Enjoyed my Saturday

It was a tough choice but, I had to do it. I just had to get out in the elements. My nephew wanted a boat ride with his daddy and called us. So Miss T, nephew, my bro and I piled in on my parents boat and took off to the south end of the Island.





Tom left Friday at midnight to join a group going by bus to DC to the 9/12 Taxpayer Rally. He had a great time, although it was a very long day. I sent him with a camera but he only took about 6 pics. Geeesh.....He got home last night about midnight, worn out. He said "we need to look into getting that chair" referring to the Scooter chair advertised. Poor guy, his legs cannot handle even a normal day. Even after the knee replacement surgery....you'd think that would have helped more.

Trouble is Medicare doesn't pay for the chair until you need it......that means you have to have troubles with your arms too. Funny, those people on the commercial don't seem to have arm trouble. I have a friend whose Mom had the chair....last I heard she wanted to sell it since her Mom passed away. $300, not a bad price. Maybe I'll see if she still has it.

It's another beautiful day here....guess I'll see if I can enjoy it too!!

9/11 remembering Joey

This is a COPY of my 2006 post when we were in AOL.

http://www.legacy.com/Sept11/Story.aspx?PersonID=117392

My Hero that I picked to Honor is our very own: Joseph P. Henry, age 25. Place killed: World Trade Center. 9-11-2001 Resident of New York, N.Y.

Now as Tom puts it: "I remember Joey and my daughter going to school together PS-212 and playing in the playground in the neighborhood of Waterview Towers. (Joey's sister would also babysit for Tom's daughters) Tom's family along with Joey's family and others from the area would spend summers in upstate NY, the kids rode their bikes, went swimming in a creek and a pool...it was such freedom to the kids to be out of the confines of the city and the apartment co-op. Big Ed (Joey's Dad) was the youngest Battallion Chief in the fire department at the time of his promotion. Joey and 2 of his brother's followed their Dad and Grandfather by joining the team."

Tom called his daughter that night after the towers were hit. She told him "Dad, Joey was there".....his heart dropped. Tom was already in tears because 'his city' was being attacked. Imagine his pain having found out one of "his kids" had given his all. I must also mention that my Tom is a Retired NYPD--so this truly was "his city" in all aspects. It could have easily been him, had he still been working, and even if he wasn't working, I'm sure he would have felt it his duty to respond.

http://www.fallenbrothers.org/community/archive/index.php?t-3183.html

Bay 44th forever Joey's street [Archive] - Fallen Brothers Community



This is Joey in his probation hat (on the job training). To YOU Joseph P. Henry we remember you proudly and fondly. Edward "Big Ed" & Alice Henry, Eddie Jr, Michael, Danny, Mary & Kathleen, the LaRocca's say God Bless YOU and thank you for your service to the people. NYFD & Ladder 21 lost a great American. May God continue to give you His peace that passes all understanding as you remember Joey.

Love & peace to all the families, Tom & Sharon.


Bay 44th forever Joey's street

Renamed for firefighter

By MELISSA GRACE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Firefighter Joseph Patrick Henry was just 25 when he was killed by collapsing debris at the World Trade Center.

Last week, the street he grew up on, Bay 44th St. between Shore Parkway and Cropsey Ave., was renamed in his honor.

"It's unbelievable how much I miss him. I wish he were here," said Alice Henry, the firefighter's 63-year-old mother. "I'm so proud this street was named after him. He was born and raised here. His name will live forever."

Joseph Henry - Joey, to his friends and family - grew up in the Waterview Towers in Bath Beach in a family of firefighters.

It was on Bay 44th St. outside his apartment building that Henry, a sportsman and Yankee fan, played countless games of football. It was where his brother taught him to throw lefty, and where he pitched more than a few snowballs.

Henry joined the FDNY as an emergency medical technician in 1997. In October 2000, he became a firefighter. He was assigned to Ladder 21 in Manhattan.

During a solemn, snowbound ceremony to the skirl of bagpipes Friday, Henry's mother and father, retired Battalion Chief Edward Henry, unveiled a green street sign. It reads, "Firefighter Joseph Patrick Henry Lane." Close to 300 firefighters, family, friends and neighbors looked on.

The tribute was held near a flagpole and a commemorative stone placed outside Edward and Alice Henry's apartment by their neighbors, in tribute to Joey Henry and all those who died on Sept. 11, 2001.

"We never saw each other that day," said Edward Henry, 62, even though both he and his son responded to the World Trade Center that morning. Henry believes his son was in the north tower helping to evacuate people when the building crashed to the ground.

The firefighter, whose remains have not been found, has three older brothers. Two of them, Eddie Jr. and Michael, are FDNY lieutenants. The other, Danny, is a Port Authority police officer. He also is survived by two sisters, Mary, a schoolteacher, and Kathleen, a college student.

Pol lends a hand

The idea to rename the street in Henry's honor came from Arnold Belkin, 58, a neighbor of the Henry family. Belkin's son, Adam, was one of the firefighter's closest friends. Belkin set his plan in motion with a letter to City Councilman Domenic Recchia Jr. (D-Coney Island) asking that the street be renamed.

Choking up with emotion as he paid tribute to his friend, Adam Belkin, 27, said at the renaming ceremony, "I wonder what Joey would have thought of this. ... He would have done a double take, put his hand over his mouth ... and then laughed."

Originally published on December 9, 2002


http://www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/story/41764p-39404c.html

Labor Day already?

It's hard to believe.....school has started. Summer seems to have slipped out of here. In the 60's-70's at night already. 80's in the day. Even the pool is too cool. Very unusual for us. Labor Day weekend is normally very hot!

Does this mean we're in for an early Winter? I hope not. I am NOT a cold weather person. Miss T would LOVE if it would snow -- for some reason she's into that.

Tom on the other hand cannot handle cold weather....his legs ache terribly.

I am worried about him though. His mind doesn't "connect" anymore, and he doesn't eat right. He has a Dr appointment Tuesday. We'll find out then if there's more to it.



Headed over to a friends house last Friday night for some tunes and beer. It was nice to just hang out, relax and chat. At least I had my designated driver with me. Trying to get back into some real world activities.

I've changed my medicine, so I'm hoping for more energy and a happier outlook. Let's hope this helps.

So today I went out with a girlfriend....we went to see "All About Steve" then out to dinner with our kids. Should have left the kids at home lol. What were we thinking?

The movie is a bit annoying....I'd say wait for HBO or Netflix.

Otherwise, not much going on over here. Busy Dance Mom now. Miss T's solo practice is looking good. Just waiting to hear the competition dates....and fees.

I can't plan a Christmas trip just yet, not till after the October court date for Tom. But I am looking into dates to head to Florida. School's out on 12/18 and I'm trying to talk everyone into a flight out of here on 12/25. Yep Christmas Day. Wonder how that will go over? Wake up, shake the stocking and grab your luggage! Merry Christmas!