Transition
Wow! We have so much to tell you!
The business that Ruby and I started was going so well... then the company that was financing us ran out of money.... It happens in the apparel business. So... Ruby and I are unemployed for now. That means Ruby is now back home with her family and the Dorm is a quieter, more sober place. Oh how we miss her! Her eggplant Targine and chicken thighs were THE BEST!
I am working on a consulting business, the dorm sale is once again in question. So Anna and I are anxious to find out what the future will hold.
We have a new roommate from Berlin who is gorgeous and talented as a film maker and reporter! Her friend Anna is here, also from Berlin, visiting so the Dorm again has an international flavor and a new level of class and entertainment! Tonight we shared Lemoncello, as Anna peeled organic lemons on the couch, we inhaled the magnificent fragrance and sipped the last of the original lethal batch.
The last time the lemoncello was out in the open was a few weekends ago. Anna and I were by ourselves for a change and decided to have a serious cocktail and share stories of our youth. It was almost like a small intimate game of "truth or dare", as we compared numbers and escapades. Then after a few more sips, we dropped a few names, when much to our surprise, we discovered we had shared a partner!  What does that make US???  ...Like "sister wives" ,but since we were not married or Morman, I guess it's "Sister Sluts"...But we really weren't THAT bad.  We just,  apparently, have the same taste in meaningless sex with a guy we knew who was charming and hilariously funny! Those were the days...after the establishment of women's lib, and "free love" and before AIDS.  Sport fucking was a socially acceptable activity if done with discretion,  good manners and a lighthearted attitude.. .
But what way it this for a sophisticated and classy 60 something professional business woman to talk???
Forgive me ladies....
It's no wonder that I heard our latest Dorm mate describe us as a cross between "Sex in the City" and "Golden Girls"!  Can you imagine?!!!!

Back by poular demand

Hi, It's Merdith the Blog Hog! I guess I'm the designated driver of this project. Thanks for your comments and for wanting more of our stories! I guess we have been so involved with living our great adventures that we forgot to stop and document them for posterity. So here goes.... Clair has left us! Left the "Nest", more acurately, to seek her fortune in the big city with her own kind (25 year olds). She has double degrees, graduated from Parsons with flying colors, and no thanks to the bad economy, is treading water as a waitress (not that there is anything wrong with that). I know she is dissapointed she hasn't found the right job in the fashion business where she belongs. It's the industry's loss! But the fashion industry is hurting right now.... Her stories always involve the "lamour du Jour" and she is enjoying finding herself as she learns more about the realities and wonders of the personal side of NY life. She's a darling and we know she will wind up very well. But we miss her!!! The next occupant of the room in the corner was Annick, from Belgium, working here for a few months doing training at the UN. What a lovely person she is! For starters, she brought us Belgia chcolates that were to LIVE for! So she was immediately our new best friend! She jumped right into our routine and cooked some fabulous Belgian dishes which we thoroughly enjoyed. Toward the end of her stay , her boyfriend and her best girlfriend friend came to NY to see the sights with her. What amazed me most, was the evening we were all together having wine and conversaition about a myriad of topics that somehow managed to circumvent language, age and cultural barriers. We chatted and joked just like old friends. One of the more memorable experieces at the dorm! Annick has come and gone, a former resident came back for a few months and then went home and so now, we actually have a vacancy for a month! On to the next adventure as the chemisty changes with a new member July 1. Stay tuned... Anna has actually SOLD the Apartment which houses our Dorm family. So early FAll we will be looking for another 3 bedroom so we will not have to miss the excitment of meeing new people and having our Dorm adventures. Lots more to catch up on so I'll be back in a few days! to visit and see the sights

Holiday at the Dorm

Our very ecclectic Dorm "Family" had an equally ecclectic holiday season.
Since all of us (except Anna) are in transition..either moving, graduating, getting a new job, or new home or new status, we focused on unique experiences that did not make us long for "Christmas past".
We started in November; just "pre-season" and had a dinner party. We decided we needed a break, and what better break than a party. So Party- Break is a Fiesta Siesta, right?
The Fiesta Siesta was just what we needed! Something to look forward to something to plan and something to celebrate! We reviewed and fine tuned the menu and the guest list and before long it was here! 10 people for dinner with festive music, great food and wonderful conversation! It was exhilerating! And dessert! We had Mohito or Cranberry gelato... aren't we sophisticated???
Next stop, Thanksgiving!
Anna was here with friends. Claire and Ruby were back home with family. As the newly divorced one, I made the only rational choice: I went to Cabo!!
It was such a warm and fabulous week, I may just start a new tradition of being very non traditional on Thanksgiving! Next year, you're ALL invited to create a new tradition!

Christmas was almost upon us, and despite the tight economic conditions that all of us found ourselves in this year, Anna was somehow able to provide a lovely live tree. She and Claire managed to get it set up relatively well, considering the broken tree holder. It was ALMOST straight. While our hearts were in the right place, Ruby and I should have probably tried to correct the "lean" BEFORE we had a few glasse of wine. We worked on our backs (with very little satisfaction) for about 30 minutes under the pine needles only to make it worse.
When Anna came back she found our tree leaning in the corner. We were so humiliated that we made sure to buy a new tree holder and some ornaments to have it be Charlie Brown picture perfect the next night when Anna came in from her big date night out. We celebrated our success with chocolate!

Ok. We have modest decorations, a few sented candles and a large place to have a holiday party. Just because we had limited funds should NOT stop us from having a Christmas party. After all, we did it when we were young and single! It's called a "pot luck" brunch! All invied parties agreed. We supplied bacon, Cosmopoitan punch and good Christmas music. The gang brought other goodies and lots of hugs and laughter. We caught up and played Balderdash over group therapy and had a wonderful day!

I guess we needed to now that no matter what your circumstaces, you can find a way to bring the holidays into your "Home du jour" as well as your heart!

Happy New Year!
Make it count!
Love,
Meredith