Sunday, May 1, 2011

The Second Party Wherein There Was Much Joy And Music And Tiny Shot Glasses, Too




I swear. What's going on with kids today? I was making potato salad yesterday wondering what sort of party this was going to be at Melissa's house. Should I take paper plates? Would they have garbage bags? How funky would it be?

Yeah, well. Forget that.

Mr. Moon trailered the new grill over along with ten chickens, cut up by Jason at Publix into quarters and set up on the patio of one of the coolest 50's houses I've ever had the joy of being in. It was spotless, that house, and there were flowers everywhere.

There were tables set up for food, and in the drink area there were two types of tea, Juicy Juice, water, and cute labels. AND, yes, plastic glasses for both large drinks AND shots.
I didn't even know they MADE plastic shot glasses.
Whoo-boy.

The house was pine-paneled, parquet-floored, and had stained glass sky lights. Also, a whole-wall of rock fireplace. With very awesome furniture.


Are you kidding me? Every where I looked there was something beautiful.





I haven't had house lust in awhile, but this just about did it for me.

Mr. Moon and Hank grilled chicken.


They were a good team.

And I wandered around and talked to people. There were a LOT of people. Teachers that Jessie had had in high school. The nurse from Labor and Delivery who had trained Jessie during her clinicals. Musicians. Oh yes, lots of musicians.
And her Aunt Liz. I finally got a picture.

It was a fine, fine party. Owen brought his parents and I followed him around and was the hand he always knows is there when he goes up steps or down them. There was a darling little girl two months older than Owen and we had great hopes they would play but he couldn't seem to figure it out and neither could she. He did bring her her juice box. That boy's good at bringing juice to other children.
It's a start.

It was so strange to see the musicians circle up in the big, empty sun room just the way musicians circled-up when I was Jessie's age in any empty space they could. There's something just so eternal about that circle.




We listened to some of the music and just as the musicians were probably really getting warmed up, Mr. Moon packed up the grill and we headed home.
This was Jessie and Melissa's party. Celebrating another part of the whole which is that child. It was so tendersweet.

She's grown, y'all. And so are her friends. And her man. They're not kids. They clean house and they make food and they provide drinks and tiny shot glasses and they play music whose roots are much older than I am.

And today's the birthday party for Jessie and her grandmother. Mr. Moon has been up since six and damn, if he hasn't already made the cake which is cooling and ready to frost.
I am amazed again.

Time to take off my blogger hat and put on my house-cleaning, cooking hat. Or apron.
It's Sunday. Twenty-two years ago today, right now, I was despairing of ever having this baby. This dancing, playing, baby.
I was so tired. Women were in my kitchen, cooking and laughing. Children were playing in the house. I cast a weary eye on all of it, dealing with one contraction after another.
And then, she was born. And the sun came out and a rainbow popped up and I held her tiny body in my arms and knew, for the fourth time, what perfect love was.

In one of the little films I took last night I can be heard saying, "I ain't in charge of nothing."

And you know what?
I'm not.

This life has passed like a dream, like a glorious dream and if I ever did think I was in charge of anything and if I was right, I am learning to hand off responsibility.
The kids are not kids. They are beautiful, winged creatures with vast capabilities and the souls of artists.

Something to ponder, something to realize and be extremely amazed and grateful for. I am here to record it. I am here to relate that amazement and gratefulness.

I am here to make tacos.

Happy Sunday, y'all.

Love...Ms. Moon


P.S. Let me just add in memory and in tribute to my dear Lynn what she always said May 1:

First of May, first of May.
Outdoor fucking begins today!

Do with that what you will. And do it with joy!

23 comments:

  1. "beautiful winged creatures with vast capabilities and the souls of artists."

    Your Jessie is that. All your children are. This is the rich inheritance you gave them. And it is glorious to see.

    Happy birthday to your Jessie, my fellow Taurus. Those Taureans never leave you, no matter how far away they travel. If you they give you their heart you have if forever, and clearly Jessie has given you her heart.

    How beautiful she is, how absolutely radiant. Your did good, mary moon. and so did she.

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  2. Fabulous!

    And hot damn I want to go fuck outside now.

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  3. You weren't kidding about the weekend-long celebrating!! I love how there has been something different each day to celebrate Jessie's graduation and birthday!
    When I listened to the film clip I thought of how perfect a place the mountains of North Carolina (that is where I have most often listened to that music brought by the Scottish there) will be for Jessie and her beau's new beginning. Thinking of y'all again today. Happy B-day to your baby.

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  4. Wow, another amazing true story! The film is great ~ Jessie dancing and smiling with her mandolin and bare feet! Happy Birthday again, glowing young woman:)

    This post reminds me of my favorite Grateful Dead song, "Box of Rain"..."for this is all a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago."

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  5. OH MY GOD I JUST SANG THAT SONG TO MY SON!!!!!!!!!!!!


    Here I was getting all teary-eyed remembering when I had a real social life and envying Hank's typewriter tattoo which is so brilliant and fine and then you go with the song that I JUST SANG.

    Lord. You are so full of life and knowing how to do it right.

    xox

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  6. Love that quote--I have and will. Mr. Moon has some large round cakes.

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  7. All I can muster to say is I'm crying.

    xo

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  8. And iffen it do rain, we fucks off back inside again :)

    beautiful parties, Mary, love your descriptions.

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  9. The music video was awesome -- and so is dear Lynn's quote. I LOVE it.

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  10. I am all grown now too and keep being amazed. When we went off to Friesland, we were the adults in charge of five kids! We could drink what we wanted and stay up late and yet we were sensible enough to be up at six for the early kids.

    But - it's nice to sometimes have a mother there so just for a second you can feel small again. I'm sure it is for your kids.

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  11. On top of everything else, he bakes cakes? Incredible!

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  12. Dearest Mary, haha! The quote made me laugh.

    What a lovely day! The music was brilliant!

    Isn't Mr Moon amazing, bless Mr Moon. Love you xx

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  13. PS. Forgot to say... I have house envy too! Gorgeous! xx

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  14. sister moon, it's my wedding anniversary. That "first of may, first of may" song might come in handy. . . .heh heh. .

    Agree with Christina--I heart Mr. Moon. I love the love in his eyes when you point the camera at him. Love it.

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  15. There are no words to describe it all except beautiful!
    Congrats and Happy Birthday to Miss Jessie. I just loved the video; I could just feel the joy in that room even all these miles away.
    No wonder you are holding your heart...it must feel so full.

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  16. That house is something else, huh?

    Radish King: thanks!

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  17. Love the poem! And the video... and the photo of Mr. Moon and his, ahem, cakes is too dang funny!

    It was a grand celebration. Thanks for having it and for feeding us along with the rest of the neighborhood and all of you family, extended and chosen.

    We love youz
    xo

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  18. best weekend of my life!
    thank you all for the birthday/graduation/moving wishes. Here's to happiness in all our lives and best of wishes for each and every one of us.

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  19. Angella- I think you know exactly what I mean. You mother in many ways the same way I do.
    Love from me to you.

    Mrs. A- We did!

    NOLA- I am not surprised.
    Tee-hee.

    Michele R- I was thinking the same. I'll be goin' up to Cripple Creek to see my girl.

    lulumarie- Isn't she gorgeous? What a beautiful lyric. Thanks, love.

    Madame King- Ain't life strange and beautiful sometimes? Yeah. It is.

    Syd- Agreed!

    Maggie May- Just think, woman! You have all of this to go through yet! Just wait! And then...the grandchildren!!!!!

    Jo- Thanks for finishing the song!

    Elizabeth- I miss that girl. We toasted her with several Whoo-ai-aees this weekend. We surely did. She would have LOVED this sort of celebration and was with me when I had Jessie.
    Yes. There were a lot of people there that day.

    Mwa- I hope to always be that mother for them.

    A- Well, don't get too excited. This is the third cake he's baked in twenty-seven years.

    Christina- Mr. Moon IS amazing. Yes. He certainly is. And it was a gorgeous house. Just gorgeous.

    gradydoctor- Fortuitous anniversary! Congratulations! And yeah, I do sort of love that man. A lot. Okay, more than I can say.

    Mel- I tell you, I break into tears about five times a day. I really do.

    DTG- I'm with you on both those counts. Love you, baby.

    Ms. Fleur- I might have died if you hadn't done all that kitchen work. Thank you SO much!

    Honeyluna- You beloved little thing, you. Behind your gorgeous wings you have the winds of so much love. You know that. It was a fine weekend.

    Ms. Bastard-Beloved- And she would have loved you. So much.

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  20. Everything I was thinking of saying I completely forgot when I read your friend Lynn's saying.

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  21. breathless , I am .breathless.

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