Homage to Neil Simon-. We binged your movies to help ward off “The Biloxi Blues”

Whether we were “Barefoot in the Park, while “Lost in Yonkers” or hitching a ride home from “Brighton Beach,” we waited to hear Jonathan Schwartz “Playing our Song,” on WQXR American Standard Radio. Marvin Hamlisch played Carole Bayer Sager’s lyrics to his music with his particular Zip-a-dee-doo-dah enthusiasm. We swayed along and knew all the words. Your collaborations with Mike Nicols and Gene Zaks prolifically chronicled our youth. Oh Neil, we got hooked when we read your name amongst the credits as we watched Sgt. Bilko, played with such guile on The Phil Silvers show. We waited to hear your interviews with Joan Hamburg on 77 WABC to learn what play was next to be “Broadway Bound.” Her interviews typically came at the end of her show after the bargain shopping and food segments. (Shout out to Shelly Fireman, my forever friend and his spin on delicious Italian fare.) Even if we left the house to spatzere around our favorite thrift shops we heard your familiar very New Yawkish sounding voice broadcasted live. The two of you had a repartee we so enjoyed, although we considered you quite the “Odd Couple.”

We marveled at the big city duplex apartments with sunken living rooms, and gilded cage appeal that set the stage for many of your playbooks. Was Willy’s (Walter Matthau) apartment at the Beaux Arts Ansonia really that big? We thought it could possibly the best pad ever to play hide and go seek. Did Jane Fonda actually run around “Barefoot in the Park” as she pleaded with Robert Redford to try again to save their marriage? We wanted to live in her apartment as soon as we moved to the Village. We knew we didn’t want to live uptown and become a “Prisoner on Second Avenue.” We weren’t sure you could top the episode when Felix Unger walked into Oscar Madison’s cluttered apartment to try to get back together with Gloria. You certainly did when you portrayed the classic “Northeast distributor of Guilt,” and had Molly Picon threaten to keep her head in the oven over the troubles with her bachelor sons. Oh, Frankie!

Our take away quote of yours is “ if you can go through life without experiencing pain you probably haven’t been born yet.” RIP Neil Simon- we’re sure you’ll be filling them with laughter in Suite 203-04 during your “Chapter Two.”

Oh, Good Morning Wordle.
What a fun way to start the day.
We got over the hurdle,
5 letters we will play.
Add, eliminate, guess a letter strong,
Move them around,
Find where they belong.
Words with Friends,
As a means to an end.
A daily game,
We found one more.
Hail The New York Times,
We do implore.
Keep it free, don’t change the name.
No rhyme or reason for this little game.
Let’s do it Wordle,
As we end this poem
A new word tomorrow,
Bring it on home.

Definition of Recidivism-a tendency to relapse into a previous condition or mode of behavior; especially relapse into criminal behavior. Is there a fine line between addiction and recidivism? Let’s consider how popular prison romances are and seem in no danger of dying out. One theory is that prisoners create a literal wall against emotional closeness. Conjugal visits preclude hanging out Sunday morning with Russ and Daughters and The New York Times. They certainly eliminate variegated activities i.e. strolling through The Whitney and eating french toast at Bubby’s in TriBeCa. Delving into a veritable pantheon of theories that depict the profile of personalities enraptured by the incarcerated is a thesis unto itself. Antithetical to the cover for every pot concept.

We recently viewed Jacob Ephron’s documentary on his mom Nora Ephron. We watched it for the second time. Oh, Nora you hated your neck, but we loved you. We so related when Harry met Sally and they were Sleepless in Seattle. We followed as Julie and Julia Got Mail and found a new fix for “Heartburn.” Your self-deprecatory humor was relatable and so comforting. And I quote “when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” Amen! The converse rings ever so true. When you understand that burnt pot roast doesn’t necessarily taste good clean up your social life, play Wordle, and find a new recipe for not just another chicken cutlet dinner. Sensibility does not kick in by chance. Seizing opportunities and disregarding discouragements is certainly better than bemoaning a fate not loaned to you.“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim. It will be a little messy, but embrace the mess.” Brava Nora Ephron. Make it a great Saturday- You Got Mail!

Sarah Palin go back to Alaska.
Play by the rules and put on your mask-a.
If you can see Russia-when you look out your door,
Be on your way sista, on this we implore.
While dining at Elio’s,
The virus in your nose.
While on your way out, the door you can close.
In 2008 you joined onto the ticket.
Really John McCain, a better choice
You couldn’t pick-it.
The “Times” in a lawsuit,
Seeking truth in the media,
Go re-check the facts.
Google wikipedia.
As an anti-vaxxer you begin,

Against the “herd.”
Take your twangy ole’ beliefs,
Antiquated and absurd.
With no malice, nor forethought,
Just plain ignorance.
Sorry, not sorry-
We’re over your dissonance.

Les Miserables No More🙏Take two.

I dreamed a dream in time goes by,
When life returns to more forgiving.
I dreamed no masks were in our sight,
Except on Halloween with candy giving.

When we were young and unafraid,
When hugging Grandpa posed no limits.
Our days galore of fun and games,
When looking both ways before we crossed, our aim.

But the virus came along,
The impact soft as thunder.
As our worlds soon fell apart,
And our days left without their wonder.
We lived our life while stuck inside.
Our hopes and prayers put on back burners.
-Still here as autumn came.-

We slashed our plans to party on.
Weddings and Bar Mitzvahs-no where in sight,
No children at the Bema.
No hope for brides in white.
-All of this was gone.-

And now we hope our life will be,
With ”better off” not just a fable.
We will raise a glass or two.
Pulling chairs up to the table.
A little nova, an Everything bagel.

The days now growing longer.
Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow.
We’ll grab a moment to reflect,
The advent of shots not narrow.
We have come to see our way,
So much hope and much more promise.
We’ll buy a dress, a pair of shoes,
Make sure to grab our tallis.

As life is coming back,
Adding color to our palette.
In one more hour, one more day.
As life resumes -We’ll Hope, we’ll Pray!

Seasonal Madness
Creating Social Distance
Await, Flowers Bloom

Comfort repost

Growing Up and Liking It! We didn’t have cotillions but we felt like debutantes when we put our gold circle pins on our white blouses with Peter Pan collars. The days of Villager sweaters, Ladybug pins and capezios, oh yeah! You with me ladies? How bout papagallos, Jonathan Meyer sweaters with a madras collar unfolded at the neckline? Hot stuff indeed. The medicinal value of the memories cannot be overestimated. The days of Helanca stretch tops tucked into bell bottom (dungarees) for a day of bowling at Rizzuto Berra Lanes-and Awful Awfuls. The perfect chaser was a bag of penny candy at Rowe-Manse. Wait, the first day we debuted our baby bead bracelets encasing our names was certainly our defining moment. Then we had “game.” With our baby beads cozied up next to our gold bangles we were bound to have good luck forever.
On the weekend we went for the tennis sweater and penny loafer look- dexters and weejuns our happy go tos. Oh those days of firsts, of beginnings, we remember with kindness and longing. What could be better than a pink or yellow mohair sweater with a coordinated skirt and matching pappagallos? The excitement, Big, Huge. In the sixties we were fashion plates as we walked out the door in our loden coats or pea jackets to head over to third ward park. We would convene around Tom Saba’s truck and hung out with our group. The allure of Passaic in the sixties has lasted our lifetime. Can you say right place, right time? See you at Ginsburgs, I heard they got a shipment of new color bangle bracelets. We’re hashtag Blessed.

Buy the ticket- take the ride! From March, 2017

 -As our daily “habits” begin we made the coffee early this morning. There was a follow up to a New York Times article we read a few weeks back in the Sunday Style section another “habit” -It was written by a young woman named Amy Krouse Rosenthal. She was terminally ill and wrote her modern love story “You May Want to Marry My Husband.” She extolled his virtues and told about their love together. She wrote it as an obit to herself. It read like an ad for a singles website that would be flooded with followers. An abbreviated life, albeit lucky in love.

There are so many cliches galore about hanging with people who value you and bring you joy-and in turn staying away from people who set fires and have mastered the art of playing the burn victim. Make a “habit”of choosing the people who cover your back as you traverse through curves in your terrain. Stay very close to “side of the road people,” you know the ones who pull over to text you and let you know that they put an extra leaf in the table, called for rental chairs and are including the people with no where to go for Passover. You never know when you will fall upon your greatest lessons- perhaps from a stranger- RIP- Amy Krouse Rosenthal.

We’re having a par-tee
We’ll call in your fans.
No one can catch you,
Through your 40th day stance.
J is for jeopardy with buzzer in hand.
E is for everything you just understand.
O the opportunity you championed indeed.
P for how purposeful with the board you succeed.
A as your answers come with quick rapid speed.
R your resilience which puts you in the lead.
D so determined you run thru the topics
Y we’re in awe cause you’re hardly myopic.
Holding the round number with another strong win,
We will absolutely tune in to watch once again.
You dazzle with your knowledge,
Your charm, your allure.
Entertaining your fans,
As you’re simply adored.

Amy Schneider you got the swag,
We are riveted by the competition,
Not one day’s there a lag.
We find you so endearing,
You smile from deep inside,
Your endless breadthe of knowledge,
Has us guffawing far and wide.
We cant wait to hear your answers,
You assuredly tilt your head,
Better safe than sorry,
With few answers left unsaid.
The show has such grand ratings,
Your devotees are standing by.
So listen up Matt Ammodio,
Yes, dude hold on tight.
A match like Amy Schneider,
Is simply out of sight.
With 38 days of winning,
The match is neck and neck.
Monday’s show will be telling
It’s down to the bottom line.
With one more win for Amy,
A new champion so divine.