A month ago, Donna's daughters Melissa and Nikki planned a surprise party for their mom.
Donna knew nothing about it and planned a party of her own.
When Donna gives a party, you know three things: Great food, great people, and ear-splitting noise.
Ready for the wild rumpus?
Watch the YouTube video
made by B F Postel.
Warren! What an amazing surprise to see you here. He lives in Venice Beach, California, and is the dad of two wonderful kids.... Jade and Miles.
Everyone is busy doing something. Jeff Bigelow brought two bongos, is that what they're called? And music was blasting into the fresh air before Donna's condo itself will be blasted into oblivion some time this year and she will come and live with me temporarily.
Sarah and I both read poems in tribute to Donna Greenwold Cartagena.
Read Sarah's spectacular haiku on
her blog here.
Carlos Guerrero, orig from Ecuador. He loved my dad and helped out at the Now and Then Shop.
Donna bongs and Jade laughs. A vegetarian, Jade found plenty of her kind of food at the party. My contribution was pistachios which I'm still trying to get out of my teeth.
Nikki, one of the party organizers, and Jade.
Here's my Sarah Lynn with Leslie Reed, who flew in from Boynton, Florida. Donna met Leslie at the now-defunct Roosevelt School in Stamford, CT. I think
this is the link.
Leslie is a world traveler! Moscow, St Petersburg, Amsterdam, Estonia. Next trip? Turkey.
Leslie convinced Sarah to stick around for one more day. Thanks, Les!!!
The birthday girl with a long-time friend.
Here's Barbara a couple of years ago with husband Carlos.
Barbara is a Bucks County artist, whose work is featured at the
Michener Museum.
Why don't I have any of her art work?
Jerry plays guitar. He and GF of 20 yrs Sandra drove down from Manhattan. He works nights as an engineer at one of the NY airports.
Melissa in Black. She wore one of her mom's outfits.
Sarah made the vanilla cake with caramel icing and brought it in from St John's Place in Brooklyn.
The Three Mousketeers. Scott left early to go home and sleep.
This is Sandra. Don't worry, I've got your back. You, too, Mel.
Carlos got us all up and dancing.
Tyler and Camelia.
Quinn, 12, to Camelia: I know the capital of Ukraine (her homeland).
Ruth: What letter does it begin with?
Quinn: K
Ruth: Kiev.
Giselle came in from New Rochelle, NY, where she's owned her own beauty salon for 7 years.
What a beauty! She's half Lebanese and half Ecuardorean. Giselle's daughter Jacqueline has three kids. Her unique hairdo is done partially by her mom and also by a barber.
Sparklers on the birthday cake.
Mom and daughters.
Trish and Sandra. It was Trish's birthday, too, so we sang to her.
Close-up of Sarah's delicious cake. Bc I have diabetes, I shop up 18 units of insulin over the evening. When I came home and took my sugar level, it was fine: 112.
Sandra eating cookies prepared by Mom, age 91.
May I please go to sleep now? It's 1:45 am already!
TO MY SISTER DONNA ON HER SIXTY-FIFTH BIRTHDAY
I stopped sulking about your birth
when you were in Miss Patterson’s
kindergarten class, my athletic little sister
who could run faster than me
ride a bike earlier and
was Uncle Donny's favorite.
You came out of the school and into my
arms. “I’m lost,” you sobbed on that very first day.
“I couldn’t find my way out.”
In that moment, I saw you
frightened and shaking,
your tears
teaching me how I really
loved you.
And supported you through
your long hard life that
almost killed you
but spiritual woman that
you are, your relationship
to our silent Creator
kept you strong.
So here you are at
sixty-five, still beautiful
with your long dark hair
eyes shining like
your black granite countertop
beloved by your daughters
and grandchildren
and Daddy and David
gone too early to
the Other Side.
You and I know
we are only here
for a little while
Party, make merry,
let the red wine flow,
and watch every
cardinal as it sits
atop the branch
waiting to
take its leave.
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