Surprise, It’s Memorial Day!

So it was a nice little weekend. I had dinner Friday night with my girl Friday and her family. Then we sat at Lincoln center, by the fountain. We watched the stars as we waited for one our friends to pick her up. We were convinced that one of the stars was moving in circles. No it was not a plane and it was not wine induced…we think! We went and got Starbucks and then our friend arrived.

I got up early on Sat and rushed down to Port Authority bus terminal. Terminal is an appropriate term for this station. Dismal would also be accepted. I got on a bus and headed to Bethlehem PA to help put together a surprise birthday for a good friend. 40 balloons later, well 38, 36 (a couple revolted and flew away) the party was ready to go and his sister/my adopted sis and I were proud of the décor we accomplished with just a few balloons and happy birthday sign. The beautiful pool, and finely manicured lawn and gardens helped. He was surprised. He was really surprised that all of his friends came from all over to spend his birthday weekend with him. Little did he know none of us would have wanted to spend our Memorial Day weekend any other way. 16 attendants, 36 balloons, 168 beers, one grill, one pool….Priceless. I did notice one thing. The older we get the more we revert back to infancy. Although I am not sure this crew ever left.

We had a big brunch at a Scottish tea room. I had scones with Devonshire Cream and Lemon curd! YUM. And then I left to visit family. I got lost, surprise, surprise and arrived to a homemade apple pie. Could a girl get any luckier? My best friends parents/my adopted family and I had a wonderful dinner. I slept like a baby. Memorial Day, American Flags were hung high outside the wood frames of the beautiful farm house owned by two former teachers. I realized the reason why I most likely had “God Bless America” ringing through my head the day before. We grilled, had martinis and sat on the patio while old war movies echoed in the back ground. They are normally there (a war movie fanatic is one of the residents), but this time it seemed to make sense. Cary Grant was hot even in black and white. The uniform doesn’t hurt! I thought. There was a little shopping too. If the New Yorkers I rolled with only knew…that my fashions came straight from the runways….well the aisles of Pennsylvania. They would be shocked. I saw a few dresses in the store that were designed by a friend of mine. To me it was like spotting a celebrity across the room (if I cared or noticed celebrities). I was thrilled that someone “I” knew helped create this beautiful item. It was the greatest finding I have had in a while what a surprise.

I stayed Monday night and took a 5:30am bus back to New York. It amazes me that in under 2 hours one can leave farm land, unlit roads, and strangers who say hello and look one another in the eye and arrive to a city of millions of strangers who are somehow related within the chaos and beauty bordered by steel buildings and streets that never dim. I got home, dropped off my bags, slipped on one of my new dresses, and headed back downtown. I was the first one to arrive in the office. I made my coffee and started my day.

This Memorial Day was both surprising, simple and oh so sweet.

Happy Memorial Day.