My Dad and Elena

Editor's Note: Tomorrow, back to reunion stuff. Today is for me.


Daddy, I love you. Such simple words, but words I have such a hard time saying directly to him. Maybe I can direct him here....so he can know it as the basic truth it is.

My dad met Elena after a failed marriage which he entered into, way too soon after my mother died. Some men are like that...they just can't be alone. As his second marriage was failing, my dad found the computer, and shortly after that, he found the internet. He met Elena, the second love of his life on some Jewish Singles Dating site. They have been together nearly as long as Mike and I. Elena is the only grandmother David has ever known. My mother died so many years ago I can no longer count them on two hands, though I still think of her every day, and Mike's mother died just as we'd made the decision to pursue an international adoption. Elena and Dad mean the world to David.

Elena has been valiantly fighting advancing MS for as long as we've known her. Even as her strength weakened, she was climbing mountains, going on cruises, keeping up with her very active grandchildren, and grandmothering David. Elena is facing one now that nothing can help her through. When we saw her on Yom Kippur, she looked beautiful, she looked radiant, and she looked vacant. What's happening now, to Dad and Elena is just heartbreaking. He is a man totally in love with a woman who he is losing slowly, right in front of his eyes.

I get a phone call every week or so from Elena's daughter, telling me of yet another infraction my dad has committed. He is who he is. At 86, I am not going to change him, nor do I want to. In my eye, his only sin is loving her too much.

This is my tribute to my Dad.

Daddy. I love you.

BB Update

So, Saturday night, I was fooling around with my BB, when all of a sudden, pffft....nothing. I waited what I considered to be a reasonable amount of time for it to come back up, and when still nothing happened, I frantically started pressing buttons.

Eventually, I was able to reconnect with my BB, but I seem to have caused some serious damage by not being patient, and pushing all the wrong buttons. I'm hoping that in a day or so, it sets itself right. I really don't want another one, or a different one. I kinda like the one I had...despite it's bumps and bruises.

2 Weeks....and counting!

Yow! Where has the time gone? It was forever ago when we started the planning, and now, here we are, just two weeks from the event.

A few newsworthy items from the past week:

If you were planning to stay at Ocean Place, and haven't made your reservation yet, I'm sorry to say that IF you can get a room, you'll be paying full price. The hotel is near capacity. As I said in a much earlier post, apparently October is the new June for weddings at the Jersey Shore, and there are 3 at OP the weekend of the reunion.

I heard from Joey this week. Sad to say he's not going to be able to attend. He sends everyone his best wishes, and asks that we send pictures. Other than Leslee, I'm pretty certain that the roster posted is the final roster. I expect to hear from Leslee early this coming week.

Since so many people have asked me about photographs, I've arranged for someone to come to the event to take photos. She'll use my camera and wander the room taking pictures, then sometime soon after the event I'll post the photos up to a shared spot where anyone who wants can view them, download them, print them.

And still no word from Steven.

Busy Reunion Week

My busy reunion week started with an email from Mark Engel with the photo below attached. Look how cute everyone was! That's Steven Kornfeld next to Mark.

If anyone else has any pictures that they'd like to share, send them to me, and I'll post them up. Or better yet, bring them to the reunion.


I also had an email from Shelley Rosenbloom. She isn't going to be able to make the reunion. She expressed her disappointment, and asked that I extend her best regards to everyone. Shelley lives in Minnesota, and I'd hoped to see her this summer at a conference I was considering attending. I didn't go, and regret the missed opportunity.

I got Paul Pomerantz's check, so he's definitely in. I never had any doubts about him; he'd told me very early on that he was planning to attend.

I was pleasantly surprised one day this week to come home to find a check from Natalie. I'm making the appropriate roster change to move her back up to 'Attending'.

I anticipate confirming Joey this week, so by my count, that still leaves Leslee and John Ficula unaccounted for.

Except, of course, for Steven Kornfeld.

L'Shanah Tovah!

Komrower!

I talked to Jeff Komrower last night. You may recall, it was Fran finding Jeff in her synagogue contact list which was the impetus for the 30 year reunion. And Jeff forwarding me the contact list that he put together 10 years ago that got this one rolling. Jeff forwarded me a few photos of himself that I thought I'd share. He's attending the reunion, and planning to stay at the OP on Saturday night.

It's official, Larry!

If we were giving a prize for longest distance travelled for the reunion, it would go to Tad Boub. I got his check yesterday, along with a sweet note; he's coming from California! I was already pretty excited about seeing one Boub Boy after all these years! Now we'll get to see them both.

The fence sitter who jumped off this week is George Seltzer. He's another of the original Facebook group that I've been 'chatting' with since we started planning this thing. He finally made the commitment. I know that many of us have young kids, (my David is 10 and in the 5th grade) but I do believe that George's son Stephen is the youngest among them all. He's just started first grade! If you're a Facebooker, and you haven't already, friend George. He's got photos of Stephen up, and honestly, he looks just like George...though apparently that's a debate. For those keeping count, George will be staying at OP with his family.

There are a few folks who are still not quite there: Joey Correia will be getting his schedule for October in just about a week, and will know then if he can make it; Paul Pomerantz has yet to send a check, and I'd like to remind him and anyone else that I will not be prepared to handle money the night of the reunion, I haven't heard from John Ficula since the end of July while I was on vacation, but I've left him a few voice messages, and he's not completely discounted, and I'm still waiting to hear from Leslee Scheckman. Other than that, I do believe we've reached everyone that we're going to.

Except Steven Kornfeld. :=(

Banging Them Pleasure Machines....

September 10....


30 days until the reunion. If you're planning to come, please....send your checks now. We're making the final arrangements with Charley's, and we're making plans for Friday night.


Here's the tentative plan for Friday night:

• Meet in the OP Lounge at about 7.
  
  
• Surf Taco for a light dinner, one of my favorite, (very) casual Jersey Shore eating joints. We can certainly make other recommendations if you prefer something different. Check out the stuff at Pier Village; restaurants, shopping, entertainment.
  
  
• Next, we're heading to Asbury Park. There's tons of cool stuff to do in Asbury, but we're starting at the Silver Ball Museum where for ten bucks you can play an hour's worth of pinball on any of number of vintage machines.
  
  
• There's Cookman Avenue in Asbury too, so if you're not a Pinball fan, you'll find something you might like here. Bars, Antique stores, shopping, did I mention bars....?
  
  
• After Pinball, there are any number of possibilities. As mentioned above, Cookman Avenue offers a number of bars featuring a variety of music, however,
  
  
• Al DiBiase suggested Giamano's in Bradley Beach for music and drinks
  
  
• Finish the night back at OP for another round in the lounge.

No need to commit to joining. If you're interested, just be at the OP on Friday night, or join us at any of the stops above.

Remember what Jill Zarin's Mom Said?

....it's Memorial Day, then turn around and it's Labor Day. Spectacular weekend here at the Jersey Shore.

Surprising reunion news this weekend too. Larry Zarra can officially move over...and one of the fence sitters has finally made the commitment. No roster changes, though until I get the checks.

I'm nearly ready to put up the white flag on Ira Weinstock and sadly, Steven Kornfeld. Maybe for the 50th?

Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!

Goldenberg is in!

Got his check yesterday. Pomerantz continues to elude me. He says he's coming....but.....and Larry Zarra remains safe. Still nothing from Steven Kornfeld.