Val-Kill

In the house we had before this one, I had a room I called Val-Kill. I named it after the cottage that Eleanor Roosevelt had in Hyde Park, NY – her place, her things, her sanctuary. I named my room Val-Kill for the same reason. In a house filled with toys, sporting equipment and a 12’ x 30' model train room, this small 10’ x 12’ room was mine. I decorated the window with sheer, white curtains, and the walls with blue painted wainscoting with soft off-white colored walls above it. It was minimally furnished with a desk, single bed, and my computer. On the wall hung an inexpensive, framed poster of the Van Gough painting, “First Steps” where a child takes his first steps towards the outstretched arms of his father. The room stored my hobbies, my memories and my life, past and present. It was the room I had imagined my mother would have when she would visit and hopefully would live in someday. Like Eleanor, my mother was the savior of lost soul. If you didn’t have a place to go at any holiday or would like a nice Armenian meal, you were invited to my mother’s house for dinner. Her charitable contributions consisted of regularly taking 2 buses to Jersey City to visit our elderly, shut-in relative who looked forward to the homemade dish my mother would bring. Like Eleanor’s children, I felt second string to my mother’s business (dressmaking), selfishly wanting just to enjoy her company. When I was younger, her quality time with me was going to a client’s home where I would sit quietly waiting until she finished fitting the dress on her customer. Returning home on the bus, we would talk for a while but inevitably, she would doze off to catch some desperately needed sleep. She seemed to exist on 4 – 5 hours a night and many a time, after I moved out of the house, I would be driving by her house on my way home at some un-Godly hour, seeing the silhouette of my mother in the dimly lit attic window, sewing to finish some customer’s dress. When I think back on it now, I wish I had been more of a help to her and less self-absorbed with the “all-about-me” teenage attitude. I’ll never be as talented as her or as generous as her but I am her daughter so I am lucky to be a product of this great woman. I remember her this week as her birthday, January 14, approaches. She never did get to live in my Val-Kill, just in my heart forever.

December 2008

It has been a busy month for sure. Since December 1, I have been cooking non-stop. Aside from my daily dinners, I have made 8 trays of spinach pies, 2 plates of grapeleaves, fusilli with Bolognese, penne vodka, chicken francese, sausage with broccoli rabe, and a roast beef each for 20 people. That does not include Christmas dinner which was a stuffed turkey, lasagna, more spinach pies, more grapeleaves and a carrot cake for Thomas’ birthday which happens to fall on Christmas Eve. Today is Sunday after the door buster sales (which I never got to) and after a progressive dinner where I was the appetizer house (yes, more spinach pies and grapeleaves) I finished making dinner for my brother and his wife who were visiting from Minnesota. They are leaving tomorrow morning and as our last meal together, I made a roast lamb (his favorite) and lemon risotto. I’m tired and as I reflect back on all this, I have to say, I had a full month. The Friday before Christmas was my party for the football parents which was postponed when our winter storm hit. We had it Saturday with very little loss. The white elephant gift exchanges are the best and very funny. Here are some of the classy gifts: Then another 4 inches of snow came again on Sunday. I usually use a picture of some New York scene for my Christmas card because most of the time, I can never get the entire family together to get a Christmas family photo. But the snow kept everyone home. So I dragged them all out in front of the house and eureka, I got a good one: Although I didn’t get to send them out until Christmas Eve, Armenian’s celebrate Christmas on January 6 so I was well within time. My year can be summed up with the good feelings of this month and more. Thomas’ team finishing their football season as winners with him knowing he was a big part of that win. Anthony graduated Fordham and got a great job. Christine continues to work hard and started college at night. Tony and I will celebrate New Year’s Eve by going to dinner with close friends at a neighborhood restaurant. We have celebrated the eve there for the last 3 years. The restaurant has good food, music and most of all, I will not cook. I may not cook for a month (me, yeah right). Regardless, I am looking forward to being off work this coming week to sort pictures and organize my home and, despite economic turmoil, I think I had a very good year. So Happy New Year my friends and may the coming time be filled with magic for all. Love, Ginny

December

It has been a busy time. It always is in December. My weekends are packed with shopping, cooking and football. My son is done with his high school football season. He is leaving a winner. The school's record is 52 wins in a row, no losses. It is awesome but over. Now, I am now watching the pros. It isn't as much fun, but I need something. In two weeks, it will be Christmas. I should be writing Christmas cards and finishing my shopping list. But I am not. I've decided I want to have a Holiday Party for the senior parents and players of the football team next Friday. The parents alone will be about 26 people and of course, the kids will be another 13. I must be crazy. Nevertheless, I wanted to do this maybe as a last hurrah to our life with high school football. Maybe because I haven't had a party this big during the Holidays for about 8 years. In any event, I'm doing it. But last night, I had a dream. The parents and players came over and I ran out of food. I woke up and immediately started cooking and cooked for the next 8 hours. My menu consists of penna with vodka sauce, chicken francaise, sausage with broccoli rabe, rigatoni with bolognese, spinach pies and grapeleaves. At one point of my life, when people would ask if they could bring something, I would say no, just come. Not any more. I now take anything I can get so I am getting some donations of appetizers and dessert. I also decided to add a roast beef to the menu - just in case. To top off the evening we are doing the infamous white elephant grab bag. This is where people bring a wrapped gift of something they have around the house that they no longer want. It does works out to be a fun exchange of gawdy, useless stuff. So there it is, my December. I don't know why but if I am not busy, I find ways to make myself busy. It is who I am. Hopefully, I won't make my husband nuts during the week. Oh, and if anyone doesn't have any where to go on Christmas, you are welcome at my house, really.

A Night To Remember

(that blur with the ball is Tom on the carry) It is 4 am and I can't sleep. Last night, I had too much wine. Last night, I told another man I loved him. Last night it was 30 degrees with a wind child that made it feel like 20 and Tony, Anthony, Christine and I sat in an open football field for 2 hours watching Thomas and his team in the deciding game of the high school football playoffs. In spite of the bitter cold, we were sweating it out. Both teams wanted this to go on to the State Championship. It is sudden death to the losing team; as a senior, your high school football career is over and you want to go out a winner. It is a scoreless first quarter. I don’t know how they are playing in this cold and without sleeves (it compromises their holding the ball). I am wearing everything I can think of to keep warm, and my lucky heart necklace. I prayed to my mother every time I see Thomas go in – she can help him, I know it. It is second quarter. Thomas is in. The quarterback gives the ball to him. And he runs, and he runs. And it’s Forest Gumpish. He is running 81 yards with a platoon of defensive linemen after him. They cannot catch him. He scores and the crowd goes nuts. In the second half, the opposing team came back and scored. After the third, it was us 7, them 10. The wind kicked in harder and it is colder, if that seemed possible. We are now officially freezing. It’s 2 minutes into the fourth quarter. The quarterback hands Thomas the ball. He runs and he runs. He does it! Tom scored again on a 39 yard run. After a 3 point field goal by us and what seemed like the longest quarter in history, Tom's team wins 17 - 10. He did it, its huge and its all about my kid! He's only 17 years old and when he is 30 and 40 and 50 years old, this day will live within him forever. He will remember this bitter cold night when he brought his team to victory. It is what I live for as a parent – my child’s success all on his own. His abilities, his accomplishment, his 15 minutes of fame. As is the case after every game, parents, coaches, players, cheerleaders and whoever else go to the after-game celebration at the local pub. Everybody came up to Tony and me and congratulated us. It was the team, I said. No one player can do it alone. But it was Thomas' in the spotlight. He gave up summers for 4 years to practice and be with his team. He worked at this and deserved it. Coach came to our table. He said my kid was great and very coachable. I told coach I loved him because of what he did for Thomas. I also thanked my mom. His MVP Trophy for the Playoff Game.

Tag You're It

I have been tagged by a good friend. You can either cut and paste these questions in an email or answer in a comment. Either way, I would love to hear from you. Here are the questions and my answers: 1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes, my father's sister who died at age 5 2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? The day my son graduated Fordham - happy cries. 3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No, it is terrible 4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? I go for roast beef usually but love meatloaf from any German butcher. 5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 3 - boy, girl, boy 6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I would love to be friends with me. 7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Does a bear ----in the woods. 8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS Yes, but do not pay attention to them - I probably should 9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No, you do it and I'll watch. 10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Cheerios 11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Always 12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Not physically, but mentally absolutely. 13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Pumpkin (right now anyway) 14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? What they are wearing and if they are looking at me when they are talking to me. 15. RED OR PINK? Red 16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I wish I was taller. 17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST My Mom - every day 18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Of Course! 19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black. 20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Pumpkin ice cream on a piece of apple pie that I made. 21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? My iPod's 60s playlist. 22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Purple 23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Saute onions, anything cooking on the grill, honeysuckle 24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My daughter Christine. 25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Love her! 26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? I love high school football and after all this time, I am finally getting it! I may start watching the pros next! 27. Hair Color? Above the dye, dark brown with burgundy undertones. Under the dye, I don't want to know. 28. EYE COLOR? brown 29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no 30. FAVORITE FOOD? I love Armenian, Greek and Italian food. That covers a lot of ground. 31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings, hands down. 32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Sex and the City (DVD) 33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Purple 34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter even though I hate the cold, I love skiing and comfort food 35. HUGS OR KISSES? All of the above 36. FAVORITE DESSERT? See #20 37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Hope lots of you 38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Many of you 39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? The New Photography Manual 40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? ?? 41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? I don't watch TV but the last thing I watched were the election results. 43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles 44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME??? Greece 45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? No, but I am very interesting and a lot of fun, really. Oh, I do speak Armenian. 46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Washington Heights in NYC 47. ONE THING NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT YOU I have no sense of direction and get lost everywhere I go.

A Perfect Fall Weekend

The perfect Autumn weekend consists of: A drive in the country to see the fall foliage, which this year seems to show the most vibrant in colors that I've seen in a long time. Friday night at the high school football game where the team my son is on wins 37 - 0. Thomas has scored 5 touchdowns in the first half of 3 games so far this season! Saturday is at the food festival at my church. Every year, my Armenian church puts on a food festival for 3 days where the retired women of the congregation who make up the Ladies Guild cook for 4 weeks making the most delicious shish kabob, ground lamb kabobs, stuffed grapeleaves and cheese pies. It is my mother's cooking all over again. I am in the kitchen Saturday helping with a dish that is called kefta. This is a ball of 100% fat free sirloin made into the shape of a meatball then stuffed with a mixture of ground chuck seasoned with onions, parsley, salt and pepper. It is cooked in chicken broth. It may not sound like much, but any Armenian would remember their roots and think of their mother when they have this dish. It is very typical Armenian and very delicious. I would have taken a picture of it but I was too busy cooking and eating. I look forward to the day when I retire and be a Ladies Guild member. I want to be the one who makes the kefta. Here is one of the tireless ladies that I cooked with. Gloria - she has worked in the kitchen for 4 weeks prior to the food fest making 3,000 keftas. Doesn't she look awesomely happy for a woman who has been up for 18 hours. The completion of my fall weekend came on Sunday with the Mother/Son brunch for the football players and their moms. I have waited 4 years for this day. It is the day when the senior football players get up and, in front of their peers, say how they feel about their mothers. The truth comes out. Some say how they love their mom for being kind when the coach and the father is somewhat hard on them. Some of the players thank their mothers for doing their laundry, making their beds and feeding them. Some cry about how much they care for their mother. Some are funny. My son said he loved me because I supported him, encouraged him, made the best dinners he ever had and put up with him when his favorite NFL team loses which seems to happen every week lately. All I can say was, the day lived up to my expectations. The weekend ends with the traditional carving of the pumpkins: It is October - my favorite month. I wish I could have this good of a time every weekend.

"Tom on the Carry"

The opening day of the high school football season took place last Friday evening. Thomas is playing. It is the night before the game and I am told to expect my house to be honored by being decorated by one of the cheerleaders for good luck. So Tony and I came home Thursday night to find this: and this and this and even this In my day, when I saw homes decorated with toilet paper dangling from the trees, it wasn't a form of admiration. It was trashing and usually to some poor kid who was being harassed at school. Somewhere along the line, I am imagining that some smart educator suggested that the way to stop this harassment was by decorating the house of a 250 pound senior lineman that nobody is going to dare mess with. It then became cool. My honored tradition takes place every week before each game until the season is over or the toilet paper freezes on the trees. It is high school football at its finest. I have even been blessed with a new fall wardrobe. This shirt: which I wear to every game and this 6" by 4" pin, which takes up most of one breast: (BTW, they won their first game - and he did carry a few times) Wish him luck.