On Getting Old -- 36

Friday night was date night. Rosemary won some free passes to the Pickwick Theatre, the local movie house, and she opted to take me. What a gal! The movie showing was “Julie & Julia”.

The movie follows for one year the life of Julie Powell [played by Amy Adams] who is having a rough time completing projects. Knowing she loves to cook, her husband, Eric [played by Chris Messina] talks her into writing a blog about cooking.

Julie, who follows religiously Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, opts to complete all the recipes in the cookbook within the year and keep the blog going.

Juxtaposed with Julie’s life is Julia Child’s [played by Meryl Streep] life as she learns to cook and write her book. Stanley Tucci [who plays Paul Child] does an excellent job as Julia’s husband. The acting of these two was superb. They complemented each other masterfully. The love between this couple flowed from the screen.

The tenacity and drive of the two women made one want to tackle any task facing them. The movie was delicious, heart-warming, inspiring, and a feel-good one.

I have to rate it with five, yes five, pieces of my daily candy.

Ciao

On Getting Old -- 35

They say parting is sweet sorrow. How true. Our son left for home a couple of days ago. Today our daughter, Yvonne, returned from Michigan with Cal and Emm. They will be leaving for Phoenix tomorrow. We spend the day playing in the backyard – hitting baseballs and catching bugs.

At lunch I tell the boys about some of the radio programs I used to listen to when I was a kid. Don’t know if the concept really struck home with them. They would get a kick out of the opening to Smilin’ Ed’s Show. He would say, “Plunk your magic twanger, Froggy.” SFX: Boing. Then Froggy would appear and say, “Hi ya, kids. Hi, ya. Hi, ya. Hi, ya.”
The boys would roar and say, “Do it again, Grandpa.” And so it would go. The smiles on their faces were better than the memories of the old days listening to the radio.

On our trip to the airport Calvin spotted a playground. “Can we stop, Grandpa? I need to play some more.” How difficult it is to say no.

At the airport we were hugged and kissed. I waved goodbye as they walked off, a tear stinging my eye.

Today’s candy is all too bittersweet.
Ciao

On Getting Old -- 34

This night we decided to go to the Greek Fest at St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church in Niles. Our friend, Pat, Louann, and Jim, met at our home for the short drive to the church. The evening is a bit chilly, but the thought of the Greek food is warming.

An entrance fee of $2.00, $1.00 for seniors – at least getting old has some benefits – is charged. As we pass through the gate, we are handed a tiny cup of mavrodaphne, a sweet, red dessert wine. A great way to get everyone in the mood for the Greek experience awaiting us.

After a brief tour of the church, we followed the path to the back. As we turned the corner we are blessed with the sight of numerous booths and the heavenly smells of roasting lamb. Fortunately the line to the food tent is not too long.

Entering the tent we are bathed in the scents of roasted souvlaki, Athenian chicken and Bacalao “Plaki” (cod fish). Aluminum trays brimming with moussaka, pastitsio, dalmathes, and spanakopita line the table. Alas, so many decisions to be made.

After a brief discussion with Rosemary, a decision is made regarding the food. We’re going to share entries to get the most of our dining experience. Rosemary orders the pastitsio and I the moussaka. A half order of dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves) and an order of spanakopita complete our menu for the evening.

We wend our way through the growing throngs of people to a table near the bandstand. Our friends follow us with Jim bringing up the rear, a bottle of Retsina in hand. After we find a table, Jim hurries back to the tent where they are roasting the lamb and returns with a plateful.

Our feasting begins. Let me tell you that I have never tasted better moussaka and pastitsio – except for that served by our daughter, Yvonne. I’m not much for lamb, but the lamb we ate that night was extraordinary. I had two helpings. All this food was washed down with Retsina. I cannot believe how much I ate.

After dinner the “Olympian Dancers” graced the stage. The women were dressed in traditional regional (Cretan and Metaxades) attire and the men in the white and black military (Foustanella) tunics. They performed various folk dances and concluded with the men doing the Zorba dance. Fantastic!

Jim said we could not leave before we tried some loukoumathes. I didn’t know where in my stomach I could put anymore food. This dessert – hot, deep-fried puffs slathered in honey and cinnamon – melted in your mouth. I couldn’t stop eating them.

A short ride back to our home for coffee and discussion of the events of the evening rounded off a perfect evening with friends.

My candy for the day – ah so wonderful.

Ciao

On Getting Old -- 33

Today is the last day before our Arizona family leaves for Michigan. What activity does Grandma have lined up for us today? She has been talking to our next door neighbor, and it looks like the Pirates Cove in Elk Grove Village is our next destination. We never heard of the place. Of course not having little ones around the house, we wouldn’t be tuned into such places.

A thirty minute drive and we’re at the entrance. Adults are free, but the children have to pay a fee, a nice switch for a change.

Pirates Cove is an ideal site for little kids. The boys don’t know where to turn to first. There’s a carousel, and slides of all kind. There are trains that will chug you around the park, and there are trains you can crank yourself around the track. How about climbing a rope ladder or scaling a wall. It’s all here and more.

The hot dog stand is calling us. So a brief respite for some nourishment including a Popsicle, and we’re off again.

I tell myself this daily candy sure makes the trek to old age a lot more palatable.
Ciao

On Getting Old -- 32

I wonder who has been having more fun – Calvin and Emmett or Grandma and Grandpa. Today Rosemary scheduled a trip to the Museum of Science and Industry. Too easily we forget the many places equally entertaining for youngsters and oldsters alike to go in this wonderful city of Chicago.

It has been years since we have been to the Museum, and what more enjoyment than to rekindle the experience with our grandsons.

We arrived at the Museum just about noon and had to fill the tiny tummies before we could begin the adventure. Our little Emmett is an eating machine -- chicken nuggets, fries, fruit and an apple juice to wash it all down. After fortifying ourselves with food we began to walk.

First stop was the farm section. The boys climbed on the tractor and combine. They climbed on the cow and pushed all the buttons they could reach. We watched baby chicks hatch from their shells.

Next came the Idea Factory – an area designed specifically for little kids. Here they shot water cannons, lifted blocks with a small crane, raced cars down an incline, and on and on.

From old time street cars to jet airplanes the boys took it all in.

This path to 70 is lined with delicious candy. Another day with innumerable pieces, too many to count, and we owe it all to two little tykes.

Ciao

On Getting Old -- 31

Mom had not seen her great-grandsons in over a year. She told me that she has been lonely of late. She doesn’t remember things as well as she has. I’ve reminded her during every one of my visits that her Calvin and Emmett were coming to visit. I don’t know how well she remembered.

This morning we all went to St. Matthew’s to visit with Mom. The children walked down the corridor and waved or shouted hello to all the people they passed by. We entered Mom’s room and Calvin and Emmett shouted “Hello, GG.”

Mom came alive as the boys ran up to her and gave her big hugs. We all went into the garden – four generations of us – Mom; Rosemary and I; our sons and daughter, Walt, Chris and Yvonne; and the great-grandsons, Calvin and Emmett.

Mom could not get enough of the boys. We made her day.
‘Cal’ and ‘Emm’ were typical boys running all around -- watching the birds in the aviary, playing Foos Ball in the rec room and bringing joy to all the people at the nursing home.

I could not count all the candy I received today. The happiness spread through all. The only sadness came when we had to leave. The elation drained from Mom’s face. At least she had an hour or two of joy. I hope the images stayed with her. They certainly live with me.

Ciao

On Getting Old -- 30

Our adventures begin. No time to think about the path to 70 with two active grandsons around. Today we went downtown. The kids loved Millennium Park. They were thrilled with Cloud Gate, the ‘Bean’, and romped through the water at Crown Fountain.

Such was the candy for this day. Every where I turned another piece popped up -- their distorted reflections in the surface of the ‘Bean’, their romp through the fountain waters, their excitement about climbing atop the bull sculpture in front of the Cultural Center. How lucky can a grandfather be? No time for reflecting on getting old.

Ciao