365-3 | Peaches Prattlings

{September 10, 2015} Amazing news!

My niece, KK, has committed to play softball for a college!

I’ve told you about one of my best friends, EBK, we’ve known each other since we were kids. Our moms taught together at the same school for years and her dad was my teacher of French.

Side bar…that was a thing with all the teachers, unless you’re from France, you’re a teacher of French, a teacher of Spanish, you get the idea.

Back to the teacher of French. The crazy thing about her parents is that I used to call them by their first name and when he became my teacher, it was Mr. & Mrs. even to this day! I just can’t do it! I call them Mr. & Mrs. The B’s!

Ok, enough digression, back to the fabulous news at hand!

My niece, KK has been playing softball since she was a kid and has excelled at it every day. She is on a travel team that excels and wins, wins, wins. Towards the end of the summer she was representing her home state of Georgia in the Premier Girls Fastpitch national title game as part of her travel team. She was named all-region and all-county last year, she’s a sophomore, can you believe it!?

KK’s been courted by colleges since she was in middle school, can you believe it! I know, I keep repeating myself! Yes, she is just that good! Since she’s a sophomore, she can’t sign with a college, but this is the time she can commit to one. One of the reasons she picked the University of Delaware? Their Physical Therapy program, now that is a smart kid if you ask me!

I’ve known KK for a while, ha ha. Since they lived in Florida, I only knew her through photos and stories. I met her for the first time when she was in New York after my mom passed and then the next time I saw her was a year later when the entire family moved to Georgia! How fantastic was that! That’s when I became Aunt JJ for the first time to the family. That was when we became close and oh man did I love playing with those girls! We would have so much fun and sleepovers and pool time and play time and goofy time. I loved when it was just me and one or two of them, hanging out, going to the movies, whatever it was, it was awesome.

Now, among her many talents, she has a head for sports that is not to believed! You could ask her about almost any sport, team, player, play, didn’t matter. I remember being at a hockey game once and had a question about what a hat check was, who did I call? The only person I knew who would know the answer! I think she may have been about 7!

It has been such a treat to watch her grow up into this amazing young woman. She has gone from a goofy little girl who would wear dresses and run around like a crazy person around a pool, to a fabulous swimmer, to a girl who would only wear pink if it was in a pair of basketball shorts to a very smart, independent, quick on her feet, bright, ambitious, motivated young woman who is still a goofball, especially when it comes to her two sisters and her three dogs. I don’t think her family would have her any other way.

Congratulations KK, I look forward to coming to a game to watch you play and a college hoodie! And to continue to be as proud of you in the future as I am today. Good luck and enjoy every moment!!!

{September 9, 2015} A vegan walks into a seafood restaurant…

That sounds like the beginning of a bad joke!

Tonight we had another fabulous team dinner. It started off as a ‘roll-off’ dinner and turned into a team night out as those who were rolling off aren’t. But who really needs an excuse to have a great dinner?

HH suggested The Barking Crab, http://barkingcrab.com/, which had been recommended to her. Done, away we went! We carpooled and waited and waited and waited for a table, unfortunately, they don’t take day of reservations, but it was a chance to catch up, sounds good to me!

Well, all meals were some form of seafood except for the side items and when the server asked if there were any food allergies and I said I was a vegan, his next question…”So what are you doing here?” Hanging out with my fabulous co-workers!

So…What does a vegan eat at a seafood joint? Why, guacamole, salad, rice and veggies, was I happy?

You bet your sweet bippie!

And that, my friends, is what a vegan eats at a seafood joint!

{September 8, 2015} Dramamine can knock you on your…

As we know, big boat travel is not for me. Yup, not for me.

Friday, we took the Fast Ferry to Provincetown, it was ugly, let’s leave it at that. Monday, the waters were not supposed to be as bad, so we decided to take a chance on the ferry back to Boston.

I had forgotten my bonine and bracelets back at the hotel, a mistake I am not likely to make again, so we bought some Dramamine and bracelets. About an hour before we set sail, I took two Dramamine, so far so good. We took off and about thirty minutes later, another pill. It seemed to do the trick, I made it with only one trip to the head, relief only, thank goodness!

I was able to nod in and out and made it to shore, back to the hotel, talk to you and get some sleep.

I woke up, had a session with CG, the personal trainer, but I was so tired, I came back to the room and took a nap. I got up an hour later, went to work and was in a fog all day, the effects of the Dramamine were still doing their thing, and apparently, I don’t react well to it. It was like walking through fog or soup all day, it’s not a good feeling.

I went back to the hotel about 4:00, got a little work done and I was asleep by 5pm, waking up to check my messages and say hello to you and now I am crashing out again.

No more Dramamine! No more sea sick, help!

{September 7, 2015} An amazing weekend

Well, we just got back from a long weekend on the Cape…I swear I hear Thurston Howell III saying that to Lovey!

It was an amazing weekend, I have the best beau ever, but it was so amazing that I am “plum tuckered out!” and as I have to meet with my personal trainer at 5:50am, I am going to sign off and say thank you PSM for another fabulous weekend! You did it up right and I am so lucky to have you in my life, thank you.

Tomorrow, I will tell you, in great detail, I know shocker! about our weekend on Cape Cod, FABULOUS!

I hope you all had a fabulous Labor Day weekends!

{September 6, 2015} Happy Birthday CWB

I met CWB when she was still CW.

We met in the 6th grade when I went to her middle school, which was not the one near my house. The reason I remember, and I know I could be wrong, was that my parents wanted me to go to a middle school with more Jewish kids and a lot of the kids from my temple and Hebrew school classes went there.

CWB and her twin sister and I met and became fast friends, spending most weekends together, we were inseparable.

As we got older, things did not change, even when we went to different high schools. We took drivers education together, SAT prep together. Yhe panda picture, I don’t know if she remembers, is representative of Joe Blow, a stuffed panda that I had when we were in our SAT prep class. Joe Blow was one of the examples the instructor, Kalmam, would use for everything.

I loved being at their house, their mom would treat me like another daughter and include me in things, it was very special. We helped each other get ready for prom, even hung together the next day after their prom.

Throughout college we were together, home on breaks, after college and then even though I moved and we didn’t talk very often, we were in each others thoughts, especially on our birthdays, which are both in September.

A few years ago I was on a project that took me up north and I got to see CWB and spend time at her house with her family and it was so wonderful, as if no time has passed, as it should be.

Today, we message on Facebook, and keep up with each other, encouraging, supporting, laughing. And I know if we get to see each other again, it would be as I’d no time has passed.

So I wish my dear friend, CWB, the happiest of happy birthdays and many more to come!

{September 5, 2015} Not all drag shows are great

There, I said it, I’m sorry.

I love a good drag show. I love watching drag queens, the wasband said I was obsessed. I don’t think that’s true, I just find them fascinating and I enjoy watching a good drag show.

I love certain movies, Priscilla…Queen of the Desert, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109045/?ref_=nv_sr_2, To Wong Foo, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114682/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2, Connie and Carla, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0345074/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1, and who can forget Some Like It Hot, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053291/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1, just to name a few..that I’ve seen a few [dozen] times.

When I was getting married, my sister took me to Lucky Changs, http://www.luckychengsnewyork.com/, a fabulous Chinese restaurant in NYC that happens to have an entire drag staff/show, it was fabulous! I even got a lap dance from a very tall Asian “woman”!

So, you could said I like them, not sure about obsessed, but who’s counting!

Needless to say, I enjoy a good drag show. The show that PSM and I saw tonight was ok, not the best, just ok. The performers looked like the people they were portraying, it just fell a little flat from what I’ve seen before.

That being said, I really did enjoy the show and I’m looking forward to whatever he plans next!

{September 4, 2015} We have a kindergartener!

Today, MGS rode the bus to school!

MGS is five and a big girl now and big girls go to big kid school! So…off she went.

Yesterday she went in yesterday at noon for part of the day, but today, she rode the bus for the first time. Now, she’s an old hat at riding the bus, having ridden the bus over the summer to camp, but this was the bus for school, a whole new ball game.

Ok, I have to tell you a secret, you have to promise not to tell! First, she asked me to help her put her sneakers on, loved that! Happy to help! Then she said “shh…I have a secret” ok, what? “You can’t tell…I’m a little nervous to ride the bus, I’m going to sit with EJS”. I think that sounds like a good plan MGS.

We went outside to take pictures, of course, and some of the neighbors joined us and ACS came back from his day at school to see her get on the bus, that was very cool.

There was a girl from the next block over, her parents, one of the boys from across the street, MGS and EJS, us and COF, another great gathering and send off!

We took pictures, EJS hamming it up for the camera, of course, the kids being goofy, then the bus came from a different direction, huh? The driver is on a new route, change of plans and sides of the street. All the kids piled on MGS’ backpack was almost bigger than her! SO CUTE!!!

Then they were gone and it was business as usual.

Have a great time in kindergarten, so many great things are coming your way!

{September 3, 2015} I’m vegan and now I can’t eat what?!

As you are aware, I am ovo-vegan.

What this means is that I eat eggs, ovo, and actually, I also eat butter, so the only two animal bi-products I consume are eggs and butter because…well, butter makes everything better so until it upsets my stomach like all other dairy, I ain’t givin’ it up!

And I know you are also aware that I have been nauseous 24/7 for a very long time and I’ve been taking tests to see what it might be. Last Friday, I took a fructose test, this is similar to the glucose test where they give you a cup of sugar water, this time it was easier than the glucose, thank goodness. Interesting too as this garnered results.

When I went to see my GI, Gastroenterologist, to be exact, she gave me the results and they were a bit as I feared…

My name is JJ and I am fructose intolerant. There, I said it. Is there a support group somewhere that I could join?

Ok, for those of you scratching your heads, like I did, this means I cannot process high fructose corn syrup or some other natural sugars. Great, so I can’t have any dairy and now you’re taking away something else I love! Come on!

Not to worry, I will do whatever they tell me, I just wanted my little pity party and now I’m done!

There are certain fruits and veggies that are on the NO list…Apples, cherries, mangos, pears, watermelon. What! Watermelon? Nooooo! Some other things I can’t have…honey! NO!!!! I la la la love honey and love bringing back jars from wherever I travel, no more for me! I can have maple syrup and a cup of coffee/tea. Tea with maple syrup is grody! Now I have to give up artichokes and asparagus, what? NOOOOOO! These are some of my favorite things! [I know some of you started singing “The Sound of Music”! Ear worm!]

Now, on the opposite side, there are fruits I can eat, problem is, a lot of them are citrus and as you know, no dairy and no citrus, makes things interesting!

Now, you know I don’t drink and that’s good because rum is not allowed, but most wine, beer, gin and vodka are allowed! Maybe I should start drinking!

I am meeting with a nutritionist tomorrow to see where they might be able to help me plan a good diet, to avoid the foods I can’t eat and work with what I can.

And now you know what I was upset about on Tuesday and I was going to tell you everything, but then I went to a baseball game and PSM dropped off the minion and the flowers to cheer me up, so I had to tell you about that first! I’m sorry if I worried you at all!

There is so much to tell you over the next few days!

{September 2, 2015} It’s the first day of school!

Today was the first day of school and I got to see it!

It was the first day for our THIRD grader! EJS started third grade today! Can you believe it!? You have been with me every step of the way for the past several years and “seen” her grow and what a fabulous person she is becoming! Third grade, this is the big time!

And today, I found out that her second grade teacher called earlier in the week and asked her to come in and help her set up her classroom, what an honor, she was so excited!

Now, it wasn’t just EJS’ first day of school, ACS, as I told you went back to school to get his Masters in Education and today was his first day of school! He is teaching fourth grade, how cool is that. “Hi Mr. S” “Could you explain that again Mr. S” “Mr. S is the best teacher ever!” I wish him all the best for an exciting year!

I got up in time to shower and head out, I was so not up for a walk or run this morning, the extra twenty minutes was heaven! When I walked in the house EJS saw me first and HUGE hugs! Then MGS piled on top! Do I love this or what? ACS was getting ready to head to his first day and GES was getting the girls ready. ACS’ sister in law, AS was there too, the gang’s all here!

About 7:40 we all went outside to take pictures and from across the street, CO’F and MF came out with their dog Bella to take pictures and see EJS get on the bus, EJS took it all in stride.

ACS took off, we waved him down the street and then the bus came and we all waved at EJS as she got on the bus, what a send off!

I have to tell you, this was awesome, I haven’t been able to be here/there for the first day before, so this was such a treat to be with the family, could I be any happier? And…I get to do it all over again on Friday for MGS’ first day!!! oh boy!!!!

Happy First Day of School! I hope everyone has a great year!

{September 1, 2015} I am a lucky girl!

If I don’t have the best beau, I don’t know who does!

Today I went to the doctor and got some results that upset me. I promise, I’m fine, it was just a bit of a shock and I promise I’ll tell you all about it, but not tonight.

What I want to talk about is the great guy in my life. I talked to PSM earlier in the day and told him about the results and later when I tracked to him he said to be sure and stop at the front desk when I get back to the hotel, there is a surprise. Ooh!

When I got back to the hotel I saw Shemara, my fabulous new friend who works at the front desk who said “make sure to go to the front desk, someone loves you! ”

I went in and asked at the front desk and look what they brought out! OMG! Gorgeous and funny! Are they not wonderful? They did just what they were supposed to do, make me feel better. I am a lucky girl!

So I ask you…If I don’t have the best beau, I don’t know who does!

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