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)