Book Reviews 2020: The Alice Network

The Alice Network was the best book I have read in a really long time. World War I and World War II, female spies and their roles. I loved every minute of it. It is a well woven story and is was full of unexpected turns. Enjoy it! I certainly did.

Book Reviews 2020: 7 days of Christmas: A Season of Generosity by Jen Hatmaker

In her 2017 book “7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess”, Jen Hatmaker focused on the seven areas that have gotten crazy excessive in most  American lives: Food; Clothes; Spending; Media; Possessions; Waste; and Stress- the “modern-day diseases of greed, materialism, and overindulgence. She and her family did a month long journey on each category and I was impressed.

I really wanted to try to do it myself but I could not get past the 7 foods for 30 whole days. Even picking February, it was 7 foods for 28 days. And my questions were many: Does tea with milk count as one food or two… do all potato products count as one item… coffee vs tea… Which cereal… No room for cereal?!? Could sandwich meat be all sandwich meat? Did I have to pick only one cheese?

I might have overthought the whole thing. I promised myself that one of these days I would try again. Still waiting...

Then came Jen’s new book and the focus is restoring the Season of Christmas. Published just before Christmas 2019, I devoured it. It was LOVE! Do yourself and your family a favor this Christmas season and check it out. 

You will be happier and saner and it will remind you all what Christmas is all about.

Women's right to vote

Ratified on August 18, 1920, the 19th amendment guarantees all American women the right to vote. 100 years have passed since and we are facing the election of an age. Years ago, I watched the movie, Iron Jawed Angels, which told the story of the brave American women who worked to get women the vote.  As I watched the Democratic Convention- which is being done as basically a giant Zoom meeting, I was surprised by the number of Republicans, including Christine Todd Whitman and John Kasich, both former Governors. It is a relief to see them turn their backs on the destruction of the current administration and support a more positive path for America. Hopefully November will bring the USA the change that is needed.

Goodbye

Today my family said goodbye to my former husband and father of my son. My cousins, my sisters, my aunt and uncle, as well as dozens of George's friends and relatives joined my children, his mother and sister and me in saying goodbye. The priest was kind, the music was beautiful and the church is like a museum with all of its beautiful artwork. 

At the end of the funeral mass this morning, I struggled through reading the following:

We are gathered today to celebrate the life of a good and kind man, the best of us, George Mancuso. To all of us, his friends and family alike, his death at only forty-nine is an unimaginable loss.

A long time fixture in Throggs Neck, George started working alongside his uncle Gaetano when he was seventeen years old. As his friends can tell you, he was a whiz of an oven man at Tommy’s Pizza.

The loving son of Rosario and Carmela Mancuso, George was also the “big brother” to Rosalba. As George joins his father, Rosario, in heaven, I ache for Carmela and Rosalba for their tremendous loss on this day and in the days to come.

George was enchanted by Motion Pictures, as anyone who has taken part in his Oscars pool can attest, and also all things Disney. But most of all, George was enchanted with his children, John and Liz. He spent as much time with them as possible, coming for Christmas each year, always with cannolis in hand. The trips they all took to Disney were the stuff of legend. It was because of him that Liz found her way to “Up with People and that grand adventure.

In short, he spoiled them rotten and loved them fiercely. As a result, they are the best of him, a testament to his kindness and love.

Rest in Peace, George. We will miss you.

Next we went to the cemetery for a final blessing and goodbye. I am exhausted and heartsick and so sad. And old. So very old.

George Mancuso

 I wrote my ex-husband's obituary bio last night:

George Mancuso, of Tommy’s Pizza in Throgs Neck, a long-time resident of Little Italy in the Bronx, died on Thursday August 6, 2020 of complications from diabetes at the age of forty-nine.

George is survived by his mother, Carmela Mancuso (nee LoBue), his sister, Rosalba Mancuso, his son, John and step-daughter Elizabeth Kelly. He was preceded in death by his father, Rosario.

George began work alongside his uncle Gaetano at seventeen and served as an oven man. He enjoyed motion pictures and travel, his favorite destination was Disneyworld.

The services for George  will be held on Tuesday, August 11, 2020:

Visitation: 8:30am- 10am at Balsamo Funeral Home

3188 Westchester Ave, Bronx, NY 10461

Funeral Mass: 11am at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church

627 E 187th St, Bronx, NY 10458

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

It is hard to believe my son's father died. They were best friends and my son loved his father so much. This is the hardest thing I have ever done as a parent- helping my children grieve this huge loss, while I myself grieve. Rest in peace, George.

Prayers of the Faithful

On this day, in 2018, my uncle died. Several days later we gathered to say goodbye and representatives of his tribe: nieces or nephews, one from each of his siblings families, took turns, praying the following:

The Priest: Christ is the Good Shepherd who gives His life to save those He loves. In our loss, let us turn to Him and with confidence make our needs known to Him.

Colleen: We pray for the gift of Eternal Life: That Sean will be received into the Lord's loving embrace.    Lord, hear us.

Me: We pray for Sean, that Christ may have mercy in his soul and grant him the fullness of risen life where all burdens will be lifted and peace enjoyed.    Lord, hear us.

Peter (His Godson): As we gather in sadness at the death of Sean, we carry with us many good memories of his years of love and care as husband, father, brother, uncle, brother in law, neighbour and friend, his open and welcoming personality, his work and love if the land, animals and farming, his ease with and love of all people and especially children, his ever presence and willingness to help in every moment of need, a man who was a good neighbour. We remember the burdens of sadness and grief that he carried as we pray that death may be for him but a step into the friendship and presence of God.    Lord hear us.

Laura: We pray for Sean's family, that in these difficult and dark days they may be sustained by their faith, and by the knowledge that they will be reunited with Sean one day in God's heavenly kingdom.  Lord hear us.

Lisa: The gift of life, which we all share, is very precious. Lord, make us more aware of the gifts and talents you have given us, particularly those that we so often take for granted. May we use them to make the world a better place.   Lord, hear us.

Paul: We pray for all who are sick, lonely or who find their journey in life difficult or who travel the lonely road of bereavement. May they experience the closeness of Christ who will give them and their loved ones strength, comfort and healing.    Lord, hear us.

Caroline: We pray that all who have departed from this life believing in God, especially Alison, may find light, happiness and peace in his kingdom. Lord, hear us.

Catherine: For all of us gathered here: that we may remember at all times, but especially at times of trouble and anxiety, that we are loved by God and that he will take care of us.   Lord, hear us.

I still miss my sweet uncle so much.

Jackson State shooting, 50 years ago

In looking at reports about the 50th anniversary of the Kent State shooting, I read this on MSNBC

"Days after the Kent State shooting, on May 15, there was a shooting at historically black Jackson State College in Mississippi during a protest against racism that students on campus were facing. Two students were shot and killed and 12 others were injured at the hands of the police."

I had never heard of this shooting before. I had of course heard about  the four students killed at Kent State. 

Wikipedia lists the Kent State victims:

Killed (and approximate distance from the National Guard):

• Jeffrey Glenn Miller; age 20; 265 ft (81 m) shot through the mouth; killed instantly
• Allison B. Krause; age 19; 343 ft (105 m) fatal left chest wound; died later that day
• William Knox Schroeder; age 19; 382 ft (116 m) fatal chest wound; died almost an hour later in a local hospital while undergoing surgery
• Sandra Lee Scheuer; age 20; 390 ft (120 m) fatal neck wound; died a few minutes later from loss of blood

Wounded (and approximate distance from the National Guard):

• Joseph Lewis, Jr.; 71 ft (22 m); hit twice in the right abdomen and left lower leg
• John R. Cleary; 110 ft (34 m); upper left chest wound
• Thomas Mark Grace; 225 ft (69 m); struck in left ankle
• Alan Michael Canfora; 225 ft (69 m); hit in his right wrist
• Dean R. Kahler; 300 ft (91 m); back wound fracturing the vertebrae, permanently paralyzed from the chest down
• Douglas Alan Wrentmore; 329 ft (100 m); hit in his right knee
• James Dennis Russell; 375 ft (114 m); hit in his right thigh from a bullet and in the right forehead by birdshot, both wounds minor
• Robert Follis Stamps; 495 ft (151 m); hit in his right buttock
• Donald Scott MacKenzie; 750 ft (230 m); neck wound

MSNBC noted: "David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Neil Young released their protest song "Ohio" a month later, with the chorus "four dead in Ohio," after seeing the photos of the shooting. With lyrics that directly called out Nixon, the song was heard by the nation loud and clear."

Wikipedia does have a brief page about the Jackson State killings and lists the two people who died, but not the wounded. It reports the shooting started, according to reports, due to the 40 State Highway Patrolmen being fired on by a sniper, though no evidence of a sniper was found. While deemed an "unreasonable, unjustified overreaction", no charges were filed.

NPR wrote in 2010 that the event was largely forgotten. The students at Jackson were killed by police. Nobody wrote a song about them.

I did manage to find out more about what happened here:

"When the order to cease fire was given and the gunfire ceased, Phillip Lafayette Gibbs, 21, a junior pre-law major and father of an 18-month-old son, lay dead 50 feet east of the west wing door of Alexander Hall. Two Double-0 buckshot pellets had punched into his head while a third pellet entered just beneath his left eye and a fourth just under his left armpit.

Across the street, behind the line of police and highway patrolmen, James Earl Green, 17, was sprawled dead in front of B. F. Roberts Dining Hall. Green, a senior at Jim Hill High School in Jackson, was walking home from work at a local grocery store when he stopped to watch the action. He was standing in front of B. F. Roberts Hall when a single buckshot blast slammed into the right side of his chest. The police later claimed that they had taken fire from the direction of B. F. Roberts Hall.

Twelve other Jackson State students were struck by gunfire, including at least one who was sitting in the dormitory lobby at the time of the shooting. Several students required treatment for hysteria and injuries from shattered glass. 

Injured and carried to University Hospital for treatment were Fonzie Coleman, Redd Wilson Jr. , Leroy Kenter, Vernon Steve Weakley, Gloria Mayhorn, Patricia Ann Sanders , Willie Woodard, Andrea Reese, Stella Spinks, Climmie Johnson, Tuwaine Davis and Lonzie Thompson... the ambulances were not called until after the officers picked up their shell casings, a U. S. Senate probe conducted by Senators Walter Mondale and Birch Bayh later revealed.

I can't believe I never learned about this before.