OhEightOhEightOhEight

The Califorina Contingent (of which I include myself) + DH and Jane. (The framed photo on the couch has the eighty year old telegram announcing Jane's birth.)

Where were you and what were you doing on this auspicious day? I, myself, had lunch with author DH Melham in Manhattan (fancy!) and then a car picked us up at her swank apartment (where Norman Mailer stabbed his wife) and we went to Ossining, NY for an 80th birthday party. Get it? 8-0 on 08/08/08. Infinity, circle of life. Even "Ossining" seems full of eights trying to get out.

DH is my good friend Greg's mom and were all in NY to celebrate our good friend Sandy's mom's milestone birthday. It was a wonderful event. Jane is a great lady whom I have admired since I met her in Los Angeles when she was only in her seventies. She was duly feted by her family and friends. It is amazing hearing about someone else's life from different perspectives. We as kids so often don't see/know our parents in the same way as their friends and colleagues do. Jane seems like an eater of life and I mean that in the best way. That is why she looks so damned young at 80! That is the secret folks: genes and eating life. And helping others. I hear the recipe constantly and here I saw it in the flesh. Happy Birthday, Jane.

In Chekovian 101 fashion, she has three daughters and she is one of three sisters. All were there including middle daughter Nancy who lives in Belgrade. (Think daughter who goes who goes away to marry Russian in "Fiddler on the Roof.") Judith and Malcolm came from San Francisco and it was great to see them. So loving of all of Sandy's friends I have to say. And this brings me to my gorgeous pal and the youngest daughter Sandy (is that Chava?) [Side note: there wasn't a daughter named Hovel was there? As that would be just wrong]. I adore her and I bow at her feet in this entry. She advises me on all things: cars, boys, careers. She brought her boyfriend Tom to the East for my inspection ( at least I read it that way. ) He is Norwegian, a musician AND a keeper! Imagine that! Three things a mother looks for.

We like Tom.