Hail mah jongg long haulers.
The game is here to stay.
From New York to Florida.
They can’t keep us away.

The tables are plenty.

The snacks such a treat.

Sit down, mix the tiles while adjusting your seat.

While Jokers run wild,
And Flowers often dear.
Quints and Concealed hands.
Make winning quite rare.
Leave your worries on the doorstep,
As you enter the room.
That has the sign hanging-
“No Doom, No Gloom.

We talk over each other,
Therapeutic indeed.
Gossip -as part of the way to succeed.
Making the hands and rolling the dice.
Nothing is naughty it Always feels nice.
As the day comes to closing.
And we say our good-byes.
We always remember to keep our eye on the prize.

Spin your Golden Threads.

And just like that Father Time swoops in and says you know that Plan B, and second choice not from column A – we’re there.

As Father time always wins, we are obedient as the advantages of medicare, metro card savings on each ride and Tuesday two for one at CVS and Shop-Rite are certainly appealing.

Although aging body parts are not optional our mentation and get up and go attitudes certainly can be.

So, as the Muse Descends, we listen to the percussion as we turn the beat around (Gloria Gaynor) and choose to hang with the people who help to add warm blanket comfort. Naysayers need not apply.

We champion looking the other way “mamala” when our friend repeats stories and we wait an extra minute while strolling over to Lexington Avenue with a slowing down walking buddy. There but for the grace…

Blessings duly noted- as at least we aren’t on hold for 45 minutes listening to Creedence Clear Water on instant repeat while trying to make a new patient appointment at the dermatologist who takes our insurance. Run on sentences abound lately.

So just for today, stop perseverating over unanswered texts, wear a new shirt that has been lingering in your closet from an Amazon order a year ago and add an extra topping on your Haagen Daz coffee ice cream. Make it a Great Sunday! Bh

A.K.A. Art Linkletter was the consummate raconteur through media. He collected and shared other people’s stories. What made people laugh was his forte and in turn created television shows to encourage laughter.

A feel good quote of his was “things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” He lived a long, ingratiating and from all accounts well integrated life. Adept at putting people at ease, his pronounced talent. He worked with his son, how cool. He spent lots of time in his career discovering the underbelly of what makes people tick. He was the straight man to children and brought out the unposed honesty that spills “out of the mouths of babes.”

As a belly laugh enabler. “Kids Say the Darndest Things” was a show that he hosted from 1945-1969. It then had an encore performance from 1998-2000 co-hosted with Bill Cosby. Don’t get me started about character malfunction. Anyway, back to laughter.

Laughter is…the best medicine. Belly grabbing, breathless, endorphin producing and free. Sit next to the funny person. Grab moments watching re-runs of Sid Caesar, Red Skelton and Carol Burnett. They were funny and knew it. When Jon Stewart said good-bye a large group of us were dismayed. The Rodney Dangerfields and the Andrew Dice Clays stood up with silly, gross humor- none the less funny.

When Jack Benny cradled his chin with his hand, we laughed. Elaine May and Mike Nichols “Telephone” skit was improvisational humor through uncanny synergy. 

Nobody creates laughter in us like first time questions from kids.

Not only their silly ( bathroom talk) or the result of tickles, but the Art Linklater-esque questions they ask. The bi-products of first time experiences, sheer innocence and delightful naivety— priceless.

 So for today go for the life altering, for the moment,  hiccup producing gut laugh. “Forget your troubles come on get happy, chase all your cares away.”

Shabbat Across America- memory strong!
Last night we followed Rabbi Lookstein down the rabbit hole. He has the Midas touch. His message came through loud and clear. In a world filled with massive chaos we need to work harder toward being less divided. Yes, Rabbi yes. Whatever our individual affiliation toward Judaism or Christianity is we are much more alike then divided in our prayer for peace. We broke bread and shared a Friday Eve Shabbat dinner which was being shared in temples across America. Same time, different city. We sat down with two dear friends and as we often do, raised a glass, toasted to health and dug in. More typical, our evenings shared could be called Pizzagate and we don’t eat pizza together. Here we were at an across the country event in our own backyard. Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun hosted the evening. Foremost caterers served the delicious meal. This is where our eight grandchildren Davan and ultimately are educated. Ramaz, the school they attend is part of KJ. The evening was laden with prayer, song and words of gratitude. We were sharing a rite of passage in a communal setting that spread across the country. This memory in the making brought back childhood memories and I wept inside. Papa can you hear me? My dear friend felt the flood too. We pushed aside our worries and counted our blessings one at a time. We all walked away with a gratitude list. There was no judgment on any faces, that in itself a blessing. Petty indifferences, mere misunderstandings and broken dinner dates were minimalized by what really matters and what sits in the forefront of our hearts. With lots on our plates we realized our plates are big enough to handle, come what may. At least for last night. Fingers crossed and pinky swears hopefully longer. What a relief from the chaos of “cell phone dining.” As we looked around the room we observed the crowd and marveled at the cohesion. Singing, loud talking and the patter of children running out the door, in between courses replaced the sound of texts and emails coming in. Oh wishing star I thank you for answering one more prayer, for one more day. As a realist, I woke up today knowing that as any encapsulated moment in time, our partaking in Shabbat Across America added another corner piece to our puzzle in the making. As long as love still wears a smile- we’re in!

Twas the night before Pesach and all through the house.
The smell of the brisket,
Added water to our mouth.
The chicken soup was simmering.
To a boil it was brought.
Our liberation from slavery.
From which we were fraught.
With water turning to blood,
Frogs, lice and flies.
Livestock and locusts.
No firstborns survived.
The Bible unveils,
With g-d on our side.
Letting the Israelites leave Egypt.
The Gates opened wide.
Now Asher, now Sadie, now Evelyn,
Now Moe.
On Manny, on Gertie on Sarah, on Joe.
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall.
Now dash away, dash away, dash away all.
The children were ready to ask the four kashes.
Ma nishtan halailah hazeh mikol haleilot?
The questions all answered, the food was dipped twice.
No one was naughty, tonight just be nice.
And mamma in her kerchief and papa in his cap.
The dishes all done, they’re ready for a nap.
The afikoman was eaten.
Sugar plums danced in our heads.
Our inalienable rights.
Erased all the dread.
Chag Pesach Sameach one and all.

Mangiare e Bene

We sit down at the table, pass around the basket of bread.
Our menu in our hands, ordering we do dread.
Pasta, pasta everywhere, but not a drop to eat.
We love to see our peeps, we eat and then repeat -AGAIN?
With some laps around the clubhouse pool.
And a walk around the lake.
Another fettuccine bolognese we really cannot take.
Our pants are getting tighter, as the buttons they do pop.
And then we order dessert and pull out all the stops.
Four forks around the key lime.
Or a spoon for creme brûlée.
A holy moley to the cannoli.
Decaf cappuccino on the side.
We glance into the mirror, as it really tells no lies.
Our girlish, curvy figure, so very far away.
When we get up in the morning we start a brand new day.
A scoop of some plain yogurt- add a banana to the bowl.
We have yet to stand on the scale.
The Veal Milanese has taken its toll.
As we dress for one more table and another group of friends.
The caring and conversation we trust will never end.
If we eliminate the bread, skip the pasta page indeed.
Perhaps some broiled salmon, is exactly what we need.
Have a great Tuesday.

Alright April show us what’s on “tap.”

Right-left-right cha cha cha.

March is a wrap.

Let’s do the hokey pokey.

Double down and bet the store.

We ‘ll turn on the victrola.

And dance across the floor.

A little twist and hully gully.

If that’s what it will take.

Then we’ll lindy hop and jitterbug.

No more dancing just in place.

Hit the ground and sprint ahead.

Add input to affect a change.

Come on boogie woogie bugle boy.

The top man of your craft. 

“Stroll” into the New Year and bring along your draft.

Let’s “tap” into the Bossa Nova.

Rock and Roll and “all that jazz.”

Bunny hop and two step.

Swing dance with great pizzazz.

Step one, dance two. 

Shouts The Chorus from the line.

Fine tune an Arabesque, stay on Pointe and redefine. 

Add elbow grease to team effort.

Realign your goals in mind.

Offer a leg up, if anyone falls behind. 

So as you chasse across the finish line.

Or Fred Astaire across the ceiling.

We will welcome in this brand new year.

Position one as we are kneeling.

Hit it Elton.

“So goodbye yellow brick road.

Where the dogs of society howl.

You can’t plant me in your penthouse.

I’m going back to my plough.”

And to all a Good Night!

On some “Grey” days we binged as Mc Dreamy took care of Don Draper
and diagnosed it as just too much day drinking. We were left confused after Sam Seaborn ( Rob Lowe) exited the West Wing, while salivating over Carmela’s “Sunday Sauce.” Yum to those meat-a -balls.

When corned beef and pastrami meet on the corner of Potato Knish and Dr. Brown’s Soda. They bump into the Salami on rye with deli mustard sandwich and all get ready to watch as Mr. Ed whispers to Ozzie and Harriet a cute story about (ok who remembers their neighbor?) Thornyp- Played by Don Defore. Yup! They are meeting over at Donna Reed’s house to watch the Beaver and his brother Wally take on Ken Osmond a.k.a. Eddie Haskell in a game of H-O- R- S-E, in their driveway. After a pot luck dinner with bread pudding for dessert they will sit around the piano and sing out loud with My Little Margie, Aunt Bee who is getting a ride over with Barney and being escorted by Opie. Oh “kay” then. They take out the game of Clue and wait for That Girl ( Marlo Thomas) to be Bewitched by (Elizabeth Montgomery) all the while Ann Sothern, who came with Don Porter is taking the minutes of the day until Eddie Albert shows up with the fur clad, diamond bearing Eva Gabor from their Green Acres Pad. A good time was had by all and in their game of Clue they played until Jim Backus announced “I Married Joan,” and they all agreed that everyone Loved Lucy. The category is Sitcoms in the Sixites. We’ll take Columbo for $1000.00 Please. And I quote – “Just one more thing. There’s something that bothers me. One more question to my Wife. What did you pay for those shoes? Make it a great Monday!