Friday Funnies

As we all know, life has its Ups and Downs and in more ways than one, like this . . .

This notice was posted inside an elevator we used during a recent hotel stay.

In reality, the elevator worked OK and we never had to press every button during our visit.

Thanks for your comments on my recent post about books and the ways in which they can be enjoyed. It's clear that a lot of fellow bloggers are also avid readers. To answer Christina's question on how I track my reads, it's not through Goodreads or an app (although I'm sure there are ones for that purpose). I just list the titles and authors in a Notes file and it's accessible on my desktop, tablet and phone.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone.

Weather permitting, we're off on a NH day trip

Good Reads Many Ways

Internet source

Over the past year and a half, one thing that many folks have been doing more than ever before (besides online movie streaming and binging) is reading, myself included. That's why I was surprised to see that the last time I posted about any of my good reads was in such a while ago, August 2020. I've been reading a lot more since then.

I've always read a lot, without ever tallying my annual reading numbers. However, with most things being defined by confinement of sorts last year, I kept a running total. It came to 61 including a dozen or so audio books. My total, while less than many fellow bloggers, was amazing to me and I suspect it's much larger than previous years. My preference has usually been fiction, but there were at least 5 non-fiction titles in that tally, surprising even myself. 

Nashua, NH, Public Library

A big difference from previous years was that my 2020 and now 2021 reading has mainly consisted of e-books and audio books downloaded from the Nashua Public Library (NPL) website. The library building was closed for months and recently reopened with restrictions. 

During the shutdown, books and other items could be requested online and picked up curbside, that's still possible even though the library has reopened. But, as there's no sitting areas available, staying in the library is not as enjoyable as before the you-know-what current situation.

That's why downloading from the comfort of home, and reading on a Kindle paperwhite e-reader became very convenient. A huge benefit was that every e-book (regardless of physical size) weighed the same, built-in backlighting made reading in bed easier, and there no distractions as my Kindle is just an e-reader. And, a built-in dictionary was of great use.

 

In the same way, audio books downloaded to my cell phone were very convenient to listen to when doing chores, meal prepping, waiting for appointments, walking on a treadmill. As a friend, and long-time audio book listener explained, enjoy them when doing mindless activities that don't require your full attention. In so doing, I listened to readers who provided wonderful narratives in various voices, favorites include Cassandra Campbell, Simon Vance and James Langton.

Don't misunderstand, hardcover books are wonderful. I'll always return to reading them, but in unsettling times, it's been so easy to read or listen then return a book (14-day loan limit) without going out. A handy plus is that downloaded books would time-out on the expiration loan date, handy if one should forget to return one on line.

My thanks to countless bloggers who have posted about current and/or favorite reads. I've been introduced to and enjoyed authors I've not read, such as Elly Griffiths, Peter James, Catherine Steadman and more. A downside has been that sometimes the NPL didn't have a recommended book in any format, print or otherwise.

My favorite literary genres includes mysteries and historical fiction as even when some (or all) of the characters and all of the dialogue has been created by an author, many novels retain some basis in factual events. Personal favorites historical fiction authors include Marie Benedict (The Only Woman in the Room, The Other Einstein, Carnegie's Maid), Beatriz Williams (The Golden Hour, Her Last Flight, The Secret Life of Violet Grant), Fiona Davis (The Lions of Fifth Avenue, The Address, The Dollhouse) and Erik Larson (The Devil in the White City, Dead Wake, Thunderstruck, The Splendid and the Vile). 

Recently, I completed two historical fiction series set in 1800s England. Each series features a prominent male protagonist; one is an adventurer and the son of a baron, the other is an American doctor in London. The series were written by two female authors, British and American. 

Tessa Harris

British author Tessa Harris studied history at Oxford University followed by a career in journalism as a newspaper reporter and magazine writer. According to her website, she developed the Silkstone character after winning a screenplay writing competition later opted by a film company.

Her six-book mystery series featuring Dr. Thomas Silkstone mystery was published between 2011 to 2016. Set in 1870s London, England, the main protagonist (Silkstone) is introduced in the first novel as a young anatomist and forensic scientist from Philadelphia, PA. A crucial element at the start is that Silkstone finds his way to England in the 18th century, when America is fighting the War of Independence against British forces.

The Anatomist’s Apprentice introduces Dr. Silkstone arriving in London as the apprentice of a famous anatomist. He's described as a pioneering detective in the world of forensic medicine who introduces unconventional methods of investigating suspected murders. An American by citizenship, he's considered an outsider by Londoners. In the first novel, the author credits Silkstone with several firsts, such as recording the stages of decomposition and observing insects on a corpse to determine the time of death. In subsequent novels, he uses these techniques and many others to solve some perplexing murders.

Luckily, I found the entire Silkstone series —The Anatomist's Apprentice, The Dead Shall Not Rest, Devil's Breath, Lazarus Curse, Shadow of Raven, Secrets in Stone — as downloadable library e-books. These were very compulsive fast reads, which I binged on in sequence.

Harris has also written a second mystery series featuring Constance Piper with three books in this series: The Sixth Victim,The Angel Makers, and A Deadly Deception. The downside is that currently none are available through the library's website.

D.M. Quincy

American author D.M. Quincy, who grew up living in various countries as the daughter of a U.S. Foreign Service officer, now lives in Virginia with her family. In her career as TV journalist, she covered crimes, that included violent unsolved murders. According to her website, one summer she read all the romantic fiction books available at the local library. This led her to create her own historical and romantic fiction characters. 

The Atlas Catesby novels were written from 2017 to 2019. According to the author's website, the events in the three-book series were inspired by true-life murders. 

The novels are set in 1800s Regency England, a period of elegance and extravagance, crime and poverty. This is the world surrounding amateur sleuth Atlas Catesby, an adventurer who not only travels the world, but has a penchant for solving puzzles which inexplicably draws him into murder investigations and their solutions.

Murder in Mayfair was inspired by a real incident that happened in the 1700s, when a duke purchased the wife of an hustler who was selling the woman to the highest bidder. 

Murder in Bloomsbury borrows liberally from a sensational murder trial that occurred in mid-1800s Scotland. Glasgow socialite Madeleine Smith was accused of killing her low-born lover. Letters detailing the passionate secret love affair were introduced in court and scandalized society at the time.

Murder at the Opera resulted from the 1779 murder of Martha Ray, a British singer and the longtime mistress of the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who supposedly having invented the sandwich.

Like the Silkstone series, I was fortunate to download this series from the library website and like that previous series, found them to be fast, compulsive reading.

Like Harris, Quincy has also written a second series but under her given name, Diana Quincy. The Accidental Peers series is historical romance with four novels: Seducing Charlotte, Tempting Bella, Compromising Willa, Her Night with the Duke. However, this series doesn't hold an appeal for me and, like the previous second series, none are available through the library's website.

As mentioned, downloadable e-books and audio books have been enjoyable and so convenient these past many months, but I still crave the pleasures of hardcover books. Luckily, last week's library visit resulted in three checkouts, including these new ↑ mysteries by favorite authors Donna Leon and Charles Finch.

If anyone has read or decides to read the Dr. Silkstone or Atlas Catesby novel, please let me know your opinions in one of your future posts. I would be interested in your comments.

We All Scream

For ice cream, of course — do you?

And, we did that this past weekend on a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon. It should be noted that these twist cones were the small size. Next time, we'll opt for the kiddie size (maybe).

Big One website image

We enjoyed these treats at The Big 1, an ice cream stand that's been a Nashua, NH, landmark since the 1950s. Back in 1973, Marcel Lemay purchased the business and ran it for 10 years before selling it his sister-in-law, Pat. It was sold again in 1998 to Jeanne (Marcel's niece) and Gary Marquis who have continued to make The Big 1 a popular family owned and operated ice cream stand here in Nashua, NH, for over 48 years. There's always a line outside this place. 

But that business was in danger of permanent closure when in January of this year, a truck that wasn't making a pickup at the popular creamery, crashed into the closed stand causing significant structural damage. According to an online article, the Nashua police log indicated that a pursuit was happening on the street at the same time as the crash. No ice cream takeout was involved.

These online photos↑↓ show how extensive the damage was to the front of the building. Despite that crash, the iconic and very familiar sign for The Big One remained upright.

Luckily, repairs were completed in advance of the 2021 season and the creamery reopened a couple of weeks ago. If Saturday's lines were any indication, it's in for a(nother) very successful ice scream season.

Big One website image

Admittedly, we'll definitely be returning later this season, after all the season has just begun.

We'll be sure to get a different  cone size next time, but that small 🍦 was very good 😋

Friday Funnies

Often, you see the oddest things discarded on when walking downtown. 

This one made me think of — can you guess what?

How about eyewear meant for a cyclops?

 

What a difference in a week's weather when last Friday's early morning window views looked like this. For comparison, here's the same views earlier today. 

It's still not perfect spring weather yet, with a gusty day predicted today, but any day without snow in New England now is a good spring day.

Thanks for the comments on my previous post about the City Hall bell. I'm glad that so many folks enjoyed reading the history as much as I enjoyed finding out more where we live in now. Since long-distance travel is sadly not in the near future, exploring local environs has been both rewarding and interesting. I'm learning a lot as well — and sharing it too.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone.

Nice weather on Saturday means a possible day trip

Once Upon a Bell

City Bell at new City Hall

Once upon a time, the City of Nashua had a bell that sat in the cupola atop City Hall to announce fires, holidays and deaths. (That's the old City Hall as the one to the right is the current or new City Hall, circa 1939.)

But, it's been decades since the bell, aka the City Bell, has been in service to the community. Now, that once prominent bell is relegated to a corner of the current City Hall municipal plaza.

It's a sight I pass constantly when walking on Main Street, and curious about its history, Because it's interesting to learn more about the city we now live in, I decided to learn more (a lot) about it and, of course, to share (because that's what I do).

The City Bell has quite a history dating to the mid-1800s when it was cast by a British foundry. The bell is inscribed as follows: Naylor, Vickers & Co. 1860, Sheffield, No. 1665, E.Riepe’s Pat.

Foundry and patent markings on City Bell, Nashua, NH

The Sheffield, England, steel company of Naylor, Vickers & Co. commonly referred to as Naylor Vickers Co., was known worldwide for cutlery and other steel products. And, it has long been acknowledged for the cast steel bells it produced in the mid to late 19th century.

Naylor Vickers Co advertisement (Internet source)

Brothers-in-law, George Porter Naylor and Edward Vickers formed a partnership in 1853 in Sheffield as steel manufacturers. In 1855, they started producing cast steel bells. The British patent under which the steel bells were produced was taken out by a German contact, Ewald Riepe who found a way of casting steel and excluding air from the melt to avoid loss of carbon. 

Naylor Vickers Sheffield, England steel bell production (Internet source)

An 1860 advertisement for Naylor Vickers Co. described the bells as “having a very pure, melodious sound, peculiar to cast steel; and as the elasticity of this material seems to produce more powerful vibrations, their sound penetrates to a greater distance.” While that may true, many English church goers, used to hearing the sound of bronze or copper bells, did not appreciate the sound and said it sounded like “rusty, tin cans.”

Naylor Vickers Co. catalog (Internet source)

Steel bells had their place. The benefits of steel over bronze was its relative cheapness and comparative lightweight. A 48-inch diameter bronze bell weighed 2,200 pounds compared to a steel bell of the same proportions which would weigh 1,500 pounds and be much less costly.

For more then 40 years, Naylor Vickers Co. produced steel bells weighing between 35 pounds to 7 tons and shipped them to Africa, America, Asia, Australia, and Europe, among other places. Only 204, about 25 percent of the known production, were sent to the U.S. 

Today, many of these bells are located in churches and public places throughout New England, including Holy Cross Catholic Cathedral, Boston, MA (1859) and Faneuil Hall, Boston MA, 72 inch diameter (1866). And, the one in downtown Nashua, NH, weighing 2,414 pounds and 55 inches in diameter.

The exporting of bells began soon after the company started producing the bells helped largely because the company had established a sales office in Boston, MA, before bells were being cast. There were also offices in New York City and Philadelphia, PA. At the time, these were the largest, most important cities in the country. In city directories of 1865 to 1875, the business was described as "iron, steel, and bells."  The bells were exported to North America more as a sideline, and the term "bells" was dropped between 1875 and 1885, possibly because production was declining. 

Old City Hall, Nashua, NH
(Nashua Experience book)

The City of Nashua purchased its bell in 1863 for $827.35 after Issac Eaton, a former chief of the city’s fire company, wrote in a 1861 report that the city needed a bell so firefighters could have a clear signal to alert them of fires. The bell was hung atop old City Hall in late September 1863, three years after being cast. It rang not only to warn of fires, but also commemorated holidays, other events, and the deaths of presidents and prominent locals.

The last time the City Bell was rung at old City Hall was after the announcement of President William McKinley’s assassination in September 1901.

In 1936, after decades of service, it was taken down when the tower housing it was deemed unstable to support its weight. It was thought that removing the bell would extend the building’s life span. That expectation was short-lived. 

By 1939, the city had completed a new City Hall at another Main Street address. The old City Hall was demolished in 1939 along with an adjoining Municipal Records building. The gold eagle atop the original building was relocated to the new building, but the bell was not as fortunate.

When it was taken down, the bell was transported to a gravel pit until citizens complained about the location. It was moved to the city barn on E. Hollis Street. When it was learned that the city had received an offer from a concern that wanted to break it up to sell as old metal, another public outcry ensued and the bell remained in the barn.

In 1939, a new City Hall was built; the old one was demolished in 1940. While the gold eagle atop the original building was relocated to the new building, the City Bell was left behind. It was gifted to the Greek community for use in a local church. The only stipulation was that the church bear the expense of removal and set up at. It hung in the Church of the Annunciation on Ash Street for nearly 30 years until the mid-1970s, when the church merged with another Greek church and moved out. The bell once again was left behind; however, the Fellowship Baptist Church moved into the building, and it was once again used.

City Hall bell relocated to 109 Main Street near site of old City Hall (Internet source)

This bell didn't linger and in 2003 it was on the move again, this time to Court Street, near the present Nashua Public Library. It was outside on display until 2008 when it was transported to Nashua Foundries for restoration thanks to the efforts of a city intern and a hefty $40,000 contribution from a local philanthropist for its restoration.

After restoration, the bell was relocated (again). In 2008, it came full circle and was placed on Main Street at the site of the original City Hall (photo above).

City Hall Plaza, 229 Main Street, Nashua, NH

In 2015, the bell moved to its current location on the current (new) City Hall plaza. Based on its history, it won't come as a surprise to me, if the bell moves again at some future date.

City Bell, Nashua, NH

Plaque at base of City Bell details its history and movement in Nashua, NH

After exposure to New England weather in the 13 years since its restoration, it's badly rusting. Perhaps another local philanthropist will step up with restoration $ sometime in the future.

Friday Funnies

In terms of convenience, this one is most definitely a very BIG inconvenience.

Hopefully, no one was inside using this facility when it toppled over.

UPDATE: Speaking of an inconvenience, the weather is certainly that today—these views were taken at 10 a.m. from the 5th floor of our Nashua, NH apt — springtime in New England.

Mother Nature was a bit late with an April Fools' day surprise, especially for motorists.

 

Glad that so many folks enjoyed the egg yolk funnies last week. I also chuckled at some of the ones added in the comments, thanks everyone for the additional laughs.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're going to a free indoor concert

Something's Fishy Here

When you say or hear that something's fishy, it can mean that it's something is suspect or shady. And, if you're sitting next to someone eating fish, it could refer to a particular odor.

But . . .

Here, in Nashua, NH, it means something entirely different and instead refers to the Nashua National Fish Hatchery, which we visited on a recent local outing. 

Hatchery Manager Keith

Although it's usually open for tours, this is the time of Covid, and like so many other places, there's no scheduled open hours now. Since I had called ahead, Hatchery Manager Keith (that's his title) who happened to be on-site was able to give us a guided tour. We were all careful to mask-up during the tour. After all, you never know where those fish have been.

In many ways, a hatchery is like a nursery. It's a place to spawn, hatch, and rear fish under controlled supervision to maximize the number and survival rate of offspring. With declining fish populations becoming more prevalent countryside, fish hatchery operations have become more crucial. As human population increases, so do instances of overfishing, poor water quality, waterway blockage, and other obstacles which negatively impact many species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works to increase endangered fish populations and provide healthier aquatic ecosystems throughout the U.S. by education and increased conservation efforts.

Fish & Wildlife logo

A very brief history, President Ulysses S. Grant is credited with taking government action to conserve the nation's fishery resources. He established the U.S. Fish Commission in 1871, the predecessor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 1872, the first Federal fish hatchery, known as the Baird Hatchery, was established in CA (it's no longer in operation). The oldest operating Federal hatchery is the Neosho (MO) National Fish Hatchery (NFH) established in 1888. Today, NFHs located in 35 U.S. states, produce more than 60 different species of fish. Leave those poles home, there's no fishing allowed at any facility.

The Nashua National Fish Hatchery (Nashua NFH) was established in 1898 after land was purchased for this purpose. It's a working part of the Eastern New England Fisheries Resource Complex, one of 11 national fish hatcheries in the Northeast Region, and one of 70 in the National Fish Hatchery System (NFHS) which works to conserve rare imperiled species and common game fish to strengthen ecosystems and economies. It consists of a network of field stations located throughout the U.S. that work with tribal, local and state governments, federal agencies, and even foreign nations to conserve fisheries. 

Salmon incubator

The Nashua NFH is a broodstock hatchery. In case you don't know (I didn't either) broodstock are sexually mature adult fish used for breeding or spawning. A broodstock hatchery specializes in raising fish to adulthood, then strips eggs from the females and fertilizes them with sperm (milt) from the males. 

Fertilized eggs are then incubated and monitored throughout early stages where mortality is highest. After the eggs have developed enough for transport, they are either grown out within the Nashua NFH to different stages for stocking or shipped to other hatcheries. Think of it as raising young-uns until they can be on their own, only much sooner, and they're sent away.

For 80 years, the station produced rainbow, brook, and brown trout for stocking state and federally managed waters within New England and trout and salmon eggs for distribution throughout the U.S. In 1978, production shifted to Atlantic salmon for use in the Merrimack River Restoration Program. For many years, the Nashua NFH was a domestic and sea run salmon broodstock facility producing 4 million eggs each year for restoration programs in the Merrimack River Basin in NH and MA, the Pawtucket and Wood Rivers in RI, and NH Coastal Rivers.

Work at the Nashua hatchery supports Atlantic salmon, American shad and other aquatic species as well as restoration efforts in the Merrimack River and several New England rivers. The station provides Atlantic salmon eggs for fry release programs and retired broodstock for Atlantic salmon recreational fisheries.

Atlantic salmon rearing tank at Nashua National Fish Hatchery

Atlantic salmon is a well-known species in New England rivers. The fish are anadromous, which means they spend most of their life span in the Atlantic Ocean, but migrate to freshwater rivers to reproduce. Facilities at the Nashua NFH for raising Atlantic salmon include 20 raceways for fish aged 1 - 4 years, 20 rearing tanks, 13 egg stacks, and an additional egg-incubation room for grow out of the eggs.

Salmon raceways - exterior views

Salmon raceways - interior views

American shad is the largest herring found in North America, growing up to 2 feet long and up to 6 pounds in weight. These fish can be found along the Atlantic coast from Florida all the way to Canada. Like the Atlantic salmon, this fish is also anadromous and migrate from salt water to fresh water to spawn.

American shad indoor tank, Nashua National Fish Hatchery

Shad eggs are obtained from adult shad returning to the Merrimack River, then incubated at the Nashua hatchery. Once they hatch, the juveniles are released into sections of the Merrimack River and other New England rivers. Equipment for American shad production includes 4 large tanks for adults, 11 circular fry tanks, and 2 large water troughs holding up to 30 egg jars each. The shad buildings run on a recirculating water system with a bio-filter and ultraviolet unit to maintain water quality.

Filtering equipment in rear of buildings, Nashua National Fish Hatchery

Once fish are ready to leave the hatchery, how do they get to where they will be released — after all, they can't just swim away. 

Years ago, fish were transported in milk cans carried by pack horses or in horse-drawn wagons. To ensure their survival, most fish transported this way were stocked in waters close to the hatchery.

Fish do not pose well for a photo opp

By the 1870s, specially designed railroad cars, fish cars (no kidding), transported fish in specialized containers filled with fresh water that had to be changed often, when available. Each fish car carried a crew charged with keeping the fish alive. Fish cars enabled shipping live fish  cross country. Fish were transported from Midwest hatcheries to locations along the Pacific coast. 

Early fish car interior

The first trip was in 1874 when Dr. Livingston Stone of the U.S. Fish Commission (forerunner of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), tended 35,000 shad fish fry. His task was to get them safely to California for deposit in the Sacramento River and other Pacific coastal streams. 

Fish were carried in open milk cans and Stone changed water every 2 hours, when possible. After days of round-the-clock care, most shad fry arrived safely. As a result, a new species was established on the West Coast for sportfishing and commercial fishermen.

Today, modern and sophisticated equipment makes transporting fish much easier. Modern tank trucks transport over 200 million fish (some 48 species) annually from over 90 Fish and Wildlife Service hatcheries to stock many rivers, lakes, and coastal waters nationwide. They are transported in carried in cooled, oxygen-aerated, constantly circulated and cleansed water. The science of fish transportation is so highly developed that most fish arrive safely.

Partial view of fish transport truck at Nashua National Fish Hatchery

At the Nashua NFH, trucks equipped with water tanks and aeration systems are used for fish transport. After arrival at their destination, fish are removed by opening a valve and draining them via a flexible hose from tanks into the water. 

It doesn't happen here, but in remote parts of the U.S., helicopters and planes are used to stock fish. And, the USPS or private carriers have been used to ship fish in specialized boxes. Other times, it's done the old-fashioned way with horses transporting fish to remote lakes and streams.

Overall, this was a fascinating visit to a much under-visited facility, according to Hatchery Manager Keith. There were no other curious folks pulling into the parking area the day of our visit. But, since many other public places (City Hall, bank lobbies) remain closed to visitors, folks may naturally (and correctly) figure the same is true here. Hopefully, that will change as this was a very interesting and Free local excursion. It was a great good learning experience for myself. Grenville has a degree in marine biology and may pursue volunteering when the you-know-what allows such opportunities to resume. 

Fish young-uns at the Nashua fish hatchery

Friday Funnies

As you may know from previous blog posts, we're fond of egg coloring fun at Easter time. 

Last weekend's holiday was no exception. Here's some colorful results.

While wondering if colored eggs could express themselves, this ↓ happened. 

Here's some eggs-ample puns that might crack you up:

Why was the egg upset at school?

It failed an eggs-am

What's a chicken's favorite drink?

An eggs-presso

How did the hen get to work fast?

She took the eggs-press lane

What did the hen say to her chick?

Don't egg-nore me

Why did the egg fail a driving test?

It egg-celerated too much

What do you call an egg on safari?

An eggs-plorer

What does Mr. Egg say every day?

Have an eggs-tra special day

How do chickens stay fit?

By eggs-ercising

How did the chicken feel after a long walk?

Eggs-hausted

How does a hen leave the coop?

Through the eggs-it

Enjoy Your weekend, Everyone.

Be careful around egg whites — they can't take a yolk

Giggles Galore

That's the best way to describe how things went this past Easter weekend for a first (and long-awaited) family get together with the grandchildren and their mom. We'd been vaccinated over 2 weeks prior to our weekend reunion.

As expected and long-anticipated by us, there was the usual holiday event of egg coloring. While it had been a couple of years since we had last done this activity with both grands, they willingly obliged and joined in again. By way of a video visit, youngest granddaughter joined in as she and her mom colored eggs in PA.

Both grandkids have really grown since we last saw them in 2019, which seems such a long time ago, 16 months to be exact. Both have been distance learning at home for nearly a year and expect to return to classroom learning by this fall — he in 9th grade and she in 5th.

Because the outside weather, while sunny, was unseasonable chilly (this is New England), there were several hours spent playing indoor board games, including the above chess game between grandson and grandpa, which grandson won.

A photo request resulted in a series of very happy faces and showed how glad everyone was to see one another again.

Although we were not able to visit with other family members, these photos were sent. The top photos show youngest granddaughter. Not one, but two Easter bunnies visited my brother's NJ home to the delight of his granddaughter our great niece. Wearing her holiday finery, she posed with her grandparents. My brother also celebrated an Easter birthday.

We hope that your holidays had happy family moments. Hopefully, this was the just the first of more travels this year as it becomes easier and, of course, safer.

Happy Spring Holidays to All

 Happy Easter or Happy Pesach to all who celebrate either holiday.

Our Best Wishes to ALL for a Happy 2021 Springtime

Happy Birthday today to my "baby" brother, Anthony, on his 69th 🎂

It's been over a year and half since we've visited our home state of NJ, where my brother lives. We hope to go there this spring for a face-to-face belated reunion. Enjoy your celebrations. (comments off today).

Beatrice & Grenville