Halloween, Part One

Tuesday is off to an un-nerving and noisy start.  Painters are outside all of our windows, high up on ladders, sanding, sanding and sanding more.  There is NO getting away from it.  It sounds like we are living in the biggest dental office in the world and I'm just happy that for once, neither of us has a headache.  For now, I'm just trying my best to cope and to not get caught coming out of the shower or putting on my Spanx for the next part of the day. Most of our windows are uncovered.  We live in a tree house and we're birds on display at the moment.

VICTORY is sweet

Sara and Lucy

The week had a better start, trust me.
 We were privileged to have spent all day Sunday in Sudbury with our girls.
Our son in law left in the wee hours of the morning for his weekly ritual, yet another business trip.  We arrived to a huge welcome from daughter Sara and granddaughters Lucy and Phoebe.  And then the fun began.  A 5K road race, beautifully executed by Sara and seven year old Lucy, during which five year old Phoebe got full court press from Nonno who did playground duty.  Same playground that we visited with same kids two years ago but this time, something very different to observe.  Where were the Smartphones? Last time, all the daddies were busy with every virtual thing they could get their hands on, barely glancing up at their children at play.  Not this bunch.  These were the dads who actually participated in life.  They were here for the Sudbury Halloween Family Run and the difference was palpable.  I think these kids stand a good chance in the game of life.  It was fun waiting near the finish line for my baby and hers and as they came around the bend, the joy of the accomplishment was easy to see on that beautiful little face.  The joy wasn't too far from the face of the mommy who wins life's races every day.  Sure, we were proud but mostly, we were just plain happy.

Monstermashing with Phobe

Sara and the goddess Lucy

After a birthday party drop-off, lunch with Sara and Lucy which included a discussion of current events as deemed important by a second-grader (Woody Allen could NOT be the father of Mia Farrow's son.....he looks JUST like Frank Sinatra)......we were off to Round Two in the Halloween celebration.  Costumes on, makeup just right (I introduced the babies to my hot new lipstick color, Wild Orchid, and they got hooked),  we all headed to their ballet school for a huge party.  These lucky little ladies don't go to "Miss Frisbee's School of Dance" as did I at least a hundred years ago.  No, they attend what is the second best school of ballet in the state, MassBallet.(Guess which one's the first)  In addition to watching the beauty of lots of little girls in their fun and creative interpretations ranging from Dorothy of the Wizard of Oz to the most adorable little lady bug in glittery Ugg boots, we were treated to a short ballet. The talents of a few dozen "older" girls who have made the decision to use their bodies in beautiful ways and to move more than their fingers was showcased.  Funny, we did not see any tattoos or piercings.

  I wonder if their dads and moms made some kind of commitment years ago on a playground?  Maybe. It's hard work this mommy-daddy business of today but we ask God to bless them all and to inspire some wisdom into them, perhaps a peek into their futures would be the kicker.  As their approaching 68 year old grandfather says to his fitness students every day, "keep moving folks"