Loose Ends

Hello riders, I'm baaaacccckkk and I can assure that I haven't absconded with Mari's beautiful BELIEVE charm; nor should you attribute my absence to my sulking over the mere two entries in my first EVER give away attempt (because I certainly wasn't.)  AND based on that almost inexcusable run on sentence, you can probably tell that I'm ready to start writing again and  I promise that I'm gonna do my best to make "The Bumpy Ride" better than ever! 

So first things first... I'd like to congratulate Bernice, as she is the winner of Mari's incredible, inspiration charm.  I apologize for my delay in posting this announcement, but I have found that writing my blog is very much like going to the gym - once I don't do it for a couple of days, it becomes easier and easier to put off.  Although I don't feel good about admitting that or doing it; so I'm going to make an extremely conscious effort to resume both regularly.

If this isn't your first time at this rodeo, then  I'm sure that you can't believe that I'm starting my third paragraph and I have yet to mention my birthday OR my trip to New York; so I'll say this - in a word, it was AMAZING!  AND this -  I plan to write about my trip extensively and include many pictures; but I'm going to break the trip up into several posts - so please stay tuned...

There are few things in this life that I like better than vacation; but getting back into your routine AFTER a trip is exhausting.  I've had a ridiculous amount of work at my job, I'm sadly trying to get my kids ready to go back to school on Monday, I've been helping DJ Louie V choose songs for the '81 reunion that he's DJaying tonight AND I've been in pursuit of a new background for "The Bumpy Ride", because I feel like I wanna give it a fresh new look for my brand new year.  SO with that bein' said, I would GREATLY appreciate any recommendations of sites with free blog backgrounds.  I'm lookin for somethin vintage-y or scrapbook-ish so if you know of a site that you think I should check out, PLEASE lemme know.
   
Once my blog has been redecorated I'll be back again and raring to go.  I'm thinking that I'll try to write a minimum of once a week, and use some of my other time to get my work seen by more than just my five readers.  And in the interest of (say it with me) "The Greater Good", I have to say that it would be very easy for me to feel dejected and disappointed in the lack of response to my contest, BUT I'm choosing not  going to waste my time feeling that way.  After all, to quote Victor Kiam, "‎"Even if you fall on your face, you're still moving forward." 
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING

(43-317) 50 Things To Do In New York

Just 50 more days till I'm in New York.  So, since you know from "100 MORE Random Things About Me", that I make lists; and I've demonstrated numerous times that I'm a big (yes) HUGE fan of continuity - I think it's appropriate that I do a 50 things that I want to do in New York list.  Interestingly enough, most of them involve friends and food, but that should come as no surprise.  So in no particular order...

1.   Go to the cemetary to visit the graves of my Mom, my maternal grandparents and my great aunt and uncle.
2.   Take Lyndzi and Jackie to "The Condos" so they can see where I grew up.
3.   While at "The Condos", visit my old neighbor Elayne.  (She knows we're coming)
4.   Show Lyndzi and Jackie where I went to elementary school.
5.   Take everyone on a tour of New City.  I think it will be really interesting to see what's changed.
6.   Go to a diner in Rockland County
7.   Spend the afternoon with Ruthie (AKA Big V) and her husband Joe and daughter, Olivia.
8. Go to The Rockland Bakery. I have memories of walking in and having the delicious smell of fresh baked bread hit me in the face; and catching HOT rolls as they came shooting out of the oven. Now that was heaven.
9.   Try to catch up with Stefanie S.
10. See my friend Patti from High School.
11. Visit with my old roommate, Tammy and her daughters Allie and Isabelle.  Although I've never met Tammy's girl's, I have a feeling that Lyndzi and Allie are gonna be the best of friends.
12.  See "Mamma Mia"
13.  Meet up with at least two of the girl's (now women) that I used to work with when I was a Social worker.
14.  Have lunch with my friend June.
15.  Although I haven't called her yet, I REALLY want to see my mom's best friend, Millie.  I'm not sure when or how I'll be able to do so; but no trip to NY would be complete without seeing her.
16.  Eat and buy New York Bagels.  It's the one thing that Luis has asked me to bring home.
17.  Spend as much time as possible with the magnificent, Rachel S.
18.  Never let Michele Q out of my sight. 
19.  Go to The Hamptons
20.  Show Lyndzi and Jackie where I went to college.
21.  I was going to say Eat Splat (Fresh clams, shrimp, steamers, mussels, and lobster) at the Lobster Inn in Southampton, but I've read mixed reviews. I'll have to check with Michele Q on this one and if in fact it's not as good as I remember; we may just have to make our own.
22. Go to Central Park.  I'm a native New Yorker, and in the 26 years that I lived in NY, I'd never been.
23. Go to the Statue of Liberty.  It's the one place that Lyndzi has asked to go, and additionally, another place that I've never been.
24.  Have a NY hot dog from a cart.
25.  Go to China town
26.  Go to Little Italy
27.  Hang out with my childhood friend, the SLENDIFEROUS, Judy.
28.  Enjoy the company of my dear friends Dawn and Michael.
29.  Visit with the magnificent, Rachel S' extraordinary mom, Penny.
30.  Meet my cousins.
31.  See my friend Jasmine
32.  See my friend Bobbi
33.  Spend time with my friend Stacy S.
34.  Catch up with my friend Stacy F.
35.  Meet the wife of my senior prom date, Berger.
36.  Enjoy as many meals as possible with as many friends as possible.
37.  Eat Challah french toast
38.  See my beautiful, friend Stephanie M while I'm in The Hamptons.
39.  Go to the beach
40.  Laugh
41.  Hug all of my friends - A LOT!
42.  Snuggle with Lyndzi
43.  Introduce all of my friends to my incredible daughter and my wonderful cousin.
44.  Go dancing in The Hamptons
45.  Take lots of pictures!
46.  See everyone and anyone who wants to see me; even people who haven't made plans with me yet - hint, hint!
47.  PLAY
48.  Eat Pizza
49.  Shop!
50.  Relax. - Really, I'm gonna try.

No matter how many of these things I actually do, I know it's going to be the best trip EVER!  Can't wait to tell you all about it.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING

(43-299) Messages For Luis

Try as we may, we didn't get to speak with Luis yesterday.  I sent him a couple of emails with our schedule, and he left us a voicemail when we were out.  But given the time difference we were never able to connect.  I know the kid's miss him very much, but they've been handling his absence really well. 

Even though it's just a couple of days until Luis comes home; tonight I suggested that they could dictate messages to me and I'd include them in my blog.  So verbatim, these are their messages for Luis:

Kelsie: "Hi Daddy, I miss you very much.  I hope you come home soon.  I want to show you these little bears that I made out of clay.  I hope that you're having a good time in Mexico.  Tell Abuelito and Abuelita that I said hi.  And tell all of our cousins that I said hi, too.  We all miss you.  Love, Ball Ball"

Lyndzi:  "Hi Dad,  I miss you.  I hope that you're having a great time at home.  Please tell Abuelito and Abuelita and the cousins that I love them.  Please give my Nina a hug for me.  I can't wait until you come home so that I can hug you and be with you.  Are you going to be sick of Mexican food by the time you get home?   I love you with all my heart. - Cococita"

Nicky:  "Hey Dad, I hope you're enjoying Puerto Vallarta.  I miss you and when you get home I have tons of things to tell you, show you, and do with you.  Today I found these cool rockets at Michael's and mom's going to give me a coupon so that I can buy one tomorrow,  I also can't wait to do laser tag with you.  Love Trooper"

I had the good fortune to chat with Luis via Facebook instant messenger, so I don't really have much to say to him now, other than,  I love him and miss him and I can't wait to have him back here with us; because he completes us. 
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING

(43-298) Chat

Luis has now been on vacation for five days and I'm happy to say that he's having a great time and the kids and I are handling his absence, perhaps better than we'd expected.  I have been so touched by my kind, friends who've been calling to check on me and the kids.  THANK YOU all!

Before he left for his trip, Luis set up Windows Live Messenger so that we could video chat, and I believe that this has eased our separation, although it hasn't been working quite as well as we'd expected.  Since I'm NOT The Queen of TECHNOLOGY, you might assume that I was the cause of our technical difficulties, but in fact I was not.  On Wednesday night, Luis had sent me an email via Facebook, telling me what time he could chat.  We got online at the stipulated time.  I sat on the couch, and we IM'd a bit.  He then attempted to call; and although my exhausted, face appeared on the computer, we couldn't see him.   I was a little relieved because I took this to mean that he couldn't see us either and since I wasn't lookin my best, I was a lil relieved.  I thought "tomorrow night I'd better do my make up and sit in a flattering position, so that I give Luis something to want to come home to."  We attempted a couple of phone calls, but it wasn't working.  Luis continued to type his IM's but his English and spelling were not what they typically are.  I commented to the girls, that it had only been 24 hours, but Dad seemed to forget how to speak English; and Luis' next IM read "I can hear you."  Whoops!  My bad!  He then wrote "I do too speak English."  To which I replied, "Well you don't type like it."  He said that he could see and hear us, but we couldn't say the same.  Luis told me to keep talking and he'd type.  I agreed, and then his next comment was "Any gossip?"  Well at least that hadn't changed.   It felt odd to talk  to the computer screen and read Luis' typed responses.
Perhaps if  I could have seen his face while I was talking, it wouldn't have felt so peculiar.  But nonetheless, I was very happy to talk to him.

On Thursday night, Luis was able to get his camera working, so we could see him too; but his audio was still a problem.  Luis took us on a tour of the new bathroom that his dad had built and that was terrific.  We felt like we were right there with him.  Technology is just amazing.  I mean the last time I was in the States and Luis was in Vallarta, we were only able to communicate by phone and letters.  But in the past seventeen years, the Internet, email, Instant messaging, and video chat have all been invented.  I could only imagine that I would have saved a lot of money had this been the case back then.  Not that I'd change a thing.

Only three more days till Luis comes home, and the kids and I are fine.  Besides, this really has been good practice for when Lyndzi and I go to New York in 68 days.  Time is just flying by and I plan to enjoy it all.
Till next time...
Queen of EVERYTHING