Another Anniversary, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, the older I get, the more difficult it is to keep track of time--it sneaks up on one. I just had an email from my sister, and my great nephew Alexander, whose birthday is Tueday, is having his kiddy party tomorrow. I thought he was going to be 4, but actually he will be 5!!!!!!!! Has it been that long already????? Which means he will be starting school in the Fall. Seems like yesterday my sister was raising her children, and now those chilren are raising theirs!!!!!!!!!

As if I need another indicator of how fast time goes, today marks 34 years I graduated from Seton Hall University. The first thing I want to say is how grateful I am for having been around this long, and seeing some of the amzing things I have seen. But I remember also how it was at that time.

At the tender age of 22, I had no idea what was in store for me. I had SOME idea of what I thought I wanted--literary fame in New York City, coupled with a house in the suburbs, a wife, and eight children. That is what I THOUGHT. Deep down, I only saw myself as getting some job in my home area, working for fifty years, moving from my parents house to an aprtment in the Ansonia on North Fifth and Raritan Avenues in Highland Park, New Jersey, and then bussing to NYC on weekends for social life and shows. Actually, in a way, that is pretty much what I am doing now, except it is from the other side--the New York side--of the Hudson.

But back then, the concept of actually being in my fifties was foreign and inconceivable!!!!!!!! When I turned 41, because up till then I had always had this premonition, from childhood, that I would die at 40, I figured, what is next for me?

And those early, post Seton Hall years were marred by a lot of family tragedy and disputes. I am just glad I still have pics of the event, especially for my mother's sake. I did not know, of course at the time, but within 23 months of this event, she would be gone. I knew how important it was to her that I graduated from college, and I am glad she lived to see it!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think either one of us could have guessed the present for me, as it is now!!!! But here I am, girls, 34 years out of college, with much to show for it!!!!!! Maybe a glass of wine this evening!!!!!!!!!!!

Or a Bloody Mary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!