Birthdays can be blissful, or birthdays can be forgotten. When I was approaching 50, I decided to go backwards. So instead of 50, I celebrated my 49th birthday. Reaching 40 never phased me, but I was dreading that half a century mark for some reason. Now I’ve reached the brink; an age that is still too young for Medicare, too old for Twitter (though I do love Instagram) and just right for becoming a Grandmother. I am now the same age as Bob, our birthdays are about a month apart so I can stay younger for exactly 35 days. Because my generation thought we had to make dinner every night, I’m still feeding him.
When we moved to the Piedmonts of Virginia from the Suburbs of the Jersey Shore, I only had two conditions. We would build our house, a not-so-big house with a view, and we would learn to tango. It wasn’t easy. Our realtor said that she showed us every single thing there was for sale in the county over the course of a year, when I found the right piece of land online. Our dance instructor told me that Bob had to lead, so you can imagine how that worked out. But tango we did and here I sit, in my aviary typing away, watching the mountains turn from dark charcoal and lilac lines into a citrine and burgundy masterpiece every day.
And although the book I want to write about the Flapper is still in pieces on my desk, I do have something else, besides the Love Bug to celebrate this year. A woman I met through a serendipitous route – let’s see, it started with knitting and ended with a new friend who was becoming a grandmother on exactly the same date – has edited a group of essays by bloggers…and asked me to contribute. So when dearest Aunt Bert asked, “Where does your blog go?” I can now answer her, “Why, into a book of course!” And it’s titled, “Tangerine Tango.” I’m thrilled, and hope you like it.
Thank you for your wonderful contributions! Tango away!
I’ve always wanted to learn to tango! So cool. And what a lovely title for a book. I am seeing tangerine wherever I go, including some flashy and fancy mother of the bride dresses. Pleased to be in your distinguished company in Lisa’s lovely anthology.
As Lisa has shown us, it’s never too late to tango! It’s been a pleasure working with y’all and I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy. Now that I think of it Barbara, navy was too solemn for my MOB dress!
Tango lessons? Very fun! I can’t wait to get my hands on the book so I can get to know all you lovely ladies. And don’t you just love serendipity! This book is proof of how life is so full of mystery and enchantment and all that good stuff. 😀
Patti, it’s a pleasure 🙂 Looking forward to cycling along with you!
Bravo! And congratulations!!
Thank you Eve! You were and always will be my first follower :-))
Yay! Thanks for promoting our little book! I’m so excited.
Nice to “meet” you Leah!
It’s exciting to see “our” book out there and taking flight! Nice to finally connect faces with names too… from one 49’er to another! 😉
Nice to see we are all meeting up on each other’s blogs. I too am honored to be in the company of such distinguished writers. I’m systematically trying to get around to everyone’s blog. And to think that I spent the day writing about the bacon crisis, while all of you were on Tangerine Tango. I’ve got to catch up.
And there’s a great song called Tangerine -Tangerine, she is all they claim…
All true! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-JDUnZv1N0
I really feel as if I have 10 new best friends. (My sister Madeline already had the title).