Can you find me in this pic?

So we went last night and joined 60,000 other New Yorkers on Central Park's Great Lawn to enjoy the New York Philharmonic as it presented a wonderful program including the 1812 Overture and some lively selections by John Phillip Sousa.

My husband was a bit annoyed at the level of noise and talking during the program. This interested me. I tried to explain to him when he complained, "What are they here for?" that indeed they were NOT attending solely for the music, but rather for a lovely picnic on the lawn and comeraderie among friends with some added free background music. We wondered whether the more serious music afficionados might not be sitting closer up to the stage.

In any case, we had a wonderful time - a yummy picnic - beautiful music - and AWESOME fireworks at the end of the program.

I highly recommend one of the many future programs for anybody who is interested.

8 Days and Counting....

It is now less than 8 days until my Jen, my baby, is off to sleepaway camp for the very first time.
When I sent my children off to Yeshiva and Seminary, they always got a stack of "plane letters" from loved ones to take with them and keep them company on the lonely flight to their destination.
Since Jen will be on a bus with nobody she knows on the way up to camp, I thought some "bus letters" would be in order.
Following is the reminder email I sent out to all the relevant siblings/loved ones....
Care to place bets on how many letters we end up with and how many more reminders need to be sent??!?
"OK everybody,
We're getting close to JOTC-Day (Jen off to camp) and whether that elicits a "woo hoo", an "awwww" or any other reaction that I may or may not to know about, consider this your Bus Letter (a.k.a. plane letter) reminder email.
Now I know I associate with a bunch of procrastinators, but trust me on this folks.... these letters don't write themselves and they're not as easy as they look! For those of you who have been beneficiaries of plane letters in the past, think back to how much they meant to you and get moving!!! I'd like to have them in hand by this Sunday so that I can pack them up for her in due time. For those truly lazy in the bunch - if you email them to me, I will gladly print them out and put them in an envelope for you :) .
For those enterprising spouses - feel free to join in if you're so inclined.....
For those of you who have just too much fun with this project, another email will follow shorty with her camp address and fax info.
Thanks in advance,Mommy
P.S. I love you too"

Feast or Famine...

Marrying off two children and a mother all in a span of eight months has an impact on the size of one's Shabbos table. I'm even finding it difficult to adjust to weekday night dinners. Leftovers abound. I just don't know how to cook for four. Last Friday night we were THREE!! It was a challenge to say the least.
Well, this week, we are making up for it. Lunch will be 14. Time to "angle" the table.