Life Begins at 90 #34 Scooter!

Today’s adventure is the best ever. It was a gloomy day so after eating, reading and playing bridge I went to the marina for a walk as usual.  Then I thought to try to find a pink top for my nice pants and found it in Eccentricity, the unusual store behind the Off Center store in town.

As I walk out I see a beautiful scooter parked next to my car and a nice young lady approaching it. I said, “This was always my dream and it is too late now.  Can you take a photo so I can show it to my family?” 

      

Jessica made nice pictures-- then bought our book and I found out that  her parents live on Briar Lane where we rented a cottage for 16 years before buying our  Mill Hill Rd  dream place.  Had I left the store one minute later I never would have met this nice young teacher - speaking of “beshert”!!!!!!

   

Hope Jessica will find time to bring her husband to my place.  I am blessed.  I see you all smiling! 

Calusy (Kisses in Polish) Mamusia

Blog #32 Everyday - ADVENTURES!!

Blog 32: ADVENTURES, YES,  EVERY DAY – ADVENTURES!

Daughter Alicia writes:  Each day without fail I get an email from my mother Nika about her adventures… She adores spending 4 months at her cottage on Cape Cod in the village of Wellfleet.  Amazing how many people she meets - maybe walking around the marina, perhaps swimming at one of the ponds, sometimes at the Senior Center.  This week in mid-July my brother Will Fleissig, his wife Wendy and their daughters Ariel and Mia are staying nearby in Wellfleet. What joy for my mother to see them each day, hear their stories, watch the girls dance and sing, and just feel like close family.  It is hard for us all being so spread out from coast to coast.

Unfortunately because my husband Itzhak was in the hospital earlier this month, we had to cancel our trip.  I was able to lead the baby naming ceremony of our daughter Tali and son-in-law Craig’s twin baby girls Gabriella and Amalia by Skype, but missed seeing our son Amir who flew in for the family gathering as well.  Itzhak is healing quite well at home, getting a lot of good care, has lost weight, and will continue to follow a well-defined nutrition program for diabetes.  

Here are a few excerpts from emails I received this past week alone! Pretty much unedited, so you get the flavor:

Subject: Fun Time

Hi   Such a nice  time -  being together  with 4 of  my Darlings-performing, singing  just having fun-  how long it does not matter.

Hope you had a good workout and please do something every day-  even  for 15 minutes.  

Much love  calusy  (kisses in Polish, pronounced tzawusi) Mamusia 

Marina,  Wellfleet, Massachusetts

 Uncle Tim’s Bridge, Wellfleet

Good morning  Monday July  20. Wellfleet Cape Cod

Tried  to swim together  with my children  but our timing was wrong.  So they went wave catching in the ocean  and I went to Great Pond all alone . 

I knew  someone will help me,  and so it happened I met a  nice  lady who
recognize me  - She had read the book and listened to our  talk.   She   got me down to the lake safely.
              
In the water met Joan and Ed Weaving
Had a  beautiful swim and walk in the water to exercise  and then Ed offered to get me back to my car. 
I found our book-  dedicated it to Weavings and hope
they will visit me  soon in my studio.
Perfect morning  - Hope you are enjoying whatever you are doing  and we see each other later to “Show and tell”.
Bless you and thank you for making “life begins at 90” real fun. 

Smiling  Baci  Nika

Nika at marina, Wellfleet next to plaque in memory of Alfred Fleissig

Plaque reads:

Alfred Fleissig 1906-1984

His love of Wellfleet and this harbor

has been passed down to the fourth generation.

Beautiful day.  just perfect-   Children catching waves   I went for my usual walk around the marina. Wearing cheerful pants I had bought with you in Oregon. A lady came to me and said “Hi Nika, my husband read your book,  is sitting in the car  (fell off the ladder has a broken hand and fingers) and told me to talk to you. .

I remember falling off a ladder picking up a yellow shawl from the attic for a gallery opening many years ago. Fred was holding the ladder to help. Ended in the hospital with a broken wrist which was never properly put together  by a butcher-doctor.  We all do dumb things and have to pay for them dearly.

This lady  used to have  catering business in Connecticut and told me her daughter delivers a chocolate  bomb  desert to Wicked Oyster.  We should try it tonight.

I showed her Fredziu’s  plaque  and we  really  connected.

Now waiting for the children to see what the day will bring. 

Afternoon after 5:30  dinner  at Wicked Oyster--- elegant  gallery opening  across from Glenn….  then maybe  dancing at the pier if not too windy.  Wow-Love  Wellfleet!!!!!!!!  Calusy  Mamusia

Nika’s son Will, his wife Wendy, their daughters Ariel, Mia, and Matriarch Nika

I miss you -  talked about you at the opening of the new gallery  across from Glen.  Bettina and her husband.   They promised to visit me.   Saturday  new play opening.  Joanna will pick me up.  Life is interesting  if you do not close your doors!  

Much love  M

Alicia adds:  Please reread that last sentence.  Worth embroidering or making into a banner! 

“LIFE IS INTERESTING IF YOU DO NOT CLOSE YOUR DOORS!!”

-         Nika Kohn Fleissig

- Nika Fleissig

Please Read My Blog Here:
http://www.lifebeginsat90.blogspot.com/

Order our book, From Miracle To Miracle: A Story of Survival (via PayPal):
http://www.FromMiracleToMiracle.com

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikafleissig/

Life Begins at 90:  Blog #33    Hamburger and a Beer…..

It all started with a Hamburger.  When we had dinner in Winslow Tavern yesterday my son Willy ordered a hamburger. Today, after swimming with the girls and Wendy and Willy helping me go up and down, 

I changed and suddenly felt a colossal yen to get a hamburger of my own.  While my family went to have ice cream in town I walked and remembered the Lighthouse Restaurant right on Main Street in town.

Nobody was inside…  I peeked – asked the nice waitress if she could persuade the cook to make me a double hamburger without anything artificial added to the purest beef.   Sat down, asked for Heineken light beer and waited.  It came as promised- and really, it tasted divine after all these years. 

My son Willy came over to share the beer with me and suddenly the waitress brought 1 more beer that a gentleman sitting with his son sent to me. What a kind thing to do.

Wendy and the girls came over and took a nice photo with the kind man – Jonathan McPartland - and started a conversation   - a most pleasant encounter.

Then walked with Willy to the car and a gentleman passed in the most unusual hat with red flower and cane -  very different from any such cane I ever saw.  Wendy came over, took our photo together and Mr. Sander Stern promised to send me the same cane when he returns home.

 

for some reason this came upside down and I cannot turn it around... so stand on your head!

Similar things happen to me almost every day, but this time my family witnessed it – which made it so much more believable.

Finally drove to pick up Ariel and Mia sitting on a bench and wondering what happened to all of us.

Tomorrow Will’s family leaves for Martha’s Vineyard and then home to San Francisco, and I will be left with delightful memories of their visit.

Maybe Wendy and Willy will add their story… I wonder how it all looked to them…. 

 

Rabbi Alicia Magal www.jcsvv.org

928 204-1286
blog: http://www.redrockrabbi.blogspot.com


"A Jewel of a Shul"

Mission Statement:
The Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley is a welcoming, egalitarian, inclusive congregation dedicated to building a link from the past to the future by providing religious, educational, social and cultural experiences. We choose to remain unaffiliated in order to respect and serve the rich diversity of our members and visitors. 

Blog 31: Family Gathering on Cape Cod, July 2015

Blog 31: Family Gathering, July 2015

Here we all are in Wellfleet in 2015, where our daughter Alicia got married to Itzhak Magal in 1974, and our granddaughter Tali and her husband Craig Fleishman had their wedding in 2010.  So many memories of family gatherings over decades, since Alicia and Willy were babies, and now we have grown to such a large family!     We have a family reunion of  4 generations created by me with Fred’s help.  Tali and Craig’s six-month old twins, Gabriella and Amalia, will get their Hebrew names, and traditional blessings, and we will celebrate all our birthdays together.  My 95^th was in May, but since we are all together now in the summer, we will combine all these happy occasions. My son Will Fleissig, with his wife Wendy and their two daughters, Ariel -12- and Mia -10- are driving up for the day from Falmouth on the Cape.  My grandson Amir is flying in to be part of the celebration as well. We will all meet at the house nearby that Tali and Craig rented for this week.  Alicia and Itzhak cannot be here as planned, since Itzhak was taken to the hospital … they had to cancel their vacation.

On Thursday, July 9, I drove to the Bistro in South Wellfleet for a delicious breakfast (where Tali and Craig had their wedding reception in 2010), kissed Phillipe, the owner, and met his French Mama and Italian Papa visiting from France.  I got a special present – his Mama had just made fresh raspberry  jam - a treasure.  Also met Eliza and daughter 2 years old who dances around the kitchen entertaining the help.

An hour later my son Willy - who had just flown with his family from San Francisco - left Falmouth, their summer place, and joined Tali and me for breakfast.  I love such impromptu unplanned adventures.  

 --

It is a warm day, Friday, July 10.  I was counting the days until my whole family will be together to celebrate 4 generations  Fred and I started  70 years ago. Unfortunately our beloved  Rabbi Alicia  - new grandmother - could not bless the 6 month old  twins Amalia  and Gabriella  and give them their Hebrew names in person.

Still it was lovely, and will be never forgotten, such a happy afternoon.  My son Will with his beautiful three ladies: wife Wendy, and daughters Ariel and Mia came around  2pm.  Grandson Amir had arrived one day earlier.   We talked and had some nice things to eat, and then decided to go swimming in Great Pond, which we love.

It is so much fun to see the little babies just trying the water.   Tali and Craig are great parents.  I walked and swam and loved to be surrounded by my growing family - a dream come true.

Nika, Tali, Amalia

Gabriella, Tali, Nika

Tali and Craig introduce the babies to Long Pond in Wellfleet

Gabriella and Amalia nearly 6 months old

Alicia adds:  yes, this was a big disappointment not to be there in person, but I was able to participate in the baby naming by skype.  Hard not to be holding the babies in person, but at least we could all see and hear each other.  So the babies are Gabriella Roux and Amalia Belle – and their Hebrew names are Gabriella Lea, and Amalia Bracha. Tali explained the meaning and lineage of their names, and I blessed them as their Savta (grandmother in Hebrew)-Rabbi.  As I write this now on July 12, Itzhak is much better and about to be discharged from the hospital.

Skype screenshot of family gathered for baby naming
Alicia at bottom right taking picture of the computer screen;
from left - Amir, Will, Craig holding Gabriella, Tali holding Amalia, Mia, Wendy, Nika, Ariel

When we returned, everybody helped to prepare a dinner  -  what a happy time  of joking and telling stories.

Finally we all sat around the table, singing Hebrew songs and Friday evening Shabbat prayers.  Food was delicious and then I thanked them and thought of leaving the happy group. Willy said “We are not through with you.  Please sit.”

Surprise of my life when Willy pulled out a big envelope and announced – this was supposed to reach you in Sedona for your 95th birthday.

Somehow it traveled back and forth several time and got returned to Willy.  He kept it for this special evening -  what a delight.  I thought it was lost, and now Ariel and Mia were reading to me their lovely wishes. Willy and Wendy have outdone themselves-  real works  of art.

Everyone there could write about this reunion and baby naming from their own perspective.  I invite them to read this and add their own memories about what was important and memorable… Then I can add them in a future updated blog.

But truly this was a highlight for us all, a point of touching each other’s lives with joy.

- Nika Fleissig

Please Read My Blog Here:
http://www.lifebeginsat90.blogspot.com/

Order our book, From Miracle To Miracle: A Story of Survival (via PayPal):
http://www.FromMiracleToMiracle.com

Please view my art here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikafleissig/