Ina, Ann & Ilise at "our" café in Paris, May 2014 Sunday was National Mother-in-Law Day and although I dislike the maudlin made-up holidays (unless they can serve as a vehicle for me to push recipes on my blog, ahem) I cannot let this one go past without a shout-out to my Mommy Dearest, as she likes to sign the Hanukkah cards that she sends for my birthday. Yes, she's quirky like that.
Ina is everyone’s favorite mother other than their own, earning the distinction by being sweet and welcoming and inclusive to the nth degree. You can tell her anything, she won’t be shocked, and she’ll help out as best she can. Many of Ilise’s friends from grade school to college right on through to the present day consider Ina to be a dear, close girlfriend and she loves them right back.
With me, Ina has always been more than warm and welcoming – insisting, in fact, that I make myself at home in this wonderfully chaotic Goldberg-Lev-Cantor-Buchbinder clan that I’ve been lucky to become part of when I fell in love and made my life with Ilise. My own family has always been an ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ bunch. It’s taken me some time (read: 25 years and counting) to become accustomed to the exuberance with which these lovely people gain energy and purpose from spending time with each other. Aw, who am I kidding, there’s no ‘getting used to’, the family get-togethers are still meshuga even after all these years!
And so, Ina, in honor of National Mother-In-Law Day and because you deserve to hear it every day, “Thank You and I Love You” for always being supportive and kind to your moody, not quite ready for family life daughter-in-law. You’re the best.
Ina is everyone’s favorite mother other than their own, earning the distinction by being sweet and welcoming and inclusive to the nth degree. You can tell her anything, she won’t be shocked, and she’ll help out as best she can. Many of Ilise’s friends from grade school to college right on through to the present day consider Ina to be a dear, close girlfriend and she loves them right back.
With me, Ina has always been more than warm and welcoming – insisting, in fact, that I make myself at home in this wonderfully chaotic Goldberg-Lev-Cantor-Buchbinder clan that I’ve been lucky to become part of when I fell in love and made my life with Ilise. My own family has always been an ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ bunch. It’s taken me some time (read: 25 years and counting) to become accustomed to the exuberance with which these lovely people gain energy and purpose from spending time with each other. Aw, who am I kidding, there’s no ‘getting used to’, the family get-togethers are still meshuga even after all these years!
And so, Ina, in honor of National Mother-In-Law Day and because you deserve to hear it every day, “Thank You and I Love You” for always being supportive and kind to your moody, not quite ready for family life daughter-in-law. You’re the best.
Drinking champagne at Sacre Couer with Paul, our tour guide with a vintage Citroen And in case I made this fun-loving lady sound like a happy little homebody (not that there’s anything wrong with that) I should point out that she’s a world traveler, a patron of the arts, an active volunteer and a champion in the art of flirtation. She works the ‘cute little me’ angle for all its worth, as witnessed here in a picture from our Paris vacation last year with hunky, young tour guide Paul.
Ina, you go girl!
Ina, you go girl!
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