The 70’s

Last night I went to a 50th birthday for my friend Lisa.  The theme was “70’s Style.” I had a vintage dress that I wore to a Halloween party a few years ago when I dressed as Marcia Brady.  That and a pair of white go-go boots, a head band around my forehead and a denim vest made my outfit look like I stepped out of the 1970’s.

I was born in 1970 so for most of that era, I was just a kid and I don’t remember too much of it but the costumes last night were fantastic.  Mr. and Mrs. Roper from the television show, Three’s Company, The Village People, Captain and Tennille, go-go dancers, they were all there last night.

My favorite part of the evening was when the birthday girl thanked everyone for coming.  She told us that this party was a way for her to get everyone she loved, family and friends included, all together in one place at the same time.  She assumed the only way this would ever happen otherwise would be at her funeral.  A bit morbid of a thought, but so poignant to think about.  Throwing this big party for herself was a beautiful way for her to show everyone how much she loved them and to see how much she is loved in return.  I was honored to be included and am so happy to be a part of her life.

It really makes you think….celebrate life while you are here to enjoy it.  Live in the moment and relish every moment.  Take advantage of all you can.  Life is too short to have it any other way!

Sun-shiney Birthday

Yesterday was DJ’s birthday.  After an emotional roller coaster of a day,  The rain had caused massive flooding around our area. Whenever we celebrate a family member’s birthday, they get to choose where they want to go for dinner and everyone goes without complaining!  He chose Buffalo Wild Wings.  The closest one to our home is about 30 minutes away.  We got in the car early, around 5:30.  We have to head out on Route 22 which, is a nightmare on a regular day, but with the rain, it was a mess.  There were streets flooded and lanes merging into one.  We got to a point that we were at a complete standstill.  For THREE AND A HALF HOURS!!!  We didn’t even move two miles.  There was no way to get off the road.  Nowhere to turn around.  I am not normally a claustrophobic person but it was terrible! Not only that, after an hour into the ride, I had to go to the bathroom.  So did Drew.  We finally got out of the car, while Dave and DJ sat in that mess.  We ran into a Dunkin Donuts that was on the side of the road and went to use the bathroom.  We came out and they hadn’t even moved a car length!  We were all getting snippy with one another and poor DJ wound up spending his birthday in the car.  When we finally got close to the area the restaurant was located in, the road was closed!!!  We could not even get there.  Instead we were detoured off the road onto another highway.

We got to a diner in our own town at 9:00 at night, grabbed a bowl of soup and headed home.  I felt badly about it all night.  He doesn’t like sweets at all, but I thought for sure we’d at least get to all sing to him in the restaurant to celebrate.  What a letdown.  His presents were going to be picked up on the way home.  He is umpiring for the local baseball teams and wanted his own equipment.  The plan was to get it on the way home since he needed to be there to try the stuff on and it was on the way home on Route 22.  So, he didn’t even get his gifts.  😦

Tonight, it is my birthday!!  My night to choose dinner. It wasn’t supposed to work out like this.  There were supposed to be soccer practices and baseball but due to all of yesterday’s rain, the fields are all flooded and therefore canceled.  Lucky for me!  The sun has been shining all day and it is nearly 80 degrees.  My mom and dad had always told me that it never rains on my birthday and I honestly can only remember it raining once in all of my 44 years!  I am sure there were other times, but statistically, there have been far more sunny days than not.  It was predicted rain all day, but I told everyone, nope.  It doesn’t rain on May 1st! Sure enough, it was a gorgeous day.

Even if it hadn’t been, my day would have been lovely.  My class and their parents went out of their way to make it special.  They brought me beautiful handmade cards, cupcakes, a gift certificate to take more classes at Viva Z, and a coffee mug that is signed by all of them.  Students dropped by all day long to wish me a happy day and our PE teacher and his last period class serenaded me from outside of my classroom windows with an awesome, “Happy Birthday.”

My amazing Kindergarten co-workers treated me to lunch and lemon bars for dessert and to wind up the school day, my dad and DJ came to school with donuts for all of us to celebrate.  It was a super, sweet, sugary, sun-shiney day.  I loved every minute of it and it isn’t even over yet!

Happy Birthday Grammy

Today is my grandmother’s 98th birthday.  You would never it know by looking at her though.  It is my hope that I have inherited her youthful genes!! Considering her age, she is doing quite well! Earlier in the year, I wrote about her starting to slow down a bit. Perhaps it had something to do with the weather we had been having, because this summer she has really been a lot more like her old self.  A few weeks ago she had us over for a visit after family dinner.  Something she has always loved but hasn’t been up to recently.  She has been going to her weekly hair and nail appointments.  The cold Spring and miserable Winter we had, kept her housebound for awhile.  It is good to see her out and doing more.  She laughs at some of her weaknesses and knows she has trouble hearing us all of the time. She hates her hearing aids but needs to wear them.  She doesn’t like her walker and she calls it her “damn walker”.  That is probably the only curse word I have heard her say!  I know that she is feeling old and some days she can get cranky but her great-grand-kids help her to stay young!  She has three sons, ten grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren and one on the way.  She is the matriarch of our family and we don’t let her forget it.

She was born in Italy and spent her childhood in New York. She raised her boys in Maplewood, New Jersey and moved to Short Hills a one town away, over 50 years ago.  She is still living in that same house with her caretaker it is where she hopes to spend the rest of her years!

Tonight her East Coast family will get together and celebrate her.  We are hoping that during the Christmas holidays, we can get our West Coast family all here to celebrate as well.  She certainly deserves it!