Labor Day 1953

Note: featuring the happy stories about Mother for the next few days - this is her week - she passed in her sleep before Monday morning12/11/17, at just shy of 92....she is free to be our angel always. I love you, Mother!

Life was very very good for the Smith Clan of Fairfield after WWII - all the sons who served, home and decorated for their heroism for Army Engineers in the Battle of the Bulge, Army Communications, Marines, Army Infantry,  Army MPs, and our Dad Pioneer Army Air Corps "Smitty the Flight Mechanic" .  All home and married to their sweethearts who served on the home front and all grateful and joyfully working at grand new jobs and raising families. 

Photoshop needed here - but it's Father's fun with new camera day and all three of us with Mother at one time. Rare to get us all to stand still together that long.

Exuberant Gram and Gramps so proud and nearing their 50th wedding anniversary, and fit for it, joined the annual Labor Day Picnic - a patriotic work song celebration - and this  year it was at Auntie Em's big homestead, to save Gram the work for a change at their "Little White House".

Mother was tall and lovely and expecting her third child very soon and fidgeted that morning, wondering if it was wise to join seven Irish sons and a daughter and their respective families at the blowout event of the year.   She had experienced a false labor, a trip to hospital to deliver, but home again, and NOT deflated enough -  so it could be any time now.  But the All-American Smith Family day found her doing her part with the women, setting up the table and presenting the feast, as the men talked over their game of horseshoes and the children helped with chores and played running and swinging games at the fine large place under the trees and in the field with the sheep and one good donkey.

NOT without caprice, Mother thought it might help things along to overdo the watermelon-eating and did.  Sure enough !     The second trip the hospital soon followed, and blushing, back to face the crowd at the picnic in an hour,  from a second false labor.  Father and the others making jokes about my Mother's desire to "go have this baby" on Labor Day made for a LOT of extra fun that day, for everyone but our Mother and the baby! 

But she was NOT wrong to feel like getting things going - when our sister Lori was born on September 18th, she was not fat, but a very long baby weighing in at 9 pounds 3 ounces!  No wonder she felt it MIGHT be time!  Third millennium medicine would have been able to image it out and let Mother deliver earlier, but back then, no.    And...Since Lori soon developed normally in size, it WAS surely just a long pregnancy resulting in high birth weight.  This one remains a family favorite LORISTORY , all these years later!   Hope you enjoyed it! 

And always a quick prayer and a wish that all who ARE in labor on this American Labor Day, enjoy a celebration of life of it all - today and always! 

Blue " Hallelujah"

 Peter Hollen and Jackie Evancho sing a pretty a capella version of Leonard Cohen's iconic "Hallelujah" -  this year at YouTube for the holidays ......find it if you can.   I think I wrote this "Variation on the Theme" for a memorial to the author's passing this November 7th

A ' Different'  Hallelujah

What , sweet angels, do you do

It's Christmas and they don't like you, 

And to be truthful, you're not keen on them ?

Skip them,  and go find your friends

and play till New Year's parties end

Find the new year full of Hallelujahs

Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !

When big hurts hurt, they do deplete - 

It isn't pretty, isn't sweet

You cry, "Please, Santa, ANY Hallelujah ! "

You pray to find a new insight

 it won't run clear, it won't go right

 Till you can't even spell out  'Hallelooojah' !

Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !

I found my son today online

With Bride, too far away, but  fine

But why assail me with   UN-hallelujah !

And now they'll have to charm this dear,  

to find the former welcome here

And still I know I'll know that Hallelujah !

Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !

His sister's newly-wedded smiles

Just dreams - we are apart by miles

Some one-day moment here -  for Holy Yule - yah !

Again a merry company

For Christmas, once again, and we will

Sing ensemble, truly,  Hallelujah!

Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !    Hallelujah !   Hallelujah ! 

The strawb'ry top still  spins,  my loves !

The spirit's there and more above

A power of its own, sing Hallelujah !

I love the wisdom of my years

The invitation's loud and clear, so

  I'll close now  and just get back to my Yule - yah !

Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !   Hallelujah !

May YOUR  "Hallelujah" and "Gloria" and "cheers", glow with family spirit this year and always!

elle

While I still can - WINE

A Wine travel blog entry came into focus today, when wondering what sort of winecomment I should share.

Enjoy the wine in an ancient Italian Cave at Enoteca dai Tosi 

I am not a sommelier, but, since I am on no medications yet, I make sure I enjoy 

alcohol temperately and deliciously and socially, while I still can.

I am a light drinker so it’s the experience and flavor and the company or brand or locale to enhance.
My new collection includes:  A nice liqueur tray, some emergency cognac, a bit of the best scotch I can afford, a good bourbon, and wine, wine wine, collected lovingly and with a sense of fun and enjoyed as prescribed by WebMD, so the final tab does not include physical harm to me.

My sassy senior fitness allows me to travel again: an injury healed and new income allows me to travel decently.  I began to smile at the neat wine+travel ideas found online.  Sharing the links for you here should be fun, and give me reference for next season’s travel.  Iinvite your ideas as well.       

Ancient Italian Cave hosts neat new wine bar.   Enoteca dai Tosihttp://www.enotecadaitosi.it/en/gallery/

Croatia Monty’s Dog Beach and Barhttps://www.facebook.com/montysdogbeach/

CroatiaDive to Underwater Wine Cellarhttp://www.edivovina.hr/en

Napa CaliforniaJarvis’s opulent tour cellarshttp://www.jarviswines.com

FranceMedoc 5-day Marathon and Wine Tour event   http://www.winetourisminfrance.com/fr/magazine/85_marathon_des_chateaux_du_medoc.htm

France, Italay AND Napa / AmericaWine on Wheels!     https://www.duvine.com/culinary-bike-tours/