I am officially single again. At 3:40pm EST, my divorce went through and was finalized. No delays, no additional filings, no papers unfiled, nothing left unsigned. Connie testified, and the judge said the magic words- The divorce judgement is finalized.
Miracles do still happen! I left New York in August of 2006, and the decision to divorce was made in July of 2007. Four attorneys, endless paperwork and $2000 later, it is all over. I CANNOT BELIEVE IT!
Connie and I headed to Pappaduex's for dinner and drinks, and I advised her to pick the most expensive thing on the menu, because we were celebrating. The waiter asked what we were celebrating and I said, joyfully, my divorce was finalized today. The woman at the next table laughed out loud and told us, "I felt the same way with mine!"
We had Alligator- really yummy- and very cold beer and a little bit of tequila.
Rick and Chris joined us a bit later and we had a lovely dinner. What a difference a day makes.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Vandalism
Saturday was going to be a busy day- Liz was going to take Baxter, the stray puppy she found, to the vet at 8:30am, I had the cub scout rummage sale starting at nine, and John had soccer photos at one and his game at two, and we were scheduled to attend Cheyenne's birthday party at 8pm.
I did not expect to hear the dog bark, and moments later, hear my doorbell ring. Looking at the clock, it was 5am. The police were at my door. My neighbor Chris had called them to report 5 teenagers in a maroon Chevy truck had broken the driver's side window of my Land Rover. Yes, the Land Rover I replaced a windshield in last week...same one...
I was PISSED. The truck wasn't even locked, so clearly robbery was not the motive. The cop asked me if I knew ____ ____, and of course I had no clue who he was. Liz, who was now awake, volunteered that she did know the person and had a falling out with one of his friends. This girl, she was convinced, put ____ ____ up to punching out the window.
Of course, knowing and proving are vastly different things. So I have another repair to make, and I can't be sure more damage won't be done in the future.
When the cop left, I warned Liz away from the girl, advising her not to have any contact with her. The last thing I needed was her adding fuel to the fire.
We cleared enough of the glass to move the truck out to my aunt's property, so at least no additional damage would be done. My uncle, a retired cop, asked my daughter who she pissed off, as we placed cardboard and plastic over the opening. He said that this type of juvenile offense was typically targeted, unless several windows of cars on the block were also smashed in.
And the irony of having my window broken on a sleepy street in Fairfield after having no problems in the Bronx for more than two decades is not lost on me.
I went to all the places I was meant to be, cancelled Baxter's appointment since we now have only one car, and by dinner time I was exhausted. I decided to rest my head for a moment and ended up asleep, soundly asleep, till past midnight. It was a long day.
I did not expect to hear the dog bark, and moments later, hear my doorbell ring. Looking at the clock, it was 5am. The police were at my door. My neighbor Chris had called them to report 5 teenagers in a maroon Chevy truck had broken the driver's side window of my Land Rover. Yes, the Land Rover I replaced a windshield in last week...same one...
I was PISSED. The truck wasn't even locked, so clearly robbery was not the motive. The cop asked me if I knew ____ ____, and of course I had no clue who he was. Liz, who was now awake, volunteered that she did know the person and had a falling out with one of his friends. This girl, she was convinced, put ____ ____ up to punching out the window.
Of course, knowing and proving are vastly different things. So I have another repair to make, and I can't be sure more damage won't be done in the future.
When the cop left, I warned Liz away from the girl, advising her not to have any contact with her. The last thing I needed was her adding fuel to the fire.
We cleared enough of the glass to move the truck out to my aunt's property, so at least no additional damage would be done. My uncle, a retired cop, asked my daughter who she pissed off, as we placed cardboard and plastic over the opening. He said that this type of juvenile offense was typically targeted, unless several windows of cars on the block were also smashed in.
And the irony of having my window broken on a sleepy street in Fairfield after having no problems in the Bronx for more than two decades is not lost on me.
I went to all the places I was meant to be, cancelled Baxter's appointment since we now have only one car, and by dinner time I was exhausted. I decided to rest my head for a moment and ended up asleep, soundly asleep, till past midnight. It was a long day.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
September 11, 2001
Nine years ago today, I was in my office at the Howard Haber Early Learning Center in the Bronx when we received reports that the twin towers were burning and Manhattan had been shut down.
I left to pick up my daughter, at school a mile away, and discovered police blocking on-ramps to the bridges. The children at my daughter's school were in church for Mass and the half hour I waited felt like a century.
With my daughter safe and with me, I returned to work, where efforts were being made to get all the children and staff home and safe. It was ordered panic and I was grateful all my work complying contact information on the children was able to assist in all the chaos of the day. I didn't sit down until we were down to our last 4 children. Then I saw the video of the planes hitting...It felt like I was physically struck.
I still feel that way when I see the footage.
I didn;t leave school till the last child was picked up at 5:30pm. By then the scale was started to set in. Mayor Rudy Giuliani said our losses would be more than we could bear...
My friends in Europe were calling as I arrived home, and I heard relief in their voices on hearing we were safe.
The school, the city, was closed down the next day. I spent it watching CNN. The news was bad and getting worse. So many good men that I had known...everyone knew someone.
It still seems like yesterday. I still miss them.
I left to pick up my daughter, at school a mile away, and discovered police blocking on-ramps to the bridges. The children at my daughter's school were in church for Mass and the half hour I waited felt like a century.
With my daughter safe and with me, I returned to work, where efforts were being made to get all the children and staff home and safe. It was ordered panic and I was grateful all my work complying contact information on the children was able to assist in all the chaos of the day. I didn't sit down until we were down to our last 4 children. Then I saw the video of the planes hitting...It felt like I was physically struck.
I still feel that way when I see the footage.
I didn;t leave school till the last child was picked up at 5:30pm. By then the scale was started to set in. Mayor Rudy Giuliani said our losses would be more than we could bear...
My friends in Europe were calling as I arrived home, and I heard relief in their voices on hearing we were safe.
The school, the city, was closed down the next day. I spent it watching CNN. The news was bad and getting worse. So many good men that I had known...everyone knew someone.
It still seems like yesterday. I still miss them.
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