The Party

It’s New Year’s Eve and no one has been talking about the “Party”. There is one almost every year and this year no one has mentioned what to bring, who will be coming or what time to arrive. This is most unusual as there has been a party worth remembering once a year for my entire life.

Well, never mind, I will just show up as usual and I am sure that no one will mind. My invitationless situation is absolutely an oversight and there are sure to be several people there that I will know.

My black velvet top and black and white plaid taffeta skirt will be perfect for tonight as it is just a short walk across the yard to the party- no need to worry about a coat or boots. That is always the way, just run out the front door and there you are.

Oh look, Jimmy’s there! He must be home from the Navy for the holiday. Mom is already there helping out with the preparations. Dad will come as soon as he is off work, or he will simply drive the patrol car over a little before midnight. Uncle Bill and Aunt Emily are here as well which is unusual. Jack just drove up with some extra champagne though he hasn’t been drinking now for years. Annie and John are here too; but truth be told, I am anxiously waiting for their three handsome sons. I have a terrible crush on the middle one; probably will for my entire life.

Terry and Pat are here from the city and Margie and Al as well. I wonder what they have done with their little ones. Anne and Howell will be coming in a minute but Diane has decided to remain in the city with her friends. How jealous am I!!

There’s a fire in the fireplace and the music is a little lower than usual; but the conversation is lively and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. Funny though, almost everyone seems to have reached back in their closets to come up with some retro clothing.

I have always wondered why Auntie Maude and Uncle Walter only came over to our house and not to the rest of the neighbors; but here they are. Maude has died her hair purple again but by spring it will be pink. Uncle Walter is dressed like a cowboy with a string tie and his old Mayor’s badge pinned to his chest.

How warm I feel, safe in a familiar home with loved ones all around. Suddenly drowsy, I sit in the big arm chair with a throw over my shoulders.

Dad has arrived and it must be close to midnight. Oh look, he is doing his usual New Year’s jig which is a combination of Irish dancing and a Russian squat thrust kicking his legs straight out as he jumps up and down. Jack reaches down to pluck me from my reverie to ask for a dance.

“Hey, wake up! Come on! It is almost time………….”. Debbie and Roy are here and my husband, Ron. The children have all gone their merry way to other towns and other States. The four of us are alone in Debbie’s cozy home and not at the yearly party at Barb and Jack’s. Oh, that’s right………….. They have all passed on now, only Barb remains here with those of us that still live on. But just for a minute or so, Oh what a lovely time I had!

My Mother's Hands

I looked down in my lap, and there folded before my eyes were my Mother's hands. No not really; but my hands have somehow begun to look like my Mother's. It is important at this point in my written conversation to point out that I have always had shorter fingers, rather chubby and sweaty hands in my youth. My daughter and my sisters all have long thin fingers, like Mom's.

But somehow, during this magical season, my hands have morphed into a reasonable likeness of Mom's hands. I don't have her long strong nails, probably because I never take the time to maintain them. My skin is much dryer than hers because again I don't take the time to maintain it. However, almost like a spiritual possession, I look at my hands and see my Mother's hands in front of me.

I have lost a little weight and I am getting older so this metamorphasis is possible. However, I choose to believe that it is her way of letting me know that she is with me still and channeling her strength to me through her hands and mine.

It could also be that my hands have not changed at all and I am just seeing what I want to see, but don't we all? We see what we want to see and hear what we want to hear; and if no one is hurt by that, let us take comfort where we find it.

I must have been possessed!!

Just some random thoughts here.....About 6 years ago I bought a used Toyota 4-Runner from our daughter's neighbors in North Carolina. Great folks and a great car. I had been experimenting with listening to country music for a while since that was all my son-in-law listened to and that is all that seemed to play on the radio when we traveled to see our daughter in NC. Once I was in the 4-Runner it seemed that was all that I listened to. I even went so far as to purchase country CDs, and I hardly ever buy music. 5 years ago we bought a house in NC and I began to listen to Country Music on the radio there and at home in NY as well. Now that I have given my Toyota 4-Runner to my nephew I hardly listen to country music at all in my other car. Never do I tune in country music at the house; and in fact, I have begun to dislike it all over again. Just sayin, "I must have been possessed!"

A Day in the Life of a Friend of Mine, Another NY Goddess

Today..I decided , spur of the moment...to accompany Hubby on one of his day trips to the city on business, with the 'lure' being ...we would hook up with our kids for dinner.......Here's what transpired.

Around 7 p.m. My two adult children, Hubby and I , had a lovely dinner at a really neat, cozy bar restaurant in Forest Hills Gardens called 'When Pigs Fly'. The restaurant has a small neighborhood bar, a T.V. and 6 tables. They make the most incredible food. The waitress remembered me from last time which was over a year ago. She had followed my recommendations to go to Shadows on the Hudson, which I had quite forgotten. She has a degree in nursing and can't find a job in the city. I'm going to try and help her get employment up here....Lovely girl..She lives with her grandparents in Queens..Henry and I had an hour to 'kill' so before going to that restaurant, we had gone to a Tai restaurant bar called Jade which was attached to Our Daughters building complex. We had some drinks ( I had one gin and tonic...Hubby had 2 vodkas) and popcorn shrimp with a sweet cilantro sauce...which tasted like cilantro in the blender with corn syrup...Very tasty....Waiter, from the Dominican Republic had been working there 4 years and was attending college to become an accountant.( Dunno why , but I always have to play 'guidance counselor' with kids.) After about an hour, the kids arrived...Both came by train which ran across the street on an elevated platform parallel to the restaurant. Our daughter had given Hubby a pile of special passes for displaying on the dashboard of his car so parking on the streets of Forest Hills Gardens is no problem whatsoever. When we used to visit our daughter at her other place..we would have to drive around and around the block to find an opening that was legal.

Hubby had made only one business stop in Bedford Hills ...so the day trip was considerably shortened. Wore my red cowboy boots, knowing I would not be doing much walking. Them boots are made for riding , not walking. Red boots under black plaid pants, red sweater and black naval blazer ( my uniform for traveling).

On the way back to Pine Plains, tonight after saying our goodbys to the kids., Hubbs told me to STOP fiddling with his car radio ( I tend to flip the dials too much looking for just the 'right' song) . He told me to just be quiet...I went to my cell phone and said...'Hmmmm, now WHO should I call?'...He started laughing and said...'Who, of your friends, is awake at this hour?'........So..guess what I did? ::::::.scroll down
>

I dialed HIS cell phone...which rang loud in the car....Henry answered it...with his usual anticipatory Business Voice, "This is _________________!'.......then he realized what I had done.....as my amplified voice came over on his speaker phone flashing bright green all over his dashboard lighting up the lone black night like Christmas on St. Paddy's Day. while we sped along 684 at 74mph....10 o'clock way past high traffic hour.

"Hubbs , you are a real meanie, you won't let me play with the radio'.......I laughed into the phone before he hung up on me.

Cracked us BOTH up...Could not stop laughing....after that.
Sense of humor goes a L-O-N-G W-A-Y...in a L-O-N-G-, wonderful marriage.

Remember that program 'I married Joan? '......Remember George and Gracie Allen......? ........ha, ha, ha........and Hennie Youngman..'Now , you take my wife............................please'.

Hubbs and I are that...LOL.....

And I am on the No Call/No Solicitation List

I am so popular these days. I had 23 saved calls on my voicemail and that was in just 2 days. Candidates for every office have been calling me, even Pat Boone called me about somebody, an NFL quarterback called me too and the past Governor George E. Pataki. I like Governor Pataki, he is a nice man. I wish he was running for some office here in New York; but I really didn't want to listen about another candidate. Pat Boone didn't sing me a song but he did remind me that he sang "Love letters in the Sand" and I am sad to think that I remembered that song and his white buck shoes too. So if you are lonely, remember you can actually listen to all these political solicitation calls and save them too and play them back again and again!!

But that won't change our current political situation or the economy. I say, vote all those in office out and in two years do the same thing again!!! What do you think?

Cha-Cha-Cha Changes!!!

Fortunate changes as we age!

Isn’t it fortunate that as we age our tastes seem to change as well? For instance, I no longer stare with dropped mouth at young men with tight butts and rock hard abs; but would rather spend time with those of my own age. A little silver at the temples is a sexy thing to me now.

I would rather sit quietly on the back porch with a good friend or even a good book than prep myself for a night out at the local pub. Which is not to say that I don’t enjoy a good pub night with friends; but I no longer need to do this once a week.

I would rather bake for my friends than go to a bakery and fill myself with gooey and fattening fair. This is another good thing as my middle seems to expand on its very own without the added sugar.

I would rather live in my “denim uniform” (jeans and a faded denim shirt) than dress for a formal affair. It is a good thing that I have less and less of them to attend these days!!

I would much rather walk around a farmers market than shop in Manhattan which is also good as my income has dropped while my age has increased.

I no longer long for a huge mansion but would rather live in a little country cottage by the side of a dirt road with small flower gardens; which is fortunate as the cost of fuel has risen to new heights.

Oh Dear, it seems I would also rather write, Blog, IM, Twitter and Facebook than get my butt off this recliner and see people face to face!!!!! This is not a good change……….

Fresh Eggs

Back in the early 1970's my children were young and we had a sweet little farmette. We had peach trees, blackberries, elderberries, gooseberries, grapes, and
raspberries Galore. In addition to all those wonderful organic ingredients we raised chickens for their fresh eggs. I baked all my homemade breads and of
course there were oodles of jams and jellies to sweeten our breakfast fare.

Right now we all remember the gas embargo of the '70's. We had all kinds of time to turn things around with gas shortages but we didn't have the fortitude to do it.
We always pay more for procrastination.

While my kids were having the fun of gathering eggs and helping bake and eat homemade bread with jams and jellies, others were losing out on setting an example
for lifestyle change.

Rhinebeck was along the leading edge of what is now known as holistic food consumption. It wasn 't long before we were selling organic fruits and vegetables to the Pawling Health Manor. The women enrolled in these courses were considered impossible to help. Pawling Health Manor proved to them that a lifestyle change with their eating habits would indeed make a change in their over all well being. Many articles were printed in the N Y Times around the success of their program.

Once again my family and kids were living a relaxed lifestyle with lots of culinary benefits. Fresh Eggs gave us a wonderful way to live and learn.