Thursday, January 10, 2008

"Back to my Roots"

I am headed home for 4 days this weekend. I'm so excited to freeze my buttocks off in New York. Good old Long Island. You gotta love it. 20 minutes from the beach, 40 minutes from the city that never sleeps, and about 45 minutes from the Hamptons. When I lived there, I took it for granted. What I wouldn't do to look out the window on a Saturday morning, see the sun shining and say.."Kids! Throw on your bathing suits! Were going to the beach!" and be home in time to grill a good dinner as we sit our sandy, sun-kissed selves in the yard and hose off everything we brought with us. I wanted to make the most of my time there-so my flight is at 6am. Yes. That's what I said. 6am. What the hell was I thinking? You know what I was thinking? I was thinking my kids would be in semi-comas and they wouldn't be 2 jumping beans on the plane. I have to lock my son in the seat belt with me just to get him to sit still. This is not allowed, so I have to hide it under a blanket. If I forget the blanket-I'm screwed. I have mastered traveling alone with my kids, so I'm not too worried. I haven't packed a blessed thing. Nothing. So our usual hot dinner is getting substituted with a cold cut(not "lunch meat") sandwich so I can get us travel-ready. I think the phrase "lunch meat" is one of the grosses phrases in the English language. I'm going to get my fill of aggressive drivers, rude people, self baggage at the grocery store, $5.00 a gallon gas, full service gas, a sandwich from the DELI(if anyone knows where a real deli is, please tell me), a buttered roll from 7-11, an egg sandwich at the bagel store, the cold wind hurting my ears, the "F" bomb being dropped like it's going out of style, phrases like.."YO!", "Ova Hea", "Ova Dea", "Tree Times"(three times), "How ya doin', how's ya mutha?" I'm going to see all of my girlfriends and their children. I can't wait. These are my roots. I love my roots, and making sure my children get there as often as possible so they too know their roots. When I refer to my children as New Yorkers, my sister reminds me that their not. When my daughter throws out southern slang, I correct her with some good Northern talk. I love where I live, but I will always favor where I'm from. It's kind of like being a New York Jets fan. Although they haven't seen the Superbowl since Superbowl III, and only made it to one championship game since, you gotta stay loyal. I'm loyal to my roots. And speaking of roots, I have an appointment with my hairdresser of over 20 years who clears his schedule when I come so he can do my hair for me. My roots are good to me, except for the gray ones on my head.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Before my sister paints me as a "non" New Yorker I want to go on record to say - I loved growing up on Long Island and wouldn't change it for the world. Yes we live in Charlotte now and this is where my kids will/have been "born & raised" but I will remind "folks" that I am a yankee when ever necessary.

I loved being near the beach and the City and the Hamptons etc... The awesome mom & pop shops that sold REAL Italian Pork, Cheeses, Bakeries that stood alone not just in Harris Teeter. Bagel Shops where they knew your order as you parked the car. But I want to give you my perspective on why it was a great place to grow up:

No matter who you were or what your nationality was you did not live far from your family and your friends did not live far from their families either. Due to the cost of living most people lived at home well into their 20's some (like me) until the day they got married. Our parents friends all had kids our ages and we all got together - we weren't left with a baby-sitter or just at home because we were old enough - and we all LOVED IT.

The thing that worries me about raising my kids in the South is how quickly "southern" kids move out. I remember working in Atlanta and hearing how all these locals on the job with me had moved out at 18 and never looked back - for a girl who was 23 and still living at home it was SHOCKING. Plus lots of them had moved away from their family. I realize as a parent we have to "cut the cord" I just don't want it to snap and end up 1/2 way across the country!!!

Then I met my great friend Tina - who was born and raised in SC and is one of 8 kids - she is my age and still every Sunday dinner is at her parents!!! Now not every kid may come home every Sunday - but lots do - and lots still live in her home town. They all bring something and set it on the table of food and you make a plate when ever you want - but the important part is - you are seeing your family. This makes me feel good and gives me great hope.

Our niece (the oldest kid in my husbands family) is going to be a Junior in High School and she just informed the family that she is looking at UNC Wilmington - talk about a punch in the stomach - we all just figured she would go to UNC Charlotte and commute. I should also say she lives just around the corner from us so we pretty much see her on the daily. I hope to be strong to support my sister-in-law on moving day when it comes - but I can't promise that.

Back to the roots - when your roots are as strong as both the Corbett and Marsicano Families are you do your best to keep them planted in the ground - right next to you.

Now I am going to work on those other gray roots.

PS - IT IS COLD CUTS people - not LUNCH MEAT!!! And if it isn't Boars Head Brand - forgettaboutit.