Dear Aunt Helene

Dear Aunt Helene,

There's good news and bad news.   The bad news...we missed your memorial service today.   We tried.   We really did.   We got up early...endured all the rush hour traffic from Stamford to the upper east side of New York City.   It took us just under an hour and a half to get there.   We had good intentions...but we missed it!

The good news...once we arrived...we were informed that we were a day too early!   I knew it was to be on the 19th...but somehow I thought today was the 19th!   Go figure...perhaps old age!   On a positive note...they could have told us that we were a day too late!

So, since we were in Manhattan, we decided to try and make the best of it.   Hey, let's go to the MOMA (Metropolitan Museum of Art)!   Okay...that works!   Get back in the car and drive from 72nd & York to 53rd and First.   Park the car there because it's cheaper to park further east/west of midtown Manhattan...versus for example 5th Avenue.   Walk the six or so Manhattan city blocks to the MOMA...only to find out that the MOMA is closed on Tuesdays!

Okay...let's walk back to the car.   As we arrived back at Park Avenue, we looked south and said..isn't that the Waldorf Astoria down there?   Yes it is!   How cool to go there and get a cup of coffee!   Lets do it!   We walk in at 11:05AM.   Lobby level "cafe" closed at 11:00AM!

We laughed at our circumstances!   What else could go wrong!   I announce that we can't come to NYC without a Sabrett hotdog (look for the yellow and blue umbrella).   We leave the Waldorf and walk the six or so blocks back to the parking lot.   No yellow/blue umbrellas anywhere in sight.   We are determined to end this journey on a high note.   We get in the car...drive around...and finally see a blue & yellow umbrella at 59th and Third (next to Bloomingdales)!   I bought two and inhaled them!

Okay...since we're in Manhattan and on our way back to Stamford, Connecticut...lets take a journey through the Bronx (to show my daughter & son-in-law) where I grew up.   Drove by 1339 Prospect Avenue, Junior High School 127 & James Monroe High School.

Now we're homeward bound!   On I95 northbound and just crossing the New York/Connecticut border (Byram). Car seems to be hesitating?   What's happening?  We're out of gas!

Dear Aunt Helene!

• NO memorial
• NO MOMA
• NO Waldolf coffee
• NO Gas!

But I did have my Sabrett hotdogs...with mustard and onions!   And we all agreed that if you knew what happened to us today...you would have had a really great laugh!

We love you!   Rest in peace!   You deserve it!