We are proud to be Jewish
Traditional strong
Our heritage brings us to the place we belong
Our holiday feasts with candles, challah and soup
We sit as a family inviting strangers to our loop
Our world set on fire
When our people are hurt
Malicious and hate filled a.k.a. Dirt
We stand together and never alone
That extra mile we’ll go to reap what we’ve sewn
The proofs in the pudding
Our backs we will cover
As brothers and sisters and fathers and mothers
Hurt just one and you are hurting us all
Defending one another that is the call.

And just like this the word Magic showed up in the form of miso soup and a couple of rolls. Dinner al fresco with the plants and veggies she helped grow.

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, 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.”

He was 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, based on postulating talent.

Happy Mother’s Day! My husband and I are blessed to share moments, days and sleepovers with lots of Grandchildren. Nobody creates laughter in us like they do. Not only their silly behaviors 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 are priceless.

Last week our 3 and 4 months old (ask her she’ll tell you) asked to see her baby pictures.

As the consummate picture hoarder I gathered a few to show her. She looked at an early one where she has several months old hair. Her startled look, borderline confusion and the question that followed had me on the floor grabbing my stomach. She looked up at me and asked with extreme sincerity- “JUDY- I’m a boy?” I caught my breath, grabbed a chair to help get up and asked why? She then said “my hair is so weird.” Case in point. Art Linkletter, kudos to your renowned production of splendid insights. That interaction added moments of joy that linger and linger. With euphoric recall I am still laughing.

As we watch these beauties grow (8) to be precise- through first time- lots of things moments we get to be young again. So just for today, when Lucky Lady taps you on the shoulder, say Happy Mother’s Day to one and all. Hold tighter, laugh harder and Shout Hallelujah come on get happy, chase all your cares away.

During our early morning Instagram grazing we came upon this post below. With a heartfelt reaction it started our day with Gratitude. “Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon. Make it a great day for someone else.

The well that won’t run dry- unicorns, golden rings, mile high pies and Babies. When things go in one straight line, grab the rope in bungee like fashion and Coast. Yes, fly across the sky, dream a little dream and let the glitter cloud your eyes. Life on life’s terms and away we go. We sat and watched one of our three baby girl nieces- now all twenty-something go thru early labor last night. On the brink of a miracle about to unfold we sat looking at her as the pain set in. No pain, no gain well in this case watching this baby girl, we cradled at birth go thru this was very difficult to put it mildly. This was about to become clamorous- less than glamorous.

My baby sister a Grandmother. She has always been a Grand- Mother and now about to be a Grandmother. 

The strength of family as a community is incomparable. When pooling together to share the joy, divide the sorrow or set the table there isn’t a match. With familiarity eclipsing respect there are lapses in consistency. When “push” comes to shove- we weep, we mourn and Carly Simon move over when we celebrate.” Nobody does it better, nobody does it half as good as you baby you’re The Best.”

One very long, hard, life lesson hopefully learned— we don’t always fit into people’s lives the way we would like to or expected. Take the best of the fit, drop expectations along the way. When the water breaks and a new life emerges make peace where you can, raise the glass a little bit higher and pray that when G-d fills the waters again that Noah, his family and the animals make room for you too. 

“Sail on silver girl, sail on by,. your time has come to shine. All your dreams are on the way, see how they shine. If you need a friend, I’m sailing right behind, like a bridge over troubled waters, I will ease your mind.” Winged and cliched it today! Oh and to quote Bettie Ann- sister, mother, aunt, friend “it’s all good.”

Gardening situates you in a different kind of time, the antithesis of the agitating present of social media. Time becomes circular, not chronological; minutes stretch into hours; some actions don’t bear fruit for decades. The gardener is not immune to attrition and loss, but is daily confronted by the ongoing good news of fecundity. A peony returns, alien pink shoots thrusting from bare soil. The fennel self-seeds; there is an abundance of cosmos out of nowhere.

Carl Spielvogel, marketing wunderkind died this week after living 92 creative and grand years. His words. He was vice chairman of one of the world’s largest advertising conglomerates. He and a colleague and friend Bill Backer eventually opened Backer and Spielvogel. They both possessed boutique attitudes about personal service and ran a miniature super-agency. One of Bill Backers large accounts was Coca Cola. He co-wrote the hymn “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (in Perfect Harmony),” which he turned into “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke and Keep it Company.” A favorite slogan hanging in their offices was, “The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.”

My opportune take off to the tune of “ I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing…”

We got to build our world a home and furnish it with love.

We hold the kids so close to heart and cherish them through the years

We get to watch them grow and grow

While standing by their side

They play and eat the snacks they choose with hugs from deep inside.

Grew flowers, veggies, a fruit or two while planting all the seeds.

Club Gomberg got a view of “Grands”

Who made sure there were no weeds.

We build magna tiles to the sky

Draw pictures of our dreams.

Grabbed the time we had to watch a movie on tv.

We got to hear the world we built

As they echoed through our halls.

We built memories while having fun

Created through the years

   We’d like to teach the world to sing

The lyrics to our song

Our pictures encased in frames of life so powerful and strong.

What’s too Painful to remember…one year ago today!

People complaining on social media about things being canceled due to Covid. ….. I wish you could see what we see on a daily basis. #countyourblessings#endrant
My precious 28 year old niece is a trauma unit nurse at Westchester Medical Center. She excels at what she does and was assigned to help run the Covid Unit when this pandemic exploded. This was her post (see above) today at lunchtime on social media when she took a break from adjusting the percentage of air flow into her patients lungs who breathe because of a machine. Without explanation further- we all know the limitations and change of life lifestyle we have succumbed to because of this virus. So stop complaining when the brand of hand wipes you ordered was substituted with another one or your canasta game was kicked off line because of high volume. Oh -and while we are all taking precautions in whatever way we find comforting or respectful, so as to not spread the virus, let’s understand that we are all gropping in the dark trying to do the best we can to work toward the same goal. Safe and sound in whatever way we can. All for one and one for all. Forgive everyone everything- especially now. The disease is killing us as a nation, lend a hand whenever you can.

Some people gnaw away at you with a subtle approach.
While others clobber you over the head and if you allow it, drill a hole through your skull. The constant through this pandemic was dodging poisonous venom with no preparation. After we have been washed to shore with an increment of safety our lesson is to listen to how people treat us and watch their words. It is one in the same however it is phrased. Walking on eggshells and holding your breath is a full time job. Just for today brush the pandemic dust off, side swap your fears and find the golden leaf to turn over. Curate your opportunity for a happy day now that the world is less threatening. Let’s do it Monday. I’m not pensive you are!