Stop this Train! (not)

November 17/11.

Good grief, I'm blog-bedraggled, belated and behind! How'd THAT happen?

It's like a couple of days suddenly just dropped out of my life. - No way to get them back, - except to write!

And to top it off, Friday is Regis Philbin's LAST day on LIVE! - after 28 and a half years! - WHAT?? I don't know about KELLY, but I'M outta con-TROL!!!! (actually, to tell the truth, was addicted to the show for years in the Kathie Lee days, but haven't watched in a long time. Still, was always good to know he was there if I needed a Regis fix)! - Now, at age 80, Reege is clearing the deck for Jerry Seinfeld, who's scheduled to fill in as guest host for a couple of days next week. After that, who knows?

Unless they bring in Howard Stern as co-host, doubt I'll be watching.

(Please don't let it be Kelly's hubby, Mark Consuelos. The man bores me to tears - Gak)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, (as my old Seneca College professor Mike Monty always used to say when we got off track), - let's wrap up Auntie Ray's 92nd birthday bash at our place!

We all had a blast celebrating the wonder that is Ray! Here's the diningroom table, done up with lace tablecloth, tealights (love them!), plates, fancy wine goblets, (inherited from Mum), a gorgeous arrangement of flowers brought by Mary Spence-Thomas for Ray, and some sweet, bright, colourful flowers she brought for US!

Working in the kitchen, waiting for dinner to be delivered. (no cooking tonight!! Yay)!

The chinese food arrived just after 6, from Pearl Court for a dozen guests. Wow!

Then, the parade of friends and relatives. Seen here? (left to right) Mary, Carrie, Auntie Ray, Kev behind Ray, Max and Paul behind Kev. Come on in! The gang's all here!

The birthday girl with her beloved son, Kev. Funny, how their colours match so perfectly! She raised him right!

My daughter, Kate (in yellow), son, Max and his girlfriend, Robyn, enjoying the buffet at the diningroom table.

Cute couple!

The delectable dessert table, complete with Auntie Ray's lifelong fave - a massive, decadent cake with plenty of pink icing!!

I can testify to the fact that it was VERY good!!! (As for the fresh fruit salad? I made it).

Kate, Carrie and Kev watch as Auntie Ray blows out her candles.

Mary, Robyn, Paul & Sam watch from the other side!

Auntie Ray, determined to blow out the candles, 9 + 2, = 92!!

Kate shows off some of her artwork to lifelong artist, Auntie Ray, (who was impressed).

One of Carrie's gifts to Auntie Ray was this thing-a-ma-jig that you can draw on, like an Etch-a-Sketch.

The picture remains on the screen for about a minute, but then, disappears. This is what Ray drew.

Artist Paul tries HIS hand at the art gizmo. Nice work!

Meanwhile, Kev's card to his Mum made me laugh. Martinis are one of my faves.

The INSIDE of the card was just as funny,

as Auntie Ray is a HUGE
Johnny Depp fan! - (who ISN'T??)

My kids, Max & Kate, provided some musical entertainment, including their incredible version of Stop This Train, which makes me cry, every time.

Kevan, ("Mr. Rough Trade") is a huge fan of Kate & Max's music.

He's helped both of them in many ways with his support, ideas and encouragement. Means the world to me.

(and to Kate & Max).

Carrie and her boyfriend, Paul, are also big supporters!

Love this shot of my son, Max. SO cute! And what a guitarist!

As for Robyn? (perhaps Max's BIGGEST fan)! - Gorgeous! Talented! Sweet! (what's not to like)??

And Tru? You might not be able to tell from her expression here, but she LOVES company in the house! The more the merrier!

Overall, I was extremely happy with the party! SO much fun. I have an amazing family! (why does this outfit make me want to pour a big glass of Welch's grape juice??)

And Auntie Ray? As you see, was in her glory!

OK! - Cut! Print! Moving on!

The NEXT night, my sister, Carrie,

arranged something special for us.

She got five fab tickets to attend the unbelievably terrific production of Two Pianos, Four Hands at the Panasonic Theatre in the Bloor/Yonge area.

She and her son, Lee, plus me and my kids, Kate & Max, got together for a delicious dinner at Focaccia before the show. Yes, the food was important.

But so were the drinks! - Carrie with her Caesar, and I with my Martini, -soon led us to know we had nothing to dread!

Our waiter (the ONLY server in the entire restaurant), was LARRY. I introduced LARRY to CARRIE when she arrived, and then, to Lee, (whom he called, "SIR Lee" for the rest of the evening). Larry turned out to be not only a great waiter, but also, a very funny entertainer! - Comedy reigns supreme, ALWAYS, in MY book!

Sadly, the "Larry-photo" had a bit too much red-eye, - (and HE wasn't even DRINKING)!

Onward! - A very brief walk from the restaurant to The Panasonic.

ANY night out with my kids, is a good one. But this one, was spectacular! All music, all the time. As musicians themselves, they appreciated every second.

Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt - Ab Fab!!!!

Carrie couldn't resist a Häagen-Dazs on a stick at intermission! (Lee, the athelete, had water).

All in all? A night which FLOODED my memory with thoughts of the unforgettable musicians in our family. And yep. Brought tears to my eyes. Cayr, thank you, for pulling this off. We won't forget it!

Weird, but the ceiling of the Panasonic is covered in tiny screens! Coolio!

Good tymz!
Next up??????????????
You got it!
Fabulous Friiiiiiiiiiiidayyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!
(Bring it on)!

Wedding day memories

October 22/11.

28 years ago today, Sam & I got married in Mum's livingroom. It was a fantastic and fun day! Cheers Sam! Ever since then, it's been quite the roller coaster ride, hasn't it?

Gorgeous white lace gown, over pink raw silk, (and stunning veil), all designed and made especially for me by the late, great Uncle Ev. Of course, I still have it. He modelled the gown after a picture I ripped out of a magazine as a teenager. At the time, I told him I wanted a lacy gown just like it. A decade later, he still remembered that request and asked me for the picture so he could create the wedding dress! I didn't even recall what he was talking about, till I finally located the tattered old mag shot somewhere in a file in my office.

He was determined to make that fairy tale wedding gown dream come true for me. Thanks for everything Uncle Ev!

Since Sam doesn't enjoy having his picture taken (I'm lucky he allowed me to use the wedding portrait here), - I posed for an anniversary photo on my own. This is a park around Sherbourne & Carlton, where I was waiting to pick Kate up from a training class for a job.

A man cutting thru the park offered to take this pic.

His name is Ezra. (he happened to be in the background of the photo I tried to take of myself, with the camera propped on top of the car. Who IS this guy, Forrest Gump??) LOL.

I took one of Ezra too! (kind of by accident, when I forgot to take the camera off 10 second automatic shot mode, - so quickly turned the Canon digi-cam on him!) Guess I surprised him!

Ezra
(After this, he surprised ME, by asking for my number! (Hit it again, Shatner, - "Weird or WHAT???") Told him I didn't think that would be appropriate on my wedding anniversary! Then he walked off into the sunset).
FYI - I've actually been thinking about buying a ticket to see William Shatner in concert at Massey Hall on November 3rd. Not sure I can resist!
The man is magic - "Denny Crane!!")

Later, Sam came home with a gorgeous bouquet of fall flowers for me.

Not to mention, the funniest anniversary card I've had in years! At the height of my current love of short skirts, tight tops, black lace and kick-ass Marilyn pumps, he gave me this greeting card with a black & white shot of a prim & proper old Victorian lady, hair piled high in an insane bun, all next to a prudish pair of long, white gloves, a mousey string of white pearls and a conservative cameo! Boy, was I laughing. (the only thing I AM likin' is the lace!!) The message inside was beautiful, to make up for the hilarity on the front, but can't wait for Carrie to see this card. (It actually brought tears to my eyes when I thought of the fact that I can't show the card to MUM! She would have been in stitches, lemme tell ya!) Thanks for the laughs Sam!

Later, my parents-in-law, joined us for a special dinner at The Mandarin to celebrate! (left to right, my son, Max, me, Jean & Ben Bornstein)

What are the odds that I would have the best parents-in-law in the world, AND the world's greatest kids, Kate & Max? (check out all the greeting cards we got tonight for my birthday and our anniversary!)

On top of that, the folks at The Mandarin brought us two pieces of black forest cake with candles on top! (we were so stuffed, we had to take them home!)

All in all, a great day!