“Look at everything always as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time: Thus is your time on earth filled with glory.”Betty Smith. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn A stoop is a staircase ending in a platform leading to a house or apartment building entrance. In Brooklyn, a stoop is so … Continue reading Three Generations of Brooklyn Stoops
Baumann Family
Up On The Roof
While listening to Spotify a few months ago, a James Taylor cover of “Up On The Roof,” by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, began playing. To me, the song is quintessentially about New York. As luck would have it, I was putting together flash drives of old family photos for my siblings at that moment … Continue reading Up On The Roof
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My First Week of Social Distancing is in the Books
I am confident that you will agree with me when I say this is all very odd. COVID-19 has altered our reality and our sense of community. Spring is arriving on time in Virginia, but nothing is as it has been in the past. Last week I posted a list of the things that I … Continue reading My First Week of Social Distancing is in the Books
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Eight Days, What To Do?
We have split into two cells at work to keep the numbers down in the office. This allows us to alternate weeks of self-isolation. I work in the Department of Defense, so there is plenty to be done to support Civil Authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is also the job of protecting the homeland. … Continue reading Eight Days, What To Do?
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2019 was a Challenge, I am looking Forward to 2020
I was looking at my blog this morning, thinking it was time to dust off my brain and get back to writing. 2019 was a challenging year, personally and professionally. I had to confront, head-on, some old demons, deal with a minor medical issue and adjust to a promotion at work for which I did … Continue reading 2019 was a Challenge, I am looking Forward to 2020
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Whamageddon
Author's disclaimer: There is no link or blog trick that will play the song "Last Christmas" by Wham anywhere in this post. I give you my word that, if you are still in the game, you are not taking a risk of being Whammed by reading this post. I swear on my reproduction first edition … Continue reading Whamageddon
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I am getting back to work here
I have not posted on the blog since last summer. In the interim I have been working on my other blog. If you know about that blog, you know about it. If you don't, let's just say I do not want to cross contaminate between the two blogs. This is the lighter of the blogs, … Continue reading I am getting back to work here
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Brooklyn Tour
It was my youngest sister's idea. In recognition of our parents' 60 years of marriage, we would return to where it all started. Brooklyn! The plan was pretty simple, Mom and Dad would come down from their home in Massachusetts with my sister and meet up with the rest of their children in Brooklyn. I … Continue reading Brooklyn Tour
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60 Years
My parents, Regina and Jerry Baumann were married on June 3, 1957. Today is their 60th wedding anniversary.
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The Perils of Disproving Family Legends
I am knee-deep in genealogy paperwork this weekend. A package from the National Archives containing the military records of my great-grandfather, Sidney J. Kelly, Sr. spilled over 100 photocopied pages across my table that probably have not been disturbed since the 1920's at a time when his widow was seeking assistance with pensions and death … Continue reading The Perils of Disproving Family Legends
