Happy Birthday, Carmine

I'm not much for sappy or sentimental, but I can easily say that you have been a wonderful friend, mentor, and father-in-law a son (not "son-in-law", and no, I won't let you live that greeting card blunder down) could ask for.  We always enjoy your company and are blessed to have you, Rosie, and the rest of our Kentucky family so close by.  I still remember the first time we met at Piccola Bussola in Mineola, NY, and will never forget my clear instructions not to let my eyes wander around the place (or I could end up at the bottom of the Long Island Sound with really heavy concrete shoes), and the fact that the valet couldn't start my Hyundai when dinner was over  Since then we have shared many good times and special occasions, including my wedding (where I don't think John could stop laughing whenever he was around you), to the birth of Christopher (and your fist-pumping "YES!" when we announced we had a boy), to graduation in the pouring rain, to the many IU auctions which have so inexpensively filled your unfinished basement with monitors, CPUs, computer mice, and keyboards out the wazoo.

I (we) hope your 70th birthday is everything you wanted it to be, and we're happy to be able to celebrate it with you.

All the best -

Mark