HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

-->

How many turkeys do you see in this picture?

Another year anther turkey, and life keeps churning on.

It seems that of all the holidays, Thanksgiving is strictly about food and drink, a culinary journey over familiar ground. In my family growing up, although it was a holiday, and it was festive, we didn’t give it the importance of Christmas or Easter. If it weren’t for TV and the newspapers, we might have missed it.

Mom had a pot that she took out once a year when we had turkey on Thanksgiving Day. That was the only time of the year: the only day we actually ate turkey. That was before turkey rolls and breasts were sold as cold cuts and you could make it for dinner. Never liked turkey all that much and still don’t. Could live without it.

His eminence at dinner

Many people make it for Christmas, and I think: Why are they doing that, it’s not Thanksgiving! Then many people make ham on Thanksgiving and I think: Why are they doing that, it’s Thanksgiving! It’s a tradition to me but not by much, yet there are many things I remember about those Thanksgivings past.

The meaning of the holiday has always stayed with me however, when I think about what this country is all about. I don’t necessarily mean the government so much as the people who make us a country. We Have lived in relative peace all our lives as a nation, and our Constitution proclaim us as: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense…” something we take as our right.

FROM THE 2 OF US!

When I think about all those guys and gals who are serving away from their homes and families, while the fat headed politicians are breaking bread with theirs, I wonder where the justice is, then I realize that they who serve, serve the highest calling, and we should be proud of them, their sacrifice and we should take better care of them when they return, with free medical for them and the rest of their families for the rest of their lives. That means that when they marry, they get it for their spouse and children too.

Maybe I think without my head, but what the Hell, they will probably be away serving on Christmas too!

HAVE A HAPPY THINKSGIVING DAY!

I GET A BIG BANG OUT OF

-->

The Big Bang Theory! And why? Because my son, #1 Son helps make it a success.

The past week, my old high school buddy and big time Mets fan, Michele DePalo asked me if my son was part of the flash dance that the actors and crew performed on the You-Tube clip she posted. It so happened to be the same flash dance TLW (The Little Woman) and I witnessed when we saw then tape the show in LA when we were there!

Then my old buddy from the Board of Directors, Ken (Where are my keys?) Walker sent me an email that asked:

Hi Joe,

   Have you seen this and does your son appear in it?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/15/big-bang-theory-flash-mob-video-call-me-maybe_n_2139842.html

Ken

Well, needless to say, how cool is this? I asked TLW if she even imagined this when we walked down the aisle so long ago.

I’m sorry, but I am proud of the kid. This is the same kid that read the Kings and Queens of England at 6 years of age! The very same kid who built block structures very unconventionally, the blocks on their sides, not flat! The kid that used to hide from me when I came home from work and jumped on my shoulders from his hiding place, and very same kid that once ambushed me with a water bomb on my head as I climbed the steps of my side entrance to my house one night when I arrived home from work.

This makes me proud that I have a kid like this, and he still loved baseball, the Mets and Jets, the Knicks and Islanders and still likes even though they are perennial losers!

I will try to calm down and think of something more important, but all that comes to mind is he has a great wife, a great mom and a great life, that is all I will ask, I can’t wait for the other guy to get moving too, I know it will be good in his own way!

I try not to brag, but I am so excited!

SHOPPING 101

The other day I decided to go to the supermarket and get a few things. It seems that going to the supermarket to get a few things would be routine, but that seems to never be the case anymore. As they say: “The NEW routine.”

As I enter, by the exit door is this lady standing in front of a group of ladies and small children. The lady seemed to be lecturing the group of about 10 ladies and 10 small children. I noticed but didn't think much of it.

Then I went on my hunt for chicken and found what I wanted and headed to the checkout via the canned goods aisle for seafood, and decided I wanted some canned clams for a white sauce and spaghetti. As I cruise down the aisle, there in front of me is this group of young woman and these little kids again!

I try to concentrate on my clams but the group stops right in front of the clams! This is starting to get on my nerves, after all, she could have stopped further up the aisle and I would have been on my way, but no, with her big smile and the rapt attention of the little tykes, I decide not to interrupt, however there is a single lady standing at the end with her arms folded. I ask:

“Is this some kind of tour group?”

She chuckles and says: “No.” She then leans into me and says it is a classroom field trip for slow learning kids.

Don't know who she is, but she's hot!

I go off and come back for the clams and head for the checkout. I get on line and deposit my stuff on the conveyor and packing is this normal teenager, who has a lady with him. The kid doesn’t look enthused about being there and the lady with him is helping him pack my groceries. He is screwing it up and the plastic container of grape tomatoes has come open, spilling all over the place! The lady looks at the kid like she would like to kill him: and the thought has entered my mind too. On top of that, after they gather up the tomatoes and place them in the container, they then place the container into a plastic bag, ripping a hole where the tomatoes spill out once again!

I ask the lady if he is part of a workshop and she says no, so I ask if she is a job coach, and she says she is with the school system training this kid to pack a shopping bag and work at this supermarket! I think: “How nice!” Then it hits me: “TRAINING HIM TO PACK A SHOPPING BAG!”

How do you train someone to pack a shopping bag at that age? How soft are we? Now when I was his age, I worked two jobs, one of which was Hills Supermarket on East Main Street in Patchogue. Do you know what my instruction was for doing that very same job! “Pack” That was it, no training, no introduction, no lady standing next to me. I just figured it out, boy what a genius I must have been!

And so ladies and gentlemen, as I head off into the sunset, and down below the Dew line and maybe the water table, will read a tombstone.

Here lies Joe DelBloggolo, boy could he pack it in!

BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME? ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I guess with all the gas rationing, the death of my brother-in-law and the Nor’easter, my sleep has gone through some strange twists and turns.

One night last week, I had a rather interesting dream. It all took place at my diner on what I suppose was a usual Sunday morning breakfast with TLW (The Little Woman).

We entered the diner and were escorted to our usual booth. Our usual waitress came to the table and asked if we wanted coffee. We agreed and she asked if we wanted milk or half and half.

“One other thing” she said. Coffee is rationed and YOU may have it because your license plate is even, but your husband can’t, because his plate is odd!”

TLW: “OK give me decaf then.”

Me: “I can’t have coffee because it is rationed and my plate is odd!”

Waitress: “Sorry!”

“Hey Toots? Will you give me some of yours?”

“Nope.”

If the dream had lasted, I probably still would have had to pay for breakfast!

IT REALLY DOESN’T TAKE MUCH!

-->

NY Jets Offensive Lineman

As I sat there, wallowing in my tears, first the New York Giants went down, and then the New York Jets, my face was raw from the tears that streaked down all afternoon. To complicate matters, the Macaroni Man, my nephew Christopher filled with Tortellini ala Zio Giuseppe, joined me in deep sobs, mournful cries and utter despair.

At dinner we discussed his mother-in-law and her wanting to get a job, so I said that if she is interested to give me a call and I would try to help her.

Over the years, my recently passed away brother-in-law John, during the baseball season would call me after the many losses the Mets managed to manufacture from whole cloth and it went like this.

Phone ring I say: “Hello?”

“Joe, your Mets suck!” he would then hang up!

This went on all season long.

And so I sat that night watching a movie when my phone rings, and the caller ID says it is the Macaroni Man.

I pick up the receiver and yell: “Your Jets Suck!”

The other end of the line is a long pause.  Something I said? This does not seem like it is going as it should! Finally, a small voice pops up and says: “Joe?”

“Yes?” (God! This is not good!)

“This is Linda, Chris asked me to call you?”

I will now be writing all my blogs from my shed. Leave your message tacked to the door.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARY ANN!
Today is my baby sister's birthday, Macaroni Man's mother.

THE HOLY WORDS OF DELBLOGGOLO

-->

The instructions were clear, coming from my by sister Nippy. She had the job of picking out the music for the funeral Mass of my brother-in-law John, and the two readings. The first reading was assigned to my brother-in-law Tom, from the Book of Wisdom, and the second reading for me was the Acts of the Apostles.

“You Have the second reading, here is a copy of it and don’t screw it up.”

“OK.” Tom gives me a strut because he has the Book of Wisdom. I ask: “How many words are in his reading and how many in mine?”

The day at the Mass, the moderator announces that Tom, will read the first reading. Tom reads and fine job he did in his Connecticut accent while all my New York relatives think its’ in Polish, not Connecticuteese.

They do a little music and I get up to do my reading. TLW (The Little Woman) puts her arm on mine and tries to stop me. It works and I ask what’s wrong. “They didn’t announce you yet!” she says. “Oh” I say, and wait a few seconds, wondering if the ‘announcer’ is sick, has Alzheimer’s or is just messing with my head. I get out and scoot over to the aisle and the Priest just goes on with the Mass, cutting out my debut as a religious fanatic.

I am mad at TLW for stopping me. The Priest is now giving a sermon about ‘Ever-lasting life’ and I think: “Not for TLW if I have my way.” But reason prevails and I realize she was doing me a favor, I could have embarrassed myself, and she was trying to prevent that, (A good woman)

I get through the service and we head to my niece’s house for the family get-together and Tess my older sister (Much older) says: “What happened? You screwed up! I try to explain and she cuts me off saying: “WHY CAN’T PEOPLE ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHEN THEY SCREW UP?” This is of course an attempt to tweak my nose and bust my chops as Nippy admits the organist, narrator and Town Crier all screwed up, not me. But for the rest of the day, Tess, my older sister (Much older) makes ME wear the mantle of shame. I going to have to have a word with the Pope.

I VISIT THE DOCTOR

-->

Da Patient

Every three months, I get the chance to visit the doctor, whether I want to or not. He is my primary care physician, Dr. Strangeglove.

The receptionist asks me if everything is the same in terms of coverage, and then asks me for my phone number. Now I must say she is quite attractive, and so I gave it to her, then she asks for my cell and I give her that too, with this suggestion, or caution: “Just keep in mind my wife may get suspicious!” She laughs and I then go on to tell her: “Not so much that I am cheating, just worried that someone who works on her doctor’s staff would have such bad taste!”

I am led into the examining room when in he bounds while I am reading from my Kindle, and asks: “How are you today?”

Dr. Strangeglove

“Well, that is what I want to find out.”

I see that he looks like he lost some weight, but I won’t got there because I didn’t.

He goes through the usual incantations and pronounces me fit. “I’ll see you in three months.”

Being how I am starving because I had a blood test, I decide to go to the MacDonald’s nearby on Portion and Hawkins Road. I order the bagel with steak and eggs and a coffee. (Milk, no sugar)

I am about to bite down into this thing of beauty when my cell phone rings.

“Yellow?”

“Mr. DelBloggolo, this is Dr. Strangeglove. Listen, I just checked your cholesterol from August and I want to maybe change your medication from 40 mgs to 80, not that it is bad but I want it better.”

“OK, you want to change the prescription?”

“Well, in May it was very good, but in August: not so hot, but nothing to worry about. Call me Monday and by then I will have the results of the blood test.”

And so went such a delicious steak and egg bagel at Mac Donald’s, ruining perhaps my whole weekend’s menu choices.

IT MAKES ME PROUD

Just some of them!

With all the pain and sorrow that was experienced in the death of my brother-in-law John, something beautiful occurred that made me proud once again of my sons. Both of them had an excuse and a pass from me to stay where they were and not come to the funeral.

Michael

My #1 Son Anthony, who works on a tight schedule, a demanding job in Los Angeles flew in, dropping everything he had to do to pay his respects to his uncle John because he had a heavy heart and needed to.

Then there is #2 Son Michael, who was in the midst of mid-terms up in Purchase, hand-cuffed with a late scheduled class, traveling all night and arriving at 3:00 AM to attend his Uncle’s funeral, refusing to take my offer to pass, because he had a heavy heart and needed to also.

As I returned to the funeral parlor that sad day to say goodbye, as I entered with my beautiful wife, we had my sons with us, we were grateful and proud of our boys!

Add caption

It made me particularly proud of my; niece Annmarie and nephew Chris, along with his wife Kim who live locally and showed up immediately at the hospital on a moments notice while my brother-in-law was still alive. And my nephews David from Florida and Marc and his sister Jean-Marie from Connecticut who dropped their little children and came over from the ferry with their sister Katie who flew from San Diego and connected with her sibs to attend! And my niece Sara and her husband Alex, along with Greg, Annmarie’s husband, all attending: giving comfort to my sister’s family in their hours of pain and need.

You have no idea how proud it would have made Grandpa knowing his family was so responsive, generous and loving to bring that comfort. But why not, why shouldn’t they be supportive, it is in their blood, in their collective hearts, in their very being. As it were, my sisters Joanne and her husband Don, Mary Ann and Fran and her husband Tom, all scattered in different parts of the country, rushing in and being there with me as we tried to hold up a beautiful family that needed comfort and understanding. Once family, always family!

If you don’t believe in God, then you don’t believe in family and friends. They are God, they are the handiwork of the creator: surely the comfort came from HIS hand in all of those I spoke of, through their hearts.

YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH RELATIVES WHEN YOU NEED THEM.

When my brother-in-law John lay dying in the hospital, the whole family rallied and came together for him, dropping what they were doing and rushing in to give aid and comfort to his immediate family. Those of us who live on Long Island came to give their support and love to John and pray for him, shocked that he was turning for the worse and so suddenly.

My nephew Chris and his wife Kim, my niece Annmarie left her two little babies with her husband Greg and lent her comfort too. It would have made not only John happy to know that he is indeed loved, but Grandpa too, his grandchildren making their effort to show family unity.

But there were other members of the family, you might call them friends, we call them family, who came. There was Lenny and Maria, who lived next door, who have shared all their lives in Sayville, and all there is in their lives with Theresa and John.

Lenny in particular, did so much during and after the death of John, making it so much easier for the family as a whole, showing what friendship, or should I say kinship is all about.

Then there were those that rushed in from out of town, the last minute, interrupting their lives for something most important, sharing their support for some special people. There are my nieces and nephews Kathie from San Diego and Jean-Marie, and Marc from Connecticut, and of course my two boys from LA and Purchase both asking how everyone was holding up and making plans.

John's last vacation in Cape May

There is a place called heaven, a place I don’t know if I’ll ever see, but I know John will see, and all the people who demonstrated that particular love and kindness that that particular understanding of what family is all about will all meet one day. It is in times like these that I am proudest my whole family.

A special 'Thanks' to Dr. Kevin Manning TLW's brother and his beautiful wife Sara for reaching across and helping John and Theresa have a wonderful vacation this past summer in Cape May, NJ, it was their last ever together.

BEING A GENIUS

-->

Sometimes I have to live with myself and it ain’t pretty!

For instance, after the last storm, the neighborhood was a mess from Sandy passing by. All my neighbors were out cleaning up the debris and clearing their property off from the fallen leaves and branches from the wind.

I noticed that some of my neighbors were using their blowers to clear their property and I thought I’d do the same, and so I went into the garage and took down my

 leaf blower. I usually need two sets of extension cords and so I connected one to the other and then into the garage wall, making sure the wires were knotted together so they don’t pull apart. I hadn’t used it in years since I now use a lawn service to do all that nonsense.

Well I was plugged in, knotted and ready. I push the button and nothing happens. “Darn” I think: “the blower must be so old and not used for so long a time, it won’t work!” So in disgust I take everything apart and put it back where it belongs.

I go into the house and tell TLW (The Little Woman) that; we need a new blower, the old thing doesn’t work! She starts to look at me with a funny look on her face, and I wonder what her problem is.

“I gave it my best shot, it won’t start!” I plead.

“You know it runs on electricity.”

She said that in front of one of our lit candles that she needed to read, since we lost our power.

“Oops!” (This is the best I could say.)

I go back into the kitchen and I notice my cell phone is low on the charge and I reach for the wire to plug it into my phone.

“DON’T YOU DARE TRY TO CHARGE THAT PHONE!!!” she ordered.

“Oh! Yeah, no power!” (This is the best I could say.)

Stupid is what stupid does, and I can prove that theory.

It is bad enough that all through the power outage, every time I went into the toilet, I would automatically switch on the light with no results, that when we finally had the power restored I didn’t bother to switch on the light for a while.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANPA JOE!

This blogue was written on November 6th.

Had he taken better care of himself he would have been alive today at 127! But you know in those days they didn’t take care of themselves.

Grandpa Joe was dad’s father and although I never met him, he left behind a legacy of hard work and toughness that followed him long after his death.

Grandpa was not the kind of guy to fool around with; he worked hard, started a business that helped my grandmother survive the depression, and had a very close friend who married my grandmother after he died!

One day in sunny Naples, someone said or did something to old Joe that kind of upset him, and rather than go through the formalities of asking for an apology, he killed the man with his bare hands! OK, maybe he was a little touchy, but then had his antagonist spoken to him in some other language he wouldn’t have had such a speedy end to his life.

Of course this did not sit well with the Dipartimento di polizia locale di Neopolitan, and rather than book a passage to America, Grandpa Joe stowed away, saving his skin and boat fare. It is my guess that all he packed for his voyage was a long salami and cheese, with maybe a flask of vino to sooth his guilty soul for killing a man, stowing away, and causing all that overtime at the Dipartimento di polizia locale di Neopolitan.

In the early 1900’s, things were not as well recorded as they are today. Grandpa met my grandmother, who was maybe 15 or 16 and they married. Grandpa was a friend of Zio Felice, and so he met grandma Frances, Zio Felice’s younger sister. They had three children, starting with my father.

Then the First World War started and grandpa, although he didn’t cause it, joined the fray in the U.S. Army, where he met his best friend Ralph. Grandpa had a need to serve his country, and since there were no waiter jobs in restaurants in those days, he joined up with the Rainbow Division and went ‘Over there’, where he took out his anger on a few German lads, and returned to the USA.

When he did, a breakout of Spanish influenza occurred and Grandpa was put in the hospital. Yearning to see his wife and children, grandpa jumped out of a third story window and into the snow and took off for Grandma, kids and pasta, and maybe not in that order!

And it is there that we leave Grandpa, for he died from his escape from the hospital, leaving Grandma Frances with three little kids and all that pasta!

It is interesting to note that his birthday was November 6^th, my birthday is July 6^th, and my son Joseph’s birthday is April 6^th!

Thank you, and don’t tell anybody I told you all this, they are still looking for him in Naples as I write!

I MAKE SOME FRIENDS!

-->

A few years ago, TLW (The Little Woman) and I flew out to LA to visit the then engaged couple of #1 Son Anthony and his lovely bride to be TLC (The Lovely Courtney) and visited at their apartment. When we arrived, we were greeted by two strangers: Linus and Daphne, an odd couple if ever there was one.

Now this couple was rather rambunctious and on the whole happy to see us, but seemed to be very physical in expressing their emotions and if you sat down chances were you would suddenly have one or the other next of you!

Now Linus is a good-looking guy, maybe not as tall as Daphne, but what matters is love, and although a little heavy, Daphne has no problem with that. Like I said, love is what matters. The guy has a mop of hair and is a very friendly charmer.

Daphne is truly a beauty, with these black eyes that seem to penetrate one’s soul, yet she can be shy and coy and excitedly happy, all at one time! She seems to maintain her weight well and keeps Linus under control.

Both Linus and Daphne, after initial contact with TLW and me seemed to drift off and mind their own business, leaving us to visit with #1 Son and TLW.

This time out there, the tables turned, as they both seemed to attach themselves to me, particularly Daphne, who from what I hear is more aloof, became jealous when Linus gave me any attention, and both at one point would sandwich me on the couch. I feel flattered that this would be the case, since it had been a few years since we had last seen the lovely couple!

Then TLW tells me that Daphne was laying on our bed, and sneaking around at night, and I ran into her in the dark one night while on my way to the bathroom!

And that Linus fellow, very needy!

That's me reading with Linus

NO GREATER TRIBUTE

-->

There is no greater tribute you can give a man, than to remember him. There are no greater moments than those you share with those you love, and no greater gift can you receive than the gift of love.

If there is one man I can say truthfully fills the bill in all three mentioned above, it is my brother-in-law John. For over 50 years he has been there for me, whenever I needed him. He was an asset in life to all his family, and all of us loved him. He never knew the word ‘No’ and yet was prudent, judicious and sensible in his choices. When he first appeared there was an instant chemistry that seemed to transfer over to the entire family like an electric current. He fit, was one of us, we were part of his life too.

There are loses in one’s life that are immeasurable, far too great to fully comprehend when they occur and far too devastating as they happen. Losing a person that has no enemies: always was ready to jump in and help and always made you feel welcomed, needed and treated like royalty were only his minor assets. His biggest and most profound was the innate love in his heart for all he met. It was genuine and sincere; it was the model that I looked to, from that day 50 years ago when I first noticed the kind Polish fellow that came to the door for the first time.

If you have read this blog in the past, you know how I feel about people and the fact that we don’t eulogize them with platitudes when they pass, but celebrate them while they live. Type in “John” in the search and you will read many times what I thought of him while he was alive. Here is the funny thing: he is still alive! He is alive in his children, in his wife, in the hearts of us all: he can never die while we are alive.

We can commit his body to God and the earth, but God has committed John to our earthly hearts for all our being. He reached down from heaven one day almost 74 years ago and gave us John, the shining example of love.

To Theresa, Laurie Ann, John, Jennifer, to Gerard and Stephen, Sean and Nicholas: I will take time myself and cry the tears of loneliness, for you and the rest of my family, but we need not cry for John, his suffering is over, he came and went in this world, leaving all our lives in better shape than before he appeared, THAT is his living legacy. His pain although severe in the end, never encroached his spirit of love.

Vi amiamo il mio fratello Polacco!

We love you,  my Polish brother!

COME BACK ON THE !0TH

DUE TO A DEATH IN THE FAMILY, THIS BLOGUE WILL APPEAR AGAIN ON NOVEMBER 10TH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

OH WHAT A NIGHT!

-->

The TV wasn’t working anymore, having lost it earlier that morning, as the winds increased and brought down power lines all over the Island. The cable was gone which meant that we no longer had Internet or phone service, we were isolated.

The raging winds caused a crash as TLW (The Little Woman) and I raced outside to see the sad sight of my neighbor Timmy and Gail’s home, with their front yard tree lying across the edge of their roof! I chased TLW into the house and took off for Timmy’s house to see if they needed help. Everyone was fine so I went home.

In the darkness, TLW (The Little Woman) decided to go to bed and be comfortable in the dark and I decided to go upstairs into the middle bedroom in the front of the house and look out at what was going on. I decided I wouldn’t go to bed as the rage of the wind seemed to warn me that I better not.

The darkness seemed to invite all the eeriness of the perfect storm, the “Frankenstorm”, and it lived up to the name. As I gazed out, the wind was blowing with such force that the trees seemed to bow to me, like I was royalty viewing from a balcony! The howling was increasing, reminding me of the sound effects you hear in a movie of a storm tossed ship at sea. But soon I was hearing the sound of sirens going off, then the howling, and then the mixture of both howling and sirens, as it became difficult to discern one from the other.

Bellport dock is under the water! Photo by Michele DePalo

I felt like I was in war torn London under the blitzkrieg, as explosions and flashes of power transformers that attested to their being made a statement, courted by the flashes of lightning lent to the chilling and uncertain atmosphere. The feeling of doom was a constant reminder that I was in the midst of the perfect storm: that maybe my life and that of my wife were in danger.

I worried about my 94 year old mother who lived alone and refused to move from her house with her boy-toy staying with her, and I worried about my older sister Tess (much older) with her husband in the hospital, I worried about a few friends I had that live alone, and I worried that I had everything in place that I needed.

Having lived on the East Coast all my life, this was new to me. Oh I had lived with fear before, lived with danger, but nothing that took over my life like this did. The fear for my and The Little Woman’s life, the house and all our memories seemed to play up big in that storm tossed night.

Finally, I decided that I would go to bed after all, take my chances with a good night’s sleep if I could get it, maybe take my mind off the storm. I didn’t work as all I thought of was the old tree that stood sentry outside my front door: its roots shallow and its stature big.

I HAVE A THEORY

The day was winding down to the most exciting part of our trip to LA and #1 Son and TLC (The Lovely Courtney), who had so far been great hosts. A tour of Warner Bros. Studios was coming to a conclusion and we TLW (The Little Woman) and I were getting ready for the day of days. We were going to a tapping of the Big Bang Theory, one my son had written and I along with his mom would see it tapped first hand. As we arrived at studio 25 at the Warner Brothers lot, we could see the parking spaces dedicated to the cast of characters that would perform that evening.

Entering the building and going through security, I had to surrender my camera and phone until after the taping. Once in, a lovely young lady found us and escorted us to our seat, right down in front of the crowd, center stage. There across our seats was our last name on a tape, reserved and waiting for us. It just so happened to be under the nose of the comedian who would try to entertain us between takes on the set.

The woman who escorted us, Samantha Silver for The Big Bang Theory after taking us to our seats, then informed us that we would be going back stage after the taping and that she would collect us when it was time. The adrenalin in me rose with the thought of meeting the cast.

Mark Sweet has a hard job, keeping people entertained and amused, filling in the dead spaces so to speak as the house comedian. Somehow I just knew we would be actively engaged with the man and the audience of about 300 people, and it didn’t take long! But this blogue is not about me it is about my son’s show and the wonderful people we met on The Big Bang Theory.

That's me in Sheldon's spot

The first thing you notice is the sets, and the large screens that are moveable, allowing the camera to move back and forth along a corridor that stretches along all the sets. Where you can’t see the shooting down one way or the other of the sets, large screen TVs are provided. When they finish shooting one set, they move onto another, in the same sequence that they appear on the TV show itself. They usually shoot the same scene twice, maybe adding or taking away a camera angle, and do retakes if something misfires, like an actor laughing or missing a line. From one set to another, the screen comes down as the camera shoots and the other set just shot gets the screen put back up. The whole process took 4 ½ hours to complete.

TLW takes over!

They supply you with bottled water and Eskimo pizza, along the way.

After I was done making the comedian laugh, and getting the mike on a few occasions, the show was done shooting and Samantha came to collect us, taking us back stage to meet the executive producers, one of who worked under me at PCH: Steve Molaro, along with Bill Prady and Chuck Lorre, Steve Holland and then the actors other writers and directors and people involved in the show themselves.

We met Howard (Simon Helberg), the newly married astronaut who was very gracious and I think very, very funny, Raj or Koothrappali, (Kunal Nayyar) who was to remark later to #1 Son: “Your parents are soooo cute!” We met Bernadette (Melissa Rauch), who is much more beautiful in person than on the TV, without her glasses, and a sweet woman to boot. She said that #1 Son was her favorite writer, which made his parents prouder yet! She is so nice that she happened to be in the same theatre on the same day that #1 Son and TLC were in NYC at Studio 54 where Jim Parsons (Sheldon) was appearing in Harvey. When she discovered that they were all there in the audience, #1 Son texted her and they met afterward, and she sent flowers to their hotel room after the show!

But the one I wanted to meet I traveled over 2,000 miles to do so, and that was Penney (Kaley Cuoco), the blond, Leonard and Sheldon’s neighbor across the hall. When I was introduced, I told her I had traveled over 2,000 miles to meet her, and her reaction? She put her arm around me. I will not wash that part of my body for a while, along with my right hand that shook hands with them all!

We never got to meet Leonard (Johnny Galecki) or Sheldon (Jim Parsons) or Amy (Mayim Bialik) who did not appear in the show that episode since they had left immediately after the taping.

I’ll let you in on a little secret: the elevator ‘floors’ you see on the show is the same set! They change the scene for each take of the set to appear like different floors.

Agter the taping a surprise occurred to make for a great finale! The cast and crew did a tribute to the writer’s, organized by Kaley Cuoco in dance and song. They rehearse this over a period of time when the writers were not aware of it!

Having the opportunity to sit in Sheldon’s place on the couch was of course, the crowning moment of the night, along with seeing #1 Son as he moved with the crew from set to set, and his waving to us! I think that there are times when your children make you proud, and times when they can make you worry, and even times when they make you nuts, but the best times are when you watch them and realize as TLW and I did, that it is not what they do, it is who they are as individuals in the moral scope of the world.

I mentioned Steve Molaro before, and I have to say I was proud of Steve, he has come a long way, inviting #1 Son Anthony out to California years ago to write for shows he was working on, and being there for Anthony when he needed a friend during some tough times, sharing his family holidays when Anthony was alone. But Steve was always a kind of guy that liked to laugh: he made me laugh when he was at Publishers Clearing House along with everyone who knew him. He deserves success, and he has it, good for him!

It was the best!

All TLW and I can say is: Thank you cast and crew for a great evening, filled with graciousness and kindness, consideration and talent that you all have in abundance, you made us very happy and we both felt privileged to have been there. And a special thank you to Samantha Silver for all she has done. I will be mentioning her in a later blogue for another kindness.

CERTIFICATE OF CONFUSION

Into the car we go, suitcases packed in the back tightly and all the confirmations for the car rental, and the airline, along with a certificate for a weekend at the Inn at Fox Hollow, for a very swanky end of our vacation when we return to NY, are in place in TLW’s (The Little Woman) carry on. I’m in my traveling vest with all the pockets filled so that all I need to do is empty drop the vest with my shoes in the tray as we go through the metal detectors before boarding.

WE are ready!

Following the directions to the long term parking at the nearby airport parking establishment just past the JFK on the Belt Parkway, I pull in and ask TLW for the confirmation and in I go. TLW in her usual efficiency has taken care of the electronic part of the trip, and I would take care of the follow through.

I go into the building and amid 50.000 sets of car keys is this young fellow with other parolees who work there.

“Del Bloggolo” I say.

Looking in his computer he searches.

“How do you spell it?”

I spell out the name and his flat peaked cap is pushed back a little as he continues to search, calling over his boss, who assists in the search.

TLW suddenly shows up and joins in on the fun.

“I’m sorry, we don’t seem to have it in our records!”

TLW goes out to the car and searches in her carry on, coming back with the conformation record and a worried look on her face.

TLW asks if we would be able to still park, and he says yes. He takes the conformation form TLW and finishes up the arrangements. We head back toward the car for out luggage to be loaded onto the van and I say:

“Well, that takes care of that!”

“Well I think you are going to kill me!” she says.

“Why?”

“I took the wrong envelope with me for the Inn at Fox Hollow for when we return!” she says.

“Oh! Well, we can maybe make some phone calls when we get to LA and I’ll take care of it, don’t worry, it is not the end of the world, it will work out.” I say.

I of course don’t believe myself, and think she doesn’t either, but we can’t make her feel bad after all she did to take care of things. Crap happens, and we head to the airport.

The weekend would include a suite in their best suite, the Royal Suite, and dinner and breakfast the next morning, and frankly, I was looking forward to it as much as she was, so I was determined to try to fix it.

We enter the airport and we forget about it for the time being.

CALIFORNIA BOUND!

It was a Sunday morning, and we would stick to our usual routine as long as possible before leaving for the airport. That meant that we would head to the local diner for breakfast and seek out our usual waitress, TLW (The Little Woman) would do a little last minute shopping while I took a last minute nap.

My view of the waitress

TLW's view of the waitress

We enter the diner which is empty, and I ask the usual question: Can you squeeze us in?” and of course we are escorted toward the usual booth.

“The usual?” asks the waitress.

“Yes” I answer and add: We are going to California today!”

“OOOOOH! How nice, Where?”

“LA, and that’s not all, we are going to see a taping of the Big Bang Theory!” I add.

“OH! I love that show, it’s my favorite!” she says, her eyes rolling upward and a slight sway in her stance.

“But wait, there’s more, we are going to meet the stars after the taping, my son writes for the show!”

YOUR son writes the show!? How cool is that? Her hands clasped in her lapped while holding her pen and pad.

You know, the fun of going to California, is not what excited me, the chance to see #1 Son, the sharing of Seinfeld quotes, and the common sobbing over the Mets and Jets is what excites me. Seeing his name on the credits as they roll by, the fact that he had something to do with the show leaves me with a pride, but the little blond kid I used to know will be there too, and THAT, more than anything else will be the best part, for both TLW and myself.

And so one last check that our cell phones are all charged as well as our Kindle Fire books for the long flight across country, our GPS is stored handily and everything we need is in tact and ready, off we go to the golden shores of LA, the unbearable traffic and the crazy highways that were designed by a madman, nut-case drivers and wild rides on the freeways.