Elvis and More 10.$

doozybags.etsy.com    On this day of relaxing, unless you're the one doing the prep work and clean-up, please check out my etsy shop. I'd like to add new items by the beginning of Fall. I am going back into the shop to add items that have expired and change the prices to a lower price as my goal is to empty, close up and re-open by October. Well I don't have a photo of the Elvis potholders on this hard drive but it is shown in my etsy shop for ten dollars, made with heat resistant padding.

Thank You

TRUMP vs. Cosby ? U R WRONG!

       What the hell is wrong with this country ? Donald Trump makes a statement that even I believe he could have, should have worded differently, HOWEVER, look at the Liberal, Democrats reaction. This was not what is called intelligent responses, but knee jerk reactions. So he is not allowed to be honest without severe penalties? What kind of a president are you morons looking for? Do you want someone in office, who continually lies, steals, is/was involved, had knowledge of, a murder, land deals gone wrong, a husband who had oral sex, disgracing the office of the white house and will continue to do the same? IS that really what you want?
    OR maybe you'd rather have  BILL Cosby, amazing both him and Clinton are BILLS ! Okay now serious. Look at the poor women who were called liars, wanted fifteen minutes of fame, said they had their own agenda and people just didn't want to believe this rapist because he used to be a celebrity. YET He is hired back into clubs, people stand and cheer, and HE"S PAID!  Wrong America, WRONG !
    Is isn't that I am for or against TRUMP. I love Ben Carson, Judge Pirro and there are a few others out there who would make GREAT Presidents. What is it you people, yes YOU PEOPLE want? China is buying real estate all over the United States of AMERICA. Cuba is now open. Just wait!
    Remember that phrase, you made your bed, now lie in it?
I am not a hard nose type person, have worked in mental health, worked with kids, people of all ages, income and cultures. It's time for someone to say, I will make a change and do it for the GOOD of the United States. For GOD Sake, wake up AMERICA!
   Recently in Brooklyn NY a mosque on 5th ave and 69th had their people praying outside on the sidewalk, blocking the whole side which happened last year on Broadway-no permits, yet people were afraid, even the police to tell them: YOU cannot block the sidewalk, you have to have a permit ! Society is so afraid that if right now a terrorist was running for office you would vote for him or her. You're asleep AMERICA! 
    Picture this: America is a garden, a beautiful garden with clear rows, clear sections, growth is green, tall, high, prosperous and someone comes along and sprays a pesticide on it, killing all that was good.
    This is what's happening in America-Have you lost your passion America? If you have you might as well wave a white flag...and move to China.

GLTS B ? I'll tell you what to do....

       Okay so I may not know all of the letters and what they stand for, but people, come on. Gay, Straight, Lesbian Transgendered, bi-sexual all sound to me in a same way Black people were identifying their race.  Remember the slogan, Id' rather fight than switch, good, good for everyone, but who cares except the person who is what they are, who they are, and their family and friends. Why do people feel they have to identify the gender, sexual orientation. You are a person who counts. That's what matters.
     Now what really matters is that you, me, us, them, all live in an AMERICA by a President who only focuses his attention on persons of a racial divide and people who have a sexual orientation and have fought for rights. WHY? Because he is not a President for the human race, for people, hurting people everywhere, every faith, every and any gender, any disability. He is a president for the vote. Sounds Like Hillary Clinton and her cronies. It isn't that we need a woman president but a PRESIDENT who loves this country, doesn't side with the enemy, cares about individuals and their needs, communities and education and our armed forces.
    If you think you have problems now because of race and all the other stuff listed, wait until ISIS. and all of the terrorists take over and look at how China is buying up American Properties, businesses, too much overseas.
     Now Gay, Lesbian, Transgendered, etc etc etc, Black Communities, Hispanics Communities and Chinese communities-listen up, I don't give a freak what you are, who you are, only that you are good American citizens. If you want to do something progressive, something to make people stand up and pay attention, start SAVING AMERICA !
      We have so many populations of nationalities and people who want to do their own thing, get their own degrees and live In a me, me , me society. All that's good to a point. The point is when does that greedy mind set stop? I'll tell you when. When you start thinking more of your country. YOU have enough of, for example, Starting with me...Norwegian people. Norwegians are known to knit and have cultural foods, restaurants, family stores. But of course not all Norwegians.
     So you think you don't have any money or credit to start an AMERICAN business, but I bet a group can. Get together with six to ten good friends, start a business, making clothes, baby food, natural foods, Information help centers, Car services , cleaning services and imagine this. Lets say you have a group of ten who all have different attributes/talents, Pair up with ten more with the same talents. Now you have twenty. Two plumbers, two cooks, two for car service, Two animal care-takers, two Cleaners...get my drift?
    NOW get AMERICAN. Lets take it back instead of fighting one another, fight to keep the USA a country with the people and for the people. Have an AMERICAN day ! Excuse my lousy typing, chubby fingers...hey there's another idea, a chubby chaser and I don't mean one fat person looking for another. I mean a trainer chasing a chub to do what's needed. :)

Thank you, Bay Ridge Brooklyn !

        Recently I was taken back in conversations to my old school by someone else who attended a few years after I did. A story was recounted about a teacher and the building itself. But it was more about the people, games and the times, all memories to sustain for many years. I've been back to that old school. It was torn down years ago and replaced by an ugly (in my opinion) brown building with small windows and looks like a prison. I want to go back just to check out-the inside.
      I am thankful for all of the memories affecting me in a few different ways, but ways that, even though changed who I was meant to be, made me. They just made me. Besides how do I know who I was meant to be? How do any of us, until we are that is, until we are.
      One of my favorite memories is skating on cobblestone streets, mainly my own, fifty-ninth street between third and fourth avenues. Neighbors sitting outside watching over us kids, some retired, some moms and dads off work, and some who just took time to be watchful. Those wonderful people who as kids we didn't always think so wonderful. But I think I was a bit different. I loved looking out for the adults as they did for us. My looking out was a bit more selfish.
     For instance, take Mrs. Romano. She was Puerto Rican, lived on the second floor in my building and made the best Spanish rice I ever tasted. Years later working in Mental health there was a department called Senderos (The Path) and I hung out there as much as my time allowed, even volunteered a few groups. Yup, they called me down anytime they were cooking and  made a special plate loaded with Spanish rice. As I took it to my desk I was always asked by other staff, how do you rate? My answer? A mouthful of rice and a smile.
     Well Mrs. Romano would bring rice to just to me and finally one day my mother told her I couldn't have it anymore, that her husband said it wasn't right that only Nancy gets some. That bothered Mrs. Romano so what she did then was make the rice, give me a wink and I would run to the second floor, eating a big bowl on the white marble steps. If I heard my mother call, I'd quickly scrape the bowl and rush downstairs. Immediately my mother could smell something on me and ask if I was up at Mrs. Romanos eating Spanish rice. I lied of course, but what I said was, "no mom, honest, I was just talking to her and her door was open." I knew she knew I was lying and all she would say was,don't let your father catch you.
     Another Spanish family, The Romans lived on the third floor. They dressed better than anyone in the whole building, well except for us of course. We were about the same on dress-up days. Mr. Roman spoke with a lisp, had big ears, perfectly parted hair and his nails were manicured ! His wife wore red lipstick and brightly colored dresses with many prints and flowers. Her high heels were never higher than her husbands height. If I remember right, they had twin boys. I had a lot of respect for this family. They set a tone in me about dress and class that just stuck.(But you should see me now :) ) My first visit to a beauty parlor was on the corner of third avenue and sixtieth street. It was a Spanish place and they loved to work with a lot of hair, which I had.
       Those ladies made me beautiful one day for a school dance, where I danced with Mr. Vitalo, my principal. My hair was dark brown with some lighter highlights and it was curled up high with banana curls draped down to my shoulders. That was the first time I knew I was pretty. Even the ladies kept telling me in Spanish that I was pretty and they took my picture.
     It was the cultures that made Bay Ridge what it was. While many didn't like new cultures move in, enough of others did to make it better. It was my father most of all who didn't like anyone who was of Spanish origin or "colored" as the term was then, yet as mean as he was he made very good friends with a man from Jamaica.
      A bunch of kids were sitting on the stoop when John came up the steps of the Brownstone. John was very dark black and he owned a lunch truck. That truck was so bright white that John stood out on the beach more than anyone. John and an Italian guy each had a lunch wagon and were worlds apart. John was immaculate with himself and his business. Nick, the other guy was, well, horrible. Besides being dirty himself,  his food was to be carefully examined when we ordered hot dogs. The beach makes you hungry that you just get desperate. John lived on fifty-ninth street between second and third avenues.
     When he came to our door we couldn't imagine what he wanted. We already bought plenty from him on the beach. No one could beat his manners, personality and food as well as cleanliness. Well it wasn't long before we found out he wanted one of my brothers to work for him on his lunch wagon. The worst thing he said was, and he can eat all he wants. John told us where he lived so if we wanted we could check him out. But we already knew he could be trusted. Some people are just that way.
       We had games like stoop ball, box ball, hit the stick, stick ball, punch ball, running bases and too many more. There was one thing all games had in common.  No batteries. Brooklyn was battery free. All it took was good people, fire escapes, hot summer nights with music coming from any open window, winters with snow so high we made the best tunnels, mountains and snowball fights on the East Coast. Shovels could be heard scraping the streets, people laughing and helping, cold breaths from walkers and food. The food that to this day just doesn't compare to anywhere else in the world. Thank you Bay Ridge!

Mormons, Irish, Italians, Swedes, Polish, Senderos

       Many of these backgrounds have one thing in common. They believe in keeping it in the family. By that I mean the cultural and ethnic family. I grew up in New York and love the variety of cultures because as the human race, we need each other and should be there to help another person. That's my personal belief.
       I look at ancestry.com and see old world families and yes, you might now be saying, that was then, we live in a different world now. True and in many ways it's sad. Generations of Asians were always proud when a daughter married into her culture as is the way with Italians. Mama would say to a son, now bring home a nice Italian girl. Then what follows are the babies in Christening dresses, years of family photos, all Italian. Family celebrations were all Italian.
      Yesterday I saw an old movie with Billy Crystal, who played a young doctor. His father who he didn't see for years was dying. The dad played by Alan--- for got his last name, an old comedian, but is Jewish as is Billy. Billy's girlfriend in this was a Christian and as a joke would address each other as, Hey Christian, hey Jewish. That seemed fine, and maybe because they looked alike.
       A polish family I knew growing up had a Christmas party and I worked at a polish store where kielbasa was made. So one night I went home with my friend and was introduced to the biggest Polish family I ever saw and ouzo. Mom and dad and big brother got into an argument about another daughters boyfriend. He was Spanish, and when my friend got the camera out, at that moment the boyfriend walked in and all hell broke loose. The father started yelling, no, no he is not in pictures in broken English.
     CRAPOLA, he sounded like my father who gave my sister a list of people she better not ever bring home.
     Maybe it was that kind of upbringing that allowed me to be open to everyone. Who was I not to? My best friends as a kid was a lifelong friend my Jewish neighbor, Mr. Korsun, my Lutheran Norwegian minister and my Catholic Italian Grammar school principal, love of my life. I was blessed. It all comes down to who we identify with  and who we're comfortable with.
      As a last note, when I worked in Mental Health, we offered all kinds of groups and the population consisted of mainly white people, a few black people and a few Asian people. But there was another big group room called Senderos.
This group was Puerto Rican. I would visit that room daily, sometime twice a day and if a staff was out, I would work with that group. Why? I was comfortable and maybe because I saw how uncomfortable others were. seek out what you may not know about. you may be happily surprised.

The Pumpkin Roll Man

Pumpkin Rolls, Jelly Rolls and My Rolls

Okay so this isn't a place where you may want to stop for a pumpkin roll, but if you're in New York, The Cafe Napoli is a great place to eat. Now on with my rolls.

Years ago I tried a jelly roll to make 

I followed all instructions, and ready it was to bake

I slapped on jelly here and there

rolled in a towel like I do my hair

Then unwinding it ever so slow

so the Jelly roll would show

adding white sugar powder

I jumped and yelled louder and louder

I did it, I did it! Come and see

the Jelly roll I made for my family

but then I remembered, no one was home

and here we were all alone

Just the jelly roll and me

close to supper, I wanted to eat

But I knew soon they'd all come in

and I could show them my jelly roll win

A first for me and what a task

but where were they I would ask

when I got a call, they stopped by

to grab a bite, I let out a sigh

Soon, passed by, they didn't come in

and there I sat with my Jelly roll chin.

Never again did I make a roll

but ate them all winter through fall

alas again late last night

another stopped by for me to bite

This one was Pumpkin, I couldn't wait

like a fisherman taking the bait

In the fridge I let it chill

temptation called me, I lost the will

Quietly I went to that big cold door

a  creak could be heard on the kitchen floor

I went in for first and then for seconds

Because the Pumpkin roll always beckons

now I was too full to go to bed

so the thought crept in my head

go back again, you're still up

Thirds it was and milk in a cup!

Now you may wonder why this is so long

I write about food, the thoughts are strong

and pumpkin rolls a good neighbor too

go hand in hand with friends like you...

so now I say good night for a while

I'm eating more roll with such a big smile:)

Nancy Costa