My husband, Barry. This is the hottest man I know. Red-hot kind of hot. Hot before hot was in.

Mr. January? Easy. Cruising down a ski slop in his skivvies. He’s snow-melting hot.

Or Mr. June? Why wear anything?

Let’s roll around to Mr. October. Can you say “big pumpkins”?

OK. OK. I see your frown. You’re evolved. You’re looking for sizzling brain power. Social conscience. Laugh quotient. Well, he spells HOT with a capital H.

What’s that, you say?  Can a Dad and a Grandpa actually be “that” word (ewww… hot)?   Yessssss!

So why wasn’t this hot guy nominated for the 2009 Hot Blogger Calendar?

Oh. Yeah.

He doesn’t have a blog.

Minor detail.

Have you ever done this?

I did it yesterday.

And I am still cringing.

Oh… PLEASE make the memory disappear.

Barry and I were at a little farm stand, just having the best ‘ol summer time picking out beautiful ripe tomatoes, sun-touched corn, perfect peppers, luscious squash and nice, firm cucumbers.

Maybe it’s the cucumbers that got me into trouble. Hmmm.

Anyway, the farm stand was about four-deep with people hungering for the last days of summer, and a couple of people began to push just a teeny bit in their enthusiasm. One older “lady” was being kind-of pushed/leaned into Barry in an awkward way, so I said to Barry (very kind of me, huh?), “Honey, that lady wants to get by.”

Just tryin’ to help.

My husband shot me a glance that could fry tomatoes.

I thought to myself, “Hey, just trying to help a lady out.”

Well, the “lady” was a man. Well, he was a man who looked an awful lot like a lady. Hence, the “look” from Barry.

OK. I stood there. Trapped.

I locked my eyes on the cucumbers.

“These look nice, ” I said.

Well, maybe the “lady” could have given me a little more of a hint… !

Barry and I spontaneously took off this past Tuesday and headed to Cape Cod, or, as we New Englanders say, “the Cape.” The day was glorious… warm, breezy, beautiful sun in the big old blue sky.

Our plan was to head all the way to the tip of the Cape, to Provincetown, but a 13-mile construction warning detoured us to Hyannis. Ah… Hyannis. The home of the Summer White House all those decades ago. After we secured a great 2-night room, we headed right to the harbor for some lobstah and beers. As soon as we sat down, a monstrous rainstorm moved in and made for the best thunder and lightning we had ever experienced. And as we finished our lunch, the sun made her glorious appearance once again. Perfect for a boat ride around Hyannis and Hyannis Port … and perfect to catch a glimpse of the Kennedy Compound and an era gone by.

As we were coming back into the harbor, the sun took her hiding place behind some ominous black clouds… and as soon as we were off the boat, another thunder and lightning storm hit. This time, the sun pushed away the storm and made her appearance with the most brilliant rainbow I have ever seen.

That night… lobstah for dinner, while watching the sun and her magnificent show of setting in the East.

On Wednesday, we were up bright and early for a ferry ride to Nantucket. I have lived in New England for more than four decades, and I have never been to Nantucket, nor had Barry… so this trip was exciting. Two glorious hours on the ferry then brought us to the most stunningly beautiful island. We stepped off the ferry onto ageless cobblestone streets, exquisite little shops, the sounds and sights of a New England beauty, and little restaurants tucked here and there. We stopped for lobstah, of course, before taking a wonderful tour of this most enchanted and historic island. At the end of our day on Nantucket, our ferry ride back to Hyannis was spent quietly reading the books we had purchased on the island. My book is Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, a book about the story of the people and the ship from Nantucket… a book that tells of the adventure, saga, tragedy and truth of the whaling village of Nantucket in the early 19th century.

Yesterday was our last day on the Cape, and we did decide to head to Provincetown, traffic and all. And lo and behold… what a day it was. Again, a deliciously warm sun, more lobstah, and it just happened to be the day of the Provincetown Carvival Parade, the 30th year of the most fabulous Mardi-Gras-like parade through town. If a picture tells a thousand words… well, need I say more?

To the Cape… you have given me back my spirit after a very sad time for my family. Your beauty and serenity has enriched me. Your fabulousness has re-invented me.

So… “If you’re fond of sand dunes and salty air, Quaint little villages here and there… You’re sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod.”

Just like me!

There’s nothing quite like sharing a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with Pop-up on a warm summer afternoon at Grandma & Pop-up’s home…

Except maybe when Grandma gives you a nice cold “bah-bah” that Mommy and Daddy think you’ve totally outgrown!

OK, Benjamin.  It’s our secret!

August 14, 1976.

My name changed. My life changed.

The greatest dream that any woman could ever dream came true when you said “I do” 32 years ago today.

You gave me Keith and Adam. You gave me Audrey and Jane. These are beyond gifts. These are miracles.

We began a journey that would give us 9 more miracles, our precious grandchildren.

Your family embraced me. Your mom, who KNEW that you were, truly and honestly, the greatest thing since sliced bread and buttah, trusted me to love you as she did.

You may be the most handsome man in the world, with the biggest heart… but it was your humor that captured me first. I don’t think one day has passed when I have not laughed at your quick wit and your uncanny sense of timing. Oh, we all know that you don’t TELL jokes… rather, you SEE and FEEL the great height and depth of the humor of the human condition.

You are the only person in the world who can take a 24-hour day and turn it into 44. Your energy is enormous. You are an energy legend to anyone who knows you.

And most especially, your love is all-encompassing, all embracing… it multiplies by the moment. You have opened a giant circle to let everyone in.

Everyone loves you. Everyone respects you. You ARE the best thing since sliced bread and buttah!

Just as I said on that day, “I loved you yesterday.  I love you today.  I love you always.  And when in eternity, I will love you there again.”

Today, I say with all my love, Happy Anniversary, Honey!

This is a photo of my mother-in-law, Flo, who we laid to rest Tuesday, dancing with my father-in-law at our wedding. It is a wonderful memory of that day.

Florence Dorothy Couto. My wonderful mother-in-law. Flo passed away this afternoon, and I already cannot imagine life without this marvel of a woman. This bigger-than-life persona. This dynamo of energy.

If ever anyone has left this world with big shoes to fill, it is Flo. My mind is a wandering stream of memories, laughter, great food, parties, celebrations… and love, love, love.

Here goes.

I see Mom (I have called her “Mom” since we met) in the kitchen. She is whipping up a special treat for each person there. If you enjoyed something she made once, then you would have that special treat each time you came. She remembered things like that. My most special treat was her cucumber and sour cream salad. Mom would fuss over the cucumbers being sliced “nice and thin” for a better taste. You didn’t ask her why the “thin” factor was important… you just understood that it was and knew enough not to question it.

Mom had special serving trays, dishes, bowls, forks & spoons and utensils for each and every treat. You would never find a tossed salad in anything but the tossed salad bowl, or her meatballs in anything but the meatball bowl. Mom was almost 100% Portuguese (she maintained that she was 1/4 Spanish)… and her cuisine reflected her ancestry. I will never forget the first time she placed a steaming platter of chourico and peppers before me, and I asked her what it was. Mom tried to maintain her patience with this young woman of Irish and Polish descent… and said, “Just try it.” I did. I didn’t dare not to. And I LOVED it. I think my love of her cooking sealed the deal with me as her son’s girlfriend. And, oh yeah… I already loved seafood. That didn’t hurt either. But I had never known anyone in real life who cooked seafood like Mom. She knew how to stuff shrimp with her special homemade stuffing. She knew how to roll her scrumptious stuffing into sole fillets. She knew how to make calamari and fried smelts. Mom never quite got over the fact the I took the bones out of the smelts before eating them… a little disagreement that reminds me of the last time my husband and I took Mom out to dinner…

It was only 3 weeks ago. Mom had been in the hospital with an asthma problem, and then sent to a nursing/rehab facility. Well, she got sick of the rehab place pretty quickly (hated the food)… and insisted that we take her out to her favorite Portuguese restaurant, Jack’s, in Warren, Rhode Island. Barry and I acquiesced. It involved permission from the facility. A wheelchair, which she fought. And then the air-conditioning was not working in the restaurant… But we settled in. We ordered each and every one of Mom’s favorite foods. King crab legs… HUGE ones. Steamers with butter (or as she said, “steamahs with buttah”). Antipasto… with anchovies, please. Little necks, with extra horseradish. White clam spaghetti. A couple of beers. And, of course, fried smelts. Yes, I took the bones out… and Mom still insisted, after decades of fighting about it, that it’s ridiculous to think you’re going to choke on such tiny bones.

I took out the bones!

Mom, Barry and I had the best night ever. We laughed. We ate. Drank. Laughed some more. We were in seafood heaven. I thank God that I have this most recent beautiful and wonderful memory, because the next day she was in the hospital again… and she never left.

Mom loved her family. I don’t think I have ever met any woman in my life who cherished her family as much. Everyone who knew her… knew to NEVER criticize one of her children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren. Oh, SHE could do it. But not you. Never. Ever. Ever. I am sure that she is in heaven at this very moment bragging to all her angel friends and relatives all the amazing things that are going on down here with her family!

And opinions? Mom had plenty of them. 1) You never wear “dungarees” outside the house. Mom was never quite able to catch the new wave of designer jeans. Just wasn’t gonna do it. 2) You never go to someone’s house empty-handed. This past Christmas Eve, at 88 years old, Mom didn’t bring 1 or 2 homemade pies to my home for dessert… she brought 4 homemade pies. Blueberry for Barry. Pecan for me. Apple for Jane. Pumpkin for my mother. And homemade cookies. Snickerdoodles. Cinnamon. Butter Balls. Again. Special treats for special people. 3) Tablecloths. Cloth napkins. Even for ordinary days. 4) Tuck in your shirt. Wear a belt. Men look like gentlemen in hats. Don’t dress like a vagabond. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Ah, Mom. I am smiling at all the discussions we had about fashion. At least, MY version of fashion!

Mom was always up for a party. Or, as she said, “pahty.” Mom was the first one there and the last one to leave. She would offer to set up. She would serve. She helped with the clean-up. The last few months were the hardest for her because she no longer had the strength or energy to help the way she wanted to. But I will never forget this phone call to my husband a few days before his birthday, on June 11. She told him that she couldn’t get out to buy him anything this year, but she had an even better idea. She was going to cook all the food for his party… as her gift to him. All she needed was for someone to take her to the market. When Barry explained that we were having a cookout… and all the food was taken care of… the disappointment was palpable. Even at 89 years old… her gift was a giving one. Mom did, of course, bring some of her “treats”… and that was the most special gift of all.

There are some big shoes to fill down here…

I will try, Mom. I will try. You have given me everything I need… so I will try my hardest to live up to your perfection. Because that’s what you are to me… perfect.

Mom died peacefully surrounded by two sons, Barry and Rick, two grandsons, Keith and Adam… and me. We each held her hands, whispered just how much we love her, told her stories, talked of angels… and loved her, loved her, loved her.

This is one of the saddest days of my life. The other is the day my Dad died… on August 8, 1975. Yes, 33 years ago today. Both on a Friday.

My Dad and Flo never met. But today they now share a day of celebration of life. I know my Dad was holding Flo’s hands as she let go of us. He guided her to heaven, and she brought to him all the stories of the grandchildren and the great-grandchildren that he never got to hold. Or kiss. Or hug.

But my Dad knows the great and beautiful ways that my mother-in-law embraced me here on this earth.

Thank you, Mom. I will always cherish you. I will always love you. Now… you and my Dad… go toast an ice-cold beer to life and happiness and family and joy and a great feast! We are smiling through this river of tears.

The good old national pastime. Baseball.

You know, where you root, root, root for the home team?

And eat, eat, eat ’til you’re as big as… well, Frank “The Big Hurt” Thomas.

This past Sunday, Jane, her husband Steve, my husband Barry and I went to a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston. The day was spectacular. A warm breeze. Just enough clouds to diminish ultra-burning sun rays. A thunder storm for a little diversion. A couple of drunken fans for good measure. Even an older European guy sitting right behind us with no shirt on (and with no apparent notice that no-one else in the entire park was shirtless.  Sorry, no photo).

And FOOD. Now, I’ve been to Fenway Park many times before, but never with the tweight of my Tweightloss Team on my shoulders. I had promised and vowed and pledged to myself that I would not succumb to the sights and sizzles and smells of everything summer. Everything Fenway. Everything fattening. I would do it for the “team.

Let me interject here that I was with members of my family, but these said family members are also Tweightloss Challenge competitors. Jane is on Team Twit Fit. Barry is on Team Super Stars. Steve is the leader/trainer of Team Outworkin’ Them All. And I am on Team Faturation Point. This is serious stuff. Red Sox/Yankees stuff. New England Patriots/NY Giants kind of stuff.

Could I be talked into an Italian Sausage Grinder by Mr. Steven (100% Italian) Porricelli? No.

Could I be seduced by big, steamy, hot containers of “hawt dawgs”? (I had to toss in the Boston accent.) No.

Could I almost taste the sugary-sweet-memory-filled-oh-so-melt-in-your-mouth-delight of artificially colored and tasting cotton candy? Yes. But no.

Could I settle in with a 0-calorie, non-artificial anything, why-am-I-drinking-this-at-a-ballgame bottle of Poland Springs? I tried.

Because I could not resist… (nor do I feel any twinge of Tweightloss guilt)… a nice, big plastic cup of ice-cold Miller Lite.

Heck. After the beer, I actually turned my back on my old friends, the peanuts and Cracker Jacks.

OK. Play ball, boys!  Wouldn’t you know, Jason Bay rocked the ballpark!

(as an aside, I did lose 2 pounds last week during Week 1 of The Tweightloss Challenge… and I thank my fabulous teammates and competitors and trainers and tweeple for keeping me focused all week on my exercise and nutrition. I’m already hitting a home run in Week 2! And CONGRATULATIONS to the 81 Tweightloss Tweeple who collectively lost 116.5 pounds last week! That’s a lotta hawt dawgs!)

There are all kinds of delectable foods from different categories that somehow blend beautifully when combined…

Like oatmeal and raisins. Chocolate and peanut butter. Macaroni and cheese.

Or french fries and ketchup (or the Rhode Island tradition of french fries and vinegar).

But guacamole and Cheerios?

That’s what greeted me this morning as I entered Audrey’s kitchen. Both William and Alex were busy mixing Audreys’ famous homemade guacamole into their bowls of Cheerios.

OK. I know that Audrey’s guacamole is good. Real good. And I certainly am game for a nice bowl of Cheerios with ice cold milk. But guacamole and Cheerios combined? Really.

I guess William must have read my mind. “Grandma,” he said, “this is delicious. We use guacamole instead of milk.”

Oh, good. Instead of milk. So guacamole with just plain old Cheerios. OK.

And then Alex chimed in, “This green stuff is de-wishous. Want some?”

“No thank you, Honey.”

But hey. I can’t say that it isn’t healthy. And more unusual combinations have become pretty famous.

Do you think I should tip off General Mills that they’re missing the boat on this breakfast special?

What combines fabulous fashion, great fun, and the friendly mingling of shoppers and celebrities?

SUPER SATURDAY… an annual “Designer Garage Sale” sponsored by Donna Karan and InStyle to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund was founded in 1994, and its mission is to fund cancer research into early detection and ultimately a cure of ovarian cancer. OCRF assists patients and their loved ones to understand the disease, its treatment, and provide outreach programs to raise public awareness. Since 1998, the OCRF has awarded over $28 million in grants to the study and cure of cancer research at over 40 leading medical centers in the United States.

At Nova’s Ark Project in Water Mill, NY… the 11th annual Super Saturday “Designer Garage Sale” event was kicked off at noon. And what an afternoon it was! Blue sky. Warm sun. Delicious food. Refreshing drinks (full service bar, I may add!)…

… everything you can imagine for adults and kids alike!

I’ll start with the adults for you fashionistas out there. Can you say “fabulous” 10 times really fast? How about 174 times? That’s how many “Garage Sale” designer participants were there. I’m talking 7 for all mankind, Betsey Johnson, Calvin Klein, Coach, Dooney & Bourke, Free People, Henri Bendel, Kate Spade, Kenneth Cole, LAMB Handbags, MaxStudio, Marc Jacobs, Nautica, Donna Karan, DKNY, Nicole Miller, Prada, Rock & Republic, Shoshanna, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Vera Wang, Victoria’s Secret, Wes + Willy, Vivienne Tam and dozens and dozens more.

All I had to do was browse the outdoor flea-market style aisles and choose from the incredible bargains. “Bargains, you say?” Well, do you define THIS as a bargain? Within an hour, I had in my possession one pair of 7 for all mankind jeans, a Vivienne Tam sundress and Vivienne Tam black shirt, 3 pairs of French Connection white linen pants, 2 Magaschoni sweaters, 1 Jill Stuart dressy blouse, 1 Shoshanna bikini and a LAMB Handbag.

Total cost? $300.00. No, not for just the Vivienne Tam sundress! The TOTAL for EVERYTHING. And my day was just beginning.

Of course, all that shopping made me very, very hungry… so off I headed to the buffet tents and outdoor dining area. Check out the menu! Need I say more?

And, of course, I wanted to see my grandchildren having the grandest time at the kid exclusive “Day on the Farm and Carnival”… and oh, this collection of games, rides, arts & crafts, activities, music, theater, “gardening” with Burt’s Bees’ Buzzy the Bee, and even hand massages was truly a complete day of fun. There were Polo Ralph Lauren t-shirts to decorate. Crumbs Bakeshop cupcakes, cookies and brownies to decorate. The DwellStudio and FatBoy Kids Lounge to chill out in while catching an awesome performance. Performances by Broadway Babies to catch. Positive life skills to learn at Spirituality for Kids. And the ever-popular pony rides, and activities about the very special land and farm at Nova’s Art Project.

OK. Back to shopping (well, first a stop at one of the multiple air-conditioned portable ladies’ rooms). And the fun mingling with the designers and celebrities who bring their support to this most worthy cause.

Ah… the day was winding down. A couple more photos.

And the famous Super Saturday Goodie Bag. Stuffed to the brim with everything you can imagine, each child and adult receives a beyond-fabulous Goodie Bag when leaving the Super Saturday Garage Sale.

This past Saturday’s Super Saturday 11 is the 6th Super Saturday event that my family has attended. And we love it. When you’re there, you truly see the commitment that the event has dedicated to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund… with its sponsors, its designer participants, its benefactors and patrons, and its special celebrity guests.

Yes, you do have a wonderful day of shopping and bargaining and eating and sipping summer drinks. And the kids fall asleep the second they hit their carseats.

But what you really feel is the larger goal of supporting the mission to raise funds and awareness to find a cure for Ovarian Cancer. This will make every Saturday super.

If it is true that the pleasure of love is in loving… then my pleasure in life has just been multiplied beyond measure!

Yesterday morning, at 10:49 am, our newest little grandchild entered our world!

Our hearts and arms and souls welcome beautiful and healthy Dylan Joseph. 8 lbs. 3 oz. Dylan is the baby brother to Maddie, 7, and Jake, 4.

And Dylan is the baby cousin to Taylor, 7. Andrew, 5. William, 3. Alexander, 2. Benjamin, 15 months. Henry, 6 weeks.

Yes, after two beautiful little girls, Dylan is our 7th grandson in a row! Is there a word to describe this delight? This amazement? This adventure? This journey? OK. Can you say “testosterone”?!

We are “grandma and grandpa, and savvy auntie and uncle” thrilled here at Mom Generations! And we are so excited and happy for our son and daughter-in-law, Adam and Aimee. Hugs, kisses and love, love, love for yesterday, today and always!

Thank you for this most special blessing and miracle of life… baby Dylan!