We Do Celebrate Birthdays On Friday; Except...

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.

Love is the emblem of eternity;
it confounds all notions of time;
effaces all memory of beginning,
all fear of an end.
- Madame de Stael -

Nicole's birthday was. of course, last Thursday---21, July. She wanted to celebrate it on a more personal basis, so she spent the day including Brooke Lyn in her activities. And I think some time was spent on the road of reconciliation with Brian. Don't quote me on this, but I think this was the case. In the process, it was decided that we, as a family, would celebrate Nicole's birthday on Friday. Even as Fridays are laced with 'agendas', apparently we were going to recognize Nicole birthday on a Friday, 22 July.

Recognize!?!? We ended up going Big-Time!! It was Nicole's birthday, after all~~~so it was going to be her choice. The choice was completely unexpected. But having had the chance to experience ALL of its aspects, I thought it was an excellent choice. So much so, that I now have it as a mental file-card in my head as a top-shelf place to have a dinner, and enjoy the food, the atmosphere, and the accommodations~~~both inside the restaurant---as well as outside the restaurant. The outside of the restaurant has a lounge setup on a deck, that is attached to the restaurant, overlooking the pristine Buffalo Harbor waterfront!! In effect, Nicole's birthday was celebrated on a Friday---and it was celebrated on a grand scale. The name of the restaurant is Templeton Landing
2 Templeton Terrace
Buffalo, NY 14202 http://www.templetonlanding.com
Email: gmunit86@srcmail.com
Phone: (716) 852-7337
Templeton Landing
writes...

Drop an anchor at Buffalo's finest full-service waterfront restaurant establishment. Templeton Landing. We are proud to feature a fun and friendly atmosphere that is accentuated by our cozy patio fire places, and our classic waterfront decor. Enjoy our new menu offerings that are signature regional favorites, and classic recipes from Western New York. On our two level patio, we will entertain you and your friends throughout the summer with live music, good cheer and our attentive team service. The excitement will continue throughout the winter months with cozy dining and bar offerings that will make staying home during the colder months a thing of the past. Our restaurant is a world class destination that has been designed and built with the guest's experience at the heart. We know you will enjoy everything we have to offer. Great memories, wonderful food, and friendly service make Templeton Landing your favorite place to land in Buffalo. Cheers!

How is this a reflection on my birthday; the point?? Only this. My birthday; my 60th birthday(in some minds, considered a milepost), was celebrated alone. I take note of so many of my friends that as well are at the 60-year-old-plateau, and how they are recognizing it. It isn't so much that it was my birthday; I had 59 of these already. It was just that I was given to feel that no recognition was needed; I didn't exist. We do celebrate birthdays on Fridays, except mine.

At this point, we will call this~~~water over the dam.

On Sunday, 24 July, we visited Templeton Landing, again. The reason, you ask?!?! The Marconi Family had some very important visitors in town for the week-end. They were USMC fox-hole mate of USMC Corporal Philip Marconi, Jason Roland. Along with Jason, was his cousin Valerie Roland, and Jason's God-father, Bill Roland. It was, for the most part, a crash-week-end where a bunch of stuff was spontaneously put together, and was done with the Rolands, and Philip. When Sunday came around, we were able to do a couple of things that actually included---the two families. The first was taking it an afternoon Class A baseball game which included Philip playing in. He was able to play at SS, which is his preferred position to play. And, he was able to play the whole game. On the other Class A club he plays for, he is often platooned, and when he does play, it is the right-field position. But with The Buffalos---he played well defensively, did respectable at the plate, and was contributory in run production to have the Buffalos win a closely contested affair. With Sunday being the last full day that the Rolands were going to be in Buffalo, I wanted to do something special. The Rolands are special people; Jason Roland in particular, so I wanted to something to make a favorable first-impression, as well as a lasting-impression. The two families were going to have dinner together. The question was---where??? The weather was beautiful, the company was warm, friendly, and congenial, and except for Erica being in Chicago, IL with the Amico side of the family, all of the Marconis were present; and accounted for!! I figured, what I had in mind, was going to be a 'NATURAL'. Buffalo is the Queen City. We sit on a beautiful Buffalo Harbor waterfront. What better place to enjoy a good dinner, and surroundings that are value-added to the atmosphere, than Templeton Landing. Bill Roland was so caught-up in the experience that at one point, he even asked: How did Buffalo, get named Buffalo---especially since it is known that the Plains Buffalo never roamed this far east of the Mississippi River. I was thrilled to oblige with the answer!!
Beau Fleuve's History:
Beau Fleuve (pronounced Bo Fluhve) means Beautiful River. It was the name said to have been given to our area by early French explorer-traders. Because non-French speakers had trouble pronouncing it, Beau Fleuve became simplified to Buffalo.

I made it a point to validate this perspective on a social networking site because I sensed that the explanation was not being recognized by everyone in attendance; I think there was a doubting-Thomas, if you will. The whole experience was extraordinary. As we suppered, the sun was setting. It was surreal being in the midst of such a setting that was almost transformational.

What was so pleasing to me, as well, was that that the facility was so scooter-friendly.

While I would be downtown Monday 25 July, Philip would take Monday off from his work-place so that he could spend some more time with the Rolands. They wanted to see Niagara Falls, and get a bite-to-eat, before heading back toward Lake Placid, NY.

For me personally, I was so very happy that the Rolands, and in particular Jason, was given a very receptive welcome and embrace. His life hasn't been the greatest since he left the USMC. I am sure that there is a thought that floats often in his head wondering if leaving the USMC was a wise choice. I mean, when you are not deployed, and dodging bullets all day, one gets housing, 3-square-meals-a-day, and a regular pay check. As long as you mind your pees-and-queues, you are part of a functional self-contained community. Do this for 20 years, and you now have a vested pension that you can immediately draw from.

The private sector is not so predictable. And that unpredictability hasn't favored Jason. What I am trying to say, is that if he is having one of his 'down' times, he has a family that he can come to and spend some time with, to recharge his batteries.

Tuesday 26 July, I went to QUEST to submit another vile of blood for another PSA reading. It is hoped and prayed that the 'reading' is a favorable one. And I paid another visit to the friendly confines of the local SSA Office. The intent is to Continue to bring in the ECBOE statements. My concern is that these statement-levels are higher than the TWP cut-off amounts. I will have to make some kind course-correction on all of this, probably by the end of the year. This at least gives me a window to assess, and that gives me some time to decide on a course-of-action.

CODEX~~~Have to pray hard for a couple of matters. One is the above. Another has to do with a very very dear friend, who is carrying a very very heavy heart at this time. I have You in my thoughts and prayers; always.

CODEX: Strength; serious accusation


Wednesday 27 July, spent the day downtown; and actually talked to Sandy M. I was surprised that she was this open, because we really haven't spent much time together at all. Like me, she WAS on Social Security Disability. I was so confused because she is a FULL-TIME employee. So obviously, the question begged to be asked. How are you on SSDI and working full-time. What she had to do---was give up her SSDI. This was some time ago, already that she had to do this. In having this continued conversation with Sandy, the other thing that was upsetting to me a bit, was that the rules had changed. When she was P/T @ the ECBOE, and getting SSDI, the two-for-one-deal, was in effect. Sadly, it now is not. At least not on a volunteer basis. It is only available as a 'lottery' pick. And this sucks, because I went all the way to Senator Charles E. Schumer to see if the SSA could be 'tweaked' so that I would be a 'lottery' participant. Even he couldn't shake anything loose from the vine, on my behalf. In effect, in this two-for-one-deal, was is allowed to happen is that for every two dollars one makes over the cut-off, one dollar is returned back to SSA. You can still work, and keep your SSDI; you just return half of the overage, back to SSA. What this would mean for me, is that I can continue to keep my head above water, and still hold on to my group health insurance plan which would include Donna, and Erica as long as she remains a full-time student.

But---I don't have this two-for-one-deal available, so now I may, at 60 years old, and a cripple, approach the ECBOE to see if a F/T position is available. In effect, this will put my SSDI in suspended animation, but I will have a health insurance plan. If I ask for reduced hours to get below the cut-off, I will no longer be an RPT(regular part-time) classification, so I will have to waive participation in the health insurance program. It is so maddening. I paid into this all my life, and at 60 years old, and acutely walking impaired, I am still having to fight to attain and hold onto anything.

But Hey!!! My health insurance plan now has myself a mouth-full of teeth---to die for!! When I went in to get my teeth cleaned in May, Dr Hannon comes in subsequently, to discuss my X-rays. He mentions that the insurance will cover it, so~~~'we' are going to take care of the two chipped molars in the upper left. Seriously!?!? Are you kidding??? These are two chipped molars that I have had chipped from football, when I was a teenager, for God's sake. They haven't bothered me for all these years. Now that I'm in the zenith of my life, and am more concerned about my walking impairedness, I am going to have a vanity-fair mouthful of teeth. So Thursday 28 July, I go to Dr Hannon's office, and get this done.

Later that same Thursday, I paid another visit to Dr Bennett's DeGraff Wellness Center location to demonstrate how well I have integrated the reciprocating walker into my everyday activity. She was very very impressed with how quickly I desired to assimilate the whole process into my lifestyle. She paid particular attention to the detail of how I, and Ellen of HOME DEPOT, 'created' the hooking apparatus on the back of my basket to carry the walker around for me, on the backside of my scooter. She told me to continue using the reciprocating walker until the one I ordered from Sheridan Surgical, comes in. And she was also impressed that I have the trial-day with the baclofen-pump implant, already set up as well. That, of course, is Thursday 18 August, 2011.

There is just so many concerns on this plate right now; Room for Dessert?!?!?

--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise


NB: The one whom one would've always implicitly thought to be trusted; to be supportive~~~to be standing by another's side would instead, in a confrontational tone---remark: You have your upper-body-strength; otherwise, I'd be stronger than you. This certainly had me taken aback. I thank God that by-and-large, I can get myself beyond the petty innuendos, and still see myself as "The Little Engine That Could."