lornagrl

Come back Gowanus Lounge! Come back!

One of my favorite blogs, Gowanus Lounge has been temporarily suspended and I must say I've truly missed the daily posts about my favorite borough.  GL also has been very supportive of my blog and photos, often posting my photos, and linking back to my site. 

I certainly hope that this is only temporary but in case it's not.  Thanks Bob, for hours of informative, and entertaining Brooklyn updates.

Farewell to my first kiss...

I was very sad this morning when I read that actor, Paul Newman had died of cancer. 

There is a story that I heard a few times while I was growing up.  Now, I'm not sure if this is a true story or an exaggeration.  This is just what I was told by my parents.

Paul Newman kissed me on the cheek when I was four years old.  While I don't remember the actual kiss.  I do remember the day.

I grew up in Sag Harbor during the 1970's and we lived across the street from actor, Hurd Hatfield.  He is best known for his role in The Picture of Dorian Gray. My memories of him are scant. I always called him Mr. Hatfield and he liked to bake bundt cake and would often bring some over and talk to my mother over coffee.  I had no idea he had once been a famous actor.  He was just Mr. Hatfield to me. 

Mr. Hatfield lived in an old house and my father was an independent contractor who specialized in restoration.  My dad was working on the house one summer afternoon and my mother walked over with me, my sister and brother who were both under the age of three to bring him his lunch.  When she told this story, she described walking across the street with one baby strapped to her chest, the other in a stroller and a toddler (me) walking alongside.  She of course, had no make-up on and her hair  was in rollers.  "It was just my luck that Paul Newman was there and I looked a mess." She liked to say.

This day sticks in my memory because 1) we were actually going to Mr. Hatfield's house instead of the other way around. It was usually he who was visiting us.  And 2) While we were walking over there, I found some bird feathers on the ground and decided I was going to give them to him as a present. And 3) There were some strangers who I had never seen before at his house, not just Mr. Hatfield and my Dad.  I found out years later that this was Paul Newman and his wife, Joanne Woodward.  

According to both of my parents, (who each told this story at different times) both Paul Newman and Joane Woodward fussed over the three of us and kissed me and my little sister on the cheek.  I don't remember this at all.  What I do remember is giving Mr. Hatfield his feathers and him thanking me for the birds. Which was strange to me because they were feathers not birds. Perhaps Mr. Hatfields and the Newmans were having a few cocktails.  

Eventually Mr. Hatfield moved away.  I heard he moved to Ireland and he did not keep in touch with my parents.  Years later I saw him in the film Crimes of the Heart.  He died  in 1998.

I know times are tough....

This morning I went to Pax to get my breakfast; a toasted bagel with cream cheese and tomato and two hard boiled eggs.  Normally, I would bring the hard boiled eggs from home, but since I injured my hand, I haven't been able to do too much cooking.  I looked at the price of the eggs and was shocked to see that they were 95 cents each.  A few weeks ago, the price was 75 cents each, which I thought was a little high. The following week the price went up to 80 cents, which I grudgingly paid. But to pay nearly a $1 for a hard boiled egg when I can buy a dozen organic eggs for a little over $3 is just plain ridiculous.

I called the manager over.  "Could this be right?"  He just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Prices are going up."  I said, "I know, but that's a huge jump.  That's more than a 20% increase, plus you've increased this price twice in just one month?!"  He just shrugged his shoulders again and said "Prices have gone up."

Now, I understand times are tough, and I realize we all have to make money.  But there is a big difference between raising prices and price gouging.  "This is the last time I come here." I told him.

When I took my purchase to the register, the cashier only rang up 75 cents per egg.  Normally I would have corrected her, but I let it go.  Apparently the prices are going up so fast, the cashiers can't keep up.

Flat on my face...

I took a big spill this morning. 

I was walking across Broadway and decided to take a little short cut.  I'm not sure when they did this but the city has put these tables and chairs in the middle of Broadway.  At some point I lost my footing and fell. 

Years ago I took a spill and ended up with a busted hand.  Three surgeries and months of physical therapy later, I swore that if I ever took a dive again, I would not try to stop myself with my hand.  One broken hand is quite enough for one life time.  But this morning instinct took over, and as I started to fall, and noticed the sidewalk getting closer, and closer, I stuck out both hands to break my fall. 

Unfortunately I was falling on a gravel surface and instead of stopping short, I just slid and landed right on my face.  When I sat up, blood was dripping down my chin, and chunks of gravel was embedded in my knee and in my right hand.  I heard some kids laughing as they told me to "get up".  A homeless man (God bless him) came over and offered his assistance, but I didn't want anyone touching me yet.  He offered me a dirty napkin which I politely declined. 

A group of tourists who couldn't speak a word of English came over and helped me to my feet.  They wanted to tell me something but had to look in a pocket dictionary to find the right word.  I kept asking for a mirror (I left mine at home).  They handed me a tissue which I used to sop up the blood.  Then they found the word. 

Deep.  The cut on my lip was deep. 

After thanking them, I hobbled toward the office bloodied and bruised and went straight to the ladies room with a first aid kit to check out the damage.  I do indeed have a deep cut on my upper lip that I'm scared to death is going to scar.  My right hand looks like hamburger meat, and my right knee is red and pitted. I've been applying Neosporin and peroxide to my wounds all day.  I left early to see a Dr. who told me to keep the hand exposed to air as much as possible, and prescribed me an anti-biotic cream to avoid infection.  he doesn't think the cut on my lip will leave a scar. 

Monday's suck.

Coney Island, Surf Avenue

I know I haven't posted in awhile. I have been very busy at my new job and have put in some 12 hour days. Sometimes the last thing I want to do when I get home is sit in front of the computer. I am working very hard, but it's happy work. I am so glad I made this change.

In the meantime, I have been going through some of my photos and posting them to Flickr one by one...

New Job...life is getting better.

Where have I been?

So sorry I haven't posted for a while. I have been very busy these last two weeks.

I started a new job on last Monday. After seven years at a non-profit organziation I decided it was time to move on. I interviewed for the position in early June and was offered the position in early August. I am so excited about it, I can hardly breathe. The money is better, the work is more challenging and the commute is easier. There is a lot to absorb but I think I'm going to be very happy there.

It was indeed time for a change.