My generation is checking out. By that I mean dying. One by one we go, merry oh...... It does look like the men go first although one family member was a woman. It is all so ironic, is it not? It all goes so fast, our lives, and when one gets sick now, that seems to go pretty fast too.
Take my sweet brother-in-law Burt. He died today. Not quite 75, the kindest, nicest and most gentle man who made delicious chocolate moouse and loved to bake bread. There was a time he would not disclose his moose recipe and then one day I begged him cause I was having an all chocolate party. Yum Yum, he agreed it should be part of my festivities.There was never a time that he did not smile and welcome me when we met; ask Burt to pick me up and drive me somewhere, the very first to say," sure." In other words, there was not anything Burt would not do to make the day better. He and my sister in law Arlene have been together about 58 years. They eloped one evening 50 years ago on New Years Eve and we were the first ones that they told. I was married to Arlene's brother Norman. There came a knock on the door one evening 50 years ago; it was Arlene and Burt all giggly; they decided to run away that evening and marry.
It was a brilliant marriage and until today I do not remember them ever leaving each others side. What made their marriage so great was mutual respect for one another. They came first, by that I mean before their kids. They stuck together united and no body came between them ever. They stood up for one another never siding with one of their kids if the other was upset, at least not in front of them.
They lived simply, never a fuss, no big parties or extravaganzas for them, they liked travel and when they were young they did a lot of it. Since their retirement a few years ago, they continued doing the thing they liked most to do, taking trips.
So what happened? Well, the cancer bug got him. All of a sudden his stomach started to hurt, he turned pale and went for tests; after a while he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. At first there was the chemo that made him even sicker, so they stopped that, and put him in the hospital, and then into rehab, then home and hospice came, and it did not take Burt long to check out. It all happened so fast. He liked licking Haggen das ice cream for breakfast. He was only back home for one week when he decided to close his eyes forever.
Arlene will be alone now for the first time in her life. Wow... How she chooses to live her life remains to be seen. Will she survive and go on? Absolutely but being alone at 70 for the first time in her life will not be all that easy. After all they were a team.
Tomorrow I fly to N. J. to pay my respects; I have to turn right around and come home, as free me has been booked for three months to speak at a luncheon. I can not disappoint them. I will visit Arlene again this summer take her out and talk about sweet Burt. I am glad he did not suffer; he got sick and never got up again. I love you Burt.... Rest well. It was a pleasure to know you.
Carol Sue Gershman
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
I AM YOUNG
When my mom was 82 she wrote this poem. I loved it so and flew her to Ca. to enter a special poets contest and guess what she won!
I don't have space for more wrinkles on my face but
I AM YOUNG
My skin is flabby and a little shabby but
I AM YOUNG
I get so mad at me that I can cry
When I run to the kitchen
and can't remember why but
I AM YOUNG
When I see a show or watch TV
My eyes are not what they used to be
And my hearing sometimes is not so great
So I listen closer to what is my fate
I AM YOUNG
Maybe it is too late to learn to skate
But never ever to go out on a date!
I AM YOUNG
Friday, March 13, 2009
The hedges
There were so many problems from the builder. He sold me a apartment with no privacy, and when people walked by they could see directly into my apartment. It was terrible and nothing I could do. I bought the apt from plans, a little dream with my own private gate leading to the pool and tennis courts, a sacred home with all of the amenities of a luxury condo, but I was stuck.
I was heart broken, my investment down the tube. Anybody I showed it to was horrified. I tried to sell it but something held me back. It then dawned on me that if I could get the rites to the builders planter box, I could enclose it with hedges. The rich do it all the time....One longs to look in to their homes, but cannot through the many hedges
Easier said than done
The builder did not care. He had my money and had no desire to turn over his planter boxes to me. I would wait out side of his office to talk to him for hours but he would brush me off; he was a mean one...I was insistent and consistent; I knew his planter box was the only way to save my investment. Lo and behold, one day I got him and he gave me a letter granting permission to his box. At my own expense of course I planted ficus and they grew and I was thrilled.
P. S. I needed a faucet to water them and the builder and I fought again.... till a wonderful plumber came along and said, it is nothing I will put one in for you.
But the board was not happy and would come along and order the gardener to cut them down. I would scream and cause a scene to get them to respect my bushes. It was an on going nightmare and battle and of course they were cut down when I was not at home. Then if it was not the board it would be the non English speaking gardeners who did not know any better than to sizzle them down with their angry machines, and there I was screaming again at these little men who did not understand what I was talking about, looking at me with my soaring blood pressure, with a blank.
Then came the new neighbor. He demanded to see the pool that was being blocked by my ficus from his apartment and the board again came and cut them down. I completely lost it. I had fought and fought and yet nobody had any respect for me and my ficus, and the letter from the builder, my worhless investment without my privacy bushes.
One day the board got it. They came with a ruler, according to the rites given to me by the builder, and marked off the height they would maintain the bushes. You see it was their responsibility to maintain them, something i would have done, but had neglected to put in the builders letter.
This year the neighbor conceded and so did the board. They now respect my ficus and me. Not only that but there was a terrible bug that killed ficus bushes all over the city and guess whose was spared?
Carol Sue Gershman
I was heart broken, my investment down the tube. Anybody I showed it to was horrified. I tried to sell it but something held me back. It then dawned on me that if I could get the rites to the builders planter box, I could enclose it with hedges. The rich do it all the time....One longs to look in to their homes, but cannot through the many hedges
Easier said than done
The builder did not care. He had my money and had no desire to turn over his planter boxes to me. I would wait out side of his office to talk to him for hours but he would brush me off; he was a mean one...I was insistent and consistent; I knew his planter box was the only way to save my investment. Lo and behold, one day I got him and he gave me a letter granting permission to his box. At my own expense of course I planted ficus and they grew and I was thrilled.
P. S. I needed a faucet to water them and the builder and I fought again.... till a wonderful plumber came along and said, it is nothing I will put one in for you.
But the board was not happy and would come along and order the gardener to cut them down. I would scream and cause a scene to get them to respect my bushes. It was an on going nightmare and battle and of course they were cut down when I was not at home. Then if it was not the board it would be the non English speaking gardeners who did not know any better than to sizzle them down with their angry machines, and there I was screaming again at these little men who did not understand what I was talking about, looking at me with my soaring blood pressure, with a blank.
Then came the new neighbor. He demanded to see the pool that was being blocked by my ficus from his apartment and the board again came and cut them down. I completely lost it. I had fought and fought and yet nobody had any respect for me and my ficus, and the letter from the builder, my worhless investment without my privacy bushes.
One day the board got it. They came with a ruler, according to the rites given to me by the builder, and marked off the height they would maintain the bushes. You see it was their responsibility to maintain them, something i would have done, but had neglected to put in the builders letter.
This year the neighbor conceded and so did the board. They now respect my ficus and me. Not only that but there was a terrible bug that killed ficus bushes all over the city and guess whose was spared?
Carol Sue Gershman
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Oh, how things can backfire!
Last month I wrote to you about my ex-boyfriend who remembered me and 10 other ladies on one valentine card.
I thought it was in bad taste, so I blogged about it, but it was ONLY between you and I.
Well, I sent him a video the next week saying,"check this out" not realizing that the link to my blog address was on that e-mail.
Yup. I directed him right to my nasty blog.
What is so ironic is that I, we, have always preserved each others image; always being polite and caring for one another, never loosing the attraction between us. I did not want to hurt his feelings or insult him, yet I have plenty of stuff in me from his past behavior. So there after all of these years, and unknowingly, I destroyed that image in one link. Or was it the left hand of God that did it?
Carol Sue Gershman
I thought it was in bad taste, so I blogged about it, but it was ONLY between you and I.
Well, I sent him a video the next week saying,"check this out" not realizing that the link to my blog address was on that e-mail.
Yup. I directed him right to my nasty blog.
What is so ironic is that I, we, have always preserved each others image; always being polite and caring for one another, never loosing the attraction between us. I did not want to hurt his feelings or insult him, yet I have plenty of stuff in me from his past behavior. So there after all of these years, and unknowingly, I destroyed that image in one link. Or was it the left hand of God that did it?
Carol Sue Gershman
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Keep it simple when it is so complicated.
I have to move from my beautiful apartment in South Beach. It is unique, a garden setting in a full service condominium. Why am I moving? For my health. My upstairs neighbor smokes and I am getting his weapon and he refuses to remedy the situation.
It is a pity and lots of bad luck for me.
So I have many choices; New York City, L. A., Co. or another apt here on South Beach. But which one shall it be is the confusion.
The easiest would be another apt. in South Beach, but you see I really want to be in N. Y. to promote my book and or L. A. to promote my book. AND So far I have not had a bite on my own apt. Then I don't know if they will want it furnished or unfurnished. Furnished would be easier as I can just leave with my clothes, but I can not prepare because it could go either way.
If I move to N. Y. the rents are high; I am willing to share even though I own an apt. in the city but it is rented and I don't want to loose my tenant, so better I get something else. Do you see how confusing?
I would also like to be in the Hamptons; more confusion.
Ideally, if I can sell the one I am in, then I would not have to worry about a tenant and if they wanted it furnished or unfurnished. but it is a big IF in this market.
Ideally, I would move to N. Y. C. in my own apt.
Ideally, I would rent it for a month and go to the Hamptons
Ideally, I would rent it for another couple of months and go to Ca.
But then again, I could get another south beach apt. and :
Ideally rent a place in n. y. c. for a month
Ideally rent a place in hamptons for a month
ideally go to Ca. for 2 months
Ideally come back to Fl. in another apt.
O. K. get the picture........ where to start, what to do? thanks for listening....
Carol Sue Gershman
It is a pity and lots of bad luck for me.
So I have many choices; New York City, L. A., Co. or another apt here on South Beach. But which one shall it be is the confusion.
The easiest would be another apt. in South Beach, but you see I really want to be in N. Y. to promote my book and or L. A. to promote my book. AND So far I have not had a bite on my own apt. Then I don't know if they will want it furnished or unfurnished. Furnished would be easier as I can just leave with my clothes, but I can not prepare because it could go either way.
If I move to N. Y. the rents are high; I am willing to share even though I own an apt. in the city but it is rented and I don't want to loose my tenant, so better I get something else. Do you see how confusing?
I would also like to be in the Hamptons; more confusion.
Ideally, if I can sell the one I am in, then I would not have to worry about a tenant and if they wanted it furnished or unfurnished. but it is a big IF in this market.
Ideally, I would move to N. Y. C. in my own apt.
Ideally, I would rent it for a month and go to the Hamptons
Ideally, I would rent it for another couple of months and go to Ca.
But then again, I could get another south beach apt. and :
Ideally rent a place in n. y. c. for a month
Ideally rent a place in hamptons for a month
ideally go to Ca. for 2 months
Ideally come back to Fl. in another apt.
O. K. get the picture........ where to start, what to do? thanks for listening....
Carol Sue Gershman
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
5000 mark
Today I reached the 5000 mark on my blog, meaning 5000 people have looked at, read, liked, did not like, were inspired, were disappointed, were bored etc. in what I had to say.
It is difficult to reach out and not get responses for the most part. I do not know what that means but since I have been blogging, and even from my friends who enjoy my site, there is never a response.
Then I thought, wow, if everyone who read my blog ordered a book, I would be on my way to stardom which makes me think that perhaps I should start a promotion.
For instance, for every 100Th person, I would send a free autographed book and YES my book is inspiring.
More later. Do you like that idea?
Carol Sue Gershman
It is difficult to reach out and not get responses for the most part. I do not know what that means but since I have been blogging, and even from my friends who enjoy my site, there is never a response.
Then I thought, wow, if everyone who read my blog ordered a book, I would be on my way to stardom which makes me think that perhaps I should start a promotion.
For instance, for every 100Th person, I would send a free autographed book and YES my book is inspiring.
More later. Do you like that idea?
Carol Sue Gershman
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Cruise Life
Been many times on a Carnival Cruise. I thought at first, repetitious, and it was, but by the time you leave a Carnival Cruise you can not help but feel up beat because that is exactly what it is. They keep you going. Between the ports and the shows and the dinners and the enormous amount of people, music, bingo, and for me my grand son and my book talk made it a memorable week. Best investment yet was giving my grandson his own room. Yes, quite indulgent as most double triple, and quadruple up but for us it was worth it and it worked. Beautiful scenery and water to swallow it was so delicious , the blue green turquoise sea with a slight tingle to the water left us refreshed and delighted.
My book talk was a smash hit and 20 women and a few good men seemed to love the talk as was told by the large amount of books sold. So here is to Carnival and what they know about people and what they like.
Carol Sue Gershman
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