Looking Pretty Nifty for Nearing Two Times Fifty

These are pictures with GG and the staff at the Regency in February. That's Erica the social director and Pat the chef posing with her.

Keeping Up to Date: Barack Obama's Home Page

The word is out. I am committed to supporting Obama for president. No question in my mind that the upcoming election will be critically important to the future of our country. Until December 6 we will be obtaining signatures of registered Democrats to get Barack on the New York State ballot. Early in December his supporters will focus their energy on the State primary in February.

Clicking on the title above will take you to Barack Obama's homepage.

Thanksgiving Together

Thanksgiving is one of the very best holidays. It could be described as the “3 Fs” - family, food and football! Thanksgiving is a day that brings us together, to recognize and appreciate our good fortune, to enjoy each other's company, to watch the children become older and wiser as the older somehow maintain their youth.

(Click on any photo to enlarge it--especially with the family photo above.)

Enjoy the photos below. If you would like to add to our family blog but are not sure how to do it, email your text to me and attach any photos you'd like to share. I'll take care of the rest.

See you at Lauren and Eric's home to celebrate Chanukah in a couple of weeks.

Thanksgiving at Lesly"s & Lenny's Home

more to come . . .

and some more

Chappy Chanukah

Alice and I wish each of you a joyous celebration. Click on the 'Chappy Chanukah' title and join us in song.

Trick or Treat

Summer Nearing its End

Alice and I have have enjoyed a wonderful summer. Here's a handful of pictures that share our pleasures. Hope you have had a summer equally gratifying.

Some more Israel photos

These are actually the last five photos listed below.

A Gratifying Trip

Most of you know that Alice and I have made plans to visit Israel in the past. Each time she became uneasy with the idea and the trip was postponed. This time around, encouraged by our rabbi and knowing that many friends from temple would be joining us, Alice honored her longtime commitment. And it was an incredibly rewarding trip. We hope to have the opportunity to share some of our experiences with you soon. In order: visiting the Western Wall before shabbat, Rabbi Klein (we have much in common), shopping at Machana Yehuda marketplace, drinks at the King David Hotel, a quick bite at Nachlat Binyamin, planting trees, Alice playing with kids in an Ethiopian kindergarten, an intimidating reminder in Golan Heights, Southern excavations.

On Aging Gracefully

According to George Carlin

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60 .

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REA CH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I 'm 100 and a half!"
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!


HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay "them."

2 Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever Your home is your refuge .

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10.Tell the people you love that you love them , at every opportunity.


AND ALWAYS REMEMBER :
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Need a pediatrician?

Somehow, somebody came across this discussion on a website used by Manhattan parents (to be):

A friend recommended Dr. Eric Rosenberg as a ped for db (we are moving to the UWS). Does anybody use him?
Toddler - Apr 10th, 2007 10:29am
o I did and he was great . Changed insurance so could not use him .I believe he no longer accepts new patients (or didn't 6mo ago)
- Apr 10th, 2007 10:30am
 OP - Are there other peds in this practice if we can't use him?
- Apr 10th, 2007 10:30am
 yes- never saw them though
- Apr 10th, 2007 10:33am
o he is great-one of the most popular in that group. i use hiltlebeital
- Apr 10th, 2007 10:30am
o He is cute.
- Apr 10th, 2007 10:31am
 np: lol, i agree. he's super nice too.
- Apr 10th, 2007 10:33am
 If he were a bit taller.... wow.
- Apr 10th, 2007 10:34am

Summer Fun: Sesame Place, Peewee Soccer and Alice's 60th Birthday

Celebrating GG's 97th Birthday at The Regency

What fun having the entire family--four generations-- together for another birthday celebration.

After Liberation, a Joyful Reunion

This article appeared in the April 15 Sunday edition of the Miami Herald


Inseparable: Pearl and Simon Gottesman met in 1940. They dated before the war, were separated during it, and reunited after liberation. They have been married for 61 years.
(In the Herald, there is a pre-World War II portrait of her family. Only she survived the Holocaust. The photo hangs in Marvin and Alice's home).

Posted on Sun, Apr. 15, 2007

After liberation, a Joyful Reunion

Simon Gottesman met Pearl Lax in 1940, not long after World War II began. He'd been keeping company with another young lady from Pearl's village when he spotted her.

''She was very beautiful and I loved her,'' he says. ``I said, `Next week I'll come again. Let's go to the movies . . . '''

''So we went,'' says Pearl.

Simon would have married her right then, but ''it was wartime, and her parents wouldn't let her. They said I would go away, and that's what happened.'' He was deported to Bor, a Yugoslavian labor camp.

For a time Simon was able to smuggle letters to Pearl. He never heard back.

''In 1944, they took her whole village, the Jewish population,'' he says. ``Everybody knew that.''

After liberation, each went to Prague, where the Red Cross posted lists of names.

'You'd go and ask, `Did anybody look for me?' It happened that she came to look, and we found each other,'' Simon recalls.

''Right away I recognized him,'' says Pearl, who ''went through hell'' in Auschwitz.

They headed for his village, where Simon found an older brother, one of three who'd lived. Three sisters perished.

''Either marry her or tell her it's over,'' his brother ordered. 'I said, `Pearl, we're getting married this Sunday.' ''

Simon borrowed a jacket. Pearl wore a suit. A friend sold a pair of boots and paid for the reception.

Pearl initially resisted.

'She said, `No! We are waiting for my father and mother to come home.' Meanwhile, I met this guy who said he saw when they killed them.

'I said, `If they come home, we'll make another wedding.' I knew they're not coming.''

For awhile, ''We lived like there is no tomorrow,'' says Simon. ``We were going out Saturday nights to parties. When we got papers to go to America, we didn't want to. When the communists took over, naturally we went.''

They settled in Brooklyn. Simon bought a relative's dairy store.

''As a parent, I was very strict,'' says Simon. ``I always wanted my kids to have school. I was deprived of it. I finished high school but when I got ready for college, there was a law that Jews could not go.''

They moved to South Florida in 1982, after Simon retired from a sweater factory. Here, as in Brooklyn, they live in a survivor-intensive community.

''They are our family,'' says Simon. ``We play cards together. We mingle.''

How often does the Holocaust come up in conversation?

He chuckles: ``Always.''

GG's 97th Birthday

We are looking ahead to another special day with Sonia--aka Sunny, Mom, Grandma, and GG. While we are planning a centennial bash, her ninety-seventh birthday falls on Memorial Day this year. While she may have never served in battle, who would have a problem considering her a veteran?

The best news is that the hospice service has removed Mom from its list of patients. Her health, a very great concern in the fall, has been very good throughout winter.

We will reserve the private dining room at the Regency and plan lunch for all. Please RSVP to Alice this week.

Hi from Ethan & Emmy

Reflections on the Past Year

On Borat! on Daisuke! on Rumsfeld and Patrick!

December 25, 2006 (The Boston Globe)

Greetings, friends, of all persuasion,
Color, creed, denomination.
No border fences put up here
In decking halls with season's cheer.
'Tis Christmas, true, and merry to ya,
But cue a chorus of Hallelujah
For all and sundry revelers
From this old house to you and yours.
It's been six years since we began a
Habit of this year-end stanza
Jotted down amid the wrapping,
Shopping, schlepping, typing, napping
Going on nonstop around us
Up until the dawn of Christmas
When we, like you, pause to take in
The wonder of the year that's been.
As we wonder, ponder how
We staggered here from then to now
YouTubed, MySpaced, "Lost," adrift,
Sorting truth from truthiness.
Borat? Seemed legit to us.
Balco-gate? Yo, what's the fuss?
Mel G's meltdown, Kerry's gaffe,
Cruise unglued -- you had to laugh.
Pluto's out, and so is Rummy.
No one bought "O.J. for Dummies."
Al Gore's movie? Huge buzzkill.
US pop. tops three hundred mil.
Shrinking icecaps, hybrid cars,
Sinking coastlines, oxygen bars.
Note to Santa on this yule:
Convert sleigh rig to biofuel.

It's party time, though, doff your wraps,
Grab a double shot of schnapps,
And toast the swells at our soiree
Like Kinky Friedman, Rachael Ray,
Keke Palmer, Daniel Craig,
George Carlin, and Flavor Flav.
A round, too, please, for Taylor Hicks
And photog Annie Leibovitz.
Salud, Deval, here's looking at ya.
Kanpai, Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Emmitt Smith, your twinkle toes
Are brighter than old Rudolph's nose.
Bottoms up to Gloria Larson,
Eddie Murphy, Tucker Carlson ,
Helen Mirren , Audrey Tautou,
Rascal Flatts, and Djimon Hounsou.
Next for your consideration
Words of season's salutation
For Eugene Levy , Tony Snow ,
Akon , E.L. Doctorow,
Cate Blanchett, Tenacious D,
Jill Medvedow, and Stan Lee.
4Peace, let's go a-carolin'
And stop to serenade Bom Kim
Then pick up Gary LaPierre
Plus anyone left sitting there --
Parker Posey, Thomas Ricks,
Nelly Furtado, Coco Crisp --
And lead them all in getting down
With Michael Mann and Ayla Brown,
Miley Cyrus, Logan Mankins,
Snow Patrol, and Henry Jenkins.

Time's up! And time is of the essence
In unwrapping these last presents.
The deeper message here conveyed
Transcends this single holiday.
It's not the price tag, it's the thought.
Not the trappings, nor what's bought.
So, friends, until our next year's meeting:
Peace on earth and season's greetings.

JOSEPH P. KAHN

Happy New Year

Dear Friends,

It is customary, as the new year approaches, that we make resolutions as we look to the year ahead. I think it may be more instructive for us to look back at the events of our current year to recognize some things we may have done or said that do not merit repeating.

Certainly there are comments or actions that we would have liked to have taken back a moment later. Well, hopefully none of our blunders match these which are deserving of the Idiot Awards for 2006.

Happy New Year from Alice and Marvin

Idiots of 2006

Number One Idiot of 2006: I am a medical student currently doing a rotation in toxicology at the poison control center. Today, this woman called in very upset because she caught her little daughter eating ants. I quickly reassured her that the ants are not harmful and there would be no need to bring her daughter into the hospital. She calmed down and at the end of the conversation happened to mention that she gave her daughter some ant poison to eat in order to kill the ants. I told her that she better bring her daughter into the emergency room right away. Here's your sign, lady. Wear it with pride. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Number Two Idiot of 2006: Early this year, some Boeing employees on the airfield decided to steal a life raft from one of the 747s. They were successful in getting it out of the plane and home. Shortly after they took it for a float on the river, they noticed a Coast Guard helicopter coming towards them. It turned out that the chopper was homing in on the emergency locator beacon that activated when the raft was inflated. They are no longer employed at Boeing. Here's your sign, guys. Don't get it wet; the paint might run. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Number Three Idiot of 2006: A man, wanting to rob a downtown Bank of America, walked into the Branch and wrote this: "Put all your muny in this bag." While standing in line, waiting to give his note to the teller, he began to worry that someone had seen him write the note and might call the police before he reached the teller's window. So he left the Bank of America and crossed the street to the Wells Fargo Bank. After waiting a few minutes in line, he handed his note to the Wells Fargo teller. She read it and, surmising from his spelling errors that he wasn't the brightest light in the harbor, told him that she could not accept his stickup note because it was written on a Bank of America deposit slip, and that he would either have to fill out a Wells Fargo deposit slip or go back to Bank of America. Looking somewhat defeated, the man said, "OK" and left. He was arrested a few minutes later, as he was waiting in line back at Bank of America. Don't bother with this guy's sign. He probably couldn't read it anyway. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Number Four Idiot of 2006: A motorist was unknowingly caught in an automated speed trap that measured his speed using radar and photographed his car. He later received in the mail a ticket for $40 and a photo of his car. Instead of payment, he sent the police department a photograph of $40. Several days later, he received a letter from the police that contained another picture, this time of handcuffs. He immediately mailed in his $40. Wise guy........ but you still get a sign. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Number Five Idiot of 2006: A guy walked into a little corner store with a shotgun and demanded all of the cash from the cash drawer. After the cashier put the cash in a bag, the robber saw a bottle of Scotch that he wanted behind the counter on the shelf. He told the cashier to put it in the bag as well, but the cashier refused and said, "Because I don't believe you are over 21." The robber said he was, but the clerk still refused to give it to him because she didn't believe him. At this point, the robber took his driver's license out of his wallet and gave it to the clerk. The clerk looked it over and agreed that the man was in fact over 21 and she put the Scotch in the bag. The robber then ran from the store with his loot. The cashier promptly called the police and gave the name and address of the robber that he got off the license. They arrested the robber two hours later. This guy definitely needs a sign. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Idiot Number Six of 2006: A pair of Michigan robbers entered a record shop nervously waving revolvers. The first one shouted, "Nobody move!" When his partner moved, the startled first bandit shot him. This guy doesn't even deserve a sign. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Idiot Number Seven of 2006: Arkansas: Seems this guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that he'd just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window. The cinder block bounced back knocking him unconscious. It seems the liquor store window was made of Plexi-Glass. The whole event was caught on videotape. Yep, Here's your sign. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please note that all of the above people are allowed to vote!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IDIOTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: I live in a semi-rural area. We recently had a new neighbor call the local township administrative office to request the removal of the Deer Crossing sign on our road. The reason: "Too many deer are being hit by cars out here! I don't think this is a good place for them to be crossing anymore." From Kingman, Kansas ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IDIOTS IN FOOD SERVICE: (particularly timely) My daughter went to a local Taco Bell and ordered a taco. She asked the person behind the counter for "minimal lettuce." He said he was sorry, but they only had iceberg. He was a Chef? Yep, From Kansas City! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IDIOT SIGHTING: I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport employee asked, "Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge? To which I replied, "If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?" He smiled knowingly and nodded, "That's why we ask." Happened in Birmingham, Alabama ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IDIOT SIGHTING: The stoplight on the corner buzzes when it’s safe to cross the street. I was crossing with an intellectually challenged coworker of mine. She asked if I knew what the buzzer was for. I explained that it signals blind people when the light is red. Appalled, she responded, "What on earth are blind people doing driving?!" She was a probation officer in Wichita, Kansas ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IDIOT SIGHTING: At a good-bye luncheon for an old and dear coworker. She was leaving the company due to" downsizing." Our manager commented cheerfully, "This is fun. We should do this more often." Not another word was spoken. We all just looked at each other with that deer-in-the-headlights stare. This was a bunch at Texas Instruments. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IDIOT SIGHTING: I work with an individual who plugged her power strip back into itself and for the sake of her own life, couldn't understand why her system would not turn on. A deputy with the Dallas County Sheriffs office, no less. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IDIOT SIGHTING: When my husband and I arrived at an automobile dealership to pick up our car, we were told the keys had been locked in it. We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the driver’s side door. As I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlocked. "Hey," I announced to the technician, "its open!" His reply, "I know. I already got that side." This was at the CHEVY dealership in Canton, Mississippi

Happy Chanukah

Click on Happy Chanukah for Alice and Marvin's wishes for a happy holiday e-card.

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes
for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress,
non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice
holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious
persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for
the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their
choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and
medically uncomplicated recognition of the of the generally accepted
calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of
choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped
make America great.

Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other
country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere .

And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability,
religious faith or sexual preference of the wishes.

By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This
greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable
with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the
wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself
or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the
sole discretion of the wisher.

This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual
application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a
subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is
limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the
sole discretion of the wisher."

Happy Chanukah,
Alice and Marvin

Math Lesson