Merry Christmas ...2009

Wishing You & Your Families
the Happiest of Holiday Seasons!!

Christmas News

Well I have to admit …I’m LOVING retirement!! Don’t think I have taken much time to rest…but am trying to sit down more often. I find I: go to the gym more, read a bit more, watch only a bit more TV & have a bit more time for projects and PUFF the day is Gone!! Really nice to be able to see the Grandkids more though!!
Franco spends his time playing MORE Tennis…about 7-9 times a week Spring-Fall. He actually had to go put the net BACK up the other day in order to play!! It had been really mild until about a week ago.
So I DID, finally, manage to get all 450-500 bulbs in the ground. It was a HUGE project as much ground, weeds, roots had to be cleared from the area I had in mind when I ordered them. But I hope the results are going to be spectacular next Spring!! With a bit of luck they will naturalize & multiply over the years. We managed to get quite a few important projects accomplished this year & hopefully I can begin to somewhat reduce my work in the garden. As much as I LOVE it..my hips & knees are really not co-operating. Looks like a few replacements are in order. I need to go in for “spare parts”!
Kids are very happy to be employed! (Thank Heavens!). Rebecca is Paper Accounts Mgr. @ Time INC; Zak (in I.T.) is Project Manager for Consortium Partners @ Beth Israel Hosp; Francesco actually received a promotion this year to Managing Director @ IISS-US (Int. Institute for Strategic Studies); Katherine started a new job (after a year of maternity leave) as Senior Analyst for Public Health Services @ ASTHO (The Assoc of State & Territorial Health Care Officials), & Valentina also received a promotion to Asst. Director NY Meetings Program @ The Council on Foreign Relations.
Rebecca & family will be in Bangladesh for 2 weeks, leaving on Christmas Day this year. Francesco & Katherine will come up the day after ...so that leaves Valentina holding the bag with the parents. She has invited a friend & we will be just fine!! We DO LOVE staying home!! After all the work we have put into this place…we better love being here!!
Instead of a long letter I have been updating the blog all year long. So if you scroll down you will find plenty of photos…especially of the little ones. Be sure to click on “older posts” at the bottom of the page in order to see as far back as last year.
We will continue to update as the holiday Season progresses.
We have received quite a few cards & are really looking forward to the photos & newsletters from all of you. Please keep in touch.

Thanksgiving

At Thanksgiving this year, we celebrated Zak's Birthday Nov 25h & Mine ON Tday Nov 26th!! So far only have these photos.

Lorenzo is TWO!!

We were there to celebrate along with Mithun (Zak's sister) & her daughters Yasna & Suhana. Aleeph's girlfriend Kat also joined us. She's in blue

FDR Memorial - DC

The last time I was in DC I went BACK to the FDR Memorial. I had enjoyed it SO much the first time. I was stricken by how pertinent his words are TODAY!

"No Country, however rich, can afford the waste of its human resources. Demoralization caused by vast unemployment is our greatest
extravagance. Morally, it is the greatest menace to our social order.

"Men and nature must work hand in hand. The throwing out of balance of the resources of nature throws out of balance also the lives of men."

"I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, and ill-nourished. The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little."

"We must scrupulously guard the civil rights and civil liberties of all our citizens, whatever their background. We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization."

"We have faith that future generations will know that here, in the middle of the twentieth century, there came a time when men of good will found a way to unite, and produce, and fight to destroy the forces of ignorance, and intolerance, and slavery, and war."

"The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man, or one party, or one nation. It must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world."

"Unless the peace that follows recognizes that the whole world is one neighborhood and does justice to the whole human race, the germs of another world war will remain as a constant threat to mankind."

"In these days of difficulty, we Americans everywhere must and shall choose the path of social justice, the path of faith, the path of hope and the path of love toward our fellow men."

Almost Famous!!

While in Savannah we happened upon Robert Redford's filming of "The conspirator" with James McAvoy & Robin Wright Penn. GREAT FUN! I was right up in front with the Extras!!@@

Photos from South Carolina

Our trip to South Carolina was wonderful! Just the right timing. These photos include: Ann & David, a local Alligator, the Pineapple Fountain in Charleston..what a wonderful town!!@@ There is cotton in VA AND...Rober Redfrod filming in Savannah, with James McAlvoy!!

Newly repainted "Breezy Meadow"

We finally decided that painting the house was too much of a job for Franco. I couldn't bear the project drawing on for 5 years...or the thought of him falling off a ladder! So we hired someone to do the job while we were away on vacation!! We love it!! We even got new garage doors. The two tree stumps in front will be our next job.... after planting 320 bulbs along the stone wall which parallels the driveway. Never a break from home repairs!!@@ See more photos on the slideshow at the top right corner of the screen.

Trip to DC

Here are photos from our recent trip to South Carolina via Alexandria. No photos of SC yet...but here are the ones with the kids. So fun to see them together. Details later as I have to go plant 400 bulbs in the garden before it gets too cold.

Lorenzo & Rebecca

Here are a few photos at the Zoo: on the train& a pony. Also one of swimming lessons.

Lorenzo

This one stands on it's own! Lorenzo is 21 months now. He LOVES music... dances quite a jig!

Barbacci Junior Family

Here are some more recent photos of Francesco's family. Gabriella is in love with shoes. She is quite the fashionista!!

Gabriella

Gabriella is now almost 21 months old. This photo needs to stand on it's own!!

39th Anniversary

Franco & I celebrated 39 years of marriage...August 29th. OMG!!
This was taken on Mother's Day at the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx.

Back in Alexandria

I was in Alexandria, in July, to babysit Gabriella. She is adorable...a bit of a tough nut to crack...but I had a breakthrough on the last day when Katherine & I went to get her at daycare. She saw her Mom & said "Mama!"...then saw me & came running calling "Nonna!" & jumped into my arms & gave me a BIG hug! (YES!!) She was looking for me after i left...calling my name. Katherine said she thought Gabriella was convinced I was hiding in the basement!
I had a wonderful visit.So good to see that little family. The DC area is WONDERFUL...full of so much to see & do. We visited Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian house in Alexandria. It was a wonderful tour!

The Price of Children...Amen

The Price of Children This is just too good not to pass on to all. Here is something absolutely positive for a change. I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice. The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family. Talk about price shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition .. (HEY How could they leave that out!!!?? It's the most expensive part!!@)) But $160,140.00 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into: * $8,896.66 a year, * $741.38 a month, * $171.08 a week. * A mere $24.24 a day! * Just over a dollar an hour. Still, you might think the best financial advice is; don't have children if you want to be 'rich.' Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you get for your $160,140.00? * Naming rights . First, middle, and last! * Glimpses of God every day. * Giggles under the covers * More love than your heart can hold. * Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs. * Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies. * A hand to hold usually covered with jelly or chocolate. * A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites. * Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day. For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up. You get to: * finger-paint, * carve pumpkins, * play hide-and-seek, * catch lightning bugs, * never stop believing in Santa Claus. You have an excuse to: * keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh, * watch Saturday morning cartoons, * go to Disney movies, and * wish on stars. You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day. For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for: * retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof, * taking the training wheels off a bike, * removing a splinter, * filling a wading pool, * coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and * coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless. You get a front row seat in history to witness the: * First step, * First word, * First bra, * First date, * First time behind the wheel. You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!! Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren & great-grandchildren!!!!!!! It's the best investment you'll ever make!!!!!!!!!

July 2009

We are having a wonderful Summer. Both grandchildren have been up to visit Breezy Meadow. The photo of L&G in the stroller was taken at Rebecca's house. L on pony was at a Fair in Maplewood. The other 3 are @ Breezy Meadow. Lorenzo is 20 months G is 18 1/2 months.

Wisteria

Our Wisteria Finally bloomed after 12 years!! Looks like the same color as the house though...so hard to see.

Valentina's Birthday Picnic - June 2009

Valentina celebrated her 27th Birthday with a Picnic in Cental Park. We were even invited & met many of her wondeful friends! Good Fun!!

"Retro" Barbacci Family

Another Blast from the Past!!@@ This photo was taken in 1983 @ Lake Tahoe, CA.

Litchfield House Tour

I made this period costume for the

Litchfield House Tour. Valentina will wear it this year, as she has agreed to be a hostess. In the future...who knows. It won't be me though. It must add at least 20 lbs!!! Lots of fabric there!!

Lorenzo

Here are the most recent photos of Lorenzo. We saw him for Mother's day. Will see him again next week for Tina's Bday in Central Park.

Mother's Day _ May 2009

For Mother's Day Valentina had a great idea to visit the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx. It was my first time & wonderful!!

Afterwards we met Rebecca & her family in the West Village for Mexican food! Seems Rebecca was too BZ taking photos to actually get IN them!!