O Christmas Tree

I almost called this blog entry "O PALEEEEZ!" 

The Governor of Rhode Island, Lincoln Chafee has renamed the Christmas Tree in the RI Statehouse a "Holiday Tree" in an effort to be Politically Correct I guess.

I am a Jew (in case that escaped anyone's notice) and I can state unequivocally that if it is some kind of towering evergreen or plastic facsimile and it is decorated with ornaments and tinsel or even popcorn strings and it has an angel or star at the top, it is most definitely a Christmas Tree.  I can also state without hesitation that calling it a Holiday Tree will not in any way make it part of my holiday tradition nor will it somehow make me feel "included".  I am sure other non-Christians feel the same way.

Do not take this to mean I do not like Christmas Trees.  I really do love seeing Other People's Trees (some are breathtaking) and honestly enjoy cruising the neighborhoods that go whole-hog with their displays. 

Please do not rename your Christmas Tree on my account. 

;-)

Da Bears

Confession: I have been sleeping with these guys for the past 25 years (or more), ever since I bought them as a present for Jake, my two year old neighbor.  They obviously never made it to Jake's house.  I could not resist them, they were so soft and cuddly and they made me smile. 

Their names are Eskimo Pie ("Pie") and Fudgicle ("Fudgie"). Guess which is which ;-)

I have been told that after a heart operation patients are sometimes given a pillow, maybe heart shaped, to put on their chest.  This provides a sense of calm and well being.  I know this is true because Pie and Fudgie have been doing this for me for a long time.

The Snowbirds Part Three of Three

The last set of snowbirds are cousins Morry and Barbara. It was a happy day several years ago when they chose West Palm Beach for their winter retirement home. Of course, being close to us tipped their decision over Puerta Vallarta or Naples!

Having Morry and Barb here for six months of the year means that there are loved ones to share Chanukah (with presents!) and Passover (we alternate houses each year).

Morry's a retired cop and Chief of Police and Barb's a retired teacher. Like us, they have no children. Barb declared that she and I must have been separated at birth and we are actually sisters! Wow! She buys me tchatchkes with "sisters" on it whenever she finds it.

Truth be told, they are my favorite snowbirds and I hate it when those birds fly back to Chicago every spring.

The Snowbirds Part Two

Brunch today at Giorgio's Grill on the Hollywood Intercoastal with returning snowbirds - cousins Jeannie and Marek Sutkiewicz!  I am excited and not just because there's all-you-can-eat lox on the menu!

Cousin Jeannie (grand-daughter of my father's sister Gittel who perished in the Holocaust) and I were close when we were teenagers.  We stopped writing after we both married and our lives took different directions.

In March 2007, Jeannie sent me an email and we renewed our friendship as if the almost 40 years were nothing.  My BFF had passed away the previous year and I took Jeannie's reappearance in my life as a gift from Heaven.  (I am very mushy that way)

Jeannie is the daughter of Holocaust survivors and her second husband Marek is himself a Holocaust survivor.  He is 22 years her senior (84) but it is a wonderful match and God Willing, they will have many more happy years together.  But the specter of the Holocaust is never far from their thoughts.

Jeannie is a bona-fide "yenta" and Jewish Princess par excellence. She is also gorgeous, she's smart, well-read and educated (even without any college), she speaks four languages fluently, she's a great friend and a true joy in my life.

Even better than all-you-can-eat lox  ;-)

The Snowbirds Part One

Cousins Frimette and Milton ("Mickey") called yesterday.  They are back in their condo in Hallandale Beach, escaping another Toronto winter.

Frimette is my first cousin, my father's sister Edith's daughter.  She is exactly 20 years older than me (82) and has been married exactly 20 years longer than me (62 years).  She is named for Frimet Faygel, my great grandmother, the lady though whom the cousins and I can track our lineage back to Rashi.

Frimette and Mickey are still good looking and very active.  They travel a bunch to exotic places I have zero interest in. Mickey tells jokes. Did I mention they are loaded?  They endowed a chair at the Ben Gurion University in Israel in nanotechnology (not cheap) but are careful to make sure they only go to the "early bird specials" when we eat out.

My mother told me that when she was pregnant with me she stared at Frimette (who was 20 at the time) in the hopes that I would come out looking like her.  Don't laugh, I do believe we look a bit alike.  Maybe it worked?? Who knew?

I'm truly looking forward to our dinner at Moe's Deli (the Early Bird of course!) on Wednesday night.

;-)

Holiday Prep Part Two

Chanukah is a little late this year but timed well to coincide with Christmas.  Always a plus for the kiddies.

It does not take much but I do in fact prep a little.  Step One: getting out the menorahs. 

Purchased at Glenbrook Hospital while visiting sick friend.  Love the Kotel motif!

Can you believe?  Found at a garage sale!  It's gorgeous!

A gift from a dear friend who has been Englican, Jewish and now Catholic.

A gift from cousin Barbara :-)

Forgot when but its been here awhile...

My parent's Menorah, I grew up with this one.

Homemade Menorah from the 80's, still used every year

Fields

I've been watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and I truly do appreciate the part that parade has played in making my many Thanksgivings special.

But I am a true Chicagoan and deep down I am still sorry that Macy's replaced Marshall Fields, a Chicago icon for decades, if not for a century.

When I was a girl the supreme treat would be a visit to the downtown flagship store to see the incomparable Fields Christmas tree in the famed Walnut Room.  Of course, we could never afford to eat there.  But after I married and became "affluent", it was a dream-come-true to finally be able to join the "upper crust" of Chicago Society (not really but that's what I perceived) and have lunch right there!  Right beside the tree!

When I was young I thought that if I ever became "rich" I would shop at Fields.  I  never got that "rich" but my dining room set did come from the downtown Fields and I treasure it even more because of that. 

Nothing will replace Marshall Fields and Company in my mind and my memories.  And in my heart.

Thanksgiving

I have so much to be thankful for, I am filled to the brim with Joy and Gratitude.  My cup truly does runneth over.

No Butts

Under the heading of "you must be joking" comes the story of (let's assume) otherwise sane South Florida women having their butts injected with cement, mineral oil and flat tire sealant.

One might be tempted to wonder at the lengths women might go to to have their flat derrieres pumped up.  A confession: I am also in the category of women who wish for a little more padding in that area.

Another confession: I have also gone to great lengths to fulfill my tushy dream.  But my efforts stopped after I bought Booty Pop!

The Job Front

It's amazing to me that the only two resumes I sent out garnered me two interviews for Director of Information Technology positions for two top-tier employers in this job wasteland called South Florida and in the midst of "the greatest recession since the Great Depression".   Nice ego boost!

Am I truly interested?  It's hard to say.  It would be nice to finish my career in the top slot in IT.  It would be nice to feel I am worth more than my recently cut salary and benefits and the four plus years without a raise. It would be nice to give the finger salute to the Human Resources Director who put the kibosh on my promotion to Assistant Director two years ago, even though my boss and the City Manager had approved it.  And it would be nice not to have to see the City's website outsourced and revamped as I consider it a personal accomplishment (after all, it has consistently placed us in the Top Ten of Digital Cities).

Do I have the energy to undertake a new job after almost 12 years at Hollywood?  I think so.

After I interviewed with the Seminole Tribe I knew that particular position wasn't for me.  I'll try interviewing with Pembroke Pines today and see how it goes...

;-)

Holiday Prep Part One

When I was a girl my Mom and I would prepare our Thanksgiving feast while watching the Macy's parade (not as easy as you think since the one TV was in the living room). I'd give every turkey a name. The first was "Percy", named for the Scarlet Pimpernel, a classic I was reading.  I was enamoured with the hero, Lord Percy (he had a secret identity: aristocrat by day, do-good hero by night). (Note to self: order from library and reread)

The naming tradition has continued to this day and this year's lucky Butterball is "Garfunkle", named for the Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme recipe I'm trying out.

Other traditions? The Pilgrim family salt and pepper shakers, the stuffed turkey centerpiece and the fall colors easy-care vinyl tablecloth. The meal? Besides Garfunkle, two kinds of stuffing (cornbread and herb), sweet potatoes, roasted chestnuts and pumpkin pie.

Yum!

Fathers

A young man I know only through Facebook wrote the following to his father and put it out for all the world to see:

I want to especially thank my father. I know he doesn't always understand what I go thru, but he never questions anything and always sticks by my side. I hope that one day I can be as good as a father as he was to me. I love you dad

His words moved me tremendously.  As much as I loved my own father, as much as I owe him for all that I am, as much as I respected him and knew he was one in a billion, and as grateful as I am that I was fortunate enough to be his daughter, I never told him what he meant to me. It is too late now. 

I am glad this young man did not hesitate to tell his father how much he means to him. 

Why?

There is a joke that goes like this:
"Most Jewish Holidays have the same message - they tried to kill us, we survived, Let's Eat!!"

There is some truth to that and it especially hit home while I was in Israel and every place seemed to hold a story of persecution, murder, destruction, annihilation or hatred.

It's true that other people and races have been victims of bigotry, discrimination and enslavement.  But I do not believe any other single group of human beings have been so despised as to be repeatedly and gleefully made the targets for complete genocide.

Jews are generally a peace loving, non violent people who for the most part are productive members of whatever society they find themselves.  What is it about us that conjures up such hatred??

Good To Know

Great News but I have always suspected I could not REALLY be OLD.  Deep down I know I've just gotten started! 

They say you are only as old as you feel.  And I feel pretty good.  Maybe the best I've ever felt.  Why not? I have 28 years to go to OLD!

;-)

Breaking Dawn

God-daughter Laura went to see Breaking Dawn, the latest in the Twilight trilogy (except I think this one is number 4) with a gaggle of her girlfriends at 12:01 am (midnight!) this morning.

I find the Twilight series mildly entertaining but certainly not worthy of losing any precious ZZZZZs.  Granted, the leading men are hunky but come on, is a choice between a hundred year old vampire and a werewolf any real option for a sweet young thing?

Of course in my own heyday I did rush to see the Beatles in A Hard Day's Night with a gaggle of my own girlfriends so I guess I can relate. I should however mention that we were all 14 years old and my Laura and her friends are all past the big 3-0.  Not to mention she is the mother of three!

But truth be told - lost ZZZZZs or not - I wish I could have gone with them tonight!

What Not To Eat

There are only a few things I WILL NOT eat.  This is not to say I wouldn't eat them if I was say marooned on a desert island or stuck in a hospital (poo-poo-poo) for an extended period of time.

I think I can probably count them on five fingers.  Let's see:

• Avocado in any form
• Lemon jello or any jello with fruit floating in it. (Memory: my mother used to put milk on her jello.  Yuck!)
• Olives
• Cottage Cheese (Farmers Cheese and the stuff in blintzes are A-OK though)
• Applesauce (but I love apples in any other form)

I do eat some things that others think are disgusting.  The top contenders in this category: buttermilk and anchovies.  But not together of course.

;-)

This Time Of The Year

Already the "Happy Holidays" ads are out in full force!  I am inundated by TV ads and mail catalogs that dare to disrupt and divert my attention from the peaceful tranquility of Thanksgiving.  Now they are plotting to have us rush the meal and dash off to WalMart at 10 pm!

A confession: I really dislike this time of the year.  Intensely. I have always, always felt like an alien visitor to my own planet in December and I just CANNOT get excited about substituting Chanukah for Christmas, as I suspect retailers would be thrilled to have us do.  Chanukah to me means lighting the candles and perhaps a few gold wrapped chocolate coins for the kiddies and a few spins of the dreidel.

Perhaps I can hide under the covers til January?

:-)

While You Were Out

I have not taken a two week vacation like EVER! But I came back home after an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime trip to Israel to find the following:

a big bin of snail mail with a "Welcome Home!!" note from Jo, our mail carrier

two voice messages from the City of Pembroke Pines about their open IT Director position (!)

an empty refrigerator

a craving for Popeyes chicken and other "real" food

a ton of laundry

the news that my BFF's brother, Hal, had passed away.

Hal was a jerk, even when he was 18 and figured his good looks made him a Divine Gift To Women.  When the kids came into money he tried to get more than the generous legacy Sheryl left him.  He was a smooth talker and loved nothing more than showing off his Lexus, his Rolex and other meaningless trappings of pomposity.  His death belies my theory that only the good die young (he was only 64).

But Sheryl (with her tremendous heart) loved him and I'm sure welcomes him with open arms. 

Good to be home..

Andy Rooney

People sometimes say that the TV show Seinfeld was a show about "nothing". I guess you could say Andy Rooney's career was also built on "nothing" - or rather, those small, everyday, inconsequential, trivial, whimsical and often humorous details that make up human existence.

Kind of like my blog but of course I am no Andy Rooney.

;-)