From Louis

……………..We had a wonderful meal at DEL FRISCO’S GRILLE. Kathy and I both had the pumpkin bisque soup followed by the fish special……French fries on the side!!!……DELICIOUS!!!! Then we went for our final walk about before departing…them on the train and me driving back to CT. The sun had set by now and all of the lights shown even more bright and beautiful than before. Saks was putting on its’ light show, photo second in from the bottom right, and it was wonderful with lots of applause by all. We walked by FAO Schwartz, and I had to take a picture of the little girl’s moving auto….totally covered in red SWAROVESKI  crystals! The sign next to it read, originally $25,000.00…..reduced to $14000.00. I think it will be in the window next Christmas reduced even further!!! LOL…….There was a very nice young man singing Christmas Carols near the ice skating rink. He had a beautiful voice, and I noticed his little basket was empty so I happily made a donation….Hopefully some other people would follow my lead…..He gave me a big thank you…..It made me fell good….Finally, I noticed a young couple struggling to take a selfie of each other. I said, “would you like me to take your picture?” He replied, “no that’s OK”, but she jumped in right away and said “oh yes, could you please take it”….Then she said they had just gotten engaged the night before, and she showed us her beautiful ring!!! Kathy, Nina and I congratulated them and we made a big fuss over them as they were smiling from ear to ear. Their accent gave it away that they were Brits from London, and they came to see the magic of Christmas in NYC….and he proposed….A trip they will never forget and stories to tell their grandchildren. We talked for a while….they were a lovely young couple…. Joe and Lucy……..This was the perfect ending to a truly MAGICAL DAY!

……………………I have so many photos of the day….I thought I’s add a few more.

………………………..This is the view I wake up to almost every morning…….I’m an early riser and I’m up before the sun comes above the horizon. This is the time when the sky is at its’ most beautiful. Every morning the sunrise over the Long Island Sound is a new painting, and all of  them are magnificent….You look and wonder….what this new day will bring…….I thank God for the beauty he has shown to me……….”If you always try to be normal….you will never know how amazing you can be.” Maya Angelou

……………………It was always a fun and happy Christmas day at my parents house…………My brothers and their families would come at 1:00 in the afternoon after they spent the morning with their children opening presents. My Aunt Bea, back row, second in from the left and my Uncle Danny would spend many Holidays with us. My Aunt had one son from a previous marriage, but he lived in Kansas so they were always alone. From left to right in the back row starts with me, my Aunt Bea and my brother Mauro…….The second row from the left is my niece Danielle, my SIL Carol, my Mom and my Dad who is holding baby Jeannine, my brother Mauro’s daughter….then my SIL Kathy, Mauro’s wife. Kathy is holding Christopher who looks as if someone told him he was getting coal in his stocking!!!….The bottom row, from the left starts with Jonathan and his older brother James who eventually was a West Point graduate and just retired from the military after many years. James looked a lot like me when I was his age. Next to him is my brother Mauro and SIL Kathy’s  beautiful son John who was exactly like his father in every way….Tragically he died in a\ freak accident on the Throgs Neck Bridge when he was 21….He is terribly missed even though he is gone longer than he lived…That pain never goes away……Peter and Mathew weren’t born yet, and they would complete the family. My uncle Dan and my brother John aren’t in the picture so John had to be the photographer…..I was about 22 in this photo, and designing at a company called Giorgini…………..I’m happy to have these photos…..So many are gone now,,,,..Good memories!

………………Just finished watching Tick Tick Boom on Netflix staring Andrew Garfield……..He and the entire cast and the movie was FANTASTIC. This is not to be missed,…..I am positive it is going to run away with many many awards. I can’t praise it enough!!