Hold on to the days of carnival gifts and joy rides. Reposting a blog of a holiday of prayer, new possibilities and sprinkling in wishful thinking.

We woke up heavy hearted as we learned crappy news about a friend.  

Apples, Honey and the test of time. לעולם בזמן הנכון- loosely translated “there is no good time to hear bad news.” The Rabbi’s sermon last eve struck a particular cord as we struggle to make any sense of the collection of tragedies we have suffered as a nation this past year.

L’shana tova tikatevu. The book of life was sealed on September 30,2017 and the very next day Stephen Paddock of Mesquite, Nevada opened fire on a crowd of concertgoers. 58 people were slaughtered, he was found dead in his Mandalay Bay hotel room from a self inflicted gunshot wound. Motive unknown. Seriously?

How often do we hear, surrounding a tragedy “motive unknown?”

There are cries for help from severely deranged individuals through social media that we tune into after the fact.

What behavoirs are we missing on a daily basis from our immediate population that we overlook, minimize and chalk up to “oh they are having a bad day.”

As we begin a New Year become your own community. Be a better signal listener. Put down your electronics while passing the bread basket around your table and listen to what your peeps aren’t saying through words. Yes dear Rabbi,”it’s never a good time to hear bad news.” Perhaps for today make hopscotch leaps toward really hearing cries for help when your friend tells you they are hurting. Put your “to do” list aside and listen up.

Dip the apple in the honey from the same jar that has been in your closet for years and sweeten up your friendships. Hey, come play at our table. You got this, one day at a time.

Musings entitled:

1)  You gotta be kidding me.

2) All the things we didn’t do this summer.

3) No I didn’t see your Grabber.

4) Look what I learned at PT today.

5) How to change a flat tire while balancing a cane.

6) Yes, the Dr. Ranawat who replaced my other Hip.

7) Tylenol is better for you than Advil. Trust me.


8) Setting the record for calls  to Cable t.v. Support. HDMI cable savant.

9) Do raised toilet seats get thrown in the recycle bin?

10) Senior.com replacement parts.  Aka You shouldn’t know from this.

11) Bells are ringing in my Ears.

Last but not least.
12) How to feign sleeping 💤 in two easy lessons.


Mic Drop

The Theft of Time.

Dear Columbo- we are having a conundrum of sorts. We need your help in solving the mystery of misplaced time.

We know it was here somewhere close and yet it flew by. If only we can feign absentmindedness as well as you. The early years we recall euphorically and with more clarity than yesterday’s lunch.

The toys we played with, the Pyramids along the Nile, under the Blue Moon and knowing we were on the Street where you lived. Memories strong. 

The exact spot where we did homework and our after school snacks, still top of mind. Where were you when Kennedy was shot?. No problem.

Our Saturday’s in high school spent buying bangle bracelets and new alpaca sweaters at Ginsburgs and Wechlers after lunch at Wassers. Miss those French fries.

With ease we remember the day to days of our jobs and hard earned pay/commissions. You still with us?

All the backgammon games at Cavallero’s and dancing on the crowded floor at Studio 54. We can still turn that beat around. Love a little Gloria Gaynor.

Not sure how we arrived home pre-Uber days and woke up in our own beds, two aspirins and at least 8 hours of sleep later. All those nights with Thunderbird, Blue Nun and the occasional whiskey sour.

Of course, yes, our share houses on Fire Island and in the Hamptons. Hazy days of summer with Fresca, pretzels and Almaden white.

 Luke and Laura’s wedding, Mister Ed and watching school plays our #niecestopieces starred in, indeed. Except how did it fast forward to them having babies of their own?

With ease we remember Thanksgivings, Chanukah Parties and and break/fasts.

No, it’s more a case that the long agos and far aways are accumulating into decades.

So Peter Falk when you’re trying to figure out who stole the cookie from the cookie jar- please give us some answers about all the years gone by.

As we debrief our time thru picture albums and how we looked in madras shirts and tennis sweaters we easily remember the the glory days, the stress of SAT’s and our first boyfriend. 

But Columbo how did we get to so many yrs.old? Especially noted during b-day time. No memory loss there. 

“Yes G-d father-time I’ve come to ask a favor on the day of your daughter’s wedding.”

Can you please slow down. Our friends are having milestone b-days, we are going to bar mitzvahs of friend’s grandchildren and we can senior discount our bus rides. 

We would take back our own good and not so good luck. Wouldn’t change much about fate and how it has unfurled. But, for heaven’s sake the only thing we really want to be binge watch are the shows we taped. So Columbo, “one more thing,” exactly what were you wearing under the famed raincoat? 

Make it a euphoric recall kinda day.

You bring us up with predictability. Always there to add to a good time. You have helped to make the simplest events happenings. In big celebrations you know how to join a room and get everyone up there doing the hokey pokey. When we’ve needed you most you came through. It was clearly love at first sight. You are our go to as you ask nothing in return. You listen without judgement and give us the benefit of the doubt. When we are together you are boss. Our biggest responsibility when we meet up is not to fall or make fools of ourselves. Anytime we’ve dared to abuse you, we woke up with extreme regrets and vowed to never do it again. Whatever we adorn you with is just fine. A lemon, an olive, you’re cool, you know who you are. At times when we have been fickle, you waited and knew your appeal would win out. Thank you for adding a dimension to our lives, so trustworthy and reliable. And-you know what, you were right in the bigger picture way. The line between what is meant to be and what was not is really very obvious. When Plan A doesn’t work out, become the rock star of Plan B and keep your eye on the prize. Make it a good Monday and tonight at dinner make ours straight up and chilled. No rocks. Thanks Vodka!

There’ll be swingin’ and swayin’ and records playing.
Dancing in the street. Unquote.

Alright 5786 show us what’s on “tap.”
Right-left-right cha cha cha.
5785 is just about to 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

One day when I was 12 my Bubby showed me how she made her Grade A mandel bread.

All the ingredients were set up. She handed me some raisins to munch on as she sprinkled flour, got her erstwhile rolling pin and started to roll the dough. She said to me in her most comforting voice-“mamala take a deep breath and watch everything I do. You should make this for your husband one day.”

I cherished the moment and wrote a composition about the experience for my writing homework the next day.

Little did I know I would be recounting the experience on the internet so many, many years later. On a day like today, exhume a favorite long ago and far away feel good experience.

One of the best parts of memories is making them.
Thanks Bub- for the love -laced with powdered sugar that lasted a lifetime. B’H

A veritable who knew we’d be following along.
When Liam portrayed Oskar Schindler and Pamela C.J.Parker strong.

Press time on fast forward.
Like a fun summer read.
With an oh!and aw! and a cool
summer breeze.

Two unlikelys through satire serendipitously do meet.
In a girl can dream fashion, laced with a voyeuristic tone.

We are watching through press releases and following their song.

On a Naked Gun out take
Frank and Beth’s characters first greet.
Their on screen chemistry has us holding on to our seat.

A true crime based on fiction, the movie purports.
Enter Pamela and Liam in real life are holding court.
So just for a moment as summer marches forth.
We will grab light reads and daydreams and consider them a sport.
Please pass the sunscreen and a glass of lemonade.
On the glory days of Summer our memories are made.
Have a great Sunday.

Airport Clamor Imagined.

Carl, Carl did ya hear me?

Root Beer, yes, no not diet.

Stanley get on line, go on, say you just had your hip replaced. (Art imitating Life.)

Sol, hurry I want to stop at the place that has pizza so I can have a couple of slices on the plane. No, nothing to drink. I get dizzy when I pee on a plane. Ugh and the floor is always wet. TMI.

Marty hold my coat, I knew I should-a checked it with my luggage. What ya mean I have to hold my mah jongg set on my lap. Are you joke(r)ing me. Get it Marty that’s a joke. Ha! Ha! Next time go for the Mosaic thingy.

Ron- ( hello Ries) go show em your shoulder strap so we can get the exit row. No one can bang into you, you’ll sit by the window. 

Mel-ask for bags of cookies and 2 bags of pop chips and pretzels. I’m hungry.

Frank- can you get me a magazine in the front of the plane? Doris what century are you living in? This is Jet no magazines) Blue. Ok, so buy me earbuds. I’ll catch up with Teresa Guidice on RHONJ.  

Joey, wanna play gin rummy? I brought the cards we got when American Airlines sprung for them.

Morris-ask what plantain chips are and if they’re kosher? Be nice. Don’t tell me to shut up.

Paul- you wanna sandwich? I brought cream cheese and grape jelly on white. Or sardines on a roll with butter and onions. Neither one? No worries, eat the plantain chips.

Dinner? We are having Chinese. The new place I heard about at Canasta has an early bird all the spareribs you can eat special. Did you ever?

Danny, Danny you sleeping? Watch my handbag I am going to see what they are selling in the cart. Quick let

me out. 

To the Moon Alice. To the moon. Vayismir

A Side of Gypsy!

Have some nova, Mr. Goldstone.

Have a bagel, have a schmear.

Have a latke Mr. Goldstone.

Any spare that I can spare I’ll be glad to share!

Take a dish, have a pickle, have a knish, here’s a fork.

Put your feet up. Feel at home.

Have a coke, something corked?

Would you like to hear a joke?

G-d forbid a smoke.

Have a decaf mit your babka.

Mr. Goldstone come sit by us.

Come Daven by the river, meet us on East End and 84th.

Finish up Mr. Goldstone, you’re already on your fourth (course.)

Have some flanken, cooked with care.

Everybody give a bissel cheer.

We sat you-next to Murray.

Go sit in that Big green chair.

Have a Goldstone, Mr. Bialy.

Tell me any little thing that I can do.

Have some liver, chopped on a cracker.

Have a cookie, have a few.

What’s the matter, Mr. G?

How bout another pot of tea?

Good Shabbos-Mr. Goldstone.

Raise a stoli, maybe two.

Keep your senses- helps stability.

Mr. Goldstone we love you.

A. e I. o. u.
A virtual who knew.
A little siri a lot of algorithms.
What is right or is it true?
Am I writing this, or is it coming from You?
I before E except after C.
Artificial sweetener not good for you.
Not good for me.

That was the week that was.
“And All the News that’s Fit to Print.”
Appears on the masthead of our daily read.
Will creativity be abbreviated?
Or replaced by a digital degree?

We write some prose add a lyric or two.
Original thoughts add a concept we construe.
Will our world as we know it.
In the simple and true.
Be usurped by learning techniques wiser than me, bigger than you?

ChatGPT can create an AI text.
But our experiences we behold.
Recalling our adventures a computer code can’t unfold.

Keeping our erasers, our inkwells close by.
Our modus operandi holding our head towards the sky.
Our feelings are our treasures that can’t be taken away.
Regardless of the fact AI is here to stay.
Take Two.
U of Instagram and Fb.
How to make the best Onion Soup or where to buy new crochet needles, we learned from Social Media.
Whether it is paired with our morning coffee and a Kossar’s bialy or over a cocktail, (lots of lemons) at days end, we scroll the ever loving, addictive mother lode-insta or fb.
Who went where or who did what, come out come out wherever you are I know what you ate for lunch.

So just by chance so and so we were supposed to meet before the interview at the 92Y for sushi. I thought you had to babysit your grandchildren.
Opps posting is a b- tch, well certainly as our memory becomes a blur.

So Bethenny show us what you are 100 calorie snacking on today.
Make it a virtual Sunday in the Park with George.