May 25, 2014
I would like to claim that zinger, but my nephew Adam delivered it sotto voce during the round of group photos at my sister Annie’s house this afternoon. A headline typical of our old small town newspaper, the Hudson Register Star.
Finally mellowing, my one-of-a-kind, sometimes nasty, definitely wacky stepmother Dorothy turned 90 today, and Annie rallied us to make the trek to the Berkshires for brunch in her honor. After a nice meal in a Lenox full of City weekenders, we regrouped at her house to hang out for the afternoon.
It was nice to be all together for a normal, fraughtless occasion. There are six of us, of varied parental combinations, all there except for Julie, the youngest (living in New Zealand), and four of her grandchildren, two with offspring of their own in tow. Four generations.
Dorothy is the last elder in my immediate family, the only one left who remembers our childhoods. Despite a very checkered career as mother and stepmother, she has cruised into old age shedding neuroses and snarky tendencies, endearing herself to her still-wary grandchildren as she mellows out.
At the end of the afternoon my sister and I were marveling at “Zen Dorothy”, laughing that it was too bad it took her so long!
Dorothy grew up in Brooklyn, as did my Dad. She loves Lottie Lenya singing Brecht, eggs benedict, jazz, books, books, books, silly humor, left leaning politics, the theater, Ed Levin silver jewelry, bright colors, her plants and The Weavers. Her children, stepchildren, grandchildren and great-grandchildren certainly. My Dad (her second husband) once, then not. Then again for a while, but . . . eventually not. They separated for the final time a few years after they remarried.
Her friendships have been long and deep, even though she has always been able to (and often did) alienate people close to her at the drop of a hat. That quick off the mark sharp tongue. She has always been without prejudice (except perhaps towards those inflamed by it).
And she hitchhiked. Once she could no longer drive she made us all crazy hitchhiking in and around Hudson NY. If no one was available to take her somewhere at the exact moment she wanted to go, off she went.
Happy Birthday Dorothy. I’m so glad we were there to celebrate with you.
