Sad News And Happy News---- Kinda...

Today, at 12:15am, New York time, my husband's favorite Aunt and God Mother passed away.  She would have been 98 years old in February. A few months ago, her blood pressure began to get so low she would faint. Before then, she managed her home in Orchard Park, cooked from scratch and did her own yard work. Her mind was "sharp as a tack" and carried on wonderful conversations. She was a total joy to be around. She had started to slow down and had a few falls, so two months ago, the family put her in Assisted Living.

In April, 2006, we flew back to visit her and see all my husband's cousins in Buffalo and Rochester.  We had a huge party at his cousin's home.  All we did was laugh, eat, sleep and poop.  No sooner would we wake up from a full stomach nap, Aunt Flora would be serving up another meal.  God, I love Italians...

Aunt Flora

(Notice what the pillow says?

"You can always spot a Lady".)

She and I would take long walks around her neighborhood.  OH MY LORD, the houses were so big and so far apart!  Beautiful big trees and creeks.  Squirrels scampering, flowers bursting up at first Spring.  We went to Vidler's 5 & 10 in East Aurora, New York... Talk about finding A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G you could ever want!  It was like going back in time to the 1950's...

We went to Father Baker's Lady of Victory Basilica, one of her most favorite places.  He also built an Infant Home for all the unwanted babies and helped unmarried teens.  He also built an Orphanage, Hospital and School.  Incredible.  Google it.  I may post about it some time and share my pictures...

We saw Niagara Falls, which was a life long dream for me to see.  I need to post about it one day as well..

Aunt Flora was a unique and wonderful woman.  She was first, last and always, a lady of the highest caliber.  So positive, so loving, so remarkable.  She joined her beloved husband, her infant daughter, brothers, sisters and a lot more family and friends in Heaven.  She will be greatly missed.

As for the happy news.... My husband found out this morning he was laid off. Sadly, fifteen other people were laid off too.  Eighteen other employees, who survived the lay off, had to take serious salary cuts.  His last day is next Thursday.  No severance either...

He was thinking of retiring the end of December, or April, or maybe June....(he could not make up his mind) and I wanted him to retire six months ago.  He was miserable there.  Things have not been the same for a couple years He HATED going to work.  This past year, he has been in charge of all the bad loans from all four banks.  Not fun. He was starting to get grumpy too...

When he returned from Mexico this past week, he asked me to pray they would let him go when he returned to work. Our prayers were answered.

We feel badly for the younger people who were let go, no one likes to see so many people without work...Luckily, he made a good enough salary so we have been able to save and prepare.  It was the main reason we moved here. We'll be OK... He wanted to save more, but I told him there is no dollar compensation worth more than one's health and happiness.  He has been in  banking fifty years. He is seventy-one years old (but looks like he is in his late 50's). He has raised six children and worked hard all his life.  He deserves time to do what HE wants....I am excited and looking forward to this new chapter in our lives.