Ranch living

Spring Break Birthday Adventure

Marching On

Another Saturday, another march for a cause I believe in. In the past 18 months, I feel like I've become a pro at marching and banding together with my tribe of like-minded moms and this week's march for gun control was no different. We pooled together our time and banner waving talents and took to the streets in Manhattan for an afternoon in the chilly spring sunshine. It felt much less crowded than the women's march in January of this year in NYC and we were able to join in the procession with almost no setbacks after crossing through Central Park from the subway. Walking with Jenny, a march novice, was also a real treat. We needed a catch up session and that was the perfect excuse. It didn't take long for friends to drift off and we whittled ourselves down to just the two of us before ducking out for lunch at Indikitch. Protesting and good Indian food made the day feel all the more worthwhile. Which is not to trivialize the situation our kids face in this country especially when it comes to gun violence in schools. America's obsession with the Second Amendment to the exclusion of all common sense is the biggest threat I will face in my lifetime. More kids have been killed so far this year in schools than in actual combat. Let that sink in for a minute. 

After the march, I made it home with plenty of time to rest up before my second big outing of the day: Marija's birthday dinner out with couples in Brooklyn. This capped off a very celebratory week for her 40th and I think the group was ready to let rip. I enjoyed all the good conversation and food making the rounds and I loved playing musical chairs after our meal was winding down. It's true that we are a unique group of parents and probably never more so than when we celebrate one another's birthdays. I feel that's such a great reward for all the hours at kids' birthday parties we have had to endure. Being able to toast one another and really cheer each other through these years is such a blessing and I know it. 

Sunday afternoon was the low-key ending the weekend needed and I had to laugh when my free T-shirt from an IG artist I follow made its way to me just a few days after the march. Good timing! Gun control will be a struggle for a while to come with the way things look. So of course I turned to comfort eating and a run to Maharaja Sweets in Jackson Heights hit the sweet spot. The galub jamon and jalebi are some of the best I've ever tasted. 

Dad's 70th birthday falling mid-week was the perfect reminder that Spring Break and our trip to Texas was coming up fast. I sent my photographic tribute around the internets and let Dad know I was thinking of him. He's now outlived his own father and that's something I'm sure he's thought of before. Beating colon cancer a few years back and having his share of melanomas, my dad is a man who knows what to value in this world. I'm very glad he's still here with us and I am looking forward to our trip to Austin and to Leroy's ranch to spend some quality birthday time with him and the rest of the fam. Birthdays at any age are good time to take stock of life, but I think that's especially true after a certain age. I'm grateful for each day. Now let's get on with the party and good food.