CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE AGAIN...O~U~T SPELLS OUT

Yesterday cousin Larry's daughter Jennifer gave birth to a baby boy. He's now the tenth Joseph among our relatives. I got a haircut at Rose Chairge's new barber shop in West Pittston yesterday too. It's right inside her husband's comic book store. It was a little hard for me to track it down but I got there eventually with no trouble. Aunt Lauren came over last night for a while when I was at confession at O.L. Sorrows. A few weeks ago Tom sold me a St. Monica's sweatshirt. I picked it up last night. I've been re~reading Cervantes' "Don Quijote", the classic picaresque novel. It's long & the small print gets me crazy but it's always been quite a favorite of mine. My nephew Michael just graduated from Hofstra University this past weekend so he's been quite excited lately. It's still insanely cold but I can handle it as long as the snow doesn't get any worse. Last week, from Monday until Wednesday, there was no priest at our church so I went to Mass each day at St. John the Evangelist in Pittston. This year is very fast coming to its end. We should most certainly hope that 2011 will bring us much better times.

CHRISTMAS BECKONS

Today is December 17, so Advent is coming to a close & Christmas Eve is exactly a week away. So far I've yet to get a haircut from Rose Chairge in West Pittston but I've kept track of her phone number so I can make an appointment for the upcoming week. Tonight, at 7:00, is a party over at O.L. Sorrows in honor of Fr. Leonard Butcavage. I'm taking chicken. He spent a few months with us recently & often returns for parties & special occasions. The weather has been very bitter cold recently but there haven't been any significant snowstorms, only a few that were slightly aggravating. Unfortunately the rest of the country has very bad blizzards. I got a Christmas card from Carole, my old supervisor from Citicorp, a few days ago. I've yet to get one from Grace, Daren's mother. I sent out a card to each of them two days ago. Of course we've been getting inundated with all sorts of left~wing manipulations of language & symbolism these days, as always, pretending that it's just another holiday season. Liberals always claim they have the right to control us for the sake of not offending the supposedly maligned minorities & other special interest groups. Yet another dark side of Christmas is the inevitable greeting card from at least one relative or acquaintance, always a tangential character, who appears to be harboring the very definitely mistaken impression that people are impressed by, or interested in, his, & his family's escapades from the past year. There's one of those in each crowd. These cards always seem to be filled with references to promotions, scholarships & glamorous vacations. They're more boring than offensive. Unfortunately there was just an extremely bad accident over by the Midway Shopping Center's parking lot this morning. I heard that a car was cut in half. That's quite a dangerous intersection. A couple of days ago I took advantage of some coupons for Dunkin' Donuts. I got a half dozen donuts & a hot latte'.

BEATLE JOHN

Today is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, a major Feast day on the Catholic Church's liturgical calendar. It's a holy day of obligation. I shall have to go to 7:00 Mass tonight at O. L. Sorrows. I tried to go to Mass this Morning at St. John's in Pittston. I didn't know that their Mass would be only at 7:00 a.m. & other Masses later in the day. They don't have an 8:00 a.m. Mass today. Sadly, today also marks the thirtieth anniversary of the assassination of Beatle John Lennon by Mark David Chapman outside the Dakota building in Manhattan. It was a Monday night. I can still remember it as if it were only last night. Lennon's music, image & reputation, to this very day, are still a part of our cultural landscape. Even the very young, who hadn't even been born during the lifetime of the famed Swain of Liverpool, are quite smitten with him. Today's Tina's twenty~first birthday. She's cousin Gary's daughter. The weather lately has been very bitter cold but we don't get any snow beyond just the slightest dusting each day. So far there's no fog or icy rain either. Yesterday was especially cold. Buffalo has quite a bit of snow so I suppose we should all feel quite sorry for Maelene & her family.

TWO DOLLARS

Uncle Frankie's home from Fran's house. Aunt Lauren is visiting Noreen. Advent yet again beckons. As of today we have only three weeks until Christmas. Besides the slight snowfall on Thanksgiving we got some more last night & this morning. The weather's been very bitter cold but not unbearable. Tomorrow I shall have to lector at 11:00 a.m. Mass at O.L. Sorrows/St. Monica's. I need a haircut. I should suppose I could track down Rose Chairge's new place over on Luzerne Avenue in West Pittston but so far I haven't bothered. There are several other places that are much closer. A few days ago when I went to a neighborhood stationery to get the Citizen's Voice, they guy in the store gave me two two dollar bills for change from a five. Two dollar bills have been around since I was a kid in the eleventh grade & I don't usually get to see them in circulation. Unfortunately four days from now will mark the thirtieth anniversary of the murder of Beatle John Lennon in Manhattan by Mark David Chapman. It still seems as if it were only last night. So far I have yet to see an entire episode of the show "House". I've seen half of each of a few episodes though. It's not so bad so maybe I shall continue watching it. Vinnie & Michael like "Burn Notice". I like it too but it's not on until 10:00 at night. Perhaps I shall watch the reruns. They're on much earlier at a time when civilized human beings can see them.

COLD WEATHER

Thanksgiving worked out quite well. Uncle Frankie, Fran & Lisa showed up. So did Mary Anne, Steve & all the kids. Sam's & Bridget's braces are finally gone. Michael & I got into our inevitable debates about theology & philosophy. It was a fattening time for one & all. To my chagrin there are still leftovers even now. Mary Anne & family only stayed from Wednesday until Saturday because Steve's band, Spectrum, had to play at a concert in Long Beach on Saturday night. I recently finished reading a biography of John Henry Cardinal (now Blessed) Newman, by Fr. Ian T. Ker, & have started re~reading Virgil's "Aeneid". Lately on TV I've been watching old shows like "Peter Gunn", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" & "Daniel Boone". I used to like "Daniel Boone" & "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" when I was in grammar school but can't remember "Peter Gunn" except by reputation, except for the really famous instrumental, by Duane Eddy, that's the theme song. Herschel Bernardi was in it. I remember him from "Arnie". I also watch a lot of old movies on channel 72. After a long spell of exceptionally inexplicably nice weather we've gotten lots of cold & rain lately. It even snowed a bit on Thanksgiving. My headaches really kick in when the weather changes. Uncle Frankie's been visiting Fran yet again for the past few days. That means I'm back to picking up his mail each day. Wayne, from my Knights of Columbus council in Luzerne, recently sent me a notice about my dues. I shall have to get them paid soon.

THANKSGIVING BECKONS

Uncle Frankie's back, as of two days ago, from his trip to Fran's house. I picked up his mail each day when he was gone. Thanksgiving is only five days away. Everyone has been making preparations. Mary Anne & family will be showing up in a few days. In the 1980's I spent several Thanksgivings in North Tonawanda with relatives. It's too bad we can't have those days back now. This morning I went to Wilkes_Barre for our monthly Carmelite meeting. We meet at the Little Flower Manor on South Meade St. every third Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m. Only a few people showed up this month. The weather's been very nice lately with occasional very violent thunderstorms including one in the middle of the night this past week. To my chagrin I always get very violent headaches when the weather changes like that. After tomorrow's 11:00 a.m. Mass the two churches in the Wyomings will officially be known as St. Monica's Parish. There will be a reception at St. Joseph's immediately following the Mass. It must be a stressful time for people who grew up with these parishes. Yesterday I called Jim, in California, on his cell phone. We often get to talk on Facebook anyway but he gave me his number so we could at least give it the more personal touch for once. This month we wish very happy birthdays to Steve in California, cousin Maelene's son Scott, & cousin Leonard's granddaughter Sarah(today), Wendy, two Javas & Kim.

R.I.P. MISS WATZEL...THE END OF AN ERA

I just got some very sad news a couple of days ago. Brother Edward Shields, the principal of St. Gabriel's, my old school, in East Elmhurst, recently sent out a Facebook message telling us about the death, last weekend, of Miss Geraldine Watzel. Miss Watzel was my second grade teacher. She was seventy six years old. My old friends & I have always remembered her so fondly. Although I'd never expected to see Miss Watzel again, I was lucky enough to be able to attend a few reunions several years ago at the old parish, where she showed up. Even after so many long decades she was still quite a formidable intimidating character. St. Gabriel's, now the La Salle School at St. Gabriel's Parish, was the most important part of my early days in Queens. My days in that neighborhood & parish have always been a memorable part of my life. Over the course of my educational lifetime I got very many exceptional teachers but Miss Watzel was among the very best & most memorable. I shall have to keep praying for the repose of her soul.

BIG PARADE

Uncle Frankie & Fran came over for dinner two weekends ago. Mary Anne, Steve & Bridget came in last weekend. Michael & Sam stayed home because they were too busy. This past weekend was fairly quiet. Uncle Frankie was visiting Fran. I checked his mailbox on Saturday but he didn't get anything. Now that I get channel 72 again, I've been watching a lot of old movies. That channel has all the really interesting classics including even the very old silent movies. Veteran's Day passed by a few days ago without any significant milestones. There were no really noticeable festivities around here. The weather lately has been unseasonably warm although the mornings can be cold & icy. Yesterday was the Feast of All Carmelite Saints. Today is the Feast of All Carmelite Souls. This weekend was St. Joseph's & Our Lady of Sorrows' parishes' last weekend in existence. As of next Sunday our new parish's name will be St. Monica's. I lectored at O.L. Sorrows' last Mass yesterday. I covered for Linnae. Fr. McKernan was gone for a couple of weeks to India recently. There were visiting priests while he was gone. I gave a double red cell donation last Monday at O.L. Mt. Carmel in West Pittston. Unfortunately I got a very bad headache on Tuesday & another one on Thursday. When I used to work at Citicorp in Farmingdale & Melville, around twenty years ago, Carole, who was then my supervisor, always complained that every time I gave blood I got a violent headache the next day. Unfortunately it still happens. Yesterday I went to Barnes & Noble in Wilkes_Barre. It was one of my usual trips over there. When I went to Price Chopper at the Midway, to get the papers & a loaf of French bread, there were a bunch of fire trucks & police cars there to help the local high school celebrate their having one the biggest game of the year. They led a big procession up Wyoming Avenue. Thanksgiving is now only ten days away. Recently I got my dues notice from Wayne at the Luzerne council of the Knights of Columbus. It's that time of year again.

Fw: Hi Larry

OCTOBERFEST

A while ago I started using the discount card they have at Price Chopper. Not having had any idea which gas stations accepted it, I first took it to the Unimart in Exeter. The guy behind the counter mistakenly told me it was for Turkey Hill. The lady at Turkey Hill in Exeter told me it was for Sunoco. I took it to Sunoco on River Road in Plains & the guy there told me it was for only certain Sunocos. Eventually I found out that it's accepted at the Sunoco on Main Street in Pittston. Columbus Day & Octoberfest went by without any festivities. At least I didn't attend any. St. John the Baptist in West Islip, my high school, called me with a recording advertising their Homecoming Day. There must have been a nice time on Wellwood Avenue in Lindenhurst for Octoberfest. I always used to enjoy attending things like that. The St. Jude novena at St. Mary Help of Christians, on Main Street in Pittston Junction, has been going quite well so far. It lasts until Wednesday night, his feast day. So far I've gone there each day, or night. Last night it rained but it was a nice rain. the weather has been awfully unseasonably warm lately. When I was a kid Halloween was always bitter cold. We used to have to wear very heavy winter clothes under our costumes. This month's birthdays are Georgia, Nicolas, Tony Jr., Tammy & Joseph, among the relatives. For friends, there are Frank, Earl, Jim, Cathy, Brian. Uncle Frankie comes over once in a while lately but recently he went away to visit Fran at her new house. Fr. McKernan left this past weekend to go to India. He's visiting Mother Teresa's sisters for two weeks.