We finally did it. My sister has lived in Detroit for seventeen years, and we managed in all that time NOT to drive the six hundred miles (one way)to go see her. Until now.
Sheand her husband made a beautiful bar mitzvah this past weekend, and we made a trip of it. We left Wednesday and drove to Niagara Falls, where we stayed overnight, and enjoyed the sights on Thursday before climbing back into the car and arriving at her house at midnight.
Niagara was gorgeous. The falls are beyond magnificent, their power and constancy, awesome. We did all the activities that bring you up close and personal with one of the (not official!)wonders of the world.
Everyone says Niagara is cheesy and very touristy. I found that when walking on the promenade between the American falls and the horseshoe falls, and on the maid of the mist, journey behind the falls, and the rapid river walk this was not the case. It was a natural wonder in its natural state, and you could enjoy different viewpoints and perspectives at varying degrees of proximity and dryness.
Except for one thing.
Every attraction let you out through a gift shop. You could not avoid it. It put France and Wisconsin to shame. It put shame to shame in its shamelessness. The only place that didn't do that was Aero car that was built in 1916, and if they could figure out away to enclose it in a gift shop, you can be darn sure they would have by now.
It was a great trip. It was magnificent, the kids had a blast, and we got to go see the family in Michigan. Then we drove home. Am event we've dreaded for a long time, and thankfully was not as bad as we thought. Apparently it was fine for the kids too, because the three year old told my sister this morning "I want Mommy to drive me back to your house."
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
I Tasted Summer Last Night
There is really no other way to describe it. I got some plums at a farm stand at the Middlesex County Fair (in NJ). As I bit into the thin, but ever so crackly skin, the golden flesh beneath it was so soft, sun drenched, and juicy. It evoked everything the summer is, and all the smells and activities of the season were dancing on my tongue.
Definitely being at the fair didn't hurt, but when I had another one this morning the results were the same. One bite, and I was at the beach, in the pool, playing net ball with the kids, summer evenings on the porch, barbecuing and riding bikes at dusk.
The fair itself was great. Lots of rides (with lots of lights), though we didn't end up going on any of them. After the magic show, animals, acrobat show, face painting, window (actually tent)shopping, Skee Ball! and fireworks, it got too late, and everyone had had a good time.
A few minutes before the fireworks were supposed to start we headed in the general direction of where they would be. We were told "anywhere, just kind of look up and you'll see them." As much as this seemed like a good plan, I love fireworks, and was able o determine based on which part of "the sky" I was advised to look up at, where I wanted to be for optimal viewing. We walked through the fairgrounds, and found the farm stand along the way, continuing to the giant,Paul Bunyan sized Turkey Hill cow mascot, as the first explosions began. They were right on top of us, and there was plenty of room for us to stop and watch without blocking any foot traffic. One of the kids echoed my thoughts when she noted all the people just walking on, not even glancing skyward. We did. What a treat.
Imagine, a cool summer night sitting on the grass, lights strung up between tents, the tall rides glowing in the night sky, hearing shouts of glee and laughter from the rides and entertainment, and watching the fireworks splash pulsating colors on your wide-eyed children's faces.
Perfect.
Definitely being at the fair didn't hurt, but when I had another one this morning the results were the same. One bite, and I was at the beach, in the pool, playing net ball with the kids, summer evenings on the porch, barbecuing and riding bikes at dusk.
The fair itself was great. Lots of rides (with lots of lights), though we didn't end up going on any of them. After the magic show, animals, acrobat show, face painting, window (actually tent)shopping, Skee Ball! and fireworks, it got too late, and everyone had had a good time.
A few minutes before the fireworks were supposed to start we headed in the general direction of where they would be. We were told "anywhere, just kind of look up and you'll see them." As much as this seemed like a good plan, I love fireworks, and was able o determine based on which part of "the sky" I was advised to look up at, where I wanted to be for optimal viewing. We walked through the fairgrounds, and found the farm stand along the way, continuing to the giant,Paul Bunyan sized Turkey Hill cow mascot, as the first explosions began. They were right on top of us, and there was plenty of room for us to stop and watch without blocking any foot traffic. One of the kids echoed my thoughts when she noted all the people just walking on, not even glancing skyward. We did. What a treat.
Imagine, a cool summer night sitting on the grass, lights strung up between tents, the tall rides glowing in the night sky, hearing shouts of glee and laughter from the rides and entertainment, and watching the fireworks splash pulsating colors on your wide-eyed children's faces.
Perfect.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Lucky For Me, He's Nuts
My previous post about Biology was misunderstood.
My brother thought I was making fun of him, when in reality I was remarking on this fascination that he, and apparently others in my family, have with flashlights. A fascination I was somewhat unaware of.
The other night we had a family simcha (my nephew's bar mitzvah), and all was going well. My brother, having read the post, opened his jacket and took out two small flashlights. He even turned them on to show me how good they were(man, one of them was really bright). I was properly enthused, and even commended him on his flashlights, though I MAY have wondered why he needed them in his jacket at a bar mitzvah.
The room was beautiful. It was bright, there were white tulle covered lights criss- crossing the ceiling, contrasting nicely with the dark carpet. I was admiring the balloon centerpieces and the general decor when my six year old daughter came up to me crying that her earring had fallen out. It was not an expensive earring (again, she's six), but she was upset, and afraid her "hole would close," so we started looking. We looked all around the table where she had been sitting, and my cousin (the nurse)even went UNDER the table to help search for it. After about ten minutes, I gave up, found my brother, and asked him for a flashlight so that I could see it better on the dark carpet.
I'm surprised you all did not hear the hysterical laughing that followed my request.
I didn't find the earring, though I did feel I had a better chance with the flashlight. I returned it to him, and could still here some slight chortling, but he was trying not to guffaw too loudly, since the earring was in fact, still missing.
We found it later in another kids hair, which is really odd, since these two kids are the same size, so I'm not sure HOW it fell into her hair, maybe mine was sitting on her knees on a chair? After a bit of back and forth due to fear of it hurting, my daughter finally let my cousin, I think BECAUSE she is nurse, put it in for her, and everyone was happy.
Especially my brother.
My brother thought I was making fun of him, when in reality I was remarking on this fascination that he, and apparently others in my family, have with flashlights. A fascination I was somewhat unaware of.
The other night we had a family simcha (my nephew's bar mitzvah), and all was going well. My brother, having read the post, opened his jacket and took out two small flashlights. He even turned them on to show me how good they were(man, one of them was really bright). I was properly enthused, and even commended him on his flashlights, though I MAY have wondered why he needed them in his jacket at a bar mitzvah.
The room was beautiful. It was bright, there were white tulle covered lights criss- crossing the ceiling, contrasting nicely with the dark carpet. I was admiring the balloon centerpieces and the general decor when my six year old daughter came up to me crying that her earring had fallen out. It was not an expensive earring (again, she's six), but she was upset, and afraid her "hole would close," so we started looking. We looked all around the table where she had been sitting, and my cousin (the nurse)even went UNDER the table to help search for it. After about ten minutes, I gave up, found my brother, and asked him for a flashlight so that I could see it better on the dark carpet.
I'm surprised you all did not hear the hysterical laughing that followed my request.
I didn't find the earring, though I did feel I had a better chance with the flashlight. I returned it to him, and could still here some slight chortling, but he was trying not to guffaw too loudly, since the earring was in fact, still missing.
We found it later in another kids hair, which is really odd, since these two kids are the same size, so I'm not sure HOW it fell into her hair, maybe mine was sitting on her knees on a chair? After a bit of back and forth due to fear of it hurting, my daughter finally let my cousin, I think BECAUSE she is nurse, put it in for her, and everyone was happy.
Especially my brother.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Biology
Sometimes, even at an age when you are sure you know everything there is to know about your family, there are surprises still in store.
I was recently speaking with my brother(the lawyer), and he started waxing on about a flashlight he wanted. I was surprised, as I had been in his house a few nights before and he showed me three new flashlights he had. New, as in addition to the ones he already possessed. One on his belt, one on his key chain, and one that can be best described as a flashlight slash weapon. It was huge and heavy. He says it's for the car, but for a guy who sleeps with a bat next to his pillow, I tend to think it's multi-purpose for him.
Naturally, I asked him why he possibly needed another flashlight, and he informed me, that the one he wanted was a three! pack, and it was not for him. He said it was for our father. I was a bit taken a back, and I asked if the man liked flashlights, to which he responded "haven't you seen the flashlights lined up on his dresser? He loves flashlights, we all love flashlights."
I guess I didn't get that gene.
I was recently speaking with my brother(the lawyer), and he started waxing on about a flashlight he wanted. I was surprised, as I had been in his house a few nights before and he showed me three new flashlights he had. New, as in addition to the ones he already possessed. One on his belt, one on his key chain, and one that can be best described as a flashlight slash weapon. It was huge and heavy. He says it's for the car, but for a guy who sleeps with a bat next to his pillow, I tend to think it's multi-purpose for him.
Naturally, I asked him why he possibly needed another flashlight, and he informed me, that the one he wanted was a three! pack, and it was not for him. He said it was for our father. I was a bit taken a back, and I asked if the man liked flashlights, to which he responded "haven't you seen the flashlights lined up on his dresser? He loves flashlights, we all love flashlights."
I guess I didn't get that gene.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Is This a Joke?
I heard a story on the news the other day about the evacuation of the Statue of Liberty because the smoke alarm went off.
Apparently, the entire evacuation took 5 minutes. I guess when you have people thinking this is it, 354 steps don't seem like much. "We're all gonna die!!!!" is a pretty good evacuation technique.
Then there's the little tidbit of info "the firemen got there after a 30 minute boat ride...." So what happens? The alarm goes off at the fire house that there's a fire on Liberty Island, and they hang out on the deck of the ferry as it slowly churns its way through the Hudson? Why not commandeer "The Beast," and get there a lot faster? Do YOU want to be stuck on an island with a 151 foot burning woman?
But the real kicker, the piece de resistance, the rimshot, if you will, is what caused the smoke alarm to go off. It was smoke emanating from the elevator.
Hmmm.
If I was in the Statue of Liberty on a 93 degree day, and was evacuated from the crown, you're darn tootin' it would only take me 5 minutes to get out. I'd be looking for someone in charge so I could yell:
"Waddaya mean ELEVATOR???????"
Apparently, the entire evacuation took 5 minutes. I guess when you have people thinking this is it, 354 steps don't seem like much. "We're all gonna die!!!!" is a pretty good evacuation technique.
Then there's the little tidbit of info "the firemen got there after a 30 minute boat ride...." So what happens? The alarm goes off at the fire house that there's a fire on Liberty Island, and they hang out on the deck of the ferry as it slowly churns its way through the Hudson? Why not commandeer "The Beast," and get there a lot faster? Do YOU want to be stuck on an island with a 151 foot burning woman?
But the real kicker, the piece de resistance, the rimshot, if you will, is what caused the smoke alarm to go off. It was smoke emanating from the elevator.
Hmmm.
If I was in the Statue of Liberty on a 93 degree day, and was evacuated from the crown, you're darn tootin' it would only take me 5 minutes to get out. I'd be looking for someone in charge so I could yell:
"Waddaya mean ELEVATOR???????"
Friday, July 23, 2010
Peeves
I had a lovely lunch yesterday with one of my nieces. At one point I got up to get a straw, and I passed a table that had been vacated, but the plates were still there. On this plate were about ten or more pieces of cubed feta cheese and about that amount, or more, of black olives. Quite obviously the remnants of a Greek Salad.
WHY WOULD YOU ORDER A GREEK SALAD IF YOU DON'T LIKE FETA CHEESE OR BLACK OLIVES!!!!! This particular establishment explains all it's choices, so if you order a Mediterranean wrap you know you are getting eggplant accompanied by lettuce,tomato and onion, and flavored mayo. You can't order a Greek salad in this place and not know what's in it.
At least we got a nice chuckle out of it.
Later, I was driving to pick up some of my kids from day camp when I came up to an intersection with a red light. I was the second car there, and the first car had his left blinker on, but was hugging the right side of the road. Of course when the light turned green we all needed to wait until all the cars on the opposite side of the road drove through the intersection, and I, and all the cars behind me who were going straight, needed to wait because there was no way to get around this fellow until it dawned on him to eke up a little, and we were all able to squeeeze through.
Now, I don't mind waiting when necessary, but this was just silly. Why was he all the way on the right to make a left. This is not the first time I've seen this. Wouldn't you then need to make a wider turn across oncoming traffic? I believe you would, and that's no safer.
Inspired by Johnnie Cochran I came up with a little two line ditty reminder, but it's a family blog. The second line is: "Let everyone pass."
WHY WOULD YOU ORDER A GREEK SALAD IF YOU DON'T LIKE FETA CHEESE OR BLACK OLIVES!!!!! This particular establishment explains all it's choices, so if you order a Mediterranean wrap you know you are getting eggplant accompanied by lettuce,tomato and onion, and flavored mayo. You can't order a Greek salad in this place and not know what's in it.
At least we got a nice chuckle out of it.
Later, I was driving to pick up some of my kids from day camp when I came up to an intersection with a red light. I was the second car there, and the first car had his left blinker on, but was hugging the right side of the road. Of course when the light turned green we all needed to wait until all the cars on the opposite side of the road drove through the intersection, and I, and all the cars behind me who were going straight, needed to wait because there was no way to get around this fellow until it dawned on him to eke up a little, and we were all able to squeeeze through.
Now, I don't mind waiting when necessary, but this was just silly. Why was he all the way on the right to make a left. This is not the first time I've seen this. Wouldn't you then need to make a wider turn across oncoming traffic? I believe you would, and that's no safer.
Inspired by Johnnie Cochran I came up with a little two line ditty reminder, but it's a family blog. The second line is: "Let everyone pass."
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