Inauguration Day!

Future generations will simply not believe how majestic and historic this day was. We have seen inaugurations before. I have seen all of them since John Kennedy was inaugurated in January 1961. But none of those past inaugurals affected me as did today's ceremony. I thought about my grandchildren, for whom Barack Obama is just the President, not the first African American President. They won't have to be bound by the sad past. They get to see the hopeful future. I remember reading "Dreams from my Father", Obama's first book and thinking that here was a man who could be President. I had never even heard of him. He was the new Senator from Illinois. He was thoughtful, introspective, articulate and intelligent. All quite good qualities for a President, I thought, and all so obviously lacking in the current President...

But back to today. Everywhere in this country, millions of people stopped what they were doing to watch Barack Obama take the Presidential Oath of Office this morning. It is hard for some of us to understand the magnitude of today in the history of America. Unless your parents or grandparents were made to sit in the back of the bus, drink from different water fountains, attend different schools, were not allowed to vote or own land - unless your ancestors were actually owned by other people, you may not have realized the truly historic significance of this day. Today was a celebration of America.

Those of us who, by luck or money or family or brains or whatever, have had the opportunity to be educated, to be successful, cannot understand the hopelessness with which others have lived their lives. But now, their children too can see that nothing is impossible. No goal too far. Today everything seems possible.

My six year old went to school early today to watch the ceremony on TV. She's just a little younger than Sasha Obama. I think it will be interesting for her to see another little girl grow up in public.

Almost a New Year

I cannot believe that a whole year has passed me by again. I didn't even see it go. My little grandkids have gotten older. (Slow down! I know how quickly these precious years fly, so just slow down, for me, please?)

It's Christmas...again

It's December 27th. Another Christmas. But the lights of my life, my children and grandchildren still shine for me.

I would do anything for them.

The little one, frequently now a pirate, enjoys Christmas morning, brandishing his foam sword.



The recliner, loaded with presents,becomes Santa's sleigh as we await Christmas eve.





I think the little ones had a wonderful Christmas. For me, I remember when my brothers and I were that age. One year, I remember coming downstairs during Christmas Eve, surprising Santa while he was still assembling toys. I later found out that I just missed him. He was hiding, flattened outside, against the house, in the snow, half-assembled toy in hand, until I was coaxed by my mother to go back to my bed.


Then, I can remember my first Christmas as a new parent with a 6 month old. I made all my ornaments, stockings, bought far more than I should have, tried to be Martha Stewart, you moms know what I'm talking about. Christmas with a child is quite a wonderful event, but exhausting. Looking back, I could have just as well given my daughter empty boxes and she'd have been just as happy.

A couple of years later, when my kids were still too young to read a calendar, I had to postpone Christmas for a couple of days because I was just not ready! I was working so hard that I simply hadn't had time to shop. So, that year Christmas fell on December 27th. (At least I was able to take advantage of all the "after Christmas" discounts!)

So, until next year.

Happy Halloween 2008!

Well, it's Halloween again and I am with my grandchildren. We went trick-or-treating at the Plaza with (it seems) everyone else in the town. The merchants open their doors and give out candy to all of the little kids. It's really nice that they all decorate their stores and get into the spirit of the holiday. There was a parade, with a band made up of local college students that played things like the theme from Star Wars. The children, my daugher and I had a great time! My six-year old was a princess fairy, now a tooth fairy, the three-year old was Tigger and the littlest was Eyore. It was a beautiful, sunny day. After the parade, the kids took part in the costume contest and my princess fairy won for her age group!

I just love doing these things with my beautiful family. Wish I lived closer.

Remembering Independence Days Past

My daughter was born in 1976, the 200th anniversary of our country. The first two weeks of her life seemed to be spent crying, crying, not sleeping. I felt as though I never slept either. So on the first July 4th of her new life we went to see the fireworks as we had done each year since we moved to Connecticut. We lived in a very nice town, to say the least. The fireworks were held at the high school and we always looked forward to a great show!

We walked to the field with our new baby girl in our arms, wondering if she would be frightened by all the noise. We needn't have worried. She slept through the entire show, with flashes and loud noises all around her. It was probably the first time she had slept for such a long time since she was born.

Each year thereafter, we would bring the children to the fireworks. Some years they would be frightened, some years they would be awed. In the morning we would go to the parade, a perfect small town parade with kids, firetrucks, girl scouts, town officials, even garbage trucks. Then my husband would run in the 4th of July run and we'd go and find a good place to cheer him on as he ran by.

As the years went on and the children grew older, the parade seemed smaller, less fun, fewer participants, but we still went. It was a tradition.

Usually there was also a concert on the Green that weekend. I participated in a few of those concerts as a member of the wonderful Choral Society while the family had a picnic dinner with friends.

I remember these days and miss them now. So, if you have small children, take them to the local town parade and fireworks show today and cherish it all.