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!

Dear Allen Weisselberg,

Gather your toiletries and come to the gate.

That’s where your ex-daughter-in-law Jennifer was given orders  to wait.

 They need your room at Rikers.

  She’s come to give you a ride.

  Drop the loyalty and bravado.

  You lost your privilege to hide.

  You will recognize her gucci bag you bought her years ago.

  No more benefits, no more doubts this is clearly a failed show.

  You might want to pass up the snickers bar as you pass by the canteen.

  It’s your turn up at bat to tell us all you’ve seen.

Your grandchildren will ask why Papa is not leading the Passover seder.

 Such a shanda, no more mitzvahs.

Take a plea now don’t wait till later.

Stormy oh, Stormy she’ll lead you to the room.

Her opening act will help lift your doom and gloom.

What ya waiting for at this point?

No more covering for your muse.

You have the chance to come clean and minimize abuse.

 So join forces with Jennifer and start to spill the beans.

Help stock pile grievances.

 Turn the indictment into a conviction.

  One last shot Mr. ( what are you thinking) Weisselberg.

  Bring forth your dereliction.

Lexapro, Lexapro you got me on track.
You gave me a lift, helped cover my back.
With your SSRI- my mood turned around.
My Nikes tied tight, I am hitting the ground.
No need to sit in an uncomfortable place.
A little leg up, back in the race.
When the going gets tough, and your load gets too heavy.
Call on some help to get back your steady.
When life comes at you fast, as it certainly can do.
Reach out for some help to get out of the blue.
One day at a time, mix in TL care.
Brings Hope laced with Prayer to minimize your fear.

When the Tough get Going! Repost with ❤️ from several years ago.

So we are up to the Oscars. Tradition Strong on a Sunday eve in early Spring for as many years as our pre- Gingkgo Biloba or Prevagen days can recall. So we’ll pour ourselves a glass of Red, make a pasta sauce and throw in the “kitchen sink.” Circa the 1960’s Jahn’s Ice Cream Parlor with a cherry on top. As we embark on our second year of the Virtual Oscars, a watch worthy and up for many Oscars movie is Nomadland. It is a portrayal of a woman who embarks on a journey through the American West after losing everything during the recession. As the movie unfolds we watch as Frances McDormand travels and travels and travels.

We first met her in Fargo in Minnesota,1987. We loved her as Marge Gunderson and now, watching her as Fern, beautifully directed by Chloe Zhao. Many Oscars to be won.
Love us a little Bill Macy and now some David Strathairn as performers extraordinaire.
In this year as we are all navigating the same storm from our own boats keeping our eye on getting to shore safely is the direct goal.

And I quote -Why are there so many songs about rainbows?
And what’s on the other side? Rainbows are visions, they’re only illusions and 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. Unquote.

Lyrics by Jim Henson- favored artist Kermit the Frog.
Rainbows and Frogs- “look, look, look to the rainbow, follow the fellow who follows his dream.”

The fascination of the colors, shapes and promises offer a trilogy of endless wonderment. Dorothy searched for happiness “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” She learned that after her laborious travels, the click of the red shoes bringing her “Home” to Auntie Em’s smile was her Oz.

As next chapters come with rapid speed listen carefully for the song of the male frog- a grunt, a croak. It often serves as the conduit to where you want to settle in. Don’t re-gift your life to people who treat you as after thoughts. Allow all that therapy to pay off.
Spend time with people who would mention your name in a room full of opportunities. Now, more than ever we all need more than anyone can give.

The Wizard made hay from the scarecrows stuffing. Nomadland strikes a chord on what we value.

Fill each seat at your table with only the deepest of players who have your back while you turn around to watch as the parade passes by. Make it a good Wednesday.

Sometimes life makes it impossible not to believe. The pieces are at times heavier than your strength can bear. 

When you are called on to lift the weight of disappointment-knowing you’ve  spin your golden threads, let the meant to be’s usher you into place. The tough times have a way of calling on us to reveal the “all we gots.”

Hamantaschen, Hamantaschen,
Where art the best?
We are on an adventure.
Through a taste test.
The flavors and the textures.
In one bite or two.
The crust and the filling baked like our Bubby use to do.
Seeking the memories, we are hitting the ground.
We’ll go store to store.
The streets we will pound.
Add the sugar and the butter, the vanilla extract?
Measure the amounts, don’t mix them in blind.
The hamantaschen we knew,
Were one of a kind.
We’ll tap into Amy Rosen.
We are thinking she will know.
Her cooking and her baking- a win, place and a show.
We favor the prune, but appreciate the rest.
Hey, we will taste it all.
In our search for the best.
We love the Nova from Murrays.
The Bagels we get at Tal are swell.
The strawberries from The Boys.
Puts a smile and a kvell.
The hamantaschen only our taste test will tell.
Get back to ya!

After a prophylactic double mastectomy- didn’t save the nipples -getting rid of old library cards and who needs more than one cake cutter – is a piece of cake. Run on sentence- and such is Life.