The word "chachka" is a Yiddish word meaning small trinket. Many of us collect something. My mother collected dolls, Lladros, plates, fairies and clowns. My father collected beer steins, miniature cars. They had so much stuff in their house. Is it worth collecting these types of Chachkas? I'm at fault...
The Year of the Pig
When I heard it was the Chinese Year of the Pig, I said to myself, "of course it is..." And, I'll tell you why... When I was living in an apartment in Long Beach, I had purchased a small fake pig made out of wood and placed it in my...
How to Get Your Parent to Move into an Independent Living Facility
For the past few years, my siblings and I have thought about how to get our parent to move to an independent living facility, but couldn't bring ourselves to make the decision. Interestingly, I get a call from my dad. He was at his girlfriend's apartment in Kings Point, Tamarac....
Quilt Filled with Love
My cousin and I grew up together. Many summers she and her brothers would spend the time at my parents' home in Long Beach. We didn't live far from the beach, maybe a quarter mile away and at the end of our block, we had the bay. So, as children,...
Golf at CitiField?
Could you imagine playing golf at CitiField, where the Mets play? Well, it happened during one chilly weekend in November. Thankfully, the night my husband and I went, it wasn't raining. It was, however, 35 degrees F with a 20 mph wind. It was cold! My kids bought us two...
Q & A About Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, is one of the biggest medical challenges of our time. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 5.7 million Americans of all ages are living with Alzheimer's disease in 2018. Although the search for effective ways to treat or prevent Alzheimer’s...
Fairy Tale Wedding in Connecticut
When we got the invitation to my friend, Madeline's daughter's wedding, I was excited. My husband and I had been there when she gave birth to Michelle, 29 years ago, so it was particularly emotional. We arrived in Connecticut about 2 hours after our departure from Long Island and saw...
Is 23andMe.com Worth It?
Is 23andMe.com Worth it? I got the itch...Everyone was doing it, why shouldn't I? I bought three kits - one for my dad, my husband and me. I found out that I was 99.6 percent Ashkenozi, which surprised me a little. After getting the results and finding them somewhat interesting,...
A Magical Wedding in Vail, Colorado
A Magical Wedding in Vail, Colorado My family and I flew into Denver International airport on Friday night, around 8 pm. We were going to meet my son there. He was in Phoenix for the summer at an internship and if all worked out, he would land a half hour...
Medical Errors – Third Leading Cause of Death in the US
Medical Errors - Third Leading Cause of Death in the US Did you know that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in America, after heart disease and cancer? Avoidable medical mistakes that cause life-altering harm happen every day. In this episode of Hilary Topper on Air, Hilary will be...