I am extremely lucky to have a very close “office family,” which includes Gotham adoption attorney extraordinaire Faith Getz Rousso. We genuinely all enjoy one another’s company, help one another,  and look out for one another.   We do have a prankster in our midst. While I was a way on vacation in October an elaborate prank was concocted against me. After I returned from vacation and finally realized what was done, I had to laugh. I took the joke on me in the nature it was played; out of love and friendship.

Yesterday, the City (of New York) was to collect fallen leaves put out for collection in Paper Leaf Bags or open containers from residential.  Originally there were two dates for collection but the one for the weekend after Thanksgiving got nixed with little fanfare.  So I fulfilled my "obligation" to gather the leaves not yet bagged to put out for collection.  It was a lot and unfortunately the rain-dampened leaves prove heavier to heave into the collection trucks.

I'm not one to self promote. Growing up, our house was about doing the right thing all of the time, laugh, be humble and respect all who live. So it's a bit out of character for me to write this.   Today is an unusual day. I'm not even sure if this has happened before. I looked and didn't find an instance but logic tells me it did - today is my birthday and my blog day.  

Nothing personifies our Gotham mantra more than our Season of Giving initiative.   It is truly Better to give than receive, but what goes around comes around and it did last night at our Holiday Party! 

Last week, our grand-dog, Tonka, died.I think about his life. His adoption by Mea and Charles in Seattle twelve years ago. He watched as our children’s relationship flourished to marriage. The moves in Seattle, the move to Washington D.C.

I have enjoyed Tony Bennett’s singing and his optimistic personality for many years. I saw him perform in person only once, but it was unforgettable.  He was so full of joy and so connected to his audience.  His deep feeling for the American Standards came through in every word he sang and every move that he made.  Bennett was famous for doing a twirl step while singing his version of the Fred Astaire classic, “Steppin’ Out”, into his early 90’s.    

  It does take a village.    I’ve been thinking lately about my own village – both the people I consider to be in mine and those who I know rely on me for theirs.  Without great surprise, there is not unexpected overlap for me in those two groups.

The past few years have seen a plethora of updates/remakes of some of my favorite television shows. Full House, Gilmore Girls, Roseanne, and Hawaii Five O, have all returned to our screens in recent years, with most of the original  cast coming along for one last ride. Although Roseanne was let go from her own show after one season due to her racist tweets.