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34 The Courier SUN • JANUARY 8, 2015 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com victoria’s secrets VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS vschneps@gmail.com tweet me @vschneps Jillian and her doll dressed identically Dynamic $1000 off Lumineers $500 off Invisalign DENTAL WORK Free Whitening included the inViSiBle WAy to Some excluSionS Apply StrAighten teeth third generation dentist 175-15 Jamaica avenue, Jamaica 718-297-4100 • 718-297-4106 A week of joy and sadness With funerals and sadness all around me as two police officers and our respected and beloved governor were laid to rest, I was delighted to spend some precious time with my stepson Jon, his wife Hillary and 3-year-old Jillian in New York for a vacation from their home in sunny Sarasota, Fla. The images of tears shed by the loved ones of police officers slain by a mad gunman moved a nation. It was with a heavy heart that I spoke to Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney at the farewell party for retiring Community Board 2 leader Joe Conley about the need to have a dialogue with the community about tensions with the police. We hope to hold “healing hearings” to begin this month. As a former teacher I believe we are always learning and the more we know about each other, the better comfort zone we can have. My heart goes out to Matilda Cuomo who lost her beloved Mario. They were each other’s best friends. I met Matilda 30 years ago when I began my newspapers and had the pleasure and fun of interviewing her when she was First Lady of New York in her home in Holliswood, Queens. Her charm and warmth and intelligence impressed me then and my respect for her has only grown over the years. Matilda made an impressive impact when Mario was governor with her Mentoring USA program. She published powerful books featuring successful people recalling their experiences with mentors who helped them over their lifetime. She has continued her work to this day. But perhaps her most successful mission was raising five extraordinary children. We had just spoken when she was struggling with taking her loving husband home from the hospital where doctors had done all they could to help him. Since I had experienced the same problem when my dearest husband was so sick, I knew how important it was to us both to have our loved one home. And so our former governor was in his home surrounded by everyone he loved as he lost his last battle. He will be eternally remembered, and he left a legacy of his beautiful, loving family. On a totally light, joyous note, I had the delight of taking my three Sarasota family members to lunch at The Cafe on the third floor of the American Girl store. What fun to see 3-year-old Jillian take a baby doll from the shelf and put her in a seat at the table in a pink and polka dot girlie environment. The internationally renowned American Girl brand seems to have had half the world visiting the store last week. The crowds were shoulder to shoulder, and when I went to the counter to buy Jillian her doll and a tutu, the lines snaked around the entire floor! It’s another world of frill and fluff and fun and a great break from the heaviness of life. It’s a new year and as an optimist I feel it will be a great one. So, here’s to all my loyal readers. Happy New Year! Lunch at The Cafe with Jillian and her new friend With Matilda at a dance performance she sponsored at Lincoln Center Jillian, Hillary and I loved visiting the American Girl store last week Loving her lunch mate


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