………………..I’m guessing I was two years old in this picture so it must have been 1950………My Dad wasn’t combing his hair with a side part anymore, but he was combing mine with one…..”a chip off the old block”….LOL…….On Sunday we always went to the park. I loved the swing….or so I was told.
……………………..It was this time of year when my BFF Bobby, and our friend Kenny [taking the pictures] went on a trip to South America. We were all TWENTY ONE, and it was our first time in South America……First stop….PERU…….We went to see Machupicchu, and it was incredible…..something I will remember vividly for the rest of my life, and that was 54 years ago!…..Then we flew to RIO for Carnival which was the wildest thing I have ever experienced!!!! We all had a fabulous time….I don’t think we had a moments sleep….but we were 21 and didn’t need it!!!!……It was amazing how wild the city was during Carnival, pure hedonism!!!…..Then on Ash Wednesday it all stopped. Everyone went back to their daily lives The contrast was sobering and shocking……Bobby and Kenny are gone now, but I have my photos and indelible memories of this fantastic time we spent together.
…………………….Last night I went to bed about 1:00am, and the snow had started to fall….The forecast was “A DUSTING TO 1 INCH”……but Mother Nature said….”not so fast fellas!”. When I woke this morning and looked at the views from my windows there was already a good 3 inches of fresh white snow blanketing everything…..and it’s still snowing……I know there are some who love to complain when it snows, but I’m not one of them…….Snow is one of natures miracles…….Jac would have been in her glory!….. She would have had her snow gear on, and out the door before I even had my first cup of tea!
…………..I love this photo!…..My Dad, on the left, is with one of his best friends Tony Mafai….or to me….Uncle Bubby. It just so happened that he was one of my dad’s best friends who married one of my mom’s best friends….Aunt Sadie…….They were on a vacation, and I’m sure my Uncle Armond was probably taking the picture, as they were always together!….There was no date on the picture, but my guess is, because of the full head of hair my dad still had….it was probably 1939-1941….I always loved seeing pictures of my dad when he was a young peacock!…He looked so cool with his tight fitting polo shirt, his knickers and his white shoes and socks. I guess they had sneakers then?….and…..smoking a cigarette looked so cool back then!!…..I love the way he intentionally is wearing his belt buckled off to the side…very stylish!…I remember at a point in my early adult life when I did the same thing…..I thought it was such a chic look….My dad was certainly an influencer…….Growing up my hair was combed just like my dad’s…….As they say….”The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”.
………………….The photo has “Elmer Park, 1927” written on the back. I have no idea where Elmer Park is or if it even exists today? I do know my mom is on the right and her BFF, Nardi is on the left…..I have no idea who that shady looking character is in the middle with his arm around both of these 17 year old girls!…..I always new Nardi as my Aunt Nardi growing up. She and my mother were, as they say “thick as thieves”, and were always together….They were each others maids of honor at each of their weddings. My Aunt Nardi married first, and my mother soon followed. At the age of 28 she married my Dad. We vacationed with my Aunt Nardi, and her husband, Uncle Armond, and their daughter, Christine often…….The four of them went to Hawaii for my parents 50th wedding anniversary. I later found out that my Aunt Nardi had terminal cancer at the time, but was determined to be with my mom on this trip. She passed away a few months after their return……My mom was never the same. They had been so close for so many years that a piece of my Mom died with my aunt’s passing. They were closer than sisters, and shared everything……Even when we left Brooklyn and my Aunt Nardi stayed behind….they remained very close…..The distance and growing families couldn’t keep them apart………….They were one heart.