HAPPY & HEALTHY 2009 TO ALL

[marie-elena (ferracano) r]

HELLO OLD & NEW FRIENDS,

IT'S BEEN A WHILE, SINCE I HAVE POSTED ANY MESSAGES. SO I FELT, THAT TONIGHT WOULD BE THE NIGHT TO RETURN. NEW YEAR'S EVE HAS ALWAYS HELD A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.
I LOVED SOME OF THE CHRISTMAS STORIES, RECENTLY POSTED. BUT NEW YEARS WAS SPECIAL, BECAUSE OF 2 VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE. MARGE & JOE (THE CHIEF) PAINO. ANYONE WHO REMEMBERS OUR 1543 BEACH AVE PARTIES. WILL VERIFY THIS. BESIDES TAKING IN ALL OF THEIR SON'S FRIENDS. THEY WELCOMED ALL THE "BEACH AVE DRAG" BOYS FAMILIES, TOO. THIS STARTED AROUND THE LATE 1950'S, EARLY 60'S. IN THE SUMMER, THERE WERE GREAT BBQ'S, IN THE BACKYARD. THERE WERE SURFBOARDS IN THE BASEMENT, SHOWCARS BEING BUILT IN THE GARAGE. ALWAYS PLENTY OF FOOD & THE FEELING OF COMFORT/ LOVE, WHEN YOU WALKED IN THE DOOR. THERE WAS ALSO ROOM FOR THEIR DAUGHTERS FRIENDS TOO! THERE WAS THE STRAY DOG, PRINCE. WHO NO ONE EVER KNEW HOW OLD, HE REALLY WAS. OR WHAT COMBINATION OF BREEDS. IT DIDN'T MATTER. HE WAS WELCOMED, LIKE THE REST OF US.
I LIVED IN THE PAINO'S HOUSE, 1965-82. IT WAS BIG & SCARY LOOKING. BUT IT WAS MY WARM & SAFE PLACE. SO TONIGHT WHEN EVERYONE WISHES FOR ALL THE BEST IN 2009. I CELEBRATE ALSO MY "NEW YEAR'S PAST". YES WE ARE ALL GOING THROUGH A ROUGH TIME, IN THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. WE ALL WISH FOR THE BEST IN THE FUTURE. BUT IF THAT DOESN'T HELP, THERE IS ALWAYS REMEMBERING THE "PAST". WHERE IT DIDN'T MATTER, IF YOU WERE BEING RAISED BY A SINGLE MOM, OR HAD ISSUES AT HOME. THERE IS A WARM "NEW YEARS EVE" MEMORY, INSIDE OF ALL OF US. STAY SAFE & BEST WISHES , HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.
MARIE-ELENA & FAMILY.