Spent yesterday morning listening to Pavement and reaming lemons for fresh sparkling lemonade to bring to Nelia's birthday picnic in Central Park. Pavement is good lemonade-making music, I discovered.

The picnic was great fun. The vodka flowed steadily all afternoon and there was a bounty of food such as I have never seen before at a picnic. I was also introduced to "flags." In the e-mail invite it said to bring things to play with, like frisbees, drums, etc., and flags. Flags? Who plays with flags? Was a parade being planned? I had no idea. Turns out these "flags" are just large, perhaps brightly-colored pieces of fabric, weighted on one end, that you twirl and spin and flip around over your head, in front of you, behind you and dance around while you do it (if you are that coordinated). I have to say, when done properly, as in Nelia's case, it looked amazing. She had two bright turquoise ones with neon yellow trim going at top speed and was doing all sorts of cool tricks with them. People were stopping to look, and with just cause. It was quite a spectacle. I, on the other had, while I managed to get one going pretty well, with the addition of a second flag I simply looked like I was having a seizure, or trying to signal for help.

I was lured away for a bit by the sound of disco music emanating from over a hill top, and upon investigation was transported back to 1978 at the discovery of a disco roller rink! With a DJ booth! A fantastic sight, even if most people did have roller blades on.

Now I would like to take a moment to wish my mom "Happy Mother's Day!" This fantastic, beautiful smart woman is the bedrock of my life, and I love her. Thank you for letting me eat Fruity Pebbles and play with Barbies. Thank you for buying me all those Esprit outfits and taking me and my sisters to Florida. Thank you for buying me Happily Ever After.Thank you for helping me dye my hair black and letting me cut it at sharp angles. Thank you for picking me up, and dropping me off. Thank you for being there, always. Thank you Thank you Thank you! You are the best!