I'm looking forward to 2018 now. Enough about resolutions, now is the time to look ahead.
Upcoming trip to Puerto Vallarta is on the agenda along with one other trip to use up accumulated miles. Where and when will that one be........ I am sure Margot will have a lot to say about that, unfortunately my bathing suit is a little big for me and I just can't see any reason to buy a new one, so I have to be careful not to pick to many beach resorts like Margot prefers. I have not been on skis for about 15 years so we have to consider that snow areas are out also. That leaves mountains for hiking which just is to much walking or casinos which involves to much sitting., which leaves...................???? I would just be happy, sitting, thinking and watching people..........with a wine in my hand, a sweater thrown over my shoulders and a quizable look on my face. It all sounds nice, but is it really me??
I guess I could join with the rest of society and talk about politics and the mess that has been created to this country since the last election................but that just irritates me to no end, so I will just stay out of that mess. I want these next years to be enjoyable. Having said that, only one thing left to enjoy talking about.........................and the very thing I started this blog for. Growing up, traveling and friends. Biggest problem is trying to remember those things in some kind of chronological order. That alone will keep me busy. Each year, for the past 5 years, I noticed that my wellness examination ...............that medicare provides free..................I have been asked to draw a clock and put the hands on it to represent 11:10, along with this I have been given 5 words to remember and then shown a picture of 3 animals. I had to tell what 3 animals they were and after about 5 minutes asked to repeat back the 5 words. So far so good, I have been able to complete the test with flying colors. I never questioned why this test was being given to me but just relied on the fact that since my mother had Alzheimer's that that might be the reason. Low and behold our President Donny, was given the same test, Donny just has Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Not necessarily Alzheimer's. Anyway, just thought I would throw that in...............for whatever it's worth.
Now, back to the real world.
I grew up in a traditional Italian family, the only thing making it nontraditional was that I was an only child, an oddity in an Italian family but totally enjoyable. My dad was the leader of the house, my mom was the assistant leader. My dad earned the money, prepared the budget, and made all the important decisions. In fact I can still see my dad coming home Friday from work, with a hand full of cash, sitting down at the dining room table, with a shot glass of whiskey and a quart of Rheingold beer, and his 10 or so letter size envelopes, each neatly lettered with what went into them. Household expenses which included a sub envelope for taxes, food, clothing, and misc. Another for vacations, and entertainment. The last for auto and misc. He would split up his cash and place an alloted amount into each envelope. I never really understood this way of accounting but just took it for granted that they both lived through the depression and just did not trust banks. When they went food shopping, they shopped as though it was the last meal.......always plenty of food to fill two refrigerators or one refrigerator and one ice box. My mom always made food from scratch, no freezer food or TV dinners, that were beginning to become popular. The funny part about this style of accounting was.............that my mom for many unknown reasons always found a way to monitor and adjust the budget so as to keep a dollar or two and hide it in a band-aid can or neatly rolled up in a small piece of toilet paper, aluminum foil or whatever was around and hide it in amongst her underwear, knowing my dad would never look for anything there. When I went into the service, my mom found a way to send me a couple of dollars to hold me over.............for what I really didn't know, since the military was quit efficient in taking care of me. So the beginning to Vito's accounting system took effect and it still remains in effect to this day. I always have a few extra dollars to towards the extras in MY life. The other thing so amazing was that before my dad passed on he amazed Margot and I by handing us a 5 figure amound of CASH in small unmarked bills. I felt like a true bagman on my way to Vegas when going through the airport on our way back home, with my briefcase of stash. I often ask myself which envelope did this money come out of?? When my dad passed on, we decided to bring my mom out to Seattle, buy a small condo for her near our house. When we went to New York to pick her up we had decided to rent the house to a cousin. In going through the house we discovered some other small unmarked bills........stashed away in old pursers, hems in her dresses, behind pitchers, in old magazines and just about anywhere we looked. AMAZING how this small amount of money that my dad would so meticulously split into envelopes had compounded over the years..................but....................that's the way it was.
It's memories like this that has remain in the back of my mind and over the years have played a part in our living the life we enjoy. We have never deprived ourselves or our children of anything. To this day, we still live for the happiness of doing what we do best. Growing old together !!! We still have lunch dates, movie dates, travelling time, casino time, friends to visit and time to laugh about those days in the past. We try not to think about how the world and especially our country is becoming so unrecognizable from when we were growing up. The crime, the hatred and the disrespect shown to others.....................but..........................we will endure.
See you all soon with more.............................................Vito
