update from Sal Grenci

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

For those of you who are old timers on the DF, this is from Christmas 2009, several people at Philly 2010 said I should do an update for the forum folks

Another year gone by and time to write another Christmas letter to update everyone on our activities or lack of them.

One thing that curbed our activity level this year was an accident Sal incurred doing yard work last Memorial Day. While weeding and trimming bushes, he decided to climb a chain link fence, landed the wrong way, and tore his ACL (ligament) in his left knee incapacitating him for months. Several braces, crutches, and an operation (on 8/27/09) later, Sal is still going to physical therapy several times per week, and can’t lift heavy objects or go up and down stairs numerous times. Hopefully, by spring, he should be close to where he was before Memorial Day 2009. Moral of the story: don’t do any physical labor you’re not used to on your day off without stretching and taking it easy. Sal has spent Memorial Day in the emergency room 2 years in a row! In 2008, he hit his hand with a tool putting up a fence, and required stitches and a tetanus shot. Sal is not allowed to move next Memorial Day!

The kids are doing well. The boys are in their last year of preschool at the DDI - Starting Early Program and both are in integrated classes. They are still classified as special ed., but they mostly just have motor issues. Academically, they are doing great and proving to be quite smart. They attend separate 2 ½ hr. classes in the morning, and they get bus service which is great! Nick and Jonathan just celebrated their 5<SUP>th</SUP> birthday on December 10<SUP>th</SUP>. It already looks like Christmas gifts have exploded all over the house!

Olivia is in 1<SUP>st</SUP> grade at Idle Hour Elementary School in Oakdale and is 6 years old. She is in a special education class with 7 students, the same group as last year. Olivia is the only girl, but she doesn’t seem to mind. We had a rough start to the school year with her class. The new teacher that was hired was having difficulty managing the class and decided to resign after 2 months. Luckily, they assigned an experienced teacher to replace her that was returning from maternity leave, and things seem to be improving. Change is difficult for Olivia and other kids on the autistic spectrum to deal with though. She still asks for her former teacher. Sal and Doreen still are in volved in Autism charity work.

Doreen started selling AVON last spring. Some of you have probably gotten her emails. It has been a slow start, but she is doing O.K. and is able to buy discounted products for gifts and personal use. For those, who don’t live nearby, Doreen has a website, www.youravon.com/dgrenci, from which you can order and get direct delivery straight to any address you wish. You can just use the free shipping code (FSWER), and it will cost you no additional money.

Doreen is still active with the Suffolk Mothers’ of Twins Club and received her 5 year badge. She is still coordinating the refreshments and is now also the State Rep. which is the liaison between the local club and the New York State organization.

Sal is still active with various antique auto clubs, although he was unable attend any car shows with the Model T Ford. We hosted a picnic in our yard this past August. A lot of members helped with set up and clean up, and one even cut the grass. Our yard is large enough for a crowd, and to park antique cars! Sal will be the Secretary for the Long Island Motor Touring Club this coming year. (He has held every office in the past 21 years.) He still works for the New York State Lottery in the same sales territory for 12 years ( Patchogue to Montauk).

Sal’s Mom, Josephine, who is 74, had her left hip replaced in July by the same doctor who did Sal‘s surgery. She is doing well, but it is definitely not easy to recover from an operation. Sal’s Dad, Gabe, is 82 years old and hasn’t slowed down too much. They will probably spend some time at their condo in Stuart, Florida this winter.

Since we didn’t have a vacation this year, we were thinking of going to Florida during the Christmas break, but we decided it would be difficult with the three kids. We are going to Hershey, Pa. for a holiday light show and other events.

Here’s hoping that 2010 will be a healthier, happier, and altogether easier year at our house and yours!

Love and Christmas Joy,

Sal, Doreen, Olivia, Jonathan and Nicholas

Edited February 21, 2010 by SalG (Sal Grenci) (see edit history)

[Terry Bond]

Hey Sal-it sure was great to see you at the Annual Meeting and spend some time catching up with you. I'm glad you are getting back in shape and that the family is doing well. We do miss you as a regular on the forum but we know you are keeping an eye on us. Feel free to chime in whenever you can-it's one great way to participate. Susan was glad to meet you also. She usually spends plenty of time in Judges Admin and of course that cuts into her show-field and social time so we've missed you at meets over the years. Hope to see you out and about at some events, and at least banging away on your keyboard to keep us forum guys on track. Please keep in touch.

Terry

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

It was good seeing all of my friends from national, you were one of the few people I saw at Hershey, I was there for two days, but having the knee surgery 6 weeks before was a little difficult to get around. (I didn't want to break my streak of 22 Hershey's in a row and going to Hershey is nornal, so it helped to set a goal to build strenght) I did make it to Macungie, PA. with the twins in August and I am planning to go to Rhinebeck, NY in May and try to get to some of the bigger local shows. I did take them to the Vanderbilt Cup Region indoor flea market on the 14th, this was their third visit and I bought a few $1 toy cars and they were fine. Our trip to Hershey for the holiday lights was good, we also visited the museum and the boys liked the buses. We did have some problems with Olivia, she was upset that we were going to sleep in a hotel and not her room, but the second night was OK because she was now use to it. Children with Autism have difficulty with change. We have a meeting today for the boys to discuss the rest of the school year and fall placement. The boys will be mostly mainstreamed.

Edited February 24, 2010 by SalG (Sal Grenci) (see edit history)