Mostly Happy …
It’s always hard to narrow down the things that make me happy on any given day, but between the celebrations of Barbara White’s and her brother-in-law Richie’s lives the other day with a family who truly loves them, to the Girls Café this morning, everybody just has to be happier.
It was truly old Highlands at the VFW Post home last Saturday as family members came from Florida and further to recall so many memories of the Whites and their days in Highlands. Memories from the adults who still talk about how happy their childhood was, from jumping off the bridge to sneaking out at night for some extra time on the beach.
Great memories, great people, and all with fond and happy memories of the Highlands that was so much fun in the 1960s, 70s and more.
Then, with Cathy and Vera winding down their careers slowly after making The Girls Café the IN place to be any day, it’s so nice the gals that are keeping up their traditions right along with them are as great as they are.
Whether you call her Gracie, or Gaile, or Hey, You, she’s a charmer….no matter what, you can’t take away that smile on her face as she is adding to her resume with her new talent as a waitress.
Of course, Kitty right alongside her and working just as hard has that quiet kind of charm that just lets you know how efficient and eager to please both of them are.
But there’s nobody like Charlie, who doesn’t say a heck of a lot, but she sure knows how to make those cheese omelets, those huge pancakes, and even the best grilled bagels anyplace. Cathy and Vera ARE The Girls Café, but there are other Girls who have picked up their charm and expertise and are filled with joy as well. It is certainly a place that makes you happy.
Also happy to see so many people are finally getting to know there really is a special election coming up that’s so important, the school boards think, it couldn’t wait another six weeks for the regular election which would be so much cheaper and in which so many more people would vote.
The Sept. 26 election …costly as it has been so far, is to decide whether Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Henry Hudson should be one district instead of the three districts they are now and which they’ve been for 50 years or so.
So what’s the big rush?
Is it so the superintendent is sure of keeping her job?
Is it to be sure Sea Bright, who really wants to join Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, can’t bring its million dollars or so to help offset taxes?
Is it so the superintendent only has to answer to nine people instead of 26?
Sea Bright, Highlands and Atlantic Highlands kids have played together, laughed together, had fun together for decades, why not just let them all learn together as well?
Spending so much money just to get things done in a hurry is nothing short of irresponsible and a waste of taxpayers’ dollars.
The only thing that makes me unhappy about the whole thing is why not one of those three boards is even asking if the superintendent might have a possible conflict leading the charge to get this election done in such a rush.
If Sea Bright becomes part of the district, that means Oceanport, where those kids go to school now, will lose all the money Sea Bright gives them, raising taxes in Oceanport.
Oh yeah, that’s where the superintendent lives and pays taxes, Oceanport… Not so Happy
