Sunday, December 26, 2021

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 I posted this 'throwback' photo ten years ago. I came across an article in the forward.com that expands on this Sign. Here is an excerpt:

Chinese people didn’t look down on Jews as being less American in terms of Westernness because Jews were a lot closer to being perceived that way than they were,” Lee said. “It was also very exotic and cosmopolitan and a way to impress girls when you go on dates. And it tastes good!”

A Forverts advertisement from Dec. 2, 1922 speaks to this social phenomenon.

“YOU MUST eat and dance with us, where you’ll feel at home,” reads an ad from Tangerine Gardens on Flatbush Avenue and Fulton Street. Another 1922 ad from the restaurant boasts of nightly entertainment from 5-9 PM, a huge dance floor and seating that banquet accommodations for up to 600 guests.

While many of today’s Chinese bistros are less extravagant, they still serve a festive function. Around Christmas, American Jews can feel alienated, and so the communal aspect of eating out proves essential to surviving the season.

 Read the whole article here.

Friday, December 17, 2021

HAPPY CHANUKAH + ROBY'S YAHRTZEIT 5782/2021

Chanukah came early this year and ended just before Roby's yahrtzeit, 11 Tevet in the jewish calendar and 12.17.2010. Bernice sent me a lot of photos of Roby after he passed away. 


Here he is looking very fine at their apartment in Killington, VT.


 

 

Below is a photo of the Arch of Titus in Rome. It depicts the Romans carrying off the Menorah and other ritual objects after destroying the Temple of Solomon in 70 AD. Bernice told me they visited it when the took a trip to Italy. Somewhere I have some photos of that.


OTHER NEWS

Deb sent me a pair of 'Sassy' socks. Laurie gave me a pair of Chanukah socks and a Chanukah mug ! I heard some bad news from my friends in Willits. Pam has breast cancer, very preliminary stage. Sending healing energy to Pam ! She emailed me. She sounds good, still working and said she feels good. I heard from Alan Z. yesterday and Ken J. Ken sent Neil Young, Til the Morning Comes.

 

 

Sunday, October 17, 2021

RED SOX REDUX 2021

⚾  Thinking of Roby and Shirley and aunt Ruth, all ardent Red Sox fans. The Sox have been an unexpected gift this season. Last year we ended in the cellar. Now it's October 17th and we are in the Post Season ! How unexpected. It is 'wicked awesome' as they say here in Boston. Red Sox record breaking history: two grannies, aka Grand Slams, one by J.D. Martinez, another by Rafael (Rafi) Devers in the first inning ! We led the Astros 8-0 in the first two innings. We beat them in their own ballpark, Minute Maid Park.....serious WS vibes - like the 2013 Marathon Bombing season when the Sox were not expected to go anywhere in the Post season but, defying expectations, they went on to win it ALL !

see below *

10. 19.21 Tuesday

Deb and I watched the game together while on the phone. My commentary was better than Joe Buck's. He did everything but come right out and root for the Astros all night. So much for Fox Sports. Other Red Sox fans commented on that too.

So wonderful to hear from Alan Z. today, after the fabulous blowout of the Astros by the Sox last night, 12-3 Sox ! It was a repeat from the night before, 8-0 Sox in the 2nd inning !

"Those low expectations make this ride even more fun and exciting.  And Renfroe and Bogaerts haven't even started hitting yet! " ⚾

"Go Sox!  Go Carol!  Go Little Cuz!"
 
Sweet when the Sandler family chimes in.....tonight's game, 8:00, Game 4 :-) ⚾⚾ 

I just called Bernice and talked to her terrific companion Rickee. Bernice had dental surgery yesterday - I will call her back and ask if that Pennant is still taped to Roby's bookcase in his office ! see below :-)

*Photo above shows Roby's Red Sox cap and baseball and a piece of Fenway, the left field wall courtesy of Ken.

GO SOX
 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Friday, September 17, 2021

HAPPY NEW YEAR + HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROL

 

My Happy Birthday playlist includes the entire Eagles Hotel California album, 1977, LIVE at the Capitol Center. I can still jump up and down and dance like Joe Walsh, no small thing at age 39.  😎 

2021 has been a tough year with Covid restrictions, etc. but there was a silver lining.  My college roommate, freshman year contacted me, Deb M. despite it being "...52 years since we were freshmen" ! Now we are in touch all the time - it's great ! We will talk later and I will open the gift she sent me while we are on the phone ! LOL......and also it has been wonderful re-connecting with Alan of the Zorfas branch of the Sandler family. More below.



I talked to my aunt Bernice for the first time in a long time. I called her about the letter she sent me including an article from the Sisterhood of Temple Beth Am regarding Mental Health and the Power of Music. It discusses how the parents of a young man with a mental illness became involved with NAMI and helped their son. Extraordinarily inspiring ! It means a lot to re-connect with Bernice.


Thinking of all the Sandlers who are gone now. I said Kaddish for all of them yesterday, Yom Kippor; Ruthie, Roby and Shirley and Bubbe and Zaidy. I almost connected with the Sandler/Zorfas family last Sunday. Alan Zorfas came out of the woodwork after 40 years when he found this blog almost a year ago. He invited me to an Open House at his cousin's home in Newton. The Zorfas's planned a gathering for Irene's unveiling in Sharon. Unfortunately the Open House was cancelled due to Covid concerns. Alas and alack, I found out the Open House was cancelled on Rosh Hashana just before services ! Disappointing but Alan says he will return to see his son who lives in Cambridge I think.

Wonderful to hear from my friends in California singing Happy Birthday to me in perfect harmony ! Thank you Ron + Pam...:-) 

 ⚾ So naturally Ron + I had to talk some baseball even though he is a Yankees fan, being from Nuevo York and all.....the Sox were # 1 in the Eastern division almost the entire first half of the season. After the All Star break, they imploded ! They spiralled down, they played terrible, and then half the team got Covid. Now we are duking it out for a Wild Card spot with the Yankees and the Blue Jays who have crawled their way back to third place after being out of it by ten games. Very aggressive team. Anything can happen.


Sunday, July 11, 2021

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BERNICE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BERNICE ! 🌷🌻🌸

Aunt Bernice's birthday is July 11th ! 

Aunt Ruth's yahrtzeit is July 11th, 5 Tammuz, 5781. Throwback pic of me with aunt Ruth at aunt Ethel's apartment in Florida. Roby invited me to visit in the 1990's. I was living in Berkeley at the time. Naturally we went to visit aunt Ethel who I had not since since Steven's Bar Mitzvah when I was a child.  There are so many life events in July for the Sandler family. Aunt Ruth was born on July 14th. Shirley was born on July 5th. I have more photos and will post them soon.


Ethel Rutstein, Bernice + Roby, aunt Ruth + Hy Weissman







Aunt Ethel was a terrific lady. I said I liked the turquoise ring on her finger and she took it off and gave it to me. She also gave me two paintings she had painted. I like them. I still have them.


Sunday, May 9, 2021

NOTES FROM KEN'S BASEBALL MEMORIES + BOBBY ORR

C/

better days -
catcher/ Haywood Sullivan & Sammy White

1st pete runnels (2 batting titles)
2nd Pumpsie Green (1st Black on
the last team to integrate. so liberal & racist simultaneously.)
SS/ Don Buddin - no hit decent d.
3rd/ Frank Malzone who i met in Chelsea in a bar with Hyman David.
Williams/ Piersall (my favorite after Teddy) & Jensen in RF.
my baseball pre teen obsession.


 

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY, MICHAEL'S YAHRTZEIT

The Sandler Family Archives blog has been on hiatus, dealing with isolation and covid 19. Now we are in rocky waters with Mothers Day and Michael's yahrtzeit, May 10th, (and ex brother Barry's birthday on May 12th.) Yikes ! 

Shout out to all the mothers out there - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY - including me who was a second mother to Barry.  And to my friend Joan who was so nurturing and a 'mother' to so many people as our mutual friend Deidre said yesterday. 🌷🌸🌹🌺🌻🍀 

Shirley + Julius on a New York trip in the '70's.

Silver linings from the pandemic and isolating. Two people contacted me who I had not heard from in decades, i.e. 40 years ! Deb sent me this photo of Michael. I never knew it existed. Michael and Deb Mendelson, my old college roommate freshman year ! She was visiting Boston in the late '70's and we met up in Cambridge. I miss Michael. Spring came slowly to Brookline. Spring green. That color is gone now. We are having a beautiful Spring this year despite being in a pandemic. Flowers are blooming all over Brookline. By the way Brookline was mentioned on CNN last night. "Some towns issued a mask mandate, like Brookline, Massachusetts despite Joe Biden saying we don't have to wear masks outside." Here in Brookline we do. I have not run into any people who are not wearing one.

May 2, 2021, Spring Green
I heard from my old college roommate and a long lost cousin, not bad since I am not on Facebook ! They found me anyway:-) We are now corresponding. Stay tuned everybody. Ken and I have been more in touch also. I appreciate his poetic writing and music recommendations. We both share a love of Dylan.

LOVE, good health, good heart, good harmony as my friend Ron likes to say.    💙😎🌷🌻


May 1, 2021 Sunset Time, 6:03 PM 



 


 

Sunday, January 31, 2021

RECONNECTING WITH ALAN ZORFAS

On January 31st I responded to Alan's email in pink and he responded back in dark Blue ! It is a bit confusing to follow the thread of the conversation but somehow it's taken on manuscript-like qualities with a lot of autobiographical information about the Zorfas's and the Silverman family from 'ye olden days.' 



From azorfas:
So, I'm going to make comments in BLUE CAPS below (since PINK is hard to read).  WHAT IF I USE A DEEPER SHADE OF PINK, LIKE NEON PINK ?! LOL :-)
 IT TOOK ME 24 HOURS TO GET YOUR REFERENCE THAT PINK IS HARD TO READ....CARRYING 'PINK PINK YOU STINK'  TO EVEN GREATER LEVELS OF MEANING .....OVER A 46 YEAR REFERENCE !  TOO FUNNY ! YOU WILL HAVE TO FORGIVE ME IF THAT PHRASE IS NOT SITTING IN THE FRONT OF MY BRAIN, BUT, AS BOB DYLAN SAYS, IT'S GETTIN' THERE -:)


IF YOU LISTEN TO DYLAN, CHECK OUT THIS OUTSTANDING LIVE PERFORMANCE. VISIONS OF JOHANNA.


CONDOLENCES ON YOUR MOM, IRENE AND MAZEL TOV RE. YOUR THREE BOYS ! I MISS IRENE.....I THINK THE LAST TIME I TALKED TO HER WAS 2012, AFTER MY MOTHER PASSED....

Hi my little cousin Alan :-),

Ok, I have to admit my heart skipped a beat upon seeing the 'young' Shirley + Julius in NY. I never saw that picture. Who are the people in the third photo ? I assume that is Irene in those very large sunglasses. I love them !  THAT WAS IRENE.  THEY THEN RAN INTO SHIRLEY MACLAINE ENTOURAGE ON PARK AVE...SUCH HIPSTER 70'S.  YOU ID'D HER CORRECTLY, BELOW!  IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME THAT THERE WERE TWO SHIRLEYS IN THE PICS. ME NEITHER ! WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF THAT ? AND YES, PUN INTENDED WITH JULIUS AS HER PARTNER. :-) HE WAS A BOOKIE. YOU KNEW THAT, RIGHT ? OH THE FUN STUFF LIKE WHEN THE FBI CAME TO OUR HOUSE AT 6:30 AM, "OPEN UP, IT'S THE FBI, OPEN THE DOOR OR WE WILL BREAK IT DOWN !"  OH YEAH, THAT DID HAPPEN ! I WROTE ABOUT IT ON THE BLOG. THE SEARCH BOX WORKS ON BLOGGER. I TYPED ZORFAS INTO IT AND UP CAME THE POSTS YOU SAW AND YES, I DID SEE YOUR COMMENT ! THANK YOU - WE LOVE COMMENTS !:-) I WROTE TO THE FBI UNDER THE FOIA. THEY SENT ME THE WHOLE FILE ON JULIUS.

Red Sox Fever: I admit I did forget that we went to Game 7 of the '75 World Series ! I don't remember that at all.  I MAY HAVE BEEN A MORE IMPRESSIONABLE SOX FAN BACK THEN. OR, MAYBE YOU WERE MORE INTO TAKING OVER THE BERKELEY STUDENT UNION THAN THE BOSOX? I WAS NOT IN BERKELEY IN 1975. BY THE TIME I GOT THERE, IN THE MID-'80'S I HAD TO TELL MY STUDENTS (AS A T.A.)  TO READ THE TEXT BOOK AND NOT TO TAKE IT AS GOSPEL TRUTH; THEY COULD THINK, AND DISAGREE ! I HAD TO TELL THEM ABOUT BERKELEY AND THE 'FREE SPEECH' MOVEMENT. OR, MAYBE I DREAMED IT UP?   Julius just showed up with the tickets ? Was that in our house in Malden or your house in Peabody ?  MY MOTHER AND I JUST DROPPED BY THE MALDEN HOUSE FOR SOME REASON, THEN JULIUS SHOWED UP WITH THE TIX.  I DON'T REMEMBER HOW I GOT HOME AFTER THE GAME, SO I GUESS IRENE HUNG OUT WITH SHIRLEY UNTIL WE GOT BACK. I REMEMBER JULIUS TAKING ALL BACK ROADS TO FENWAY, AND HE DECLARING "GO SPACEMAN" AS HE POINTED TO "SPACEMAN" DISPLAYED ON TOP OF THE PRU (THAT WAS BILL LEE'S NICKNAME). I KNEW THAT ! (⚾⚾ I CERTAINLY DIDN'T KNOW ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD JUST APPEAR WITH GAME 7 TIX THE DAY OF THE GAME! :) Oh yeah, big, big Red Sox fans. It's in the Sandler family DNA. When I went to my Bubbie's house, the game was always on the radio. My uncle Roby tried out to be a Red Sox player (DIDN'T KNOW THAT!) OH YEAH ! DEF ! after he graduated from high school. He did not make it so he became a Professor of English at the University of Miami, (I think). He also taught numerous classes on Judaism at his Temple. He published a lot of articles too. I was scheduled to visit him in 2010 but he had a stroke. I ended up going to the funeral instead. :(  His wife, my aunt Bernice said I could take something of his, so, I have his baseball that was in a glass case. If you go to 2010 on the blog you can see some photos of his office there. I have more pics I plan to put on the blog from that trip.
 
Shirley:Thank you for sharing your good memories of my mother. I am glad you experienced 'the good Shirley'. It sounds like you have spent some time reading on my blog. Also, knock me over with a feather re. Roby talking about my mother's mental illness in that constructive way. And that it impacted your life in such a positive way. That is quite something ! She was like two different people. The good Shirley was just fabulous. IT BECAME MORE VIVID FOR ME ON THESE DINNER TRIPS WHERE SHE CAME TO FETCH ME IN PEABODY, BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO (WHICH GREW IN MEANING TO ME OVER TIME...NOT SURE WHY I ZOOMED IN ON THAT FROM THE PAST).  THEN EACH NIGHT THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE SCENE WITH THE WAITRESS, AND ONCE SHE TOOK BOTH HANDS OFF THE STEERING WHEEL TO GIVE BARRY A WHACK IN THE BACK SEAT...ON RT 1.  NOW THAT WOULD BE THE 'OTHER SHIRLEY AKA 'THE BAD SHIRLEY.' I WAS IN TOUCH WITH HER ALL THE YEARS I WAS IN CALIFORNIA BY PHONE AND LETTERS. IT WAS THAT TIME ON THE PHONE, SHE ASKED ME "WAS I A GOOD MOTHER ?" YIKES ! I SAID THE TRUTH WHICH IS: SHE WAS LIKE TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE. THE GOOD SHIRLEY WAS JUST FABULOUS, BEAUTIFUL, FUNNY, KIND, GIVING, ETC. THE BAD SHIRLEY WOULD HURT YOU, AS YOU SAW WITH BARRY. SHE WAS ALWAYS VERY NICE TO OTHER PEOPLE, LEAVING A VERY GOOD IMPRESSION. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS SHE THOUGHT IT WAS PERFECTLY OK TO BE ABUSIVE. I ALWAYS FELT A CERTAIN AFFECTION FOR HER, AND IT PROBABLY TOOK SOME RETROSPECT TO PUT THESE EXPERIENCES--PLUS & MINUS--MORE IN THEIR PLACE.  AND WHILE, AT THE TIME, I GOT ANNOYED HAVING TO HANG OUT WITH BARRY, AS I GOT OLDER (AND SOMEWHAT MATURED) I WOULD THINK ABOUT BARRY, HOW THINGS WENT FOR HIM, AND HOW IT JUST COULDN'T HAVE BEEN THAT EASY. NO IT WAS NOT. MORE ON THAT SOME OTHER TIME. AND THERE IS A LOT MORE !

Robert/Roby: I'm glad I wrote about his military service. I was very close to Roby a few years before he passed away. We talked a lot on the phone. I set up a blog for some of his articles. Unfortunately I ran into technical difficulties but he did write an article on Ted Williams who he and my Zaidy saw play in a double header at Fenway. "He Tipped His Cap", July 2010.   WOW! I PROBABLY MET ROBY NO MORE THAN 1 OR 2X...RUTH A FEW TIMES.  HIS DISCUSSION WHEN HE APPEARED IN NANTASKET WITH MY PARENTS SEEMED MORE SERIOUS...BUT I GOT TO TAKE IT IN.  FUNNY, SO MANY YOUNGER COUSINS (MORE RECENT TIMES) AND FAMILY FRIENDS' KIDS WANT TO GET AWAY FROM THE ADULTS WHEN VISITING OR DURING A HOLIDAY...I ALWAYS LIKED TO STICK AROUND AND TAKE IT IN.  MY KIDS DO THE SAME...SO NOT SURE WHAT THAT'S ABOUT. 
http://sandlerfamilyarchives.blogspot.com/2010/03/robert-sandler-judaic-studies.html
http://robertsandlerprofessor.blogspot.com/

Barry: "Unwieldy kid", lol. When he was a little boy, he visited me in Wash. D.C. We went to a supermarket. I saw him standing in an aisle, not touching anything and things fell off the shelf ! A dozen eggs also hit the floor which I did not see him touching. He was just near them ! He also got into my car, released the emergency brake and the car rolled into a neighbor’s mailbox and flattened it. He was not good in sports which was problematic with having Julius as his father. Instead he was a gifted musician. My mother gave him piano lessons at age 4 I think. The teacher said he was talented. He went to Berklee School of Music. WOW, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT...

“The blog does not go deep.” Very perceptive Alan. I have not written about the Malden Years yet. Because what I have to say will make your hair stand on end. (YOU HAVEN'T SEEN MY MORE RECENT PICTURES...re: "hair stand on end"...MAYBE I COULD GET IT TO STAND ON END WITH SOME GEL) RIGHT, ALL THE RAGE THESE DAYS :-)  . Some of it was good, but....
The marriage lasted ten years. 'You never know what goes on behind closed doors'. I will start with that line.   STUPID LITTLE MEMORY, BUT I THINK SHIRLEY AND JULIUS HAD JUST FINISHED THE BASEMENT.  THERE WAS SOME BIG OLDER GUY WHO COULDN'T MOVE VERY WELL, WHO SAT IN THE COMFIE CHAIR...NOT SURE WHO HE WAS RELATED TO...AND I'M NOT MAKING FUN OF HIM...JUST REMEMBER.  AND BARRY WAS FLYING AROUND ON SOME KIND OF BIKE AND THE HANDLEBAR SCRAPED A BIG GOUGE IN THE NEW PANELING.  OUCH!  JULIUS WASN'T HAPPY, BUT HE WAS PATIENT.  MY FATHER MADE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW TO FIX...IT THINK IT WAS SOMEONE'S BIRTHDAY, MAYBE BARRY'S.  MAN, THE THINGS YOU REMEMBER!  

Pink, pink you stink.
Blue, blue so do you.   (WITH AFFECTION, OF COURSE. I BELIEVE OUR USE OF THIS LINE PRE-DATED THE BOOK...NOT SURE WHERE I PICKED IT UP...MAYBE ON THE TOUGH STREETS OF PEABODY  B:-)

I bought Barry that book and we said it to each other all the time. I did not care that he was and is 15 years younger than me. I was happy to have a sibling and I schlepped him with me to lots of things. Also, I was his second mother. I'M SURE.  JUDY TRIES TO CLAIM SHE BROUGHT ME UP, BUT I THINK YOUR ROLE WAS A BIT MORE DEMANDING AND, I HOPE, APPRECIATED.  UNFORTUNATELY NO NOT REALLY, WE ARE ESTRANGED. I WROTE ABOUT IT ON THE BLOG. MY BLOG IS ABOUT TELLING THE TRUTH. NO WHITEWASHING. I DECIDED IT WAS NOT RIGHT THAT I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO KNEW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AND I WAS GOING TO WRITE IT ALL DOWN, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY :-) :-(  BARRY HAS BEEN THROUGH REHAB THREE TIMES I BELIEVE, MAYBE 4, FOR ALCOHOL.. I WAS WITH HIM FOR THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS. EVEN AT THE TIME I KNEW HE WAS NOT TAKING IT SERIOUSLY. HE IS AN ALCOHOLIC. JULIUS GAVE HIM WINE TO DRINK WHEN HE WAS 10 YEARS OLD, "DOWN THE CAPE WHEN WE STAYED AT THE SEACREST" HE TOLD ME. WHEN I SPOKE TO THE DOCTOR I SAID, JULIUS, HIS FATHER DRANK EVERY DAY OF HIS LIFE AS A BOOKIE. THE DOCTOR SAID WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT, "SO HE WAS A FUNCTIONING ALCOHOLIC..."  I NEVER HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE........MERYL WAS ABOUT 12  YEARS OLDER THAN ME, AND WAS OUT OF THE HOUSE WHILE I WAS STILL IN 1ST GRADE.  BUT, I RECALL DISTINCTLY  HER BRINGING ME HOME BOOKS AROUND THAT TIME...IT LEFT AN IMPRESSION.  WERE YOU IN BETWEEN JUDY AND MERYL IN AGE?  YES. FUNNY, JUST REMINDED ME THAT WE HAVE SOME OLD MOVIE FOOTAGE FROM DORCHESTER, MAYBE JUDY'S 2ND OR 3RD BIRTHDAY (I DIDN'T EXIST YET), AND YOU AND SHIRLEY WERE ALSO THERE...AND I THINK SHIRLEY HAD A LITTLE POINTED PARTY HAT ON AND VERY RED LIPSTICK.  LOOKED LIKE A SLICE FROM ANOTHER TIME.  WE MOVED FROM DORCHESTER WHEN I WAS TWO...SO I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO JOIN ANY JEWISH STREET GANGS OR ANYTHING.  I GREW UP ON THE TOUGH STREETS OF DORCHESTER UNTIL I WAS 13. I DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO JOIN A STREET GANG EITHER. SHIRLEY KEPT ME BUSY WITH PUBLIC SCHOOL AND THEN I HAD TO GO TO HEBREW SCHOOL 4 DAYS A WEEK. ! IF I DIG OUT THOSE MOVIES, WHICH I HAD X-FERED TO VHS (WHEN THAT WAS A THING), I'LL SEE IF I CAN CAPTURE THAT SCENE FOR YOU...OR ANY OTHERS. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM !
Me: “Now we’re closer in age, ha ha’ LOL ! How did that happen LOL again (YOU KNOW, YOU JUST RESTORED MY FAITH IN MENTAL AGILITY AND HUMOR...(IN YIDDISH, THE TERM IS IBBEBUTLE/IBBIBUTEL , AKA GONE WITH THE MATZEY FARFEL ! YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD SAY, (IN DUMB VOICE: "WHA?  I DON'T SEE HOW YOU GOT CLOSER IN AGE...IT STAYS THE SAME YOU KNOW!"  CAROL, I NEVER HAD MUCH PATIENCE FOR THOSE TYPES OF PEOPLE.  KEEPING HUMOR IN THE GAME--EVEN WHEN OTHER PARTS OF LIFE ARE CHALLENGING--IS A PRECIOUS CHARACTERISTIC.  I HOPE THOSE AROUND YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR.  AND, WHEN I PICTURE YOU IN OUR HOUSE IN PEABODY, I PICTURE YOU LAUGHING.  AFTER 46 YEARS, I KNEW YOU'D BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT WE'RE NOW CLOSER IN AGE...HAHA)EVERY TIME I READ THAT LINE I LAUGH OUT LOUD, LOL, IT'S VERY AMUSING !    WELL, IT'S HARD AS MORE TIME GOES BY, EVEN FOR MY 1ST COUSINS...LET ALONE...WHAT WOULD YOU AND I BE, 2ND COUSINS, 1ST COUSINS ONCE REMOVED...I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS.  ME NEITHER. 2ND COUSINS WORKS FOR ME !YOU END UP GOING TO WEDDINGS, ETC. WITH THE UNCLES, AUNTS AND 1ST COUSIN GROUP...AND THE LAST TIME I SAW SHIRLEY WAS PROBABLY WHEN I CAME HOME ONE WEEKEND FROM COLLEGE AND SHE WAS VISITING. AT THAT POINT, SHE HAD GAINED WEIGHT AND WAS NOT QUITE THE SAME...:(  NO SHE WAS NEVER QUITE THE SAME AFTER THE DIVORCE FROM JULIUS. I WILL WRITE MORE ON THAT ON THE BLOG.

BUT, YOU AND BARRY WERE ALWAYS IN MY CONSCIOUSNESS...THAT'S INTERESTING AND AN INTERESTING WAY OF SAYING IT......AND, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT I WAS GOOGLING...I ENDED UP ON THE SANDLER BLOG.  I WAS PROBABLY GOOGLING JULIUS WHILE WE WATCHED THE WHITEY BULGER MOVIE OR SOMETHING. OH YEAH, I WROTE A WHOLE BLOG POST ABOUT JULIUS AND THE WHITEY BULGUR CONNECTION. I SPENT A COUPLE OF NIGHTS (WHILE PRETENDING TO WATCH SOME SHOW ON NETFLIX) GOING THROUGH THE BLOG.  IT WAS A TRIP!  AS AN OLDER (LESS OLDER NOW) LOVE IT !! PRETTY GIRL COUSIN WITH A COOL HAIR STYLE  LOVE THOSE THOUGHTS TOO :-) AND FUN-LOVING PERSONALITY...WHY WOULDN'T YOU MAKE AN IMPRESSION ON LITTLE ME!? LOL:-) 😎  CHILDREN ARE TOO OFTEN UNDERESTIMATED IMHO ! :-)

Well the blog has worked in the way I hoped it would. A long lost relative would stumble upon it and contact me ! Since I am not on Facebook, this is a Big Deal :-) If 1975 was the last time you saw me, then 46 years qualifies as a long lost relative :-) I thought I was living in Wash. D.C. in 1975. I will have to check that out and confirm. I also lived in California, Berkeley for over 10 years until mudslides, fires and earthquakes were just ‘too much ‘weather’; they don’t have weather, they have disasters, I am back in freezing Boston but the earth does not shake beneath my feet unexpectedly as it did in October 1989 in downtown San Francisco. (the ballgame was on the radio, then it went dead) That was the deal breaker for me. Thanks for your kind words about the blog and reading it.

Update Here: So, I'm actually living on the peninsula below SF.  We've only been here around 10 years when we moved our company first to San Mateo then to SF (then closed the office in March).  I've heard locals talk about what the '89 World Series earthquake was like (I guess if we went to that game together you'd remember! :), like the roads rolling in front of you, etc. THAT WAS THE WORST EXPERIENCE I EVER HAD LIVING IN ANY CITY ! NOT GOOD. GLASS ALL OVER THE SIDEWALK. MASONRY BUILDINGS CRACKING. THE MARINA DISTRICT WAS ON FIRE ! ALL I COULD THINK OF AFTER THAT WAS, "I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HEAH ! AND RETURN TO BOSTON WHERE THE GROUND BENEATH YOUR FEET DOES NOT SHAKE UNEXPECTEDLY ! NO. NO. NO.  As I have not gone through anything more than little tremors, I've enjoyed the climate and outdoor aspects of the area.  Met Nancy at BU, but didn't date then (she was a year ahead).  Then, we ran into each other, I rescued her from New Jersey, and we got married couple years later.  We lived in Marblehead for about 8 years, Westport, CT for about 18, then ended up here...going west!  During that time we had three boys, Ethan, Zachary and Sam, ranging from 28 to 34 (TODAY, NOT WHEN THEY WERE BORN). LOL ! They were all born in Boston and are crazy Sox, Pats, Celtics, Bruins fans.  (I SEE YOU HAD YOUR PRIORITIES IN ORDER :-) Sam, who was at NU during the 2013 Series got a job at the souvenir shop so he could go in and watch the games.  Ethan went to two of the Yankees playoff games in 2004, the first one (3-1) and when they won.  Lots of Pats memories, etc.  Some people think I moved to San Mateo to make pilgrimage to Tom Brady's hometown, but that's not entirely true.  Anyway, the boys are all on FB, I'm not. ME NEITHER. I don't even look at them on FB, but you can give a keek.  Two have girl friends, none married, no grandchildren...as my father would say, "I'm now sleeping with a grandmother!"  Not quite yet.  We used to get back east every couple of months, but haven't traveled since Covid, and hanging tight until we get vaccines, etc.  You get it yet?  NOT YET, I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IF I AM ALLERGIC TO SOME OF THE INGREDIENTS, says the OLDSTER, wince, wince. Let's go back to "we are closer in age"- :-) As a youngster of 61, I'm not yet eligible in CA.  

Not sure you knew, but Irene only passed away this past April, at 95.  I DID NOT KNOW BUT I FIGURED. NOW I AM REALLY SORRY I DIDN'T STAY IN TOUCH WITH JUDY, I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO REMAIN IN TOUCH WITH IRENE. SHE WAS ALWAYS VERY NICE TO ME. I AM SO SORRY TO HEAR WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF COVID ! On one hand, we were grateful of her longevity (despite her thinking I was cousin Herbie the last few times I visited her---probably on the other side of the family).  But, the last two years she was in a nursing home and contracted C-19 in that first wave in NY, she was in Mamaroneck, where Judy could visit pretty often.  She died within two days of testing positive, and no one was allowed in.  So, long life, bad deal at the end.

I don’t remember the NY trip. I wondered who that was in the third picture - Shirley Maclaine ! Now I recognize her.NO

I most definitely do enjoy the pics.

Is it ok if I put your memories of ‘ye olden days’ on the blog ?? I would like to.  Pics or what I wrote?  I'm OK with pics...probably with what I wrote, too, although I wasn't thinking about sharing beyond you...but, as a celebration of our reconnecting, I'll trust you as my editor!  I did make an entry onto the blog, not sure if you get a read out or alert...but it was pretty deep into it based on where I found a Zorfas mention.    

Where are you living Alan ? I am in Brookline. I have more photos of Irene and Roby and Bernice at Barry’s wedding. He is now divorced. Now that I heard from you I will scan them in and send you some. Are you on Facebook ? Not on FB, but would love to see them.  I AM SORRY - I HAVE NOT SCANNED THEM IN YET. LAST WEEK WAS BUSY.....IN THE INTEREST OF GETTING THIS OUT TO YOU SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, I'M SENDING THIS NOW :-) THIS IS THE LAST TIME I WILL EMAIL USING THIS COLOR CODED METHOD - IT'S STARTING TO HAVE MANUSCRIPT- LIKE QUALITIES. 😉I HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO POST ANYTHING TO THE BLOG EITHER. 
    Stay safe and healthy,😷  You too!  Almost there...stay disciplined. OH YEAH, I HAVE EVERYTHING DELIVERED. IT IS FREEEZING HERE - NO GOING OUTSIDE.
   great to hear from you with good memories, 🌻🌷 👾 
           your long lost cousin,
                  carol  😎  🌻

PS. I started to make a Folder for ZORFAS. Yahoo told me that folder already existed. NOT SURE WHO DID THAT...THERE ARE OTHER ZORFI OUT THERE...ZORFI !! LOVE IT !SO WHO KNOWS. I CREATED THAT FOLDER IN 2012 AND FORGOT ALL ABOUT IT ! I HAVE NEVER MET ANOTHER ZORFAS ! Imagine my surprise to see an email from Judy, August 2012 ! I forgot all about it. That was 2 months after my mother passed away, unexpectedly - I was in shock and remained that way for at least a year. I am going to respond to her questions even if it is a little after 8 years later ! AW, I ASKED JUDY IF SHE HAD YOUR EMAIL, AND SHE DID...EVEN IF IT WAS THE YAHOO ONE.  SHE WAS LIKE, "WHAT FOR?"  I TOLD HER I WAS GOING TO SEND YOU PICS...SO SHE COMPLIED. GLAD SHE DID ! Apparently we talked on the phone at that time and we exchanged email addresses. I hope everything is fine in the Zorfas family :-)

YOU MENTIONED MOVING AROUND A LOT FOR YOUR COMPANY. WHAT COMPANY ? WHAT DO YOU DO ?

I'M GLAD YOU 'FOUND' ME. IT'S FUN TAKING A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S GREAT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT MY MOTHER - MY AUNTS AND UNCLES ARE GONE. AND YOU HAVE THE PERSPECTIVE OF YOUTH - :-) LOL.......LET'S KEEP IT UP  -


Sun, Jan 31, 3:15 PM

Sunday, January 10, 2021

THE ZORFAS CONNECTION WITH PHOTOS

Imagine my surprise upon checking my email in my yahoo account which I do not check all the time, to find an email from a long, lost, distant cousin Alan Zorfas ! I am posting it in it's entirety. Needless to say, I was thrilled to hear from him ! His mother, Irene Zorfas was good friends with Shirley. We saw each other frequently when we lived in Malden and Irene + Shimmy/Sumner Zorfas lived in Peabody. I will add photos when I scan them ! He included photos I never saw before ! Here are photos of Shirley and Julius in NY in the '70's, his mother, Irene, and Shirley MacLaine !

Carol,

It's your little cousin, Alan.

Somehow I arrived at the Sandler Family blog that I think you're hosting.  I found a couple of references to the Zorfas family, like running into them in the old neighborhood and visiting Nantasket.  A few observations and thoughts:

• Red Sox Fever: Wow, your passion for the Sox is awesome.  It parallels my family's engagement with Boston sports and the World Series wins...who woulda thought?  I hope you haven't forgotten that we went to Game 7 of the '75 World Series.  I don't think we knew we were going until that day when Julius showed up with tickets.

Shirley: I've thought a lot about Shirley, from time to time, over the years.  I recall how when my parents went to Israel that Shirley made it a point to pick me up in Peabody and take me out for dinner almost every night.  Each night had its ups and downs, for sure.  I recall Robert, who I didn't know very well, visited us later in Nantasket and he talked about Shirley.  As a young person, it was the first time that someone had articulated so clearly for me how society had to look at mental disease the same way as if someone had heart disease or cancer.  I think that notion helped make me a more empathetic adult.  In retrospect, I appreciate more that Shirley's efforts came from a loving place.  

Robert: On my 60th birthday (I'm not 14 anymore), my wife Nancy and I, visited Normandy.  I know we grew up with that "greatest generation" around us, and maybe we just took it for granted.  But reading about Robert's military background gave me quite a chill.  

• Barry: The blog doesn't go deep, but I got a partial sense of how he's doing.  I only have memories of him as a little, happy but a bit unwieldy kid.  Much like I mainly remember you laughing when I'd say, "Pink pink you stink, blue blue so do you."  I think even then I wondered a bit why that was so funny...:)  

• You: I'm not sure I saw you again, or often, after that Game 7 game.  I guess when you're not actual first cousins, families grow apart.  (Honestly, it happens with most of our first cousins, too.)  But it was neat having you as an older cousin back then, and--now that we're closer in age (haha)--it was nice to hear your dialogue, thoughts and a few pics.

Anyway, sometime in the 70s Irene, Sumner, Shirley and Julius took a little trip to NYC.  I attached a couple of pics from my father's collection...he loved his Pentex.  This little snapshot of them is a throwback, they even looked stylish.  Shirley McClain appeared on Park Ave with her groupies...my father got a couple of neat pics of her.  

Anyway, enjoy the pics!   I'll keep an eye on the blog.  And stay safe and healthy.

Your little cousin,

Alan

PS: Got your email from Judy.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

























Thanx to Alan Zorfas ! We see the the glamorous couples in Nuevo York looking very stylish and chic. Shirley MacLaine has nothing on Irene and Shirley with Irene's 'Jackie-O' sunglasses. The man in black glasses looks like Martin Scorsese a bit. I wonder if she made a film with him.





Wednesday, January 6, 2021