Daughters and Sports

I have generally avoided blogging on this site, for no particular reason other than I enjoy reading Sallie's posts. But I had a call from my daughter Jen yesterday, and read her blog today. Seems her daughters, Kiley and Cody, are playing together on a softball team. Kiley's the pitcher and Cody the shortstop. They did great in their first game, but that's not the important thing. Jen related her nervousness in anticipating how they would do, and how stressful it was, watching from the stands. A zillion years ago, I alternately coached and watched Jen and her sister Ali as they played on the same softball team. And life goes on...My only thoughts are a)will Jen get tossed out of the park for un-sportsmanlike screaming at the umpire (Nah, she's calmer than me, I think)? and b) can she teach Cody to move to her left on ground balls (unlike Jen)? Just kidding, Jen.

These days I enjoy watching Kate play sports (soccer, skateboarding, even a little fencing), and I love every moment. No screaming, just support.Could it be I've mellowed? Nah!

Did I mention that it was raining?

We set off this morning for Kate's Architecture Camp in a space that I had passed by many times but just never had seen. I am thrilled that she is interested in this kind of activity and has these choices in her life. I don't ever remember doing anything this interesting as a kid. I have no memories. Maybe because it was just normal, go to school, spend time with my mother on spring vacation....

However I have to note that after almost 10 years with us, tomorrow is Alice's last day. She is going to work for the folks in 9B which turns out to be a good thing because it's a job for the next 12 years or so and she remains right in the building. Or have I already said that? Kate and I are both very sad....but as Alice says and I don't always concur, things work out for the best.

How do you know?

New Week & new Activity

Friday I went to the movies with a group from the office who are all devoted fans of Stieg Larssen and his book, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Hence the Swedish film of the same name that opened last week to good reviews. We and other obvious groupies of this author who wrote 3 sensational books and then dropped dead of a heart attack were out in force, laughing before the jokes hit and understanding before the knife sliced. It is a murder thriller after all. I was so pumped from seeing this film and loved it so much that Arnie went to see it on Saturday and also loved it.

Easy weekend with the usual plus dinner with friends on Saturday night at a local Mexican restaurant and then Sunday was just a hang out day. Persian Day Parade went off without a hitch before it started to rain -- zounds we've certain had enough rain -- and then just at home. Kate finished her book, Angels & Demons on Saturday and was fascinated by everything that happened in Dan Brown's book so we looked it up on line to help distinguish between fact and fiction. I'm sure that she will go on and read the DaVinci Code and there is another huge website to help people sift out fact from fiction. It's also a great way to get kids interested in going to Italy if only we were going!

So this is her last week of spring break and it's off to Architecture camp, so called, tomorrow. We will see.

Oh frabjous Day

I like the theme of Alice in Wonderland. Sometimes my life feels a little bit like the house of cards and I feel like the red queen.

Speaking of colors and my mention of yellow high heel shoes which my family thought was weird, there was a reader comment on the blog in Japanese...How about that. I must reach across linguistic barriers.

This morning I saw an interview with a demographer on CNN -- I hasten to say that I was at the gym huffing and puffing -- who said that younger people could expect to live until they were 100 years old and how that might change how we plan out our lives. Why, forinstance, spend 40 years in retirement? Good question and so fascinating. I want to raise this with Kate at dinner tonight. She, by the way, is still loving fencing. And has a week and a half more of vacation. The weather for this non second anyway is great and I saw a daffodil in full bloom this morning! Quite beautiful.

What wasn't beautiful, just to inject a political note here, was John McCain with a cheshire cat grin, pretending that Sarah Palin's rifle target chart of democratic districts wasn't violent. Jerks both of them. Rogue would be too good a word for them and demean creative thinking and an appreciation of the some of the democratic ideals for which other people have fought. Oh, my!

Stay-cation for Jabbnerwocky

Thats us. and Jabberwocky is her self chosen nick name for this 5 day fencing camp. I was so worried that Kate would be at loose ends over this two week period that Arnie and I put on our serious thinking caps and came up with some great projects for her. Almost too many and too much. She started fencing camp yesterday and it was with some trepidation that I called her to find out how the first day had gone." Fabulous, I'm loving it." How much is that worth to any parent? Millions. But I also this time tried to tell her that it wasn't just a serendipitous gift from the gods but the result of some real thinking about what she would like best and we were delighted that she's enjoying it. This morning it was all about figuring out how to make mac and cheese and keep it hot for her lunch today. I left for the office in the middle of these maneuvers.

And then on my way to work I kept thinking about a pair of high heel yellow slingbacks that I used. How ridiculous is that? No, how fun is that. And last night I dreamt that Miss Murray and I made a quick trip to Paris by elevator. it just happened. We enjoyed riding the elevator in some nameless hotel and then suddenly we were in a beautiful old train station, amybe the Gare de Lyons, made famous by a painter whose name escapes me. Classic turn of the century architecture with high glass ceiling with black supports. Anyway, there we were as the elevator opened, right in the train station and just a short ride from home. A perfect trip.

Pancake Madness

I hope I am remembering this dedication in one of J.D. Salinger's books where he comments on his son presenting him with a single lima bean. I always think about thatthese mornings when Kate presents me with a single pancake and says eat it now. No plate, no fork. Just the lima bean. No, I mean the pancake.

Addled

My brain is no doubt addled. I forgot to share that Kate found a $50 bill on the street the other day so we made her pay for lunch. Moral of the story: never find money when you are with your family. and the bill was actually good because they accepted it for legal tender. I was thinking that it was a joke and a fake.

And last night I spent alot of time with kate in her room listening to music which was relaxing and fun until she put the words to a Lady Gaga song up on the computer. Before I had Kate I thought Tipper Gore was a real party pooper and bore. Last night I was Tipper Gore. What are you listening to? No, and no. I flat out said that the song was too sexual....What happened to the younger liberal me? Missing in action . Alas.

Adventures

Finally: The weekend -- Kate and Arnie went out for Japanese food together at a new neighborhood restaurant on what turned out to be a very rainy Friday night while I had a drink with a friend at Tabla. And Floyd Cardoza the chef came by to say hello which thrilled me because while he isn't the owner, he makes the food. Star sighting. So we all had our moments of triumph and Kate's was that she tried sushi. Bravo adventure girl.

Busy weekend with a morning Bat Mitzvah service, home again for Chinese lessons and then back out for the and evenings frivolity because we were forced to rethink our Saturday nights which are often downright borning. But this time we had to really push the envelope and thinkabout what we would do from 7 to 11:30pm! Them's long hours. Kate looked gorgeous and finally gave up trying to wear my heels -- smart decision if you're planning to dance -- and gave up trying to leave her glasses behind. Contacts are #1 on her wish list now. We dropped her off at some event space in the Theatre district where the tough bouncer at the front door said "Don't worry, we don't let them out." On the spur of the moment we bailed on our movie and went to see a preview of Red, the new play about Mark Rothko because we managed to snag some nose bleed seats in the balcony but we could certainly hear everything and our sight lines were also good. We went to pick up Kate at 11:30 and I was totally surprised how many of her classmates have changed since last week. Ok, not last week. But really since I've seen many of them which hasn't been that long. Their faces have different angles and in some cases it was hard to recognize them. Growing up.

We went to see Alice In Wonderland which was great and tried a new fast food Korean chicken restaurant which was also great....Home for my nap

California Dreamin'

It wasn't my day to walk Kate to the bus but that doesn't stop me from just checking in to make sure that she is on track to leave the house at 7:20 to get to the bus. Frankly if I have to walk her to the bus stop then I'd rather just keep on going, ride the bus with her and then go on to work from her school. So, this morning I sauntered into her room to make sure that her phone is charged, her teeth brushed, you know the usual. "What are you doing, sweetie? Are you going to be ready to leave when your Dad calls?"

I'm day dreaming and your're interrupting me.

Daydreaming about some boy paying attention to you?

Just day dreaming and you're interrupting it.....

That was my exit line.

Pancake madness

Yesterday I came home from the gym and was prsented with a wonderful warm pancake which really hit the spot. Yum. This morning the omens were good. The mini chef was busy bustling around the kitchen and so I arrived in the kitchen still dripping from my shower for my alloted pancake in anticipation of a wonderful warm pancake. Instead I was handed a pale tepid pancake. no plate. "You took too long," said the chef.

ok maybe my luck will be better tomorrow.

Pancakes

Kate and I went shopping the other night for our girls night out. Kate is a ferocious shopper and wants to look at everything, touch everything and consider all. I wanna walk in a store, scan it and leave. Or buy something. But this sensuous experience with the goods leaves me cold. But because Kate is the queen of handmedowns we only go shopping once or twice a year. Also Alice does a lot of the nuisance shopping for underpants and stuff. But this was our night out and so we went, I was on my best behavior leaving all the eye rolling and heavy sighing at home. So Kate exited the store three items to the good. A nice man tailored shirt, a slouchy sweater and some kind of fake leather vest. All looked great on her. But I was bushed by then. I had been up since 5 and going at full tilt. So as we strolled down the street to the subway, then meandered into two more stores, and then I had HAD IT. Please Mommy, don't be cranky said my daughter as she threw her arm around my shoulder in a gesture of love and support. But Kate, now I have to go home and cook dinner. you want pancakes.

Oh, no I'll cook them. You bought Bisquick, didn't you?

And cook them she did. For dinner. For breakfast the following morning and for breakfast this morning which is what I ate when I got home from the gym. Very happy until I noticed that pancakes, even without butter and syrup, are 178 calories.

She is a great cook.

Minor Everyday Miracles

Yesterday I misplaced a pair of socks I wanted to wear and this morning I found them in the kitchen utility drawer which is overflowing with supermarket receipts and batteries. Minor miracle unless of course i have alzheimers and I'll know if I start putting my wallet in the frig.

This morning the bus waited for us instead of roaring off in a cloud of diesel. Kate and i were just walking down the hill to the bus stop when we saw the bus start to slide off downtown. And then the bus stopped and waited for us. A miracle. And not such a minor one. I told Kate, "never ever think people don't know who you are in this city. It's really a very small town,
But I don't know this bus driver, she said. "Yes, but he knows you and he knows us."

Then when I got to work i discovered a stack of historical detective stories on my desk.

It's a miracle. and the sun came out.

Sun Starved Cities

Thats certainly us and now we see glimmers of real sun that generates some heat. or that's how it was this weekend. From my office window I can see a film crew standing around on the sidewalk and they haven't given up their jackets. So while it is beautiful and it is sunny, it ain't warm.

Kate is being swept away by a round of riotous parties that come under the rubric of bar mitzvahs and she is soon to be an expert. I'm also sure she could particpate in the service and answer some of the questions. She actually thought she would like to have a bar mitzvah. But both Arnie and I reminded her that the price is high: going to religious school every weekend for months just to learn and relearn the texts. She is a smart kid and began to see that this was not the easy and or best way to have a party.

Sunlight, an adult dinner date for us, the parents in question and then some time at the Children's International Film festival. The film was in French with subtitles and so I was happy. Then off to lunch.

I hate the dentist

My father directed me to say, Whaddja know Joe? to Joe Refsum, the family dentist and so because I was only about 5 or so, I did. This guy who had huge meaty hands just laughed and because it was a sometime ago there were no pain killers. novecaine was only used for amputations. I hated the dentist and the drill. I moved onto a much more cerebral dentist who had much more modern equipment but I hated him too because I always had cavities. And his nurse was totally bloodless so of course she played golf which hits my hit parade of stupid games. So this morning I was sitting in the hygenists chair clenching my stomach muscles because I hate having my teeth cleaned too. I'm happy to have shiney white pearly teeth but I hate the process.

The Red Sled

I saw this amazing red sled on the web site for a local store and went through all the tedious steps to order it before I thought, no, it's not worth $12 for this item which will go immeidately into the back of our closets. Then the snow forecasts began to come in and the weathermen began beating the tom toms about snow until you were really EXCITED. Then the snow began to come and on Thursday I put in the order for the sled and actually was so impatient that I had them messenger the sled to us. I thought I had ordered two of them but apparently it was only one. We took the sled out to Central park on Sunday morning and had a fabulous time. The sled just fits your rear end and looks like a smashed cherry but it moves like 60. I was terrified and then felt better because Kate was terrified too. It's small and speedy. We all took turns sledding down the hills and then walked with Miss Murray through the Park selecting random hills to try out. It was a great morning and everybody had a good time.

On Friday Kate went on a last minute sleepover and so Arnie and I had a grown up evening at the local French restaurant which is always nice. Saturday we went to check out a fencing gym where kate will be learning to fence during one week of her Spring vacation and then we went off to the Children's international Film Festival to see something that I, in my infinite wisdom, had selected. It was awful. Well, maybe not awful but more like a pale copy of a Miazaki film. Awful.

And on Sunday, because Mom, always knows best, we went to a Children's International Film Festival workshop about making films which was full of 4 year olds. All the 12-13 year olds had this steely -- why did you make me come here -- look on their faces. So we left early and went to the Moma Design store which kate loves. She doesn't like Museums but she loves design stores. Every little bit helps. That and many many apologies about how I will never, ever sign us up for anything without a consultation first.