmy its third grade and Ethan begins sixth.  For Brynn its the freedom that comes with a recently developed ability to crawl.

Then there's the other child in our family--me. I'll be leaving the Merrick Seagulls after eleven seasons.  Oh. what I'd give to be young again (perhaps).

A terrific group of guys who have supported one another summer after summer, through hot streaks and not so hot (although playing in July/August it's always hot and humid). I'll be moving 'up' to the Seventies Division for 2015--will still be playing a full season but home field shifts from Merrick to Baldwin Park, Mondays and Wednesdays (I can get you comped). 

Several Seagulls from previous seasons have preceded me to Division Five and I am looking forward to playing alongside them again. I'll also be playing in the Palm Beach Softball League, January through March. 

Life is good.

We'll miss Derek Jeter--not so much the Yankees of 2014.  This has been a difficult summer for Yankee fans to endure. But, like dem bums used to say, There's always next year.  Hang in there together. Congrats to Bruce who has both the Nationals and Orioles playing this post-season.

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This past summer we returned to France for the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landing. Thrilling.

Americans were welcomed with open arms and kisses from the grateful French.

Sometimes things don't work out as well as one might expect.

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Keep in mind that we are looking forward to frequent visitors in Delray Beach. 

We'll save our favorite seats just for you.  Please give us a heads-up to be assured accommodations will be available. 

 If not, stop by for a cup of coffee and a slice of pecan pie.

Alice is Moving to Florida . . . and I'm Going With Her

Never say never.  I've been taking a royal beating since word got out that Alice and I have bought a home in the state of Stand Your Ground.   Rick Scott.   Bush v. Gore. Disenfranchisement.   Zimmerman-Dunn.   Gated Communities.  

Truth is that our friends have largely made the decision for us.  As more and more have committed to spending winter months (at least) in Florida our cold weather social circle has continued to shrink. First it was Eleanor, Artie and Susan, Phyllis and Jerry.  Some have followed suit albeit as snowbirds.  Others talk about venturing south in the not-so-distant future. As the adage goes, If you can't beat 'em . . .  Just suck it up and carry two mortgages, a third car.

So when we visited a new community (code for younger retirees) nearby so many friends, we took the plunge.  New York weather since the turn of the year has been, admittedly, frustrating. To my mind, that's not a consideration. As with global warming, this issue is about climate, not weather.  

So our Januarys, Februarys and Marches will be, beginning 2015, lived spent in Del Ray (land of kings).   Alice's excitement knows no bounds. My sense is that I'm getting there.  Looking forward to closing in August, then returning, as has been our custom, before the new year to celebrate with friends. 

                                                      Three months away from this?

Will I have to change my email moniker? Will mkyankee have people rolling their eyes?  Will ATT Universe, our Delray internet provider, block any and all email addresses that include 'yankee'? Will we feel compelled to remove the Yes We Can! Long Island bumper sticker before we wend our way south?

Enough with the bitching.  I'm going outside to build a snowman.  That's why the call it winter.

We had an interesting stay in Florida.

Returning to cooler times in Merrick.

Calhoun High School in County Playoffs

Mike Krzyzewski (Duke) is the all-time leader in career victories in men's Division I basketballwith 973.  In a recent interview, he said,  I always wanted to teach. My ambition in high school was to be a high school coach and teacher, and that's still what I do: teach. So I knew about it when I was in high school.


John Wooden coached Dayton High (where he had his only losing season) and South Bend High, before winning ten national championships at UCLA.

Closer by, there was Bobby Hurley at St. Anthony's High in NJ. He passed up big-time college coaching opportunities to put a small school on the national stage year after year.

So remember the name Jay Kreutzberger, varsity coach at Calhoun High in Merrick.  This week, the Colts defeated Herricks (oy!) by 35 points to earn their way into the  County playoffs and soon after beat Valley Stream Central by 22 to win the first round. Next comes Farmingdale--Wednesday.  Check out Thursday morning's Newsday.

Grandkids Update

                               Brynn is three months old. 

Emmy has joined the ranks of the family hoopsters.

                            
             Ethan hanging with Piper.

Jolie and friend.