Six weeks ago we went to a concert at Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center (The Original Woodstock site). My husband, my sister, my brother-in-law a good friend and myself. We went to see Peter, Paul and Mary.

This would have been my 5th or 6th (lost count) PPM concert ... but this one was different. Mary was not there. The notice came out two weeks before the concert that she would not be able to attend due to ill effects of a recent chemo-therapy treatment. No, we did not turn our tickets in, we went ... how could we not when Peter and Paul came out and said they were giving this concert in her honor.
The concert was great, as always ... and then after the intermission they came out and said it was time to do a song just for Mary ~ and played the opening chords for "Leavin' on a Jet Plane". As artists do at many live concerts they asked the audience to join in ... and we did ... singing loud and strong (and sounding pretty damn good I might add!). When the song was over Peter informed us that as Mary always sings the lead in this song, neither he nor Noel Paul had been singing lead ... WE did, the audience had carried Mary's part the entire song and as we all came to this realization ~ there was not a dry eye in the house.

This memory was only part of my collective memories today upon learning of the passing of Mary Travers last night.

The summer between third and fourth grade my sister and I sang in summer chorus ... standing on risers in the school yard adjacent to our yard, singing three-part harmonies to "Lemon Tree", "If I Had a Hammer", "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" and "Cruel War". My sister and I spent the following years singing them all by heart.

As I grew up in the 60's the more political folk music they sang with the social conscience became important to my life in other ways.

When my sister got married, my cousin sang Noel Paul's "Wedding Song" at her wedding.

At my first wedding, my sister and her husband sang "For Baby For Bobby" - OK, well, that turned out to NOT be a favorite memory, but anyway ...

... years later, Michael took me on our first real "date" to see Peter, Paul and Mary perform at the concert for the New York City Coalition for the Homeless. This was the concert where I got kissed on the cheek by Peter, and both he and Noel Paul signed my album cover.

In the years that followed there were the midnight trips to Cape Cod, the girls sleeping in the back of the van and us driving all night (to get to the campground for early early site call). We stayed awake all night by singing PP&M - harmonizing and memorizing every word to "Well, Well, Well" ~ (and we can do it to this day), OK, well maybe the girls didn't ALWAYS sleep through it 'cause they can sing a pretty mean PPM too!

Other concerts over the years kept us in touch with their new songs and singing the old ones.

At my parent's 50th anniversary party we (the collective kids) and spouses sang - and played our own "modified lyrics" version of "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" to my parents (no dry eyes there either)

Of course it goes without saying that you know what dominates the "folk" playlists on both of our i pods. And my youngest daughter sings along with us whenever they play.

And now Mary is gone, and we are broken hearted. We have lost a friend. Thank-you Mary for your unique voice, the messages you were never afraid to share and the joy and inspiration and depth of experiences you gave to our lives.

Posted by sunybank at 03:49 AM

What can be better than a day spent with old friends.
Had a deck party for friends from work, some who have not been with our company for many years now but will always be considered part of the "old crew" when we were all like a family.
Some of us have shared 20+ years history ~ and it was wonderful to see everyone together again (with some new work friends added in) and relaxing.

1) The way you instantly break into a smile when seeing an old friend who you have not seen in a year - and watching the smile on their face!
2) Having a four-acre backyard ~ and 30 guests who can't seem to leave the deck! - yet we never felt crowded.
3) Catching up on everyones family (and for those who brought their kids - telling the kids how grown up they got).
4) Sharing my home, my food, my property, my family and my dogs with my friends.
5) Alone with my husband after the party - putting our feet up on recliners and sharing our thoughts of the day - talking about occurances - wishing it did not have to end.

Posted by sunybank at 05:13 AM

1) Heart surgeons who work for 8 hours on a loved one and then come out and take the time to explain everything in detail - reassure and HUG you!
2) All of the friends and family who supported my sister and brother-in-law yesterday.
3) Travel scrabble - magazines - knitting needles and crochet hooks that can keep your hands and mind occupied while sitting all day in a hospital waiting area.
4) Cell phones and mass text messages that can keep families updated and connected during times like this.
5) A very lenghty but successful surgery for Richard.

And today the country will focus on remembering those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001 - and for a time we will all recall the feeling of that morning ~ and turn and hug a loved one.

Posted by sunybank at 12:22 PM

Because today we need it:
1) Coming home to a new fall decorations and flowers courtesy of a friend.
2) A husband who works very hard around the house to make things as nice as he can.
3) A job ~ because these days you're lucky to have one.
4) The sound of the train running through the woods in the dark ... going somewhere.
5) A long chat with my mother this morning on the phone (Thank God for cell phones - blue tooth hands-free, and a long commute)

Posted by sunybank at 02:08 AM

It is not snowing / raining / sleeting
I found something to wear
I have a book on CD for the commute
I received a spontaneous hug from my teenager this morning (rare indeed)
I have a job to go to - something many people would be extremely thankful for today.

Posted by sunybank at 11:48 AM

and perhaps for the new year ...
1. Birds at my feeder
2. A fire in the fireplace
3. A mug of hot coffee
4. No work or school today for anyone here!
5. A new year ahead that we can face with all of our (even extended) family healthy and relatively secure, even in these difficult financial times.

Posted by sunybank at 02:22 PM

Too Much Grace for one weekend ... I actually need to get back to work for a dose of reality.
And because of this I MUST do TEN!!
1. Managing to get in the rehearsal and an impromptu rehearsal dinner/pizza party in spite of the 10 inches of snow.
2. The bride getting over her stomach virus and no one else coming down with it on the wedding day!
3. Willa looking great! in a headful of curls (and a little too much eye makeup)

4. The look on Joe's (the Groom's) face when KT entered the church.
5. The Wedding.

6. Michael's girls (my stepdaughters) and their husbands sharing the day with us (and looking damn good all spiffied up).
7. Seeing friends and family that I have not seen in far too long.
8. The beauty and grace of the Bride (KT)
9. My father dancing with his first grandchild to be married (even though he came to the wedding in a wheelchair).

10. One last morning of coffee and chat with my sister before I take her to the airport.

Posted by sunybank at 12:03 PM

This will be a hard one ...
* The wedding rehearsal dinner is cancelled (due to the major snow storm)
* The rehearsal itself is in serious jeopardy (due to the snow)
* My nephew and his fiance are travelling in the (Major) snow storm from Long Island ... and have been on the road for three hours
* The bride has contracted the gastric 24 hour virus her father had yesterday ... (we are praying for the groom)
* Umm .... the snow is pretty!!!!

I know they are not all good ... but I'm still working on it.

Posted by sunybank at 07:30 PM

1. My sister is "home" from Tennessee!
2. I have tomorrow off!
3. Decided on my dress for the rehearsal dinner - and changed my mind on my dress for the wedding - but it's all good!
4. Getting my hair cut today
5. The weather on Saturday looks good (can't say as much for Friday night).

Posted by sunybank at 12:43 PM

1. Coming home after yet another corporate trip
2. "acing" my presentation for the corporate Directors
3. Birding Dad's specialty Spagetti with meat sauce
4. Driving two hours in the rain ... then two in snow and finally driving OUT of it all for the final hour (and most hilly hour) of my drive home.
5. Did I mention "coming home"?

Posted by sunybank at 10:31 AM