Little orphan pokerchicks.

(photo by Laurie – I only wish she was in it too!)

Sadly, we were missing 2 of our pokerchicks last night. We were hoping for a full house.

A lot happened this week for all our chicks. One has a very sick cat. Another has a husband with a herniated disk. There are work issues for several, kid issues for others. It’s just that time of year, you know? As for me, my hub was stuck in Boston after all the flights were canceled because of the huge snowstorm. Wouldn’t have been so bad, I suppose, except he was stuck outside waiting for a train in the storm for hours freezing his tush off. Oh and did I mention that I packed him his left glove and my right glove? Do you know how small my hands are? Oops. I have to say, he was a trooper. Hopefully he’ll get home today. But I digress.

Last night was an extravaganza. And it was clearly the distraction that we all needed. Stacks (not her real name) set up an amazing spread – crab cakes, shrimp, nuts, cheese, toffee and more along with champagne and lovely wines.

We talked, we laughed. And we laughed some more.

Oh, and we played poker. Baltimore, Follow the Queen, High-Low, Omaha. We played ‘em all.

No big losers last night (well, maybe one).

So maybe it wasn’t the most serious game we’ve ever had. But speaking for myself, I think ranks up there with the best.

I love these chicks. And I love this night every month.

Do-over.

What if you could undo your mistakes? Wouldn’t you?

I would have quickly answered “yes” but stopped to think about whether this is really true for me…in a historical sense.

The answer is still yes. Certainly when it comes to people. If I hurt someone or did something that inadvertently causes trouble, I own up and work to make it better.

However, I can’t tell you how many items of clothing I have ruined over the years by washing hastily with the wrong things, wrong temperature, drying in the machine (yes, I’ve had mini-doll-sweaters) and the like.

I donated the sweaters to someone’s doll, but tossed the colored, stained, and otherwise unwearable items.

But today, it occurred to me that there is another way.

My personal trainer, Cyrus, gave me a great black shirt from his new gym. It’s Under Armour -like fabric with his logo. It fits great and feels even better.

Well, the new (and pricey) bra that I was wearing under it turned black in parts. Not a nice solid color. Just that gross stained blechy, blotchy way.

So I cooked it on the stovetop with RIT Color Remover.

And it’s good as new.

So this got me to thinking.

Why don’t I know the ins and outs of doing laundry? I mean I do laundry about a thousand times a week, but I believe the ads that say the color won’t run if you wash in cold and I (yes, I admit it) throw everything in together. There, I said it.

*caveat: As you know, I feel differently about washing my sheets. I don’t know how that happened. Call me crazy. I imagine you already do.

I sometimes wish that I took pride in my laundry and that I had perfectly folded, always clean clothes for my family. But, alas, it is all too frequent that I tell the boys to find clothes in the laundry basket that is sitting by the dryer. Sure, they’re clean. But they’re sure not folded.

Watching TV and old movies makes me think that women used to lovingly and passionately do their laundry.

Could this be? Could that really have been the source for anyone’s joy?

The last dance.

Tonight is the end of Chanukah for 2007. The candles are burning and the kids are showering. We’ll spend the evening playing games and cuddling and talking.

And I am grateful. Grateful for a family that I love to be with.

So I didn’t have time to finish the book I sat down to read today. The boys had too much to share. And I didn’t have time to chat with a friend. But I got to hear Max play the sax. And the house isn’t as neat as I like. But I read Davis’ research report and I got a demonstration of the neato machine Reed made with Lego and I got to lounge and pet the cats.

I’ll go to sleep tonight feeling happy.

We are family. I got all my sisters with me.

Yesterday, we had a Chanukah Party. It was great to see my cousins and their families. Sure, I saw them a couple of months ago at a bar mitzvah. But that’s different. This. Was. Casual.

I feel like now I am getting to know some of these people for the first time. You know, when you’re kids you play hide and seek and sneak food off the table before the blessing and swim and play. But lots of times, as you grow, there isn’t time to find out who those kids are growing up to be.

And then life changes and everyone moves and works and has a life to lead. Some with a spouse and a kid or two or three and some who are single and travel the world. We change in hundreds of ways.

At the next wedding or bris, you smile and say hi. What’s new? How are the kids? But then, something happens. It’s a kid who needs you to pour a drink or a grandmother who didn’t hear you talking and starts a conversation. Whatever it is, it ends the possibility of that conversation being the one to really know the other person.

It makes me sad that I don’t know my cousins better. And that we rarely see each other. When my mother was a kid, she and her sisters lived right near their cousins and everyone who mattered. They practically grew up together.

My mother and her sisters all bought houses within 2 blocks of each other. They raised their kids the way they grew up. We babysit for each other. I idolized my cousin who is the next girl older than me. She was very mature – 3 or 4 years ahead in school. She gave me her go-go boots when she outgrew them. And her peanut pants. (Those are like really, extremely low hip-hugger bellbottoms. They had 3 snaps instead of a zipper. Why do I remember these things?) I thought she was the coolest. But I digress.

Lots of us live within 1/2 hour. My sister is 4 hours away, one cousin is 6 or so, my brother is 10…but the rest? We’re around.

It wasn’t easy getting all those people together. Some of the out-of-towners couldn’t make it. But the 3 sisters who made it all happen sure looked happy.

I have 80-some pictures that my aunt took. But none reflects how much I enjoyed the day as this one that my cousin, Rick, emailed me today.

Watching the next generation of cousins play musical chairs. I hope they really take the time to get to know each other.

more. more. more.

I went to the mall this evening. Not to shop. Yikes. No, I went to help gift wrap for charity.

I was seriously taken aback by the crowds and conspicuous consumption. And that made me think about a short film that was sent to me this weekend. The Story of Stuff. (thanks for the pointer, Daneet!)

And while it is awfully liberal, it raises some questions for me. You?

Here’s a little teaser so you can decide if you want to commit to 20 minutes. (I’m glad I did…)

Is this a cool card or what?

From Aunt Liz to the boys…

Chanukah Thursday Thirteen.

1. I love latkes. Andrew makes the best ever. Wish they were low-cal. At least I put apple sauce on mine instead of sour cream.
2. We’re really low key this year. Game nights and just spending time together is key.
3. I heard a radio spot talking about the meaning of Chanukah. I wish I could remember the organization. It talked about religious freedom and how that is the core of this holiday. How we should work diligently to protect our freedom and to help others who don’t have the same advantages. If you know who placed this, tell me, okay? It’s driving me crazy.
4. My huge project that made my head hurt is coming to a close. The client does, in fact, like my work. Phew. Wish I’d been more confident earlier in the process. Would have saved some real stress. Okay, this is only about Chanukah because it happened this week. So shoot me.
5. Adam Sandler’s Chanukah song cracks me up. I heard it on the radio yesterday. Funny guy.
6. Someone asked me at the bus stop this morning if I was sad that Chanukah was so early this year. Chanukah is not the Jewish Christmas. Why would I be sad?
7. Our great friends with whom we spend Christmas every year are joining us for Chanukah this weekend. Should be fun! MORE LATKES!
8. Did you see the Chinese Restaurant video? It’s about Jews at Christmas. Aside from the blatant stereotyping, I thought it was entertaining.
9. One of my colleagues asked me what she could take to a friend’s house for a Chanukah dinner. I suggested jelly donuts – it is traditional in Israel. Her friends had never heard of it and told her I was pulling her leg! Funny.
10. We’ll see a huge extended family this weekend to celebrate. here are 6 in my parent’s generation, 17 in my generation, and 20 in my kids’ generation (and counting)… As we’ve done in the past, there will be no gifts. We’ll all contribute to a charity together. Our kids have enough. I love that we do this.
11. The boys bought me beautiful jewelry for the holiday. Of course, they gave it to me last month. Who can wait?
12. Tomorrow night is a special dinner and service at our congregation. We’re going with great friends – I am grateful for E’s nudge. We always enjoy these events.
13. Tonight we won’t have a festive meal because Andrew left me in charge. So soup it is. But I predict a fun night together.

Happy Chanukah!

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Power to the people.

A funny thing happened today.

Our power went out. Okay, not ha ha funny. But curious.

I couldn’t access my address/phone book. I couldn’t check my to-do list. Scratch that. My to do LISTS. I couldn’t see my calendar.

I was paralyzed.

Maybe this will be a warning to me and I’ll print out those important things for the next time.

Or not.

Boomer survey

A friend of mine is doing graduate work in Interdisciplinary Studies at Niagara University and is writing a paper on baby boomers and their attitudes towards volunteering. If you are 1) a baby boomer and 2) so inclined, please take a few minutes to answer this short survey (only 10 questions!) Your answers will be totally anonymous. No salesmen will call.