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Some foods and objects have multi-useIll name some of the ones that are common, at least for me.-rice crispies – cereal and dessert-bread- toast, sandwich,French toast, bread crumbsmustard – condiment, flavoring in cooking, salad dressingKatsup- same as mustardlemon – dessert, dressing, cooking,with iced water,-nails – fasten pieces of wood together, hang things on walls, awl.Note; multi-use items are ubiquitous to most people and are purchased and used without much thought.. They will be around “forever.”.

PENNY’S GIFTIt was early December 1961,and I was discharged from the United States Air Force at Patrick Air Force BAse, Located at Cocoa Beach ,Florida. As I entered my parents home on Long Island , New York and afterhugging them, I met Penny, my parents recently purchasedpuppy. She sat the entire Time and just stared at me.I asked,” Whose dog is she and where does she sleep”.“She’s no one’s dog and sleeps on the recliner in the living room,” answered my mom.After chatting with them a little while longer , I said good night. It was late and I hadn’t slept at all during the day-long train ride from Cocoa, Florida. to Penn station, New York city.When entering my bedroom, I flipped the light switch on and saw my mutt, Penny, resting on a pillow on the right side of the bed near the head board.I have a few theories about how she knew I slept on the left side and why she eventually slept at the foot of the bed. The ones I thought about all seemed reasonable. The one I liked the best, is that she loved me, since she seemed concerned about my comfort.When she needed to do her duty, she waited by the front door ( which was near my bedroom) for me to let her out. Make no mistake about it, I had to walk with her to a special area, after which I had to walk the perimeter of the yard, also. She would stop and wait for me to catch up with her. It was clear to me that it was my duty to walk with her; after all we were friends.When I ran an errand for my folks, using their car ( I didn’t own one), Penny followed me outside and stood by the passenger door waiting for me to open her door. She alway sat on the passenger seat, until I took her hunting rabbits during small game hunting season on the Island.Taking Penny with me and having her witness the demise of an animal (in this case a rabbit) caused her to avoid me for a couple of days. While in the kitchen, one day, she saw my mom take the skinned rabbit from the refrigerator and give it to my grandpa. Penny witnessed him cook it and serve it for dinner. I refused to eat it and I selected vegetables and a lot of Italian bread with butter, instead. Sitting around the table with my family after eating, was something I hadn’t done in a year , so I really enjoyed being with them.I looked for my dog but she had disappeared.When I went to bed that evening, I realized Penny still loved me , since she was resting on her pillow, on our bed, with her eyes locked on mine.After I got married and moved to our apartment with my bride. My dog visited, whenever with my folks. She followed my bride everywhere and sat on her lap when she could.Penny made sure I was not left out, since she licked my hand first.Amazing dog for sure!Our relationship with Penny continued usually the same way with her, until she got cancer. It was a quick and devastating disease for our dog.The vet bills and drug costs were very high, but my parents insisted on paying for all of them! They elected to care for Penny by themselves. I didn’t realize that they had such a strong emotional bond with Penny, probably more than my bride and I had.I still wonder about the time my parents with Penny.After dinner, Penny stayed in the living room, resting on my wife’s lap the entire evening. My father and I were downstairs in the den talking shop. I remembered I had to take the kitchen garbage outside to the back yard. I wanted to take the pails out front also, for early morning pickup.I brought the kitchen garbage bag down to the den’s outside door. I turned the outside light on and started to open the door when Penny ,who had to struggle just walking was at my feet and quickly went outside. She stood fearless and stared down a raccoon, causing it to back off and run away.My dog, without looking at me, turned around and went back upstairs to continue laying on my wife’s lap as if nothing happened,That night my folks took our dog to the vets office, where she died! The vet was lost for words about Penny’s deed that night.I’ll never forget that incident, and it’s been over 40 years.I never asked where she was buried.

The adventures of the first three years of a daughter’s lifeOnce upon a time a baby girl was born.From the day she was born minor problems surfaced in her little body; she was a “squirt”( so named by a nurse in the nursery because she was so tiny ). Frequent visits to the pediatrician were necessary, mostly for “follow ups”.Since I had flexible hours at work and my wife didn’t, I took our daughter to nearly every doctor’s appointment until she was three years old,. Unexpectedly the pediatrician died and the new doctor’s office was very close to home. My wife was able to take her to all her appointments.Now is the time to mention the adventures she had with her dad during the period of time, before the new doctor.The routine when she had appointments was fixed: pick my daughter up at my aunt’s house at 1 pm, drive her to her appointment, and then take her someplace she’s never been to before.After each place we visited, she got an ice cream cone.When she was old enough to talk and get excited with what she saw while in her stroller, I took her for walks around marinas to look at the boats.Taking her to the Republic airfield to watch airplanes take off and land was exciting for me; not at all for her.Even with them flying over her head, she always concentrated on picking flowers for her mom, oblivious to anything else happening.Even when a historic World War Two black American airman flew a red tail p-51 mustang into Republic airfield, she was once again concentrating on picking flowers for her mom. So much for a history lesson that literally got lost in the bed of wildflowers.There was a moment in her history when she was three years old,and the mall near where we lived had a “rock” climbing pyramid for older toddlers.One day, back when I was taking her to her appointments, I picked her up after nursery school , and took her to the mall!At the top of the pyramid of plastic squares, she yelled down to me,”Look at me daddy, I am on top of the mountain.”I said ,” Come down when you want ice cream and then we’ll go home to tell mommy about the mountain you climbed.”

A fun 2 ½ hours at a local coffee shop

After my wife retired, she and her friend Gretchen decided to learn how to machine quilts.

I took my wife to a quilting class in Cold Spring Harbor every Thursday for one month during the fall. We didn’t carpool with Gretchen, since we traveled from opposite directions.

The classes started at 10 am and ended at 1pm.. So I had 2 ½ hours to socialize at the local coffee shop.located nearby, where I met a college Sociology professor named Walter. We became friends. We usually talked during  the time I was there. He spent the rest of Thursday writing a book and creating lesson plans for his classes.

One Thursday morning, Walt assured me that “This morning will be  Memorable.”

“A young lady came into the shop yesterday looking  for a full time job,” Walter Told me. “She briefly talked to the manager. She gave him her resume and he told her to return today at 11am. There seemed to be a synergy between them. I have a feeling we’ll be treated to a very interesting morning,” he said with excitement.

He nudged me and nodded towards the door. She must’ve been in the early 20’s with long black hair, short in stature with rosey cheeks. She wore a dress and white converse sneakers. I thought that was the memorable part. Boy was I in for a surprise. 

She was early. After buying a drink she sat at an empty table waiting to be interviewed. 

After her first sip, the manager appeared and sat next to her. He was nervous; she was not.

Since they were sitting at the table next to ours, we were privy to their conversation.

It went something like this: “I like that you had two years of community college, know the job you want since you read The Barista Book and want to make new friends. I believe we’ll work well together.” She quickly and shamelessly replied, “ Yes we will!” “ You will have a rewarding future here. “I am sure you will too!” she replied. 

“You are hired and will start training  Monday at 9 am. It will be an eight hour day.” “ I’ll be here early.” She said

Seriously, he asked, “ Have you ever flirted with a guy this way before?” “No, never!” She remorsefully responded. He added that, “ I never went on a date with a woman I really liked before.  Would you like to go to lunch with me today?” “ I’d be honored. So yes!”

As they got up to leave he said, “I’ll give you a raise since you are very  experienced!”

They both laughed hysterically.

Walt and I were dumbfounded. It was memorable, for sure!