Brooklyn Back When - Open Thread

What do u mean after reading this ?

I mean when she sees it, she will know to invite you to stay overnight, lol.

It is getting cold, but guess what it is MUCH MUCH warmer here :-'
no good for the bones a you get older them there mountains

want me to call

Ralphie T. glad you are back on the blog!!!!
Janet, Billy did sound good, spoke to him yesterday. The Halloween parties were great. Michael put a lot of work into them.

Hey Judy G, John did remember you. He still looks the same, you would recognize him in a heartbeat.

Arnold, he said how you two were best friends. He has one daughter and she is 16. If he can't get on the blog I'll try to get his phone number for you.

Festina, did you ask your mom if she remember's my parents, Nick and Diana?? Just wondering.

Good morning Debbie and Festina.

Today I don't have school, today is my cleaning and laundry day. Fun, fun, fun.

We lived on 21st between 5th & 6th. Two doors from St. Johns.

Festina, have a good day!!!!

Mildred: Wish you could have fun over here and clean my house, lol.

Old Goat here. Thanks for the salute Carol. Festina-No I do not recall the DiLeo's. You know there were so many people living between the avenues that unless you knew someone from school or church you really did not get to know people between the next two avenues.

To pick up where I left off in 1947... Two momentous things occurred in 1947. Personally I graduated from PS 40's and started in Manual Training H.S. in Sept 1947. I do not know if any of you got to Manual before the name change to (oh Brother) John Jay. For those who did, do you remember "Raise the standards you loyal sons of Manual, raise her colors to the sky"... We used to sing that at the top of our lungs at football pep rallys etc:. I still have my Manual Graduation year book. (No it is not hammered in slabs like the ten commandments) I noticed several names of people who lived in the areas most of you seem to have grown up in. One of these days I will get out the book and list some of the names and see if any of you recognize them.
The second momntous occasion in 1947 happened or I should say started to happen the day after Christmas. It did not stop happening until late on the 27th of December. THE BLIZZARD OF '47... We had heard from our older relatives about the blizzard of 88 all our lives. Well we topped it in'47. 26.4 inches fell in Central Park. Brooklyn always got more snow then central Park so we probably had closer to 30". Park Slope stopped cold-nothing moved. Brooklyn stopped, NYC entriely stopped. They could not even run any of the trains that came out side like the independent line on 9th Street. For the first time in my life school was called off. (Where I raised my kids in NJ they called off school if more then 14 flakes hit the ground). No one in the slope could remember any time schools were closed for snow. There were hardly any cars on the block in those days so that was one less problem then you would have today. On the 28th, a policeman knocked on our door and said that if we expected (we meaning the whole neighborhood) expected to get fuel deliveries and food deliveries to the grocery stores we would have to get out and help the sanitation department move the snow. We all went out with our puny shovels and pushed snow into the sanitation departments equipment. They would push it down the manholes on 6th Ave. When the manholes filled up they loaded it on dump trucks and took it down to the Gowanus and piers in Red Hook to dump. Most of the young people started checking on their old neighbors to be sure they were all right and had food in the house. That is what Park Slope was like. Neighbors caring for neighbors. Of course each generation has there own toppers. The blizzard of Feb 2006 topped 1947 and 1888

Hi Suzi -

I am not the Fran Bruno who taught at St, Johns. Someone on the blog (during its earlier days) mentions her, and I recall it also being positive. Glad she didn't defame my name. I would not have worked-well with the nuns in those days, I would have become a rebel early on; having them burn their habits while I burned my bra.



Hi Warren, Old Goat -

I wasn't there for the storm of Dec '47, but my sister Phyllis was born 1/7/48. When my mom went into labor and couldn't get to the hospital (Brooklyn Doctor's Hospital is where we were born) - my dad flagged down a santitation truck and that's how they got to the hospital. Once again, a time when everyone was there for each other.

I know you said you didn't know too many of your neighbors on 12th St; we had relatives who lived on 12th between 4th & 5th Ave: The Sacco's
(Gertie, Albert - sons Peter & Albert)?



Hello Gina (Gagliardi) Metz -

Not sure if you are out there on this blog. I spoke to your sister-in-law Calli yesterday (my long-time friend, as you know) - and she said you saw me at the reunion. I think ??? I saw you??? I don't recall having a conversation with you. Either way, until Calli said your name, I totally forgot that you were a Metz and forgot to make that connection (residual from chemo brain). :roll: So I apologize. Hope you don't think I was rude or distracted. It was such an exciting day and I didn't get to talk to many folks I would have liked.

Either way, I did get to see your Italy cruise pictures - for your 25th Anniversary and Eddie's 50th Birthday. What a great time; isn't Italy the BEST!!! I can't believe how big your sons are... and in my opinion, one looks like a Metz and the other like a Gagliardi. Also heard your Uncle Nick is 'dating' Ed's mom Lucille, how cute. I've known her forever and she deserves a good man in her life (as we all do). God Bless You and Your Family! I will make sure I see you at the next reunion, God willing.

Love,
Franny


HOPE EVERYONE HAS A WONDERFUL WEEKEND!!!

AND just for you, my dear 'neice' PATSY -> T G I F

Subject: Brooklyn Residence

Debbie Bonavita McCarthy wrote: Festina, I live on 75th near colonial. I love it here.

I don't blame you. Love it there...I remember a particular house down by that area, I don't know if you are familiar with it or not, but I used to call it, "The Gingerbread House" because that is what it looked like. It was made of all flinstone-like stones - so beautiful! I think it was right on Colonial Road.