When you have kids, it's funny how much of your happiness is dependant on their happiness. This past weekend was just terrific....
Big Sister and SIL are on a fun-filled trip to NYC. They took off Saturday morning and she has kept me entertained with pictures and e-mails of where they are. I am living vicariously through them, since it has been much too long since my last trip there. In my previous life, I spent a lot of time working in NYC, and sometimes Big Sis would come with me. During that time, she enjoyed visiting, but when I would talk about how much fun it would be to live there, she would disagree, feeling it was "too much". Funny how time and age change things....yesterday, she said that she and SIL were trying to come up with a "5 year plan" to move there...meanwhile, they are eating, shopping and celebrity-stalking their way through the City....
The Senior spent all of last week working on a major research paper. She was totally stressed and unhappy until 4:00 on Friday when she turned it in. Thursday night around 11:00 I got a call..."Mom, can you read my paper and edit for me?".....Well, I asked, could it wait until the morning? I had just finished studying with The Boy and wasn't sure I had the energy to edit. (The Husband might have also suggested that it was too late for editing).....Well no...she needed it done "now" because she would be up all night working on it. .....I had to give in and do it, because a) she works very hard and b) after the last few edits she has done on my work...payback was in order.....However, after I plowed through an engrossing paper on Irish literature, there was very little editing to be done...so congrats to The Senior for finishing her paper and good luck on mid-terms...
The Boy had a spend-the-night with a good friend on Friday night. I dropped off his bag after school and wished him a good time. We decided to attend the high school football game that night, and The Boy was there too. He was sweet enough to come over and give me a hug and say good night. Without breaking down and crying, I am once again reminded that The Boy is growing up and I have to let go just a bit....but I'll still take the hugs anytime.
Little One had the BFF over for a couple of nights. It was girl-time in the house-hold, full of stuffed animals, Disney channel and nail polish. Without The Boy around to argue with, they had a blissful time. If truth be told, I think she missed him though. Because the house if awfully quiet without The Boy around to keep us informed of his every move...("Going out to throw the ball....going up to read...going over to C.J.'s house"....The Boy likes to give us the ESPN analysis of his daily life)
And that's it for the weekend. The Yankees won, the Vikings won, UT won.....and the Husband won all of his "bets" for the weekend too...
So until tomorrow...here's hoping it's a good week for everyone....
Monday, October 12, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
"I Don't Like To Write, But I Love To Have Written."
I just couldn't get to the blog yesterday. Too many obstacles. The first thing I do each morning is test Little One's hearing aids. Well, upon testing yesterday, one of them wasn't working. I tried to perform surgery on it, the one I have done a thousand times...but this time it failed...Little One was above the moon, sporting a side-ponytail that only showed the liberated ear. But this meant that there had to be an hour long discussion on the phone with the audiologist, trouble-shooting and discussing what the issue might be. This is the problem with hanging on to doctors that you love who live too far away...when there is a problem, you either drive or overnight something. In this case, the "dead" aid had to be over-nighted so that a more knowledgable and refined surgeon could work on it...
After returning from the UPS store, it was time to get down to business on a piece of writing that is coming up on deadline. After a glorious start, I had become stuck, and had used every excuse in the book to procrastinate on finishing it. If truth be told, I had made the mistake of sending it to The Husband for an opinion... When the response comes back "Ehhh", I become acutely aware that either he has no taste, or the piece stinks. Either way, I was thrown into a period of "if I don't work on it, I can't mess up". Well, yesterday I decided to break the deadlock. I completed another section and sent some un-edited pages to the best friend and the Big Sis. This is always a good move, because though honest, they are also sensitive to the fact that writing is a vulnerable profession...and any "ehh" can really hurt. So after getting some positive feedback, I was back on track.
I told myself that I would do the blog after I picked the kids up from school, but it didn't happen. The Boy got in the car and began by saying "Well only one bad thing happened today..." Well, we all know as mothers that that is not what you want to hear after school. Turns out he had been waiting in line for the printer during class, and becoming bored, he committed the mortal sin of checking his e-mail while waiting. Now he knows ...and has been lectured by me on several occasions...that this is against the rules. But "everyone in class does it a million times a day" was his response....whereupon I had to morph into my mother by shouting "If they told you to jump off a bridge, would you do that too?!!!"......Really? Did I say that? Yes I did ....and the discussion deteriorated from there. Of course after I called the teacher and heard that it was a minor infraction...not punishable by death, but only by the teacher keeping the computer for a night...I calmed down...a little bit. Because Big Sis and Senior have always told me that they were more afraid of my reaction than anything else, and this is what kept them on the straight and narrow (although once she reached high school, you could never put The Senior and "straight and narrow" in the same sentence).
We all calmed down until Little One arrived home with the study guide for a test which she hadn't heard (with emphasis on the word "heard") about. This meant that after the late soft-ball game, we had to buckle down and cram for the test, which is never easy when she is dozing off in the middle of it all...
But I'm back on it today, already encouraged by the fact that I have finished another section of the article. So until next week, when hopefully I will be finished, The Boy will have his computer back, Little One will have aced her test.....and on a side-note....Bon Voyage to Big Sis and SIL who are off for a fun weekend in New York City...and safe travels (and good luck) to the brother and sister-in-law who are descending upon Las Vegas as we speak....
After returning from the UPS store, it was time to get down to business on a piece of writing that is coming up on deadline. After a glorious start, I had become stuck, and had used every excuse in the book to procrastinate on finishing it. If truth be told, I had made the mistake of sending it to The Husband for an opinion... When the response comes back "Ehhh", I become acutely aware that either he has no taste, or the piece stinks. Either way, I was thrown into a period of "if I don't work on it, I can't mess up". Well, yesterday I decided to break the deadlock. I completed another section and sent some un-edited pages to the best friend and the Big Sis. This is always a good move, because though honest, they are also sensitive to the fact that writing is a vulnerable profession...and any "ehh" can really hurt. So after getting some positive feedback, I was back on track.
I told myself that I would do the blog after I picked the kids up from school, but it didn't happen. The Boy got in the car and began by saying "Well only one bad thing happened today..." Well, we all know as mothers that that is not what you want to hear after school. Turns out he had been waiting in line for the printer during class, and becoming bored, he committed the mortal sin of checking his e-mail while waiting. Now he knows ...and has been lectured by me on several occasions...that this is against the rules. But "everyone in class does it a million times a day" was his response....whereupon I had to morph into my mother by shouting "If they told you to jump off a bridge, would you do that too?!!!"......Really? Did I say that? Yes I did ....and the discussion deteriorated from there. Of course after I called the teacher and heard that it was a minor infraction...not punishable by death, but only by the teacher keeping the computer for a night...I calmed down...a little bit. Because Big Sis and Senior have always told me that they were more afraid of my reaction than anything else, and this is what kept them on the straight and narrow (although once she reached high school, you could never put The Senior and "straight and narrow" in the same sentence).
We all calmed down until Little One arrived home with the study guide for a test which she hadn't heard (with emphasis on the word "heard") about. This meant that after the late soft-ball game, we had to buckle down and cram for the test, which is never easy when she is dozing off in the middle of it all...
But I'm back on it today, already encouraged by the fact that I have finished another section of the article. So until next week, when hopefully I will be finished, The Boy will have his computer back, Little One will have aced her test.....and on a side-note....Bon Voyage to Big Sis and SIL who are off for a fun weekend in New York City...and safe travels (and good luck) to the brother and sister-in-law who are descending upon Las Vegas as we speak....
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
"Take Care of All Your Memories, For You Can Not Relive Them." Bob Dylan
The weather seems to match my mood again. Melancholy, with a slight chance of sadness. This is a month of difficult dates (and days?) for me. Grandpa was visiting for the night, and he reminded me that today would have been his 48th wedding anniversary if Grandma was still with us. He had been to his beach place for a few days and had brought back with him some of her belongings; clothes. pictures, hats, etc. As I watched Little One go through them, piling things on herself piece by piece, until she looked like an old bag lady, I had to turn away for fear of crying. Little One is the clone of her Grandma...from her muscular body, to her lovely olive skin, to her fiery personality... little Jewish housewife with a touch of Italian temper; a formidable combination. It's been 3 years, and her presence is still very strong in our household. Though I don't need anything to remind me of her, it's very comforting, especially on a day like today, to thumb through t-shirts and towels, and just for a moment, pretend that she is here with me.
Next month will be the year anniversary of my own mother's death. I spoke to my younger brother last night, who was celebrating his own birthday, and we both commiserated on how much we miss her. Her house still sits semi-empty, moments from his house, a constant reminder of the void in our life. Since both of our parents had to endure difficult illnesses at the end, we decided that we missed them "back in the day" when everyone was healthy...and that has been a long time ago now. The thought of selling that house has been painful, because to me, it is an acknowledgement that they are truly gone, and I am alone in the world without my mom or dad. But as Grandpa reminded me last night, we are all just "passing through", and houses don't hold the memories...I do.
I wished my little brother a happy birthday last night, and he reminded me that he is not so "little" anymore. But in a few weeks, it will be my turn to age another year, so I reminded him that to me , he will forever be "little". The Boy informed me yesterday that he thinks I am aging backwards, a la Benjamin Butttons. After going through some old pictures of me, he said "See, you were not so pretty in these, but you are pretty now." I tried to explain to him about passing styles and how 10 years from now, we will think our current "look" is funny, but he couldn't grasp that concept. "All I know is, you looked weird then and you look good now."...I'll take it.
Little One is more concerned with ages. She finds it strange that dad is younger than mom...as this is not the norm in her class, and Little One is all about "norms" at this age. "At least you don't look older than him". ....Ok, I'll take that too.
So that's it for today. I'll pack up the old clothes and the memories that go with them. Tuck them away someplace safe and bring them out another day. For now, the sun is trying to come out, along my good mood. Until tomorrow, when the forecast is for a better day....
Next month will be the year anniversary of my own mother's death. I spoke to my younger brother last night, who was celebrating his own birthday, and we both commiserated on how much we miss her. Her house still sits semi-empty, moments from his house, a constant reminder of the void in our life. Since both of our parents had to endure difficult illnesses at the end, we decided that we missed them "back in the day" when everyone was healthy...and that has been a long time ago now. The thought of selling that house has been painful, because to me, it is an acknowledgement that they are truly gone, and I am alone in the world without my mom or dad. But as Grandpa reminded me last night, we are all just "passing through", and houses don't hold the memories...I do.
I wished my little brother a happy birthday last night, and he reminded me that he is not so "little" anymore. But in a few weeks, it will be my turn to age another year, so I reminded him that to me , he will forever be "little". The Boy informed me yesterday that he thinks I am aging backwards, a la Benjamin Butttons. After going through some old pictures of me, he said "See, you were not so pretty in these, but you are pretty now." I tried to explain to him about passing styles and how 10 years from now, we will think our current "look" is funny, but he couldn't grasp that concept. "All I know is, you looked weird then and you look good now."...I'll take it.
Little One is more concerned with ages. She finds it strange that dad is younger than mom...as this is not the norm in her class, and Little One is all about "norms" at this age. "At least you don't look older than him". ....Ok, I'll take that too.
So that's it for today. I'll pack up the old clothes and the memories that go with them. Tuck them away someplace safe and bring them out another day. For now, the sun is trying to come out, along my good mood. Until tomorrow, when the forecast is for a better day....
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
"France has the only 2 things towards which we drift as we grow older___intelligence and good manners." F. Scott Fitzgerald
Sacre Bleu! Or for those who don't curse in French...Say it ain't so! McDonald's has announced that they are opening a branch in the carousel area underneath the Louvre in Paris. To be more specific, a few steps away from the bottom of the glass pyramid that I.M. Pei created...the one beneath which Tom Hanks was sure laid the remains of Mary Magdalene....you will now be able to order some not-so-french fries.
Now it's not that McDonald's is new in France. There are over 1,100 branches scattered all over...even in Paris...even one on the famed Champs d'Elysees. When our family stayed in a very small village in southern France a few years back, there was a McDonald's in the neighboring town. I hate to admit it, but we made several trips there because The Boy and The Husband needed their American fast-food fix. McDonald's in France is a little different...the food quality is several steps higher on the food chain. The burgers taste homemade...the yogurts are not the grocery-store sugared-up type, but the fresh, healthy type. In fact, it is so different that The Boy was actually disappointed. But that aside, I just hate the thought of seeing those Golden Arches just down the elevator from the Mona Lisa...
I am no elitist food snob. I love IHOp, Waffle House....and I can certainly enjoy a Happy Meal on occasion. But some things just seem out of place, and having a McDonald's under some the greatest works of art in the world just doesn't seem right. A while back, there was an uproar because they opened an Apple store there....and look, it is definitely a mini-mall environment underneath there. But most of the shops are high-end French goods shops, with the exception of a few touristy places. The "food court" as it were, is representational of many types of cuisine...so that's not the problem either. It's just that in these days of heart disease and obesity, it seems ashame that this is the American representation. The French may partake of the burgers and fries...but they are hypocritical enough to still criticize it. And with good reason. It would be like having a McDonald's at the Vatican (there's not one, is there?) ....or in Buckingham Palace in London....or even in the White House. You get the picture. McDonald's in the Louvre is the definition of an Oxymoron... If there is ever a sequel made to the "Da Vinci Code" , perhaps Tom Hanks will discover that Mary Magdalene is instead beneath the Golden Arches...
I'll just remind anyone who may be going to France and touring the Louvre that there are some wonderful cafes inside. In fact, there is nothing more enjoyable than sitting down to an espresso and croissant after viewing all of the wonderful paintings in the Impressionist wing...Please do not spoil your trip by grabbing a Big Mac between floors...
That's it for today...on a personal note, thanks to all of you who sent good wishes for The Boy's test. After review, we think he might of done pretty well. I'll keep you posted...so until tomorrow...au revoir et bon jour...
Now it's not that McDonald's is new in France. There are over 1,100 branches scattered all over...even in Paris...even one on the famed Champs d'Elysees. When our family stayed in a very small village in southern France a few years back, there was a McDonald's in the neighboring town. I hate to admit it, but we made several trips there because The Boy and The Husband needed their American fast-food fix. McDonald's in France is a little different...the food quality is several steps higher on the food chain. The burgers taste homemade...the yogurts are not the grocery-store sugared-up type, but the fresh, healthy type. In fact, it is so different that The Boy was actually disappointed. But that aside, I just hate the thought of seeing those Golden Arches just down the elevator from the Mona Lisa...
I am no elitist food snob. I love IHOp, Waffle House....and I can certainly enjoy a Happy Meal on occasion. But some things just seem out of place, and having a McDonald's under some the greatest works of art in the world just doesn't seem right. A while back, there was an uproar because they opened an Apple store there....and look, it is definitely a mini-mall environment underneath there. But most of the shops are high-end French goods shops, with the exception of a few touristy places. The "food court" as it were, is representational of many types of cuisine...so that's not the problem either. It's just that in these days of heart disease and obesity, it seems ashame that this is the American representation. The French may partake of the burgers and fries...but they are hypocritical enough to still criticize it. And with good reason. It would be like having a McDonald's at the Vatican (there's not one, is there?) ....or in Buckingham Palace in London....or even in the White House. You get the picture. McDonald's in the Louvre is the definition of an Oxymoron... If there is ever a sequel made to the "Da Vinci Code" , perhaps Tom Hanks will discover that Mary Magdalene is instead beneath the Golden Arches...
I'll just remind anyone who may be going to France and touring the Louvre that there are some wonderful cafes inside. In fact, there is nothing more enjoyable than sitting down to an espresso and croissant after viewing all of the wonderful paintings in the Impressionist wing...Please do not spoil your trip by grabbing a Big Mac between floors...
That's it for today...on a personal note, thanks to all of you who sent good wishes for The Boy's test. After review, we think he might of done pretty well. I'll keep you posted...so until tomorrow...au revoir et bon jour...
Monday, October 5, 2009
"Monday. In Christian Countries, the Day After the Ballgame."
The moods matched the weather this morning. The weekend went by much too quickly, since most of it was spent at the ball park. The Boy played 4 games this weekend...Friday night, Saturday morning and afternoon....and then 8:00 Sunday morning. Now this final game meant we would have to rise at 6:30 to get there in time. Upon hearing this news Saturday evening, I literally felt like crying. I haven't missed one of The Boy's games since last summer when the doctor forbid me to go due to pneumonia. Wait, I take that back...I did miss a few games this past summer when I had to take Little One to her softball tournament...but you get the picture. I just felt exhausted. The Husband kindly suggested that I sleep in and come to a later game, but I was worried about The Boy's reaction. He is very good at guilting me out...and I was braced for his comments. But when The Husband told him it would only be the 2 of them going at 6:30, his only question was "Can we stop for breakfast?" I was so relieved...and at 6:30 the next morning, I barely heard them leave. Little One , who was still suffering due to that orthodontic appliance (of which I have been told not to call by name), slept peacefully through the departure too.
Little One has been in tears since last Wednesday. This horrid appliance, which looks like some kind of torture device out of the middle ages, has her in a lot of pain. Now The Boy has this too, and I remember him being sore for a few days when he first got it on...but he mainly used it as an excuse to have 3 milkshakes a day. I've tried this with Little One, but it doesn't help much. She had tears falling on the way to school. I offered for her to stay home..but she may have a softball game tonight, and she didn't want to take a chance on missing it. I offered to bring her a milkshake for lunch, and she took me up on it. I hate seeing her in so much discomfort....I told her "I wish it were me and not you." Being Little One, she replied "Oh no you don't. You don't have any idea what this feels like. You didn't have these in the old days..."....
The Boy has a big science test today. He talked about it all weekend. "Gee, I hope I do ok on that test.... Gosh, hope I don't fail that test.... Ok, getting ready to study for that test.....But somehow, all of the worry and talk never manifests into truly studying. Finally, at bedtime last night, he was ready to be quizzed over it. After stumbling through it, he asked "Well, what do you think?..B+?" This is the thing about The Boy...he is an optimist. Last night, I was thinking C-, but he must have put in a little more time after he went to bed, because this morning on the way to school, I upgraded him to a B+...
A couple last notes...I had a terrific dinner with Big Sister and a good friend Saturday night. One of those glorious "girl" dates where you sit down at your table and the waitress has to come back 6 times before you hush and figure out what you are going to order. During the course of 90 minutes, we covered everything from vegetarianism to computer technology to 'Dancing with the Stars'. ...Now, during this conversation, I happened to mention that I was rooting for Donny Osmond to win 'Dancing'. I like how he is so upbeat, plus I think he is good. When I mentioned this, Big Sister informed me that the SIL, upon hearing this, had said "Big surprise. Of course she would go for the 50's cheesy crooner.".....Excuse me? ...I immediately had her call him and ask why on earth he would say this. I absolutely HATE being a forgone conclusion. But all he would say is "These are questions you just have to ask yourself..."...That is the SIL for you...Mr. Zen. My guess is he's rooting the Boy band guy...
So until tomorrow, when hopefully the weather will be better, Little One will be feeling better, and Donny Osmond will be in the lead on 'Dancing'...
Little One has been in tears since last Wednesday. This horrid appliance, which looks like some kind of torture device out of the middle ages, has her in a lot of pain. Now The Boy has this too, and I remember him being sore for a few days when he first got it on...but he mainly used it as an excuse to have 3 milkshakes a day. I've tried this with Little One, but it doesn't help much. She had tears falling on the way to school. I offered for her to stay home..but she may have a softball game tonight, and she didn't want to take a chance on missing it. I offered to bring her a milkshake for lunch, and she took me up on it. I hate seeing her in so much discomfort....I told her "I wish it were me and not you." Being Little One, she replied "Oh no you don't. You don't have any idea what this feels like. You didn't have these in the old days..."....
The Boy has a big science test today. He talked about it all weekend. "Gee, I hope I do ok on that test.... Gosh, hope I don't fail that test.... Ok, getting ready to study for that test.....But somehow, all of the worry and talk never manifests into truly studying. Finally, at bedtime last night, he was ready to be quizzed over it. After stumbling through it, he asked "Well, what do you think?..B+?" This is the thing about The Boy...he is an optimist. Last night, I was thinking C-, but he must have put in a little more time after he went to bed, because this morning on the way to school, I upgraded him to a B+...
A couple last notes...I had a terrific dinner with Big Sister and a good friend Saturday night. One of those glorious "girl" dates where you sit down at your table and the waitress has to come back 6 times before you hush and figure out what you are going to order. During the course of 90 minutes, we covered everything from vegetarianism to computer technology to 'Dancing with the Stars'. ...Now, during this conversation, I happened to mention that I was rooting for Donny Osmond to win 'Dancing'. I like how he is so upbeat, plus I think he is good. When I mentioned this, Big Sister informed me that the SIL, upon hearing this, had said "Big surprise. Of course she would go for the 50's cheesy crooner.".....Excuse me? ...I immediately had her call him and ask why on earth he would say this. I absolutely HATE being a forgone conclusion. But all he would say is "These are questions you just have to ask yourself..."...That is the SIL for you...Mr. Zen. My guess is he's rooting the Boy band guy...
So until tomorrow, when hopefully the weather will be better, Little One will be feeling better, and Donny Osmond will be in the lead on 'Dancing'...
Friday, October 2, 2009
"Weekends are A Bit Like Rainbows; They Look Good From a Distance, But Disappear When You Get Up Close."
It's Friday. Today was meant to be 'Grandparents and Friends Day' at the kid's school. Kind of a sad day for me, reminding me that mom and dad are no longer around. Grandpa (The Husband's dad) has not been well lately...and he still teaches school ( this devout catholic teaches at the jewish school...a story for a whole different blog), so he could not make the trip from New Jersey. For the last few years, Little One's godfather has been kind enough to 'stand in' on this day as family and friend. He comes and meets the teachers and reads the kids' papers and jokes around with them. It is really kind of him to do this, as I usually have to ask at the last minute, since I only find the crumpled-up paper with the date of the day in somebody's bookbag a couple of days beforehand...
Anyway, we had to cancel today because Little One is not feeling well. On Wednesday, she had an orthodontic appliance called the 'herbst' put in. Now Big Sister has asked me not to refer to this by name, as she feels like it sounds like an adult transmitted disease. "Mom, just say she got braces." Her feeling was validated by another friend of mine yesterday who, after hearing The Boy talk about Little One's 'herbst', told me I should not allow him to talk about that. The Boy has worn this appliance for a few months now, and I remembered that he had experienced a lot of discomfort at the beginning. But Little One is unfortunately experiencing perpetual pain...so she's home this morning, buried in the distraction of Disney Channel.
The Husband was suppose to attend this morning too, so upon hearing the devastating news that we would not be going, he buried himself under the covers and pretended it was already the weekend.
A few more recaps from the week.....Big Sis chastised me for the 'Vegetarian Blog". Seems it was only the SIL who caved and ate Burger King...and he is insisting that it was only a momentary lapse. They are back on track...still living the 'hippie, outdoorsman, vegetarian' lifestyle. Big Sister has become quite the spokesperson, sending out at least 5 e-mail blasts a day warning against eating meat. The Big Sis can delve into a lifestyle with the best of them.....We'll track her progress in the weeks to come.
This weekend, as shocking as it may seem, The Boy has several baseball games. The good news for me is that a friend recommended some good books to read. The bad news is that I will be accused of being anti-social at the games. There is evidently a fine line between keeping busy at the games and coming across as 'downright rude and anti-social'. This makes me miss The Boy's old team, where I knew all of the parents, and they had no problem with my anti-social behavior. It was well known that I only had a limited amount of conversation to offer...and nobody cared. But this weekend, I will only bring out the book after I have said 'Hello, how's it going?' to everyone....
So until next week, when hopefully the Little One will be feeling better, The Boy will win some games, and the Big Sis will still be eating her veggies....
Anyway, we had to cancel today because Little One is not feeling well. On Wednesday, she had an orthodontic appliance called the 'herbst' put in. Now Big Sister has asked me not to refer to this by name, as she feels like it sounds like an adult transmitted disease. "Mom, just say she got braces." Her feeling was validated by another friend of mine yesterday who, after hearing The Boy talk about Little One's 'herbst', told me I should not allow him to talk about that. The Boy has worn this appliance for a few months now, and I remembered that he had experienced a lot of discomfort at the beginning. But Little One is unfortunately experiencing perpetual pain...so she's home this morning, buried in the distraction of Disney Channel.
The Husband was suppose to attend this morning too, so upon hearing the devastating news that we would not be going, he buried himself under the covers and pretended it was already the weekend.
A few more recaps from the week.....Big Sis chastised me for the 'Vegetarian Blog". Seems it was only the SIL who caved and ate Burger King...and he is insisting that it was only a momentary lapse. They are back on track...still living the 'hippie, outdoorsman, vegetarian' lifestyle. Big Sister has become quite the spokesperson, sending out at least 5 e-mail blasts a day warning against eating meat. The Big Sis can delve into a lifestyle with the best of them.....We'll track her progress in the weeks to come.
This weekend, as shocking as it may seem, The Boy has several baseball games. The good news for me is that a friend recommended some good books to read. The bad news is that I will be accused of being anti-social at the games. There is evidently a fine line between keeping busy at the games and coming across as 'downright rude and anti-social'. This makes me miss The Boy's old team, where I knew all of the parents, and they had no problem with my anti-social behavior. It was well known that I only had a limited amount of conversation to offer...and nobody cared. But this weekend, I will only bring out the book after I have said 'Hello, how's it going?' to everyone....
So until next week, when hopefully the Little One will be feeling better, The Boy will win some games, and the Big Sis will still be eating her veggies....
Thursday, October 1, 2009
"A Woman's Dress Should Be Like a Barbed-wire Fence; Serving It's Purpose Without Obstructing the View" Sophia Loren
Today is on fashion...a warning to those who don't care ( Good-Bye Husband and Thomas). It's Thursday, which is my favorite Wall Street Journal day because of the fashion section. I started to title this "Passion for Fashion"...but then I caught myself and remembered that I must have been studying with The Boy too long for his poetry test...Here we go..
1) Giorgio Armani, one of my favorite designers, is 75 years old. Having recently been side-lined due to a bout with hepatitis, there was speculation that he was going to hand over the reigns to someone else. Thankfully , he let everyone know at the Milan Fashion week that there would be no mergers or acquisitions. I find it amazing and admirable that he is so hands-on and such a perfectionist. My guess is he will eventually groom his niece, Roberta, to take over. She is in charge of PR...knowledgeable, elegant.. a great figure-head for the classic-yet-modern line. Anytime Michelle Pfieffer or Cate Blanchett walk the Red Carpet and look fabulous, you can bet they are wearing Armani...
2) Dolce and Gabbana shook things up on the front row during their Milan fashion show. Besides the usual fashion regular, Anna Wintour of Vogue, for one (because hey, if you snub her...you don't get in the magazine)...they tipped their hats to the new technological age by giving some prime seats to some online bloggers....I find this interesting, because it was only a couple of years ago when the designers were kind of looking down their noses at online stores...It seemed unlikely that a woman would spend a lot of money on a dress or shoes without trying them on. But if you check the success of Net-a-Porter.com or bluefly...you see that they actually will. The bloggers not only provide free marketing for the designers...but for those fashionistas who cannot attend the shows...they are given a an up-to-the-minute breakdown of what was shown, how much it cost, and where you can find it.
As for Dolce and Gabbana...LOVE them At first glance, their clothes seem overtly sexy, bordering on risque. But they are so well-made and well-cut that they work. I bought a skirt from their line 10 years ago in NY at Saks, and it has been (and still is) a staple in my wardrobe. It is the best-fitting skirt I own. I also have a terrific LBD that I bought from bluefly.com for a special event a few years back. At first glance, it seemed a little too sexy...The Husband was thrown for a minute by the peek-a-boo bra subtley showing.but again, the cut is so perfect that it works.
3) Christain La Croix, the french designer who has long been the symbol of haute-couture has been saved from bankruptcy by an Arab sheik. This is just so funny to me. I'm anxious to see what effect this will have on his wildly innovative line. You are never going to see his clothes at the mall...but the fashion world would just not be the same without his crazy, costumey designs.
4) Same goes for Versace. Having struggled financially in the past few years, Donatella finally let go of her CEO who had pushed her to be more "commercial". Without his influence, her new collection is full of micro-minis, see-through plastic, and babydoll dresses....Now I don't wear or long for Versace, but again, the edginess of the line is good for the fashion world and it does translate well on the Red Carpet.
5) My favorite show of the week was Missoni. I cannot afford any of their luxe knits or sweaters...but if money was no object, they would be my go-to collection for spring. Their signature stripes and patterns and layers are so "hippie, elegant chic"...and I have to say...the striped coke bottles that they handed out at their show...marketing genius. I'll be scouring e-bay for that bottle...
So that's it for today. I realize the Milan fashion week is not on everyone's radar...but hey, if you have a "passion for fashion"...it's a big deal. So until tomorrow, when it is Friends and Grandparents day at the kid's school...
1) Giorgio Armani, one of my favorite designers, is 75 years old. Having recently been side-lined due to a bout with hepatitis, there was speculation that he was going to hand over the reigns to someone else. Thankfully , he let everyone know at the Milan Fashion week that there would be no mergers or acquisitions. I find it amazing and admirable that he is so hands-on and such a perfectionist. My guess is he will eventually groom his niece, Roberta, to take over. She is in charge of PR...knowledgeable, elegant.. a great figure-head for the classic-yet-modern line. Anytime Michelle Pfieffer or Cate Blanchett walk the Red Carpet and look fabulous, you can bet they are wearing Armani...
2) Dolce and Gabbana shook things up on the front row during their Milan fashion show. Besides the usual fashion regular, Anna Wintour of Vogue, for one (because hey, if you snub her...you don't get in the magazine)...they tipped their hats to the new technological age by giving some prime seats to some online bloggers....I find this interesting, because it was only a couple of years ago when the designers were kind of looking down their noses at online stores...It seemed unlikely that a woman would spend a lot of money on a dress or shoes without trying them on. But if you check the success of Net-a-Porter.com or bluefly...you see that they actually will. The bloggers not only provide free marketing for the designers...but for those fashionistas who cannot attend the shows...they are given a an up-to-the-minute breakdown of what was shown, how much it cost, and where you can find it.
As for Dolce and Gabbana...LOVE them At first glance, their clothes seem overtly sexy, bordering on risque. But they are so well-made and well-cut that they work. I bought a skirt from their line 10 years ago in NY at Saks, and it has been (and still is) a staple in my wardrobe. It is the best-fitting skirt I own. I also have a terrific LBD that I bought from bluefly.com for a special event a few years back. At first glance, it seemed a little too sexy...The Husband was thrown for a minute by the peek-a-boo bra subtley showing.but again, the cut is so perfect that it works.
3) Christain La Croix, the french designer who has long been the symbol of haute-couture has been saved from bankruptcy by an Arab sheik. This is just so funny to me. I'm anxious to see what effect this will have on his wildly innovative line. You are never going to see his clothes at the mall...but the fashion world would just not be the same without his crazy, costumey designs.
4) Same goes for Versace. Having struggled financially in the past few years, Donatella finally let go of her CEO who had pushed her to be more "commercial". Without his influence, her new collection is full of micro-minis, see-through plastic, and babydoll dresses....Now I don't wear or long for Versace, but again, the edginess of the line is good for the fashion world and it does translate well on the Red Carpet.
5) My favorite show of the week was Missoni. I cannot afford any of their luxe knits or sweaters...but if money was no object, they would be my go-to collection for spring. Their signature stripes and patterns and layers are so "hippie, elegant chic"...and I have to say...the striped coke bottles that they handed out at their show...marketing genius. I'll be scouring e-bay for that bottle...
So that's it for today. I realize the Milan fashion week is not on everyone's radar...but hey, if you have a "passion for fashion"...it's a big deal. So until tomorrow, when it is Friends and Grandparents day at the kid's school...
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