Cohen family yearly recap, 2024

From Debbie (and editing and comments from Brian): Dear Family and Friends,

Happy New Year! We hope you all had an amazing 2024. Time just keeps moving along nicely for the Cohen family. Many adventures and exciting events are on their way for 2025.

In February, Brian turned the big 6-0. We celebrated with a big disco-themed party at the house, complete with a DJ. Brian loves disco and dancing, so it was a fantastic evening (and classic rock as well, as well as Motown, so let’s not leave that out…).

On a somber note, two of Brian’s friends passed away this year, Ray and Marcelo, as well as his cousin Adam (they were all far too young to go, and they are missed).  

Brian and I enjoyed traveling (as always) this year. We started with a lovely trip to the east coast of Florida to visit friends. We also went to Cleveland for the solar eclipse, as they were in the “path of totality” which was amazing (experiencing “totality”, as opposed to even 99%, is a huge difference)! 

(Also, while there, we took advantage of going to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the home where the movie A Christmas Story was filmed, we took in the home opener of the Cleveland Guardians, and I took a side trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame while Deb went exploring a park, museum, and gardens). 

As summer arrived, Amanda graduated with her associates degree from Suffolk Community College. We are so proud of her for balancing work and school and achieving this milestone. She did it!

Later, we embarked on a family trip to Ireland. Justin (Amanda’s boyfriend) and Aaron (Rebecca’s boyfriend) joined us. We started in Dublin and toured all over the country, from Galway to Cork. 

We were fortunate to stay with our friends, the Hoare family in the middle of our trip, in their beautiful home in Ballycotton, and my mom joined us there. The people, countryside, and seaside were lovely.

While in Ballycotton, Brian and I contracted Covid. During this time, we also received exciting news: Justin had proposed to Amanda in Dublin! They didn’t make it to Ballycotton, but they FaceTimed us to share the news (as we were literally still holding our positive Covid test strips). We’re thrilled for them and look forward to their wedding on September 12, 2025, here on Long Island.

Brian and our dear friend Marty surprised both Marty’s wife Debbie, and me with a trip to Block Island to celebrate our wedding anniversaries. We were married on the same day, one year apart. It was a wonderful way to mark our 31st and their 30th anniversaries, and we had a great time (as always)!

In September, it was back to school for me. This is my final school year, as I’m retiring in June 2025 after 30 years as a speech pathologist. It’s bittersweet because I love my career, but I’m excited to focus on hiking, sailing, gardening, going to the gym, and traveling (yes, I’m excited as well, as we will not be limited to going away solely during school breaks).

We had a pleasant time when my first cousin Donna visited for a week from Cincinnati. It was great to catch up on the Noll side of the family. Her dad, Wesley, and my mom are siblings. 

Others have come over to visit as well, including our niece Samantha who was on Long Island at a place called Jefferson’s Ferry to do a clinical rotation towards her becoming a Physical Therapist. Sami enjoyed her time there, and thought the place was great. 

In October, Brian’s brother Ben married his girlfriend Madison. Brian thought it would be special to celebrate on what would have been Grandma Sue’s 80th birthday. With just a week to plan, we hosted a backyard wedding on October 20th with 20 guests. It was a beautiful day, and Ben and Madison make a lovely couple. Aaron officiated the ceremony and did a fantastic job.

Some recent news: My mom has decided to move to Jefferson’s Ferry, a Continuing Care Retirement Community (yes, the same place we just mentioned that Samantha did her clinical a few months ago). Her condo is in contract, and the closing is scheduled for mid-January. She’s been on the waiting list for a year to get in. My sisters and I are helping her pack and prepare for this next chapter. She’ll continue working two days a week at the library and staying active with her book groups (book groups is plural, as I believe she is in 4 of them), bridge, and mahjong clubs. She’s an amazing woman and a tough act to follow!

Brian is still enjoying working at his firm doing financial planning and remains quite active playing backgammon with his “backgammon buddies”. He is also the master trip/vacation planner, as well as making sure we have things set and arranged for Amanda’s wedding (flowers, wedding and bridesmaid dresses, and the shower though, I’m happy to steer clear of dealing with any of that).  

We still are involved with “the Fellowship” (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Huntington). If it’s an “outside” type of thing, odds are I’m involved, such as taking care of the memorial garden, helping to run the plant sale, and being one of the “Pumpkin Queens” raising money by selling pumpkins the month of October at our “patch”. (As for myself, and I am still involved with the Finance and Investment committees, chair of the Nominating Committee, and helping to get what we are calling the “Legacy Circle” for donating, established). 

Now for the kids:

• Amanda and Justin are still in Stony Brook, working hard.

• Rebecca and Aaron moved to their own apartment in Farmingdale this past February and are doing well.

• Buddy, our 14-year-old dog, isn’t hearing well, but he still runs up and down the stairs and loves to steal our slippers.

Sending love and warm hugs to you all,

Debbie (and Brian)

Thirty years and still going strong!

Day 1 (August 14), we get to Vancouver to start our adventure

We got up at 3:20AM Monday morning, as we had a 7:30AM flight out of LaGuardia. We had gotten back been home less than 36 hours prior, as we were in Delaware for the week for a "Gray family vacation". Almost everyone was able to be there, except for Brian D. and Sami.

Our flights were fine (had a very brief layover in Chicago), and we spent the afternoon walking around downtown Vancouver, and the section called Gastown.

Oh, and earlier in the afternoon, we were watching a commercial being shot, and the director called over to us, and asked if we would like to be in it!!! Deb answered "Really, are you sure?", to which he replied "Yes, if you want." Deb's reply: "Do you want both of us??", and he replied (luckily, without hesitation): "Sure!" Now, I did mention to Deb I noticed that she seemed to think it was just her that he wanted for it, and she did not dispute it... 

Cohen family yearly recap, 2023

Happy (belated) New Year Family and Friends,

We hope everyone is well and healthy!  We have been blessed with another wonderful year.

Our year started off with a trip to the east coast of Florida.  Brian and I are looking to snowbird within the next few years.  We have been looking for areas and homes which we think we might like. Lots of people ask if we are selling the house in Greenlawn.  The answer right now is “NO” - I love New York and I especially love the summers here with sailing and the beaches (taxes and traffic though….).  Stay tuned to see where we decide to spend our winter months.

In April, Brian, Mom, and I took a trip up the coast all the way to Maine.  I spent a lot of time in Castine, ME when I was at the University of Maine.   I have such fond memories with dear friends, Karen, Doug, and Jim, from so many years ago.  So, while in Castine visiting our nephew Lucas who is there attending Maine Maritime Academy - MMA, I was able to see my friend Karen.  It was so wonderful to reconnect with her.  Her husband Doug and Jim weren’t there.  I was sad I didn’t get to see them.  Jim, however, let us stay at one of his properties overlooking Castine harbor and the MMA ship. 

Lucas loves going to MMA, and it seems like a perfect fit for him (lots of valves for Lucas to deal with and talk about. Trust me, it’s a big thing with him). On our way to and from there, it was great to be able to spend time with our niece Sami who is in the Doctor of Physical Therapy at Franklin Pierce in New Hampshire (Samilita is regrettably a fellow NY Jets sufferer, so we do have that unfortunate bond).

Also in April, Brian and I stayed over at his cousin Ellen and Ray’s beautiful apartment in Manhattan, as we were there to celebrate Passover with them and the Epstein’s and a few of their friends. We had a great time as usual with them all, and it was nice that we stayed over to spend some extra time with Ellen and Ray, and catching up with their adventures around the world. It was then an utter shock to us, and to all, that Ray passed away suddenly just a few weeks later.

Words cannot express the shock as he was not only young, but probably in the best shape of anyone we know. Likewise, words cannot express the sorrow we feel, specifically for Ellen and her daughters Rebecca and Sarah. The service they had for Ray was both touching and beautiful, and we learned more about all the time and effort he gave to help those less fortunate. (My sentiments exactly, and I personally appreciated his love for games that make you think, as well as subtle verbal jabs, sly sense of humor, and a person that was truly comfortable in unapologetically being comfortable with who he was. He is and will be missed).

The summer was filled with a Cohen family reunion as well as my 40th High School reunion.  Of course it was the same weekend in July!  However, it was a magical weekend with the entire Cohen clan from the West Coast and New England family members attending. 

Brian and I hosted the Cohen reunion at the house both Friday and Saturday.  Then to continue the festivities I held a 40th High School brunch reunion at the house on Sunday, while Brian held a separate brunch for his family at his office.  I just wish everyone lived closer, I just adore Brian’s family and would like to spend more time with them (and I know that they adore Deb as well). 

It was wonderful to rekindle my relationships with my high school friends. My high school friends are just as amazing as well and I hope to see them more often too.  As I get older life has nothing to do with “things”, it all has to do with the people in our lives and the memories we create with them.  I guess I am finally becoming an adult and realizing the importance of what it really means to be happy and fulfilled.  There was so much laughter and fun at both events.  It makes what life is all about!! Don’t get me wrong, I am always looking for a good time and laughter and I certainly don’t take myself too seriously (yes, that is quite true!).

In August, we started the month in Delaware.  Mom rented a house where the entire family could stay.  It was a beautiful resort with plenty of fun activities for everyone to do, and we had a great time (and I truly enjoy Deb’s family as well, and am fortunate that we get to spend a good amount of time together). 

Then Brian and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary with a trip to Vancouver and British Columbia.  It was magical! In Victoria, Brian surprised me when we stayed at the same B&B we had stayed at 28 years ago.  The owner Joan is quite the character and since she only rents it out to people who had previously stayed there, it was very special, and Brian timed it so that on our actual anniversary, the day was spent at the Butchart Gardens, which was a perfect setting.  

We also toured Banff and Lake Louise. It was beautiful, though unfortunately the wildfires made visibility very challenging, especially when looking out over the mountains. Still, it was a great trip.

Another exciting event took place in August.  Aaron, Rebecca’s boyfriend, joined Brian’s company (Landmark).  He appears to really like the job and the interaction with all the guys in the office.  Rebecca is still at Ipsos and is doing well there. They have travelled fairly extensively during the year, and are often out and about doing fun things. It has been wonderful to have them live with us, though they are in the midst of looking at apartments (enough on that subject, as Deb gets teary at the thought).

September was back to work. My partner in crime at work, Beth, unfortunately was out at the beginning of the school year.  She had to have neck surgery and returned in late October.  So, it was very quiet in the speech room and I was able to get an amazing amount of work done.  However, it was lonely and there wasn’t any laughter without her.  Thank goodness her surgery was a success, and she is back!  I leave work every day now with a permanent smile on my face because we have so much fun together.

My friend Valerie and I went to Charleston in September, to celebrate her receiving her Master’s degree.  We were able to stay at Judy Drew and Reggie Fairchild’s beautiful home on Dewees Island.  I have known the Drews’ since I began sailing as a teenager and remained in contact with them over the years.  We were also reconnected with Judy’s mom Mrs. Drew and Stephanie and enjoyed a delicious dinner with all.  It was so good to see everyone!

Amanda remains working part-time at Stony Brook University and she is completing her Associates degree at Suffolk Community College.  It isn’t easy working and taking four classes a semester in general. and she is doing it on top of work and we are super proud of her.  Her boyfriend Justin is working at AMC movie theatre and continues to enjoy his job.

October is when Brian feels "abandoned” (though I have learned not to complain which is fair, as Deb is “abandoned” most Tuesday evenings as I go to play backgammon, and the 3-4 weekend tournaments that I attend during the year). 

Our Fellowship fundraiser is the Pumpkin Patch where we sell pumpkins to the community.  It is an awesome event; we are open every day and this year we made a profit of $10,000.  I love it, and with the other pumpkin queens - Amy, Peggy, and I, continue to work together amazingly well, so Brian is often on his own during the month of October (😊).

My mom Carol is 82 and is doing fantastic.  She continues to work Monday and Tuesdays at the library (and her social calendar rivals’ people half her age!).  

Have a great 2024, and if we haven’t gotten together or spoken in a while, reach out and say hello (ditto)!

Love and happiness,

Debbie (and Brian)

Cohen family yearly recap, 2022

Happy New Year Family and Friends, 

 Welcome (a bit belatedly) to 2023! I hope you all are happy and healthy. Our year has been filled with lots of new adventures. 

 Brian and I started our traveling this past year by visiting Florida in February. We began to look at various communities on the west coast of Florida to see where we might like to snowbird, as well as seeing some friends while we were there. 

  This year will be looking at the east coast of Florida. Brian really doesn’t like the cold and wants to be somewhere warm during the NY winter months. I love just being outdoors. It can be warm or cold it doesn’t matter to me (though as it has been pointed out, it is much easier and nicer to be outside when it’s warm!)*. 

*(in the parentheses are for the most part the editor, Brian, chiming in when necessary) 

  In April was my sister Lauren’s 50th birthday, and Mom, Susan, Lauren, and I celebrated that with a weekend in NYC. We had so many laughs and good times. 

  April was a bit of a road trip was visiting nieces and close family friends kids at their colleges. We started in Massachusetts to visit our niece Ali at Western New England University. Then through Albany, and onto Oneonta to visit close family friends Lyz and Michael Mortati and their “significant others” (which on April 19th, got about a half foot of snow the day we arrived), then to Rochester to visit our godson Ben Lapidus (who just graduated and is living and working in Charlotte), and also Nick DiCesare, the son of our friends and neighbors. Then a stop in Gettysburg to head to Washington D.C. so Brian could play in a Backgammon tournament, while I explored D.C. on my own. It was a lot of driving, yet lots of fun. 

  In June we took our nieces Sami, Ali, and Maggie to Philadelphia. We saw and did the usual things there (along with comparing various cheesesteaks), but in general it was just nice to have quality time with them! 

In Philly with Maggie, Sami, and Ali (note, when viewed from the American Jewish Museum side, it reads quite appropriately as OY!)

  Summer was then upon us. Brian and I were away for three weeks in Europe. We started in Milan for a couple of days, did a day trip to a cute town in Switzerland (Lugano) as well as to Lake Como. Yes, George Clooney waved from his villa as we passed by (NOT). Then off to other towns in Italy - Modena, and Bologna. In Bologna we met up with the entire Gray clan to take a Greek Cruise. This was Mom’s trip for the family this year. It is becoming more and more of a challenge to get everyone one together. The cruise was amazing. We went to Montenegro, Athens, Corfu, and other islands. After a week, we said goodbye to the family. Brian and I stayed on the ship and did another cruise to Croatia and more Greek Islands. All and all it was a wonderful experience. 

(Brian, Debbie, and Rebecca with the Dassatti clan in Europe)

  August was a long weekend to upstate New York, with Amanda, Rebecca, and their boyfriends for Lyz Mortati’s wedding to Alex. A great ceremony and little getaway for us (and an opportunity where “the girls” allowed Dad to dance with them as well).

(Aaron, Rebecca, Brian, Debbie, Amanda, and Justin)

  October was another trip, this time to Southern California. Brian had a work trip and I tagged along. It was so much fun. The hotel had bikes, so while Brian was in meetings I was toodleing (not really a word, but the word seems to work) along on the Pacific Coast Hwy for hours. It was awesome! We also stayed with Brian’s long-time friend Bruce and his wife Alex in L.A. and they showed us a wonderful time. In addition, we had dinner with Brian’s cousins Victor and Jono and their families one night. Many laughs were had, I just wished they lived closer to us. They are all wonderful people and it was great to see them. 

  Also in October there was another “work event” for Brian in NYC. This company rents out the entire Lincoln Center complex and has surprise guests to perform during lunch and at the end of the conference. You sign up without knowing who will be performing. During lunch we saw an hour of the Michael Jackson show, which is performing on Broadway. The company bought the cast to us at Lincoln Center. The BEST was the guest at the end of the conference. One of my favorite artists Bruno Mars!! I was thrilled. I danced the entire time. However, when you are there with a lot of straight-laced investment people they are DULL!! (Wow, someone is a bit judgmental there) No-one else was having a better time than me (true, but that seems like most of the time anyway 😉). Heck, I didn’t care at 57, I danced my way out of the conference. I can’t wait to go again next year!! Maybe some wives of Brian’s co-workers will go with me. They would make it lots of fun! (and at least I would not be the only one among the thousands to be slightly embarrassed) 

  Right after Christmas, we had a wonderful surprise when my cousin Jackie came to NYC to visit during the holiday break. She and her family live in Australia so we rarely see them. She came with her husband Lachlan and their two daughters Ella and Chloe. The entire Gray clan met them at a bar in NYC one afternoon. It was so great to see them. We laughed and laughed and caught up on their lives. I hope to see them again soon. 

                                              (Susan, Lauren, Jackie, and Debbie)

  On the home front, since Amanda and Rebecca had moved out, we enjoyed being “empty nesters”. Luckily, we truly enjoy each other’s company (I will second that), and it is much easier when it’s just the two of us for dinners, etc. 

  Rebecca’s boyfriend Aaron graduated from UConn this past May and works remotely in a 16 month rotational program at Sun Life Insurance company. Rebecca works for Ipsos and was recently promoted to be an associate consultant, and also works remotely. Rebecca still had her apartment in the city, but the lease was coming up and Aaron needed a place to go to. Rebecca, as she has traveling in her blood, decided this would be a great opportunity to travel around and as long as they had Wi-Fi, could work from anywhere. However, they of course needed a “home base” to use in between their travels. What to do?? 

  Goodbye to us as empty nesters, and hello to having Rebecca come back, along with her boyfriend Aaron. It actually has been really nice. Aaron has the middle room as his own and works out of Amanda’s (old) room and Rebecca works out of the dining room when they are here. Aaron is great to be around and loves sports so Brian is really happy about that (he’s not a Mets or Jets fan, but that’s okay since he is not obnoxious about it, and better for him that he doesn’t have to suffer). Rebecca is Rebecca and somehow Aaron puts up with all her energy. They have traveled every month and it is great to hear about all their adventures. 

  Amanda and her boyfriend Justin are doing well in Stony Brook. In the fall they bought a beautiful dog and named her Lucy. She has a lot of energy and very cute. Amanda continues to work hard at Stony Brook, and has been taking a few courses too, and doing well. Justin works at the AMC theater and enjoys his job there. 

  Brian and I are the same (as well as our “third child”, our dog Buddy). Work is good for both of us, and Brian enjoys playing backgammon weekly, and occasionally goes to larger tournaments for fun. 

(Photographic evidence of sisterly love!!)

(Amanda, Rebecca, Deb, and Mom/Grandma Carol)

  We just keep laughing and enjoying life. We don’t take life too seriously (at least not Deb). Brian does the planning and worrying if needed for us (yes, that is too true)! As I get older, I care less about the little things and more about my relationships with family and friends. When you are younger you are just trying to survive adulthood. Been there, done that. Now I am reverting back to being a kid with no worries - except for the big stuff like life and death (which reminds me – “Besides that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?”) 

  I will leave you now with a quote I have on my computer at work:

“Surround yourself with people who make you happy. People who make you laugh, who help you when your in need. People who would never take advantage of you. People who genuinely care. They are the ones worth keeping in you life. Everyone else is just passing through.” 

Love, Debbie (and Brian)

Cohen family yearly recap, 2021

Dear Family and Friends,

We hope you are healthy this time of year. Here in NY, the COVID rates are crazy, back to lines to get tested and wearing our masks everywhere (though so much better than where we all were a year ago). I am happy to report we are doing just fine amongst all this (fingers crossed!).

All was quiet until the end of March when I decided to have a huge bunion removed and a toe straightened. Don’t do it unless you have to!! (The fact of fainting two different times in the doctor’s office may also be a cause for some bias against it). I was back to using scooters and hopping along for months. The doctor told me about a long recovery period, and I chose not to believe it. Well, it wasn’t until this September that I was able to wear my shoes again, but all is good now.

The month of May was a busy one for us. My mom turned 80. I still can’t believe it! She certainly doesn’t look or act her age. The planning began during a winter snowstorm in January. That is when the plan was “hatched”. Mom made it very clear “No party.” So we thought outside the box. Since we all love to travel let’s take mom on a trip… stupid COVID! That wouldn’t work, so how about a trip just in a different way? We (Susan, Lauren and I) wrote and got in contact with everyone we knew that mom knew. To do that it included me sneaking into her home a couple of times while she was at work to retrieve family photos and copy her address book. We asked them to write or share a little story about mom. Next, the actual celebration. We decided to take Mom on a three-legged trip at Susan’s house in Connecticut. On May 8th, her actual birthday, the Gray family had our first flight of the trip to Spain with mock passports and seats set-up like an airplane outside in Susan’s backyard. We were virtually taking off to Spain, Mom in first class with a blanket and eating appetizers from Spain. After Spain the second flight was to Italy where the main course was Italian and the in-flight movie was the slide show all about Mom created from family and friends. Thank you to all who participated. It was loved by everyone and a special shout out to Lauren and my niece Ali for putting the movie together. The last flight was back home to NY, where we had desserts from New York, cheesecake, black and white cookies, etc. All the grandkids gave my mom the New York Times book which has the front page of May 8 of the NYT from the past 80 years. She loved our trip and book! The festivities didn’t end there…

Rebecca graduated from UConn two days later. She was able to walk at graduation and we celebrated by having a lovely party in Connecticut with the family. It was a whirlwind of a weekend and was so much fun! Two awesome celebrations within two days.

In June, Rebecca had a summer internship at PricewaterhouseCoopers until August (she graduated as an accounting major). Brian and his partners moved into a new office space.  It has more space and a great conference room and kitchen. It is just down the street from the old office however, there is much more room and has beautifully decorated offices.

Summer was calm and peaceful, hiking, going to the beach and seeing lots of friends. We were able to take a vacation to Connecticut and Massachusetts.  We stayed in the Berkshires and did lots of hiking.  We also attended a concert at Tanglewood to hear conductor John Williams perform with the Boston Pops. It was a wonderful experience and highly recommend going to Tanglewood for one of their outdoor concerts.

Brian being Brian decided in August that we need to “diversify our portfolio”.  So he (we) decided to go into real estate. In a three-day time period we looked and bought another house. It happened very quickly, and we bought a house in Stony Brook just about a mile from my mom’s house. It wasn’t planned, it just worked out that way. Amanda and her boyfriend Justin are living there. It is a lovely three-bedroom ranch on a flat large piece of property in a great neighborhood. 

They are responsible for the property taxes (which as Long Islanders know, isn’t cheap!), utilities, and general upkeep. The best part is that it is down the street from Stony Brook University hospital where she works. 

At the same time, Rebecca was looking for an apartment in Manhattan with her friend Lauren. I was taking them into the city to look at various places. The rents are out of control and many apartments have no sunlight. It is hard to explain when you live in a house with lots of windows. Many apartments face another building so you look at brick or a dark alleyway. So depressing. However, they managed to find a doorman building with huge windows overlooking someone's penthouse garden. It is on Fulton Street in lower Manhattan and when you walk out of their building the Freedom Tower is right there. It is small yet cheerful. 

No, that is not Grandma Carol becoming a bag lady, it is her keeping guard as we were moving Rebecca in and had no place to park. 

Brian had his head spinning in paperwork from buying a house and being a guarantor for the apartment. Needless to say he did it all. Both girls are in their new homes. (Making us officially empty nesters – which is sad yet fun and liberating at the same time!)

Rebecca started briefly working with Brian, but after a few weeks decided that her “soul wasn’t in it” and decided to step away from that (for the time being at least) and is now working for a market research company called Ipsos in the healthcare advisory practice as an analyst, she is virtual and is hoping that she may go into their offices soon. 

In September, after moving everyone into their places, Brian and I took off for vacation. We went with our dear friends Debbie and Marty to Scottsdale, Arizona. I wanted somewhere just to relax and not do too much sightseeing. It was wonderful, we stayed at the Phoenician spa and resort and enjoyed every minute. It was the perfect combination of relaxation and sightseeing, as we also went to Sedona for a day.

In October, my friend Valerie came to visit from Colorado. I am so glad she flew out, we were joined by another great high school friend, Moira, and then we were able to meet another friend from High School, Ellen for lunch one day. We had a wonderful weekend together. It was like we were back in high school, the conversations and laughter never ended.

Moira, Val, and Deb

November was a sad month for us. Quite a few people we knew passed away. One being Brian’s older cousin Bill Epstein. We go most every summer to visit him and his wife Elaine and their children Eric and Ellen to Sag Harbor. It has become an annual tradition which we continue to this day. Bill was a kind and loving man who cherished his immediate and extended family and friends. Bill always greeted us with open arms and made us feel welcome and special. He will certainly be missed by us all.

Well, that’s about all folks. If you made it this far, congratulations! Brian and I wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year. If anyone happens to be visiting NY, please stop by. We now have a couple of extra bedrooms and love to host family and friends. We are only an hour train ride from the city and the Long Island beaches are gorgeous in the summer.

Aaron, Deb, Rebecca, Brian, Justin, and Amanda

Amanda, Rebecca, and Buddy

Love and Happiness,

Debbie (and Brian)

  

Cohen family yearly recap, 2020

Happy New Year 2021!

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, 2020 is finally behind us, thank goodness.  We hope everyone who is reading this is healthy and safe.  We are all fine in the Cohen household and had a quiet year like everyone else. 2020 started off with Rebecca going to spend the semester abroad at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.  For those who don’t know Rebecca is a very organized person (like her dad) and is prepared with all her lists of things and activities to do, and was packed days ahead of time. Brian and I drove her to JFK on a cold and wintery evening in January of 2020. We got there early so we could have dinner at the airport before she goes.  She goes to check in and they ask for her passport. She opened up her new passport holder to….NOTHING!  

Yes, that is right there is no passport inside her passport holder. Frantically, she realizes she left it in the computer making a copy at home. OMG, what to do?!?! Brian being Brian calmly thinks, while I am in a state of panic - not yelling but just walking around the airport, pacing. Brian comes up with a solution and calls our good friends and neighbors Phyllis and Ron. Ron jumps into action, goes into the house, gets the passport and drives it all the way to JFK airport in the rain/sleet during NY rush hour.  We only had a limited amount of time because of the long flight they wouldn't allow Rebecca to check in after a certain time, and the next flight isn’t until the next day. She then would miss the orientation, which was especially crucial in starting to build relationships as she didn’t know anyone there. The pressure is on!! Will Ron make it?? It was a very tense time but finally, Ron made it with about 10 minutes to spare.  Picture the scene: Brian running holding the passport in his hand, yelling I got it, running as fast as his little legs could carry him. It was like something out of a movie.  We can laugh and chuckle about it now, though it wasn’t so funny then. Off she went to Scotland.

In February Brian, my Mom, and I headed over to Edinburgh to visit Rebecca.  We had a fun filled adventure as always.  We did lots of walking tours in Edinburgh, visited Glasgow and a wonderful road trip up into the Highlands.  The weather was windy, cold, damp and rainy, however, we still had a good time.  After a week's visit we left Rebecca. During this time the COVID virus was making its way through Italy and Spain, but frankly it was something that was not on our radar screen then.  Rebecca was planning to continue her travels throughout Europe.  Needless to say within three weeks we had to get her home. She was about to head to Brussels and told us “If I get stuck in Brussels I will just stay in a hotel and eat Belgian chocolate.”  As news alerted to the seriousness of the pandemic, she came to her senses, and within three days she was home, it was not easy to get her flights, but she managed it, and she stayed with us until she returned to UConn in September. Luckily for Rebecca, she got to see lots of places in Europe every weekend, and she made great friends and really enjoyed her time there. She also had great plans to travel during the rest of the semester and after, but as we all know thanks to the pandemic, that all changed.

In March, as we all shut down, we had a full house. I was doing remote speech therapy from the basement, and Brian worked from home and went back to the office May 1 (more for peace of mind then necessity!), in May, Amanda changed her hours at Stony Brook to the day shift 7am to 3pm, and in June, Rebecca had a paid internship with CVS and worked remotely from the middle room. Back to the topic of cancelled travel plans, we were days away from leaving for Florida last March among other trips that were in the works. Amanda had a great week-long Mediterranean cruise planned with her friends Bridget and Christine, and she was then going to spend time with her friend Rachel in London. Alas, not to be.

The only truly exciting thing that happened this past year was our new backyard. Back in November 2019 we hired a landscape designer to redo our small backyard.  His plans were amazing and in March we started with putting in an additional patio, then in May and June came the plants and the electrical work.  I am so glad we did this, as the timing could not have been more perfect.  We were able to entertain outside while keeping socially distant and have friends and family over during the summer and into the late fall.

In August, Brian and I were able to get away for a few days and went to Princeton, NJ to go to an outdoor sculpture garden. It was nice to get away for a few days, even though not much was going on anywhere.

In September, I went back to work, and am seeing children in person every day. I do have some remote students who I work with on-line.  It is a very different way of doing therapy.  However, I would much rather work with them in person any day of the week.  Brian continues to go into the office every day, so our lives are back to normal.  Rebecca went back to school and lives in an apartment with three other women at UConn, is graduating this May, and is still seeing her boyfriend Aaron. Amanda moved out of our house and is renting Grandpa Malcolm and Grandma Susan’s condo in Manorville (further out on the island).  She and her boyfriend Justin are in their beautiful two-bedroom condo that is right next to a golf course.  Not too shabby for your first time living on their own.  Brian and I are loving being empty nesters.  We don’t know how long this will last, so we enjoy every minute we can get.  Life is calmer and it is nice not to get attitude from our kids...😀

P.S. - Last year Brian started to lose weight because of his wake-up call with his stent in November 2019.  As a proud wife/friend I need to share.  To date he has lost over 75 pounds. He looks terrific and I am so proud of him!

P.P.S. (from the editor) – Deb has lost some weight as well (not nearly as much as I did, but then she did not have much to lose), and as for looking terrific, well, she always has!  

Wishing all of you a Happy New Year, be safe and healthy!!

All our love,

Debbie, Brian, Amanda, Rebecca, and Buddy

Cohen family yearly recap, 2019

Happy (belated) New Year 2020!

St. Michael's Cave in Gibraltar

We hope this email finds you all well and happy.  This past year was filled with calmness and some traveling.  To catch you all up, we just returned from Spain about two weeks ago.  My Mom took everyone to the Costa del Sol for Christmas 2019.  We started in Granada then drove through miles of olives trees to get to Malaga, and we hiked an amazing gorge where we were right on the edge of steep mountains.  We then went to Marbella, which like Malaga is right on the Mediterranean. Then it was on to explore Gibraltar on the way to a night in Jerez, then off to Seville for two nights, and then for New Year’s Eve partying in Toledo in the town square with live music, dancing, fireworks and everyone eating and swallowing (or trying to at least) 12 grapes very quickly followed by Cava (Spanish Champagne).  We were there for a week with the entire family.  Everyone flew back on New Year’s Day except Brian, Amanda, and I we went to Madrid and then to Barcelona for a few extra days.  Side note Rebecca had been to Barcelona the previous year and didn’t want to go again, so she went home with everyone else plus she needed to get ready as she left for study abroad just a few days later.  We enjoyed our trip seeing the sights, spending time with the family, and having our fill of paella and tapas. The trip to Spain was a really nice way to end 2019.

Ringing in the New Year with Mom in Toledo, Spain

Brian and I did a little bit of traveling last year. It started with Mom, Susan, Lauren and I heading to Montreal to see my nephew Adam at McGill University.  He was on the McGill lumberjack team so we went to see him literally “cut wood.”  It was a lot of fun, however very cold.  We also met our friend Rachel for dinner while in Montreal.  Her sister Elaine and I were exchange students when I was 16 years old. They lived in England and we have remained friends throughout all these years. Rachel is hysterical and is a blast to be with.

Gray girls in Montreal 2019

Brian went on “spring break” in Florida in March (he called it seeing friends, family, and clients in Florida and going to two spring training games – I just call it spring break!).  Even still, I joined him for a long weekend in the Boca/West Palm area.  It was lovely to get away even for a short break.

In April we went to see my dear friend Valerie.  We went to Colorado Spring, Denver, Estes Park and Boulder.  It was great to see Val’s new home in Denver and spend time with her.  I thought Denver was beautiful and flat, and I wasn’t expecting that.  From Val’s home we could see the snowcapped mountains in the distance, just stunning!

In May, we headed for a different type of vacation Nashville with our friends Debbie and Marty.  Well, those southerners know how to party, as Nashville was out of control!  We had a blast and danced and drank our way through the weekend. It was so much fun. Brian also went on a work-related trip to Washington DC for a couple of days, and the good news is he got to thoroughly enjoy going to an economic conference and spending time doing things that I would have absolutely no interest in, such as going to the Library of Congress, and the Supreme Court.

With Debbie and Marty in Nashville

In July, I had hernia surgery. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go swimming or exercise for the summer break, so I spent it quietly at home recovering.  At the end of July, I did go with Mom, Susan, and Lauren up to Maine.  My nephew Lucas was on a sailing adventure from Connecticut to Maine (where we had to pick him up), so we all went to get him.  On our way there all we did was “drive, shop, eat and repeat.”  We had a lot of laughter.  When we picked up Lucas he almost had to run alongside the car because it was filled with “stuff”.  Don’t worry, we managed to squeeze him in.  In August, Brian and I went upstate NY to be counselors at a UU camp.  It was the same structure of the camp which the girls went to on Shelter Island for many years, they just changed the location.  It was Brian’s first time and we both had an enjoyable experience and plan to return next summer (if travel plans don’t get in the way of course!). 

In October all of us went out to LA for a Cohen family reunion with the “excuse” being Brian’s Uncle Ron’s 80^th birthday celebration.  It was fantastic, as the Cohen clan on the west coast did an amazing job planning and executing the weekend.  It was especially great for Amanda and Rebecca to meet Brian’s Aunts, Uncles and cousins.  It was a really special weekend and we are so glad we all went.

Yes, this is the actual Brady Bunch house!

Now for the update on the family. Right before Thanksgiving Brian and I were discussing our week ahead.  It was a Sunday night and he shares that on Wednesday of that week he is going to the hospital.  Me being me says “are you having a baby?” Unfortunately, that was not it.  He was going in for an angioplasty because a test came back indicating there may be a blockage.  Needless to say I was shocked and of course took the day to be with him.  It was like going to the mechanic for an oil change at the hospital, the patients went in and out all day, it was amazing.  The end result is that there was an 80% blockage and they put a stent in. He was home the same day.  This was a wakeup call for him and as result he has lost 25lbs to date.  I am so proud of him; it was certainly a rude awakening how life can change very quickly. 

Rebecca is a junior at UConn and switched her major back to accounting.  In May, she went to Portugal on a school trip, and on the way home stopped by London for a couple of days to see some friends. Over the summer she worked at the Teddy Roosevelt Sanctuary in Oyster Bay.  She loved the program and enjoyed working as a camp counselor.  In December she moved all her stuff out of her dorm because she is spending the spring semester abroad in Scotland.  She left January 7^th and is having a great time so far, and we are looking forward to visiting her next month. Rebecca will be working in West Hartford most of this coming summer, as she secured an internship with Aetna that she is very excited about.

Amanda continues to work at Stony Brook Hospital. She continues to be active with the UUFH and helps out some Sundays in the religious education program and participates in our local young adult youth group here. She also bought a brand new car a few months ago, a beautiful red Mazda SUV that she picked out. 

Brian and I are at our respected jobs and we both continue to enjoy our careers.  We still laugh and enjoy each other company.  We wish you all a Healthy and Happy (even though belated) New Year!

Hugs to all,

Debbie, her editor Brian, Amanda, Rebecca, and Buddy