“Why are there so many songs about rainbows-

And what’s on the other side?

Rainbows are visions.

They’re only illusions.

Rainbows have nothing to hide.

So we’ve been told.

And some choose to believe it.

I know they’re wrong wait and see.

Someday we’ll find it.

The rainbow connection.

The lovers, the dreamers and me.”

If Dolly could.
“DollyWood.”
She dreamed herself into a corner and lived her life
Center Stage.
She redefined being a female artist.
Throughout her career she remained all the rage.
All she had to do is “smile that smile” and there goes all our defenses. Here you come again and here we go.
From 9 to 5 your Imagination Library helped plant seeds, keeping dreams alive.
From the hills of Tenesse you did haul.
Entertaining the world was simply your call.
Life would treat you kind.
You had all that you dreamed of.
You wished others joy and happiness.
But above all you wished for love.
Your talent extraordinary, your heart rang so true.
When it came to caring for Carl Thomas Dean. There was nothing you didn’t do.
From The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
To the porch in Steel Magnolias.
You kept us entertained while sipping your Diet Colas.
In your “coats of many colors, that your mama made for you.”
Your legacy we will carry. A reminder, when returning favors holds court.
You paid it forward second to no one.
May your soul know the depth of the universal support. Amen!

Once in Awhile-

Dear Ordainer of Weddings and Funerals. Would we still have tried as hard? Perhaps overlooked more.

Please stand on that long line over there. That’s the one that says “Weddings and Funerals only.”

You don’t see it? It’s the longest line in the room. The shared celebrations and the pool your sorrows with tones of mandatory invites and holiday seats filled.

The terms Kismet, Destiny and Beshart suggests- the prophetic,
the meant to be’s.

How much does luck or chance factor into who we go the distance with? Does forever mean until the holiday meal is over, the card game is finished, or when someone moves off the block?

Early on we come to learn Holiday Anxiety can exist all year long .The uncomfortable dread of the “do we have to” kicks in.

As social media has connected us to our past, we have become voyeurs into the lives of the people we met through our “chance” encounters.

Reunions, cousin clubs and catch up events offer the second time around opportunities. If we try hard can we champion our first time around defeats and turn our once in awhiles, into the more oftens?

Our primordial worries of will we be liked, accepted, invited back have subsided with time. Some of the people…

So we learn back to the future isn’t always in the canasta cards. The surprise of the well blended double date shows up. We walk away, look at one another and think yes, a take two would be very nice, indeed.

We spoke with the pharmacist at CVS yesterday about waiting until October for our, as he referred to it “upper classmen” flu shot. What a gentle way of saying senior discounts accepted.

So as a member of that category we took our senior day discount on our over the counter Nexium and went home and took a nap.

My take away is, we can dwell on missed opportunities and bemoan our fate about who has stayed and who is gone, or we can accept that our time with them was inscribed as exactly what it was “meant to
be.” Make it a reach out to someone you love day. I just did.

Just have fun series. On the “tail end” of summer.

As we are planning another semester at The U of Broken Sound- we look back.

Profound, renowned with two feet on the ground.

We were meeted, greeted and not deleted. 🙏

We played games with cards, tiles and some balls.

With pilates our cores got stronger, with stretch class our legs seem longer.

Waited on line at Publix for our “Bogo’s”-buy one get one free.

Had a shopping cart collision at The Boy’s.

Go ahead taste a piece -the fruit it’s so sweet.

Another great spot for a- you’ll never know who you’ll meet.

Remember the woman I told you about who I met at canasta?

She was faster. a master and said “give a kick” let’s have coffee afta.

Could you plotz?

So with 6 months in we went for the win.

We played jukebox bingo.

Shared dinners at the Old Course with friends.

Got an A in listening to knee problems, sciatica, some dermatitis, maybe the flu.

The elongated complaints that never end.

Met a neighbor who knew a friend, who (go figure) whose grandkids go to camp with a Gom kid or two.

We joined a class to connect to our writing. Met a group who express themselves this way too. Our teacher is a woman named Sonia. She gives us prompts to write and share with our class. It is our best kept secret at BS. We look forward to returning alas.

As we pack up for the end of season. Add a pinch of sweet sorrows, laced with hugs good- bye. (for now.)

Our take away memories of winter. Our best shot, a wholesome try.

See ya after the holidays in October.

We’ll be back at the end of Fall.

We are hitting the ground running, ( maybe a quick walk.)

G-d speed to one and all.

Back to the Future-The expression refers to the time when one has to stop (over) thinking about the things they could, or not, have done in the past so that what happened wouldn’t have happened.

We took a stroll back in time to our beloved Rhinebeck. Flowers, food, art shops, cheese shops, kitchenware, knives sharpened, Bread Alone pastries and anything and everything at Adam’s Fairacre Farm. Attitudes of “disarming stress” was the common denominator. The paradigm in a soundtrack would be “let’s get it on,”- “ girls just wanna have fun,” celebrate good times come on- thank you Kool and the Gang. The familiar turns on the drive up the Taconic imprinted in our memory as if it were yesterday. Deja vu in full gear as we set out to exhume a long lived, feel good moment in time. We sprinted back to a community where our collection of play things unfolded like the adage about bike riding. Our emotional vision autocorrected as it’s been many years and a deleterious pandemic in between our then and our now. We had a group of peeps that shared an attitude of playful wonder. “Come eat by me.” Or, we are going to the neighbors for their signature dinners and warm embraces. This encapsulated chapter in our playbook is medicinal and holds a woven spot, likened to a puppy nestled in our laps. Sometimes you Can pick up where you left off. Especially now more than ever pick up where you left off, eat the dish you loved in the corner table at your favorite bistro- don’t miss the sale on lavender scented candles at the shop local boutiques. Knock on your door number one, win a -Trip Back to the Future. “Just a passing breeze filled with memories. Of the golden smile that introduced me to-The Days of Wine and Roses and you.”Make it a great day.