Some reflections on The Week of 18 September 2010

Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.


...But now the days grow short
I'm in the autumn of the year
And now I think of my life as vintage wine
>from fine old kegs
>from the brim to the dregs
And it poured sweet and clear
It was a very good year It Was A Very Good Year~~~Frank Sinatra


It was sad learning this week that a classmate from my Annunciation Grade School days, had passed away. I learned the information from classmates, Jimmy Peterson and Maria Mulder Herberger. Jim, I know you were probably the closest of all of us, to Nicholas Cheer and his family. On behalf of all of us that shared the grade school experience at Annunciation, I wish to say that I am truly sorry to learn of his passing. I extend my sincerest apologies to you, and please extend these same sentiments to the survivors of the Nicholas Cheer Family.

And below~~~is a personal reflection: Nicholas; I know we had our disagreements and misunderstandings as grade school-mates and high school-mates. As adults, when you were with Jim Hosey and Jimmy Peterson in the mid-eighties at that store-front on Elmwood Ave., next to the The Insurance Co, the attempt to engage you was an effort to get the tension behind us. And the hand-shake at the 1992 Reunion was another effort to clear-the-slate. When we do meet again, my pledge to you is a handshake, an embrace, and an apology. My prayer is that you will accept that straight-up.


Nick A. CHEER
Visit Guest Book

CHEER - Nick A. Age 60, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, September 16, 2010. He was born on May 6, 1950 in Buffalo, NY. Nick's career in banking spanned over 35 years. Most recently he was employed by Comerica. Nick is survived by his loving wife, Karin; sons, Nicholas, Adam, and Matthew; sister-in-law, Ursula; and his beloved dog, Amber. Nick was a truly a friend to all. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM on Monday, September 20, 2010, at St. Laurence Catholic Church, Sugar Land, TX. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Cheer Family College Fund, Comerica Bank, account number 7002323868, routing number 111000753.

Published in the Buffalo News on September 19, 2010

AROUND THE CORNER...I have a friend,
In this great
city that has no end,
Yet the days go
by and weeks rush on,
And before I
know it, a year is gone.
And I never see
my old friend's face,
For life is a
swift and terrible race,
He knows
I like him just as well,
As in the days
when I rang his bell.
And he rang
mine but we were younger then...


God, I Love Fridays!!!!

An interesting Friday AM. I wasn't careful with a 'graded' area of black-top at a location that I was account maintaining & enhancing. This was a facility that I am having success with regarding my Portal Program objectives. The meeting was pretty upbeat and productive. So when I was leaving the facility, I was scootering back to my van. Now I knew about this black-top grade irregularity but I was 'thinking' about a million different things, all at once. Being distracted, I didn't 'take' the grade properly, and found myself, and my scooter toppled. I took this spill on my scooter~~~while in my power-suit attire.. That, frankly, sucked~~~getting out from underneath the scooter, and not messing up the suit. Here I am, pinned down, and I'm worried about my suit. Forget me!! Forget the scooter!!! I'm worried about the suit. I wrangled my way out from underneath, and brushed myself~~~and my pride off. I proceeded to my next port-of-call and used the restroom at Sheridan Surgical to clean myself up. The left elbow area of the suit needed the most redress. Then the knee area of both pant legs.

I'm at Sheridan Surgical to 'rent' a collapsible-wheelchair, with detachable foot-rests. Thank God, on a whim, I checked the leg-rests out while I was in the parking lot of the Family Health Pharmacy, that I was getting the Flu-shot from. In taking some quality-time to check-out my 'rental', I find-out I was given 2 right-side leg-rests. GGGRRR! So, after the flu-shot, I go back~~~to get that corrected!!

So I get my flu shot at Dennis Galluzo's Family Health Pharmacy. Dennis is a graduate of Bishop Fallon High School, class of 1969!! This is in the DASH'S Plaza at Hopkins & Klein. The shot is administered by his other Pharmacist, Michael Rossi. Michael, I come to find out, is the nephew to Mario & Karen Rossi. I had gotten to know Mario from my mid-1970's work experience at the ECDSS. Small-world. I Love Fridays!!!

Actually~~~I intensely LOVE FRIDAYS!!! When I get home to 'cut' through some mail, a very very very interesting development presented itself, in one of these envelopes. At this point~~~still a 'work' in progress...

SATURDAYS...

These, used to be one hell of a crap-shoot!!! I would not know what to expect from one Saturday---to the next.
But Saturday 18 September 2010~~~was one FOR THE BOOKS!!!! It was unbelievable~~~on so many levels.

Martha Orrange Nealon(AHS, Class of 1969), and husband Pat, is chairing this Chautauqua Wine Tasting Tour into the Southern Tier. Pat Nealon, a USMC Viet-Nam veteran, is the current Commandant of American Legion Post 527. In the mix of legion members and their wives & friends, are several Annunciation Grade School/High School alumni. We meet @ Hamburg American Legion Post 527(rearranged 257!!!), in Hamburg, N.Y. It started at 10:00 AM with coffee and donuts. At 12:15 PM we arrived at our first wine-tasting stop, Sparkling Ponds Winery. With not much of anything else in my stomach, I'm wheel-chairing out of there~~~with a "buzz!!!!" From there we head to Meeder's Restaurant in Ripley NY, for Lunch. From there we headed to Johnson Estate Winery. The best was definitely saved for last. Liberty Estate Winery had this 92 acres of vineyards, laid across these rolling hills. And off in the distance~~~in this surreal haze~~~Lake Erie could be observed from all whom chose to enjoy their wine sips, from the Winery Veranda. The Master Winemaker was present, and gave us a very detailed tour of the wine-making production area. After the tour, we all headed back to The American Legion Post for hearty servings of~~~Pizza & Wings!!!

I find these types of gatherings always fascinating. They become powerful vehicles in their own rite whereby humanity invariably becomes much more engaged. People, become friends. Some friendships become enhanced, while others deepen.

A special thank you is expressed to Pat & Martha Nealon for putting this flawless extravaganza together. And another thank you to Maria & Ann, for your help with the wheelchair, doors, wine-servings, and~~~just being-there.
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise