Some of the Best Season Finales

The other night while pursuing things to watch on my iPad…I found a number of the best television series finales. So, I watched them. My all time favorite series was the Sopranos and I remember my initial reaction to watching the finale. I felt sad that this would be the last time that I would be part of the Soprano Family, the last time I would share Sunday evenings with them. We all had become family; the good and the bad. Being Italian didn’t upset me that they were a Mob Family. Sometimes, I wish that I was part of the Mob Family and could send a few of my enemies to sleep with the fish.

But the Sopranos finale left me empty. The song by Journey, Don’t Stop Believin’ filled the screen with the diner scene. It was a perfect song that Tony played as he waiting patiently for Carmella to arrive, then his son, and finally his daughter. The diner was filled with people and I saw a few that made me wonder – what were they going to do? When Meadow comes in finally after attempting a number of times to park her car at the curb…she walks in and the screen goes black with the same song playing. I have re-played that scene over and over. But the first time when the scene went black…I jumped up because I thought my cable went out. I stood up yelling…”What the hell…” Then the credits rolled by and I realized what the hell had just happened.

I was glad that it went black. I didn’t want to see my beloved extended family get wacked. But, I decided that just maybe they would return. Now with the real death of James Gandolfini (Tony)…they won’t be coming back. I can still enjoy Sunday nights with the Soprano Family on reruns.

I started to watch a few more series finales…I watched the Mary Tyler Moore Show and laughed and cried with the ending. The comedy writing and timing was impeccable as was the cast. I laughed through the old Bob Newhart Show where they blended both of his series into one crazy ending. Then I watched Lost and found the finale well done and now I want to watch it all over again.

I ended up watching Six Feet Under. I remember it took me three different attempts to watch the series before I was hooked. I loved how they would show an accident or death and give the name, date of birth and date of death. The finale has the daughter of the funeral home owners traveling away in a car to her new life. As she travels we see how each of her family members age and die with their name, date of birth and death. When I watched this with my youngest daughter…we cried at the ending but then we realized it was probably one of the best written finale endings ever.

I know there were many more series finales that made that list or your list. But these are mine. What are yours?

Greenhose Journal: Day 11

I waited most of the week for a phone call to come in and tell me that the new shipment of plugs were in to plant. There was no plant shipment this week, but I was asked to come in on Friday and help out.

After taking a few Greenhouse photos, I went into greenhouse 5 and trimmed a number of the Verbena plants. I had planted these a few weeks ago and they were looking good. But I was asked to trim them down. Trimming will make the plants fuller so I trimmed a number of Verbenas. Then I went around and spaced some of the other plants. I would alternate the plants in the trays and this would help them to grow fuller as well.

My next job was in Greenhouse 4, where I planted up a tray of 50 plants. I put four of the baby plugs into a hanging basket. When I was finished I hung the hangers on each, and watered in the plants.

My final job was to repot a number of plants into larger pots. Some plants needed to be staked-up, so I had to cut a larger size trellis to fit into the pots and tied those down to the other small trellis. These were vining plants.

All in all, it was just busy work at the Greenhouse; tidying up, trimming, re-potting, and spacing, which are all part of working with plants in the Greenhouse.

Next week, I’ll be back to work on Thursday and Friday because a big shipment of plants will be waiting for me.

Greenhouse Journal: Days 9 & 10

On Thursday I received a call to come in and work at the Greenhouse. I helped to trim some of the petunias and space them out. After I went over to one of the benches and planted up some of the succulents. There were two trays to be planted and the job went quickly…Echeveria, a few different varieties of Sedum, Coral Carpet and a few other succulents.

In Greenhouse 6, there was a special order of Begonias and Zinnias waiting for me. I groaned knowing that I had to work with the Begonias again. Like the previous Begonia order, these would take a while to poke them out of their root-bound plug tray. I planted up five trays of double pinks, and reds. Three of the same color plant would go into an 8” pot. Then I went to town planting up the Zinnias. Three plants of the same color would go into a 6” pot. I planted up five total trays of cherry profusion, yellow, and white. The space was limited and we had to move things around but in the end, we found places on the benches to put all these plants. Since it was a special order…the plants would be roped off so the public can’t buy them.

When I still had a half tray of Zinnias to plant, I pooped out and Carol, bless her heart, planted the remainder for me.

I signed out at 4 eager to get home. I desperately needed to shower, get off my feet and eat something. I needed to go back and work tomorrow. I saw 14 trays of Vinca plants waiting on the stand for me.

The next day I signed in and started planting by 9. I was bound and determined to put a dent in the order. I was determined, surprised and thrilled when I was finished by 12:30! I had planted a tray of Verbena, and the rest were Vincas in Pacifica Cherry Red, Cora Red, Cora Lavender, Pacifica Deep Orchid, Cora Apricot, Sunstorm Blush, and Cora Burgundy. It was a pleasure working with those beautiful ladies!

I singed out, and stopped at my daughter’s kitchen for a minute. This turned into two hours of doing some odd jobs there.

It was a good feeling knowing that I still had enough steam to help out in the catering kitchen. But the best part was cashing my biggest check from the greenhouse. Since my check was bigger than the other two, I sprung for a round of drinks…three cold Cherry Pepsi Colas. And my eyes were not numb from that round of drinks!

My Eyes are Numb!

I spent the past week – working. Yes, actually working. Well, Monday was my day to write with my friend. But from Tuesday to Friday, I actually worked at two different jobs. Tuesday and Wednesday, I did some work at my daughter’s catering kitchen. I even went in on Friday for a while, after I finished my job at the greenhouse. It’s been quite a while since I came in and helped out. Thursday and Friday, I worked at the greenhouse.

On both days working at the kitchen I didn’t do a lot. I made some of the salad dressings: two gallons of Italian and two gallons of Balsamic Dressings. I had to skip the Ranch Dressing because we didn’t have any buttermilk on hand. That would have to wait until tomorrow. I actually amazed myself because I used the correct measurements and didn’t spill any of the dressings when I poured it into the containers with the help of a large funnel. This was a big accomplishment for me!

My other job was to make Bruschetta topping. I cup up a green pepper, substituted a yellow pepper for a red one, purple onion and tomatoes. I followed the directions to make only 2-1/2 cups, which I did. I mixed the topping, covered it and put it in to the walk-in.

I followed this up by making an artichoke salad. I sliced some artichoke hearts, and sliced a green pepper, purple onion, and put in feta cheese. After mixing the salad with Italian dressing, I covered it and also placed it in the walk-in.

Then I cut up each hot dog into three pieces. I pulled out the pastry, which I would cut into triangles and roll the hot dogs in them. This was for children that would be attending a party. I made 99 of them.

The best part was after cleaning up for a wedding tasting, I was invited to go along to the bar next door. We actually had two rounds of beers bought for us. My Blue Moon hit the spot. I think it had something to do with the orange slice that I promptly ate because I was hungry. After consuming my second beer and orange slice, I turned to my daughter and said that my eyes were numb. She cut me off, ordered a glass of water and some wings. I kept the water coming. We were at the bar for a while. When my eyes were no longer numb, I decided it was time for me to go home. I said goodbye to Erin and Katie, and drove carefully home.

I had never been invited for drinks after work and this kind of made me feel like a real worker in my daughter’s kitchen.

P.S. – I’m not a big drinker but my eyes felt better and I didn’t wake up with a headache, either! Welcome to the big times, Mary!

Easter Hats

            My Mom was a hat person. I remember her wearing one on Sundays to mass and every other time that she dressed up and went out. She was a tiny woman, standing 4’11” in her stocking feet. But when she wore her stylish spike heels, she stood, 5’2”.  Her long brown hair was worn up on her head. Usually it was in a bun or a partial bun, encircled by a braid. With the way she wore her hair and a hat added, that probably added another inch to her stature.

            But what I remember vividly is the ritual that went along with buying her hat and my hat for Easter. Those hats were made out of natural straw with broad wide rims turned up like a sailor hat or wide floppy brim. The Easter hats were decorated with a bright satin ribbon around the band with tiny imitation flowers or a large flower added. The hats came in white or other spring-like colors of pink, blue, or yellow.  Once the hat was found, finding matching shoes and a purse was next on the list, along with a new dress and a spring coat.

            I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and still can remember our all day excursion to find our hats in downtown Cleveland. My mother didn’t drive, so we took a bus to the stores. But in the 50s, I can remember traveling on one of the last electric trolley that crossed over the Cuyahoga River. I remember the excitement the anxiety I felt looking down between the tracks and seeing the water and wonder, as only a child would…what it would be like if we fell into that river. That thought would send a shiver down my body, but only for a moment, then my mind would return to the adventure of going downtown with my Mom and the pleasures that awaited us.

In the later days, we would catch a bus by the corner of our house, and it would drop us off at Public Square, right across from the Highbee’s Department store. That was always where we started and ended our mission to find our Easter hats. Sometimes we would go to the May company Department store, but it was usually Highbee’s where we seemed to find our hats. Highbee’s was located next to the Terminal Tower in Cleveland, where the train station was located, then the Rapid Transit System would come in to affect and that would be another way to get to the downtown area. There was an outside entrance to the store or one that came from inside the Terminal Tower into Highbee’s basement.

After what seemed like hours, we found the right hats, discarding the fussy hats that had too many flowers, the ones with the nets, or with the feathers. Mine was a straw hat with the brim turned up like a sailor’s hat, with a few straw flowers decorated along the wide satin ribbon. My mother’s hat was also a straw hat that fit tight like an old fashioned man’s derby hat. It had a small feather stylish tucked inside the ribbon on the hat band. My mother paid for our hats with her Highbee’s credit card. We carried them in their hat boxes with the Highbee’s name printed across the lid of the box.

            Our next stop was lunch at the Woolworth’s Dime Store. We sat at the long soda fountain, which seemed to take up half of the store. This was what I had been waiting for. Now I ordered my favorite: Pepsi Cola, and a turkey platter with slices of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, beans, cranberry sauce, a cloverleaf roll, and butter.

            Afterward we would shop in Woolworth’s, looking for whatever we needed to buy. We would retrace our steps back to Highbee’s, stopping at another small shop, “The Nut House,” and we would buy a small bag of warmed cashew nuts to take back home.

            In Highbee’s basement, we looked for shoes and gloves to match our hats. My Mom would buy nylon stockings and socks for me. The last thing that we did before we would go home was to stop at Highbee’s Frosty Bar. We couldn’t go back home without at least one frosty malted drink. This delightful drink was served in a small glass. It was a thick drink that seemed to melt from the warmth of my hand. Sometimes, I might start the first sip with one of those awful brain freezes only to end up with one of my last gulps of the melted drink splattering in my face with a plop.

            When I was older and would go downtown with my best friend, because the frosty drink cost 24 cents, we would actually drink four or five of them. It just seemed that I could never get enough of this wonderful drink.

            Then we retrace our foot steps going back home, standing on Public Square and waiting for the bus to return us safely back home. The evening was spent modeling our hats for my Dad, who smiled and told us how beautiful we looked in them. Then we placed our hatboxes in our closets.

Every time the closet door was opened, the hat box was the first thing that Mom spotted, pulled down, and opened. She would look at the hat with admiration, and longing, anticipating the pleasure of putting the hat on her head again. This ritual became a daily occurrence, while the days were counted and the excitement mounted waiting for Easter Sunday, and the time when the hat would finally be worn with an outfit, for show.

            When Easter Sunday finally arrived, the last item to go on was our new Easter hat. My Dad would drive us to church, or we would walk if the weather was nice. Everyone admiring each others Easter finery as well as their hats. A sea of hats would be all you would see on Easter Sunday at church, along with the sweet smell orchid corsages that were worn pinned onto the lapel of the women’s coats.

            Somewhere in the mid 60s, wearing hats stopped being the fashionable thing to do. The hat departments and Millinery Shops started to close because wearing hats seemed to go out of style. Or maybe Vatican 2 changed things by ruling that woman no longer had to where hats to church.

Now on Easter Sunday, as I sit in church in suburban Pennsylvania, I notice a sea of people with different colored hair. Once in awhile someone stands out with a hat on, and it is usually a woman in her 70s, a younger stylish woman, or a little girl. This is when I think about those straw Easter hats, and how much I miss the ritual that went along with buying them with my Mom. 

          

Greenhouse Journal: Day 8

Two weeks ago, I spent the morning attending my son’s ceremony where he was being promoted to a Lieutenant for the Pittsburgh Police Department. It was a pretty awesome deal to watch the event. After a small party of cake and pizza, I changed into my work clothes, and reluctantly drove to the Greenhouse.

There was a small shipment of plants waiting to be planted. I signed in and hurried to Greenhouse 6. I looked at the six trays of Zinnia plants waiting for me. The Zinnia plugs are as small as the Begonia plants. They had been watered well, so getting the plants out of the tray was fairly easy.

The music was on, and I was alone in my little world planting four different varieties of Zinnia – Double Zahara, Fire, Yellow, and Profusion Cherry. I like the Zinnias because they are so colorful, the blooms love the heat, and the plant is disease resistant. I use these plants in my garden and cut them for the clear small glass vases that are on my window ledge in my kitchen.

After two hours, I looked around and I was finished with all the plants. I watered in the plants, checked off the plants from the list, threw away the old plug trays and my worn out latex gloves, and I turned off the radio. I noticed on the clipboard that more plants would come in toward the end of the week. There would be a good shipment that would include the flowering Vinca.

I signed out by 3. Two hours of planting and leaving the greenhouse knowing all the planting was done for the week, left me with a good feeling. On the way out, I scratched Tonka’s head goodbye (Tonka is the greenhouse cat), and left to drive home.

Friday Night Movie with Matt

I picked up my oldest grandson, Matthew, and we drove out to Cranberry to see a movie. We had plans to see the movie Draft Day. The movie was about what goes on behind the scenes of the NFL Draft. My grandson loves football, collects football cards, plays football and writes a blog called NFL Benchwarmers.

Seeing the movie was a bit more special because it was about the Cleveland Browns football team. Since I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, the Browns were and still are the team I love and root for. I live and die for the Browns. I still bleed orange and brown. I start every football season like all Brown’s fans with high hopes, only to have our hearts broken.

I loved the movie and seeing the Cleveland scenery; the West Side Market, downtown Cleveland, some of the neighborhoods, the stadium and the Brown’s headquarters. I felt good about Cleveland and it brought back some good memories of sitting in the stadium watching a Sunday afternoon football game. The fans are crazy and colorful and they really have a lot of heart. It also brought back Monday morning memories of disappointment after a Brown’s loss.

There were some cameo appearances in the movie by Deon Sanders, Ray Lewis, Bernie Kosar, Jim Brown, and a few others. Kosar was the Cleveland Browns quarterback from the mid 80s to the early 90s. Jim Brown was one of the greatest running backs ever, who played for the Browns! He played from 1957 to 1965.

Inside the Brown’s Headquarters were a lot of framed photos hanging on the walls with a number of great players from the past. One in particular was #17, the QB Brian Sipe from 1974-1983, and the era of the Kardiac Kids. I have a Sipe Jersey, which I wear on game days. I also have an authentic Jim Browns, #32 Jersey and it is signed, which I do not wear.

The movie was good and my grandson and I enjoyed it while munching on popcorn and Matt drinking a large blue flavored Icee. I would have never gone to see the movie if it wasn’t for Matt, despite his saying why did they ever make a movie of the Browns? I don’t know because they definitely are not winners but their fans are winners.

Anyway…thanks, Matt! Hope you had as good a time as I did?!

Friday Night Fish Fry

When I think of being a Catholic, I think about Bingo and the  Friday Night Lenten Fish Fry. While growing up Catholic, neither event existed in my old parish of St. Patrick’s, in Cleveland, Ohio. But both have been a part of my life since moving to Pittsburgh and having my children attend Catholic schools.

To be honest, I only played Bingo once when a friend forced me to go. It was a strange experience, since all those women had a multitude of Bingo cards spread out in front of them. Not only were the cards many but the women had a number of small good luck statues in front of them, along with big fat stampers to mark the Bingo cards. At that time, people were still allowed to smoke in the Bingo hall and it amazed me that the women could actually see their cards through the clouds of smoke that were coming out of their mouths.

Then there is the Lenten Fish Fry. I grew up disliking fish. Fridays at my house was a nightmare for me. It was fish for my family and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for me. Thank God for peanut butter! The same occurrence would continue as I went off to college. I would pass on the scrumptious looking jumbo shrimp and head for the bread, peanut butter, and jelly.

Now, if any of my grown children ask me to attend their church’s Fish Fry, I usually go along with them. I still am not fond of fish. It depends on the parish where the Fish Fry is at. St. Teresa’s in the North Hills area is probably one of the best Fish Fry’s around.

The Friday Night Fish Fry is usually crowded with families, especially families with children, who attend the parish schools. At the Fish Fry I attended, we lined up, placed our food order, found a table to sit down at, and waited for the order to be placed in front of us by one of the school children. While I was waiting, I notice the loud noise and all the kids, and especially all the desserts on display. The desserts are extra but they are a big seller. Desserts are important to the meal. But mostly, I smell the oil and the overwhelming odor of fish.

The meal arrives, and I look at the huge piece of breaded fish in a bun. I look down the table and smile as I find the cocktail sauce. As long as I can drown my fish in plenty of cocktail sauce, it is fine. I realize this is all the taste and sounds of a Lenten Fish Fry. And as soon as I can consume a dessert, I know that I will survive.

Greenhouse Journal: Day 7

Today, I started working at 8:45. This morning while I walked through Greenhouse 5, I pulled out my camera. I had to take a few pictures of the beautiful Double Pink Impatiens. The flower reminds me of a miniature rose. This one is a mixture of light pink and a darker pink. I realize as I took a few pictures that I was responsible for planting the Impatiens and a lot of the other flowering plants. It is like watching my babies grow. I also take some photos of a few of the other plants that I had planted…the purple and white Torenia and the blue flowered Lobelia.

I stop at take a photo of the Begonias that are filling the shelves, waiting to be planted today. I put away my camera and take two trays of the Begonias and walk into Greenhouse 6. I lay these out on the bench in my planting area and take a few more pictures in Greenhouse 6.

Then I put the camera away, take off my jacket, put on my brown apron, and pull on a pair of latex gloves. I lay out the flats, filled with soil, water them in, and begin the process of planting the Begonias. The Begonias are root bound and difficult to pull out without breaking off the leaves.

I stop to take a 15 minute lunch break and gratefully sat down to eat but mostly to rest and get off of my feet. Then it is back to work. I am determined to get all the planting down. Thank heavens, Carol, who I work under, is filling the plants with soil and plants up the four trays of white Begonias. I continue and finish the trays of Salvia – Summer Jewel Red and Sizzler Red, along with the rest of the Begonias – Bicolor Rose, Rose, Scarlet and the four trays of pink.

When I finally finished…let’s just say, I had enough of planting those pesky hard to remove Begonias. I was glad that they were planted up, and that Carol took mercy on me and did the final pink tray. I was tired when I left the greenhouse, knowing that another shipment would arrive late on Friday afternoon. I also know that I would be back, planting up that order next week. I can’t wait to see what is starting to bloom in the greenhouse. Then I have Friday to look forward too – Pay Day!

A Salute to my son, the Policeman

When my oldest son announced he was going to be policeman I was surprised. This took me aback coming from one of my kids, the ones I never bought toy guns for, except for squirt guns. Now he wanted to be a cop with a gun, handcuffs and a Taser!

At the time my son announced his intentions to be a cop; he was studying to be a teacher and only had to do student teaching to get his education degree. He did become a policeman for the city of Pittsburgh.

My oldest son amazes me; he never lets any of his police business slip out in his conversations. He never talks about his job. If and when he does, it is generic, like talking about the young woman who cried when he gave her a ticket. He told her tears didn’t matter, she was speeding. Enough said. Or having a neighbor blow his identity while he was working as an undercover cop. He shared how he made a call where a little girl was found in a baby pool. Later, I would find out from someone, that he visited the little girl in the hospital, where he brought her a teddy bear. Or how he mentioned the fact that he was disturbed by his latest case. I would read about that case in the newspaper – about the two young women who were killed in their home.

I never watch the local news or read any of the local newspapers. I should but I don’t. If I were to do so, and a story appeared about my son, he would turn his back so as not to be interviewed or have his picture taken.

Today, I am privileged to be with his family at City Hall and watch my son and another man being promoted from Sergeant to Lieutenant. I remember when I went to Matt’s swearing in ceremony when he became a young police officer, and then when he was promoted to Sergeant. Now he is a Lieutenant!  

I thought long and hard about what I wanted to say. So here goes my open letter to my son...

Dear Matt,

You are my oldest son. We spent the first two years of your life alone with one another. Then along came eight other brothers and sisters. To say the least, you are an interesting human being, and it has been my privilege to watch you grow up into a self-assured young man. You are the most honest person I have ever met. You not only talk the talk, but you walk the walk. You have endured a very tough year, but you stood tall and strong. I am so proud of you for being an honest man, a faithful husband, a good father, a caring son, but especially for being an honest and fair cop.  Good job, Matt; a good job well done, and a life to be proud of. I am so very proud to call you my son.

Love, Mom

Greenhouse Journal: Day 6

After signing in, I start to work around 8:45. I had a few trays of plants left from yesterday and I am determined to finish up that order. I spend the next two hours working alone in Greenhouse 5, with the radio blaring in the background. The music fills up the silence of the work area, soothes me and makes me work faster to its rhythm.

I lay out the planting trays, water the soil, stack the trays, and begin planting the Misty Veil Torenia. The Torenia will produce a delicate trumpet shape flower. I go on to Indigo Blue. After planting the baby plugs, I water them in.

Then I move on to Verbena, and plant up two varieties that include Candy Cane and Lanai Peach. I have to stop and eat a peanut butter cracker and swallow that down with water.

Lobelia is next and I plant up Midnight Blue. After,  I start to work on Ipomoea. This variety is called Sweet Georgia Bullfrog. The variegated leaves range from a medium green to a darker green. This plant will add a nice contrast in a garden pot with other plants. I make a mental note to add this plant to my garden pots for summer.

My final plants are a tray of Begonia Gumdrop Coco Rose. When I have planted the last plant, watered it, and cleaned up, I realize that I am done. It has taken me two hours to complete my work.

After being in the warm greenhouse, in my own sweet world, I am forced to walk to my car as the snow 
starts falling. I am headed home but I feel good about my morning’s work.