As an apprentice under Oscar Hammerstein.

Consummate wordsmith brought words to the point of a rhyme.

His work spanned theatrical lifetimes, his sense of rhythm, was simply sublime. 

His content dictated the form as a sentence.

Turned a paragraph into a story. 

Ushered his “company” in through the ringing of chimes.

Sinatra sent in the clowns.

Bernadette Peters took a walk through the Park with George.

Ambition only superceded by talent.

Like when “good things get bettter/bad things get worse/Wait—I think I meant that in reverse.”

He took us “Into the Woods” and in good “Company” were we.

Every theater lyric a short tale, every line the weight of a paragraph you see.

“A funny thing happened on the way to the forum,” with a “Little Night Music,”

And a “Gypsy” or three.

With “Passion” he composed the story. 

From the “West Side” of the street was the call. 

Dear Mr. Sondheim, in our memory, you will always, yes always stand tall. 

You threw a lot of spaghetti and most of it stuck to the wall.

  “There ought to be clowns.

Well maybe next year.”

       -No Smoking Zone-

Lucky Strike strike me lucky. We pulled into a New-port- got up onto our Camel rode off toward Parliament turned onto Marlboro Plaza corner of Salem Square and ran into the Kent of Earl. All the while hoping our Chesterfield coat kept us warm and made us look Kool. We’ve come a long way baby- my has Virginia gotten Slim. Phew!

Grew flowers and vegetables. 🌼🌺
Opened bottles and popped corks.🍸🍷
Scents of candles.
Smells of french toast, veggie nuggets and secret sauce. A.k.a. The regular.
Mixed mj tiles🀄️
Shuffled canasta cards-❤️♣️♠️♦️
Did art projects and made shadowbox presents with love.
Snuggled thru nights wrapped in grandchildren’s arms. Hashtag Blessed.
Roasted chickens we ate through the glow of shabbas candles. Challah strong.
Listened to the musical soundtracks that were the backdrop of our lives.
Watched dance routines practiced for recitals. Alexa play -Somewhere Over the Rainbow. 🌈
Built buildings , space centers and parking lots with blocks and magna-tiles.
Binge watched our way through weekends.
Recovered from thank g-d not many surgical procedures. Shout out to Nurse Joyce.
Prayed.🙏
Wiped up more spilled milk then we cried over.
Welcomed friends and friends of friends.
Held choruses of more Happy b-days through more candles then we could count.
Rejoiced in family. Better together.
Sat shiva for our parents- b”h
Cried in each other’s arms.
Had passover seders. Hail to the matzoh man.
Chanukah parties- grab bag presents.
Dressed for bar mitzvahs, weddings and funerals.
Disseminated unfortunate news and made lemonade out it.

And knew all along, through good nights or restless sleeps that this was the “Place We Called Home.”

Disneyland, Disney World add dolls in wheelchairs to “It’s a Small World” attraction.

They had no more raisin bran muffins left at our local deli so we went to corn, Plan B. The restaurant only had a 6:00 or 9:30 time slot available to dine. So yes, we went to Plan B. 

The bus was really overcrowded so we waited for the next one- yup-Plan B.

One and done meager, alternative, are you kidding me easy choices.

Up again early, in a time to make the donuts moment we watched the news as Christina Applegate, (Married with Children! Etc.) received her Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

She was barefoot and being held by her co-star Katey Segal. She was grateful and weepy as she explained her latest diagnosis of MS.

We binged watched her performance in the Dead to Me, tv series. What is touted as her best and funniest laugh out loud work is Anchorman, with Will Ferrell. 

She is a versatile actress. Funny, clever, engaging. We really like her style.

In the everybody got something category, as we drank our early morning coffee and ate our plan b muffin we read the newspaper and came upon the story about Dolls in Wheelchairs at Disney. 

This newly added diversity representing a population of children, who in the everyone got something category live with the physical limitation of getting up and walking to the pool.

In 2019 Ali Stoker caught our attention on Glee. She was the first person on Broadway to perform from her wheelchair. She was paralyzed since youth from a spinal cord injury…… as a result of a car accident. After her acclimation through her initial omg shock , she never begrudged her fate, studied performance art and went the distance, sitting down. 

If anything her disability served as a motivator and helped propel her all the way to her Tony winning performance in Oklahoma.

Ali Stoker has since become part of the #AerieREAL Role Model Campaign. It is a body positive and inclusivity initiative led by the underwear retailer Aerie. The campaign highlights a diverse group of women from varied industries and backgrounds and uses their unretouched photos in ads. 

So just for today let’s embrace our individuality, mix in our limitations, kick the crap out of Plan B —and remember when it comes down to it- “It’s a small world after all.” Make someone else’s day.



“Whatever We Got Going”

Life on lifes terms. One step forward two steps back. Limbo and I quote Oxford- an uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution; an intermediate state or condition.

“the fate of the Contras is now in limbo” 

Somedays the uncertainty of the somewhere in-between takes our breath away. 

We are racing against time with rapid fire speed. The aging process often feels lopsided. It’s when we feel frayed around the edges that we re-group.

Our activities on the daily were often done in knee jerk fashion. Now our knee just jerks and our daily’s offer more of a challenge.

Day dreaming is a wonderful panacea. 

The year is 1963. We are starting camp the next day. We lay out our new keds sneakers, chose a pair of “pedal pushers” a sweat shirt and one of the many tee shirts we bought at Alexanders. We grab a tennis sweater as we run out the door to catch the bus.

Ah, we remember it well. Not unlike the first day of school, camp offered unparalleled excitement coupled with the trepidation of will I meet new friends feelings. 

With our camp bag complete we get ready for bed. We finish reading one of our favorite Nancy Drew books, The Secret of the Old Clock, turn off our record player that was spinning a 78 Johnny Mathis album and ”Get Misty” as we shut the lights. Euphoric recall is medicinal and certainly helps minimize the startling tone of the in our face senior moments, that turn into where did the years go?

This is a defining moment for cleaning out our figurative closet. What shall stay and who shall go? My take away is that there is a religious and spiritual component where forgiveness and celebration hold court. 

As we are on the precipice of unknowing chapters coming our way fast and furiously -let’s fill the empty space that we made room for in our closets for those rainy days with promises of a “new.”

We will try not to stumble over the count our Blessings adages we clicked so many glasses to, as we tap into the “Accentuate the Positives.”

Oh, hey Lionel Ritchie this time we are going to “Make the Magic last for more than just night.” Let’s do it Monday.

You bring us up with predictability. Always there to add a welcomed, often needed push. You have helped to make the simplest events happenings. In times of anxiety you cut the intensity.

During big celebrations you know how to join a room and get everyone up there doing the Hokey Pokey, the slide or the cha-cha -cha.

It was clearly love at first sight. You are our go to as you ask nothing in return. In the absence of judgement you give us a leg up. We rely on your encouragement. When we are together we let you boss us around. Our biggest responsibility when we meet up is not to fall.

Anytime we’ve dared try to abuse you, we woke up with extreme regrets and vowed never do it again. Whatever we adorn you with is just fine. A lemon, an olive, a pearl onion- you’re cool, you know who you are. At times when we have been fickle, you waited and knew your appeal would win out. Thank you for adding this unrequited dimension to our lives. #Stoli you rock! Make it a Bloody and Bagels kind of day.

Connected by threads of laughter, endured thru distance and shredded by hardships. We are still together as our paths have divided, multiplied and been challenged. As a precious jewel-worn on tender occasions, displayed in a special place; polished and refurbished as needed. Forgiving, generous and embraced, as its value cannot be overestimated. A responsiblity unlike any other, for it is not obliged through birth. It continues, endures-we hold on and question how, sometimes why? Yet to loose it would mean a huge piece of us would perish amongst the rubble of disaster.

Mandy Patinkin admired from afar.

As Che in Evita the consummate star.

With your “Criminal Mind” you gave Chicago such Hope.

As Carrie’s Saul Berenson you widened her scope.

The Homeland would be safer as you exposed the truth.

With your focus on song, your loyalty strong.

You could sing from any page from The Book of Ruth.

No walk in The Park on a “Sunday Afternoon.”

You broadened our view as Seraut with his brush.

The regulars gathered round in silence and hush.

In awe as Che sang to Eva Perron.

Ah! But our breath was taken,

As Avigdor to Anshel you starred.

Never disputed you had us at Talmudic.

Yes all of us from wide and from far.

Inigo Montoya you blew us away.

Show us your hand with six fingers, please do.

Took us Over the Rainbow left a song in our heart

From there we won’t sway.

We have our head start!