I Love A Parade!

There is something about a parade that gets the blood pumpin' and sets the heart strings atwang.  Flags are waving, children cheering, folks coming out of their homes to sit awhile alongside the road waiting to hear the thumping beat of a marching band. 

Could there be anything more americana than that?

Today's Columbus Day Parade in Newport, Rhode Island, was a special one for me.  As an Italian-American, of course, I see the flags of my parent's homeland and look on with pride.  But as a Mom, today was something special as my entire "everyone's a musician" family was involved in this parade with me not far behind with a camera.  Who would have thought so many years ago when I was changing diapers and watching reruns of every Disney movie imaginable that a day like today would have been in my future.

We read in magazines and travel digests about "getting away" to small town locales where it feels like everybody knows your name and no matter where you go you really belong.  Today's event made that all come to life for me and I never had to cross the bridge to find it.  No matter where you walked, you knew someone.  And if you didn't know them, you struck up a conversation about days gone by and before you knew it, you made a new friend.

Sounds schmaltzy, I know, but it was so true.

The parade went on for less than a mile and from start to finish lasted for maybe 30 minutes.  It wasn't big but it was delightful.  The weather was spectacular and with law enforcement, firefighters, high school bands, political dignitaries, a few bagpipes (yes, you read that right, there were bagpipes at an Italian-American parade), the U.S. Navy and, of course, the Sons of Italy, what it lacked in size, it made up for in heart.

 It was the kind of experience that you file in the "someday I will tell my grandchildren about this" file and smile.

And so to this Mama says . . . cherish every moment and remember it well for this is what daydreams are made of.

Mom! There's No Food In The House!

How many times have we have heard that one???? 

Undoubtedly these seven words, when strung together, are most likely to make any Mom (or Dad for that matter) scratch their heads.  Wait another 10 seconds and the parental rant is sure to begin. 

It goes something like this: "How can it be that I raised such an ungrateful child that does not understand that there are so many children around the world (and in our community no less) who go to bed hungry at night and you, who are so blessed, dare to declare that there is no food in the house!"

From there our kids wonder when the United Nations came into play.  They look at us as if we have made utterances in languages they simply do not understand, stomp their feet and proceed to their rooms until they regroup.  Ten more minutes will pass and the albeit hungry children return to the kitchen to "make due" with whatever the cupboard has to offer.

There aren't many of us who are willing to disclose the particulars of this interchange but with growing boys at my house it happens so often that  I am tempted to compose the music that would go with these lyrics.  I would entitle the tune The Lament of the Teenage Junk Food Junkie.

The truth is, they don't know how lucky they are.  Even when times are tough, as they are now for most of us middle americans, most of our kids have nothing to complain about.  When they say there's no food in the house what they really mean is there is no overly sugary, way too salty, crunchy, processed and made of things I can't even pronounce in the house.  Not a dictionary definition but you all know what I mean.  When they say, I have nothing to wear, what they really mean is that they left their clothing all over the floor and have nothing clean to wear. 

Sound familiar yet?

We live in an era of I want it right now and for most folks, it's possible to get what ever you  need at a moments notice.  But for so  many, even the basic necessities of life are still beyond their grasp for right now or for the near future. 

So I will keep at it as Mama says . . . my dear child, let us be grateful for what we have and let us work together to see what we can do to reach out to those who have so much less than we do.  Enjoy the peanut butter sandwich I made you and let's pack the the unopened jar for someone who could use it.

All Right, Hand Over The Chocolate!

According to CNN.com, "researchers have found that eating chocolate, the number one food craved by American women, causes the brain to release endorphins, chemicals that make us feel good."  That's all the evidence I need to help me to understand why if you polled every woman you know or ever knew, you would discover that a majority of them have a stash of chocolate somewhere or know someone who does and is willing to share.

For a reasons too many to mention, today was a chocolate day.  With a day-long program development meeting and a service event to follow, the yummy treat that got passed around soon after lunch was met with a collective "sigh" expressed by the men as well as the women around the table.  Soon after I could feel the tension ease and my brain begin to go into hibernate mode as the clock ticked the minutes away.

But, like any good thing, the after effects are not nearly as welcomed as the initial outcome.  After the intitial sense of well being and calm, I am left with this burning desire to sit on the couch with a comfy blanket and a good movie and little else. 

I am sure there is a science behind that as well but for right now, a simple love story will suffice.

So to this Mama says  . . . hand over the chocolate, then give me hug.

The GNO (Girls Night Out): When Only the Company of a Girlfriend Will Do

As a Mom and as a professional I cross the paths of other women everyday.  We meet in the grocery store, at the office, in the classroom and at the gas station.  But I often find that even with all of this human contact, nothing beats the chance to sit on a comfy couch and hang out with my girlfriends.  Sadly, those moments are few and far between.  Responsibilities of work, home and family (and sometimes just plain exhaustion) often keep us from spending some quality time from the people who really "get" us.

This week, I took the plunge and met two of my favorite girlfriends for lunch.  Now, come on people, I can hear you gasping from here.  Yes, you read it right, not only did I actually have lunch, I shared it with friends.  In the middle of the work week no less!

Just an hour.  But what  a powerful hour it was.  We talked about our kids, our jobs and made plans for the future.  It was invigorating. 

With my batteries recharged, I got into  my car when then that power hour was over and smiled with a new sense of purpose.  Nothing earth shattering - it just felt good to seek the company of my peers.  It satisfied my soul as well as my belly.

To Katie and Judy, Mama says . . . "Thank you. Let's do it again - SOON!"