Smorgasbord News Archive 2020 - 2021
Halloween 2021!! -- The Eastchester Waverly School, where Denis is enrolled in the first grade, celebrated
Halloween 2021 with a
fantastic parade. The kids were priceless and the teachers intermingled in the fun also. Watch the parade video and pictures and enjoy!
September 30, 2021, sad tidings from Bucharest, Romania -- I just learned with deep sorrow
that George Palcu is no longer among us. Married to my first cousin, Ana Mia, George was a beloved father, great husband and dedicated family man (read more...)
September 9, 2021: school started -- Today Denis embarked on one of the most important trips
in life: he started school. Felicia took a couple of
nice pictures in the morning then drove him to school. Denis came back home with the school bus. Here's
the video -- but there are no photos from school because parents were not allowed on the premises
Nedžad's
birthday -- On September 11 we quietly
celebrated Nedžad's birthday among just us, with a nice cake -- and super-happy to be together! Happy birthday, Nedžad! Many happy returns of the day!
Summer vacation in Montenegro -- The memories of the summer vacation that Denis, Felicia and Nedžad
enjoyed in Montenegro are here to stay! Some of the exciting images recorded during the trip are posted in videos and photos. I'm happy for the vacationers -- and
I just wish I were there with them to have fun as well!
2021 Scarsdale Spring Tales -- From the
bird with blue eggs to the 1985 Cadillac Eldorado, the 2021 spring in Scarsdale has been quite exciting, as you can see from the
videos and photos recorded so far. Enjoy!
Easter 2021 -- We celebrated Easter in two "installments", so to speak:
Catholic Easter on April 5, with ćevapi and barbecued lamb, which Nedžad got from a Montenegrin restaurant, and
Orthodox Easter on May 2, with red eggs and oven-roasted lamb prepared by Felicia
March 10, 2021 -- Denis' birthday -- Denis is six!! Big boy!!
We celebrated his sixth birthday in two short steps. First,
Bunicul fed Denis' NBA addiction with a ... Larry Bird jersey -- and, just
minutes later, his
cousins came for the party. Make sure to check-out the videos and the
pictures from this memorable evening!
March 7, 2021 -- Felicia's birthday -- This year, Felicia's birthday
coincided with the NBA All Star event, and so,
Denis enjoyed both a little bit of basketball and Mommy's birthday cake. More
photos and videos will be posted soon, so please stay tuned!
February 6, 2021 -- Today Denis had his first tennis
lesson! Felicia and Nedžad registered him in the beginners' class at the Lake Isle Country Club in Scarsdale. Here are Denis' first
forehand and his first steps on a tennis court!
January 23, 2021 -- Late! Late! Late! Since September
2020 I haven't posted any update because I was head over heels busy moving next to Felicia and her clan in Scarsdale. However, little by little I'm catching up.
Here's Denis having fun at the piano in my new apartment, along with last year's pictures and videos
from Thanksgiving and Christmas
September 10, 2020 -- Denis started kindergarten.
That's the good news. The bad news is that he won't be able to meet other kids or enjoy school activities because everything will be done virtually, on internet. To sweeten the pill, he's got his first laptop along with
his own email account.
Here are a few moments from this memorable day!
July 30, 2020: Denis' Bayram gift for mommy! -- On July 30,
Nedžad and Felicia invited family and friends at home to celebrate Bayram. The guests brought gifts for Denis and gave him money -- but no gifts for Felicia. Denis thought that wasn't fair,
and ... but
let Felicia tell what happened!
Fourth of July, 2020! -- On the Fourth of July
we were invited by Ismet and Ferida for a lamb barbecue (cooked for five hours as per a Balkan recipe!). The kids had lots of fun, we've all been happy to be together -- and, as usual, I used the opportunity to record a
short video
June 26, 2020: Graduation Day! -- Denis has graduated from
preschool -- a major milestone for which he deserves the heartiest congratulations. Warm felt congratulations to Felicia and Nedžad, too, for their continuing dedication to Denis' physical, mental and spiritual health. As you
can see from the video and the
photos, the event was handled ... virtually, like anything else during these coronavirus times
Summer's fun is on! -- The pool from the Scarsdale country club is still closed, but the one at Nedžad's cousin,
Murat, is open, so Denis had the first swim of 2020 at his uncle's house. Ladies and Gentlemen, the fun is on -- and the proof is here... and
here!
June 7, 2020 -- The first bike race of the year in Scarsdale took place on the bike trail of the Bronx River Park. Denis came in the first place, followed at
one bike length by Daddy. Mommy recorded the event. Enjoy!
My new heart pillow -- A simple way to relieve pain after open heart
surgery is to embrace a heart pillow when coughing or moving. I received such a pillow when I left the hospital where I had triple bypass in 2002. I used it as needed for six weeks, then I kept it for souvenir. Now my beloved pillow
is old and worn out, so I decided to get a new one. While searching the Internet, I saw similar heart pillows on the Ohio Genesis Hospital website. Called them up … spoke with a friendly lady who offered to help … and, a few days later, UPS brought me a brand-new
pillow -- signed by the nurses from the heart unit and personalized with their best wishes. Wow! Thank you, My Ladies, you made my day!
Your nice gift is already gracing my living room and will be
a continuing reminder of the spirit of America!
May 19, 2020 -- Nedžad has been quite serious about serving as
family's Barber in Chief! He's running his Figaro show in the bathroom and his most recent client is non other than ... Bunicul, as shown in these photos and
videos!
May 17, 2020 -- Summer's knocking at the door! In spite of the coronavirus lockdown, Felicia, Denis and Nedžad spent the first summer-like day of 2020 in a quiet forest
clearing on the Scarsdale side of the Bronx River banks. They enjoyed the surroundings, recharged their batteries and ...
tested their new foldable picnic table as well.
Easter celebrations in coronavirus times -- This year, Easter coincided with the coronavirus lockdown, but the good news is that
in spite of the adversity, we did honor the Christian tradition... by staying faraway from each other, Felicia, Denis and Nedžad in Scarsdale and myself in Bayside apartment, and chatting via iPad and iPhone. As a bonus, Felicia came Saturday to see me (from the door of my apartment, without getting
inside) and brought me some eggs painted by none other than Denis, as you can see from these pictures. Happy Easter and stay healthy!
April 4, 2020 -- One of the collateral damages caused by the rough times we are currently experiencing has
been ... Denis' haircut. The last time he saw his barber was on February 22, and so, Nedžad took charge of the situation and cut Denis' hair at home. The photos and videos
from the "rendition of Figaro" in Scarsdale are priceless!
March 10, 2020: Denis Birthday! -- Denis and Felicia's birthdays have been the first photo-ops this
year so far. Due to the gloomy forecasts caused by the coronavirus health crisis that started to hit America in January, we cancelled parties in public places and basketball in the park. Then, a pipe broke in Felicia's apartment and we had to wish her
happy birthday while
emergency repairs were being made in another room. Denis' 5th birthday was celebrated
at school, on March 9 (last event before the school was closed) and
at home, on March 10 (last time I went to Scarsdale this year so far). In spite of the rough circumstances, I managed to document these events with a few
photos and videos
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