So Much to Say

Let's get this out of the way before I really get going...It seems like another lifetime ago, although truthfully I think it must have been around when Bill and Dave were 17 or 18. For those of you who've lost track, they will be 31 on April Fool's Day. Anyway, it was during their modeling days that they signed with the Boss modeling agency. Excuse me a moment, I think I'll check online to see if they are still around....yes, well I see they are:Boss.

Their agent wanted them to stay in New York to go on casting calls for part of the summer. After much pleading on their part, Bruce and I agreed to let them go. I went with them for the first week to make sure it was legit. Don't get me started on the modeling business..I digress. In one of the hardest things I ever did as a mother, I left them there to face New York alone. Or sort of. When I look back, I'm sure I never want to hear exactly what they did during their stay; it was pretty heady stuff for two young men from Orlando. The agency made the reservations, and upon arriving in Greenwich Village, we came upon the hotel. It just so happened it was an extraordinarily HOT day in Manhattan. Basically we were sweltering; imagine our distress when we were shown to our non-air conditioned rooms. Yikes! Leaving the windows open was the only option, and as you've already deduced, it was so noisy I thought I'd never get to sleep. So, Mrs. Camera Crazy, what's the point, you ask? I came across this yesterday The Gershwin, and the memories came flooding back. Imagine my surprise when all my impression was of a somewhat seedy/cheap place. There are a few of you in the audience who don't know that after several trips to Europe for shows, Bill and Dave earned Economic degrees and never looked back.

With that out of the way. let's get on with the rest of the show.

I met her by the radishes:
She could hardly contain her enthusiasm for not only their size, but their beauty. Speaking with a thick accent, she described how excited she was because she'd recently seen Ina Garten, otherwise known as the Barefoot Contessa, make a radish sandwich. After mentioning that I liked them small, she immediately corrected me, saying that in France they grow them even bigger! She also said that at her age, it's the little things in life that excite her. By the way, you slice the radishes thinly, serving them on crusty bread, spread with a little mayonnaise.

As some of you may know, I'm kinda drawn to older folks, maybe because I spent so much time with them during my hospital days. It probably doesn't hurt that I love a good story, and let me tell you, Rene/Rebekah had a good story. Engaging her in conversation (surprise, surprise!), I discovered that she was not only 86, but an Auschwitz survivor. After showing me her numbers, she told me how as a girl of 17 living in Paris, she was taken away by the Germans during a raid. They left her brother alone. Following her liberation by the Allies, she and a cousin were taken to Sweden to "fatten up" and rest before emigrating to the care of an aunt in the United States. For me, when I hear a story like that, it really puts things into perspective. I've read countless novels on the subject, however, I've only met a handful of survivors. Later in life, after 35 years of marriage her husband said he wanted out, and left for Israel. Finding work at Orlando International Airport as an interpreter, she kept on. When I asked her if I might take her picture she agreed, saying, "sure", and if you tell anyone about me say, "She made it." And so I have.
I got up this morning, hesitating to take the plunge, I finally just got to it. Here's when I first began:
And here's where I had to stop:I did what I could until some strongmen could move the entertainment center!

Next step was emptying it out except for the television. Boy howdy I did some purging! Any book that I didn't absolutely love is headed for the thrift store. I'm not sure what we'll end up with, but probably something smaller, thus the need to pare things down. It's infinitely easier to do this after all the time I spent in Zellwood. You realize that a lot of what you accumulate means something at the time, but then later, not so much.Bruce arrived home just a bit ago, and I've got David coming over so I can get to the wall behind this. I'll be ready for whatever comes next!

Did I mention I'm worn out? Not in my sick way, but in the good way you feel when you've accomplished something. For now, I'm off in search of food and fellowship with my honey.