60

Holy shit, I'm about to complete two full sets of thirty, and to begin my third. My son provided the sets of thirty idea, and I like it. It also kind of made me gag a little to think of it that way, my life, broken into not decades, now, but sets of three decades. I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little intimidated by the idea of not only completing my 50's but entering my 60's. I want to do it with a bang, not a whimper, and I want to power into the whole next era with a bit of aplomb, some grace, a bit of sass, and a fair amount of deepseated optimism about what's ahead. April 4, 1963. It was a Thursday. 7:30 a.m. And there I came after what my mom says was a fairly short though predictably intense labor. My mom, a progressive, used hypnotherapy to manage her labor and deliver me. 7 lb. 8 oz. of baby girl. I was not a good napper, apparently, though Mom could have used more breaks from my energy, which I'm told was considerable. I was 100% on, or dead to the world, she says. And she says, once I began to talk, I didn't really stop. Actually, I just started asking questions, and have continued that habit for my entire life. Why? When? How? Why, again? Stevie is a nickname that has followed me for decades, though nobody now calls me that. Maybe I've matured, or they just prefer my full name, or some iteration of it, more. I couldn't pronounce Stephany when I was little, but I could manage 'Nerf Knees'...which, to this day is my nickname among my aunties on my Dad's side of the family. Anyway, long name, rich life. Artist parents, which means rich cultural life and awareness, very little money. We had enough, but generally only that. I was a child of the Earth before it was cool, and was exposed to deep social issues, fine art, nature, the gamut of human emotions, function, dysfunction, unconditional love, conditional love, joy, sorrow, loss, awe, and food. Always, always, food as the backdrop, food as the cultural connector, food as the venue for connection, nourishment, appreciation for Nature's bounty. Food continues to be central in my life. We incessantly share photos of meals among family, we painstakingly design menus, either for ourselves or for gatherings. We love it. The growing of it, the color of it, the combination of it, the seasoning of it, the cultural meaning of it, the enjoyment of it. Food rocks. Preparing it, using it as a way to communicate with love even when words aren't really doing the trick, that's part of it too. One of my favorite thoughts to think as I am fixing a meal, is that this food, prepared with love, is going to become a part of who I am, who we are when we consume it. Literally. Which means when I am tempted to take a short cut or order takeout instead of preparing a home cooked meal, I often opt for the home version. Cuz I know what's in it. And I know the intent of the meal. It should come as no surprise, then, that in planning a group celebration (my husband is also turning 60 in April, so we are hosting a party to celebrate both), food is the big conversation, right now. We've chosen a cool mansion in Taos for the event, and have mostly worked out accommodations for family and friends, so now it's the food as talking point. There will be Italian, Polish, Mexican, and a smattering of other fun options. There will be charcuterie, wine. There will be chocolate. We haven't designed the cake yet, but there will be chocolate in that, too. So we have a beautiful, funky venue. We have food in mind. We have a reason for all of this to happen. Now we simply need to handle logistics then give ourselves over to a weekend of celebration with those who can be there. In the meantime, I am planning fun clothes to wear. I am all about dressing for the event, it's an excuse to focus on color and texture and style, for a change. I've found two beautiful velvet burnout kimonos from which to choose - one is a dusky gray color, and one is a deep garnet. Both of which will go nicely over velvet camisoles, either black or wine colored. Jeans. My favorite Michael Kors tan suede ankle boots, a gift from my sweet daughter. Big gold loop earrings, also a gift from baby girl. And red lipstick, regardless the kimono color. 'Cuz, it's my birthday. To do's include making several playlists for the various phases of said weekend. I plan to enlist the help of my very savvy kiddos, and my friend J, whose musical taste has helped shape my own in the last couple of decades. My brotherinlaw the DJ, retired, will be there, so he will most likely contribute, too. I can't wait to experience the mishmosh that results. Deeper thoughts will no doubt percolate up between now and then. I will share as they emerge from the murky depths of my consciousness. As always, thank you for indulging me. I have felt the need to write building within, and it seems like the cork is out of the bottle. Woot! I'm back, babies! Have a lovely day. Stay safe and well. Love, Stevie