The Best Costume For The Day

 From Grey Gardens - Little Edie Bouvier

The best costume is, I have decided, not having to even think about what one is going to do tomorrow. I've rarely actually done this. My family will tell you they are in the habit of asking me to "light." I'm trying to learn to just be with them and it's hard for me. If I'm not involved in something for the Montessori school, I'm doing housework or making jewelry or doing something. I do, and I do and I do till I drop at night. And when I go to bed I'm always planning the next day. But this year has been different in that I've made a conscious effort not to worry about the mess, or other things to catch up on. This has been my favorite part about this particular holiday. It was scary at first, but it's starting to feel pretty good.

My daughters and grandsons came over. We ate like there would be no tomorrow, we played games, we talked. The next day my youngest daughter Tess and I watched: "Crocosaurus vs. Mega Shark." What a spectacularly terrible film - I adore it now. Usually I'm a Mothra fan, but this film is so fabulous. Steve Erkel stars, all the science is wrong as if written by fourth grade boys. My favorite line: "Well then, you'd better bring those hydrosonic balls of yours." Excellent. We also watched "Love Actually" - light, romantic, funny, delightful. Then we made jewelry and left the house a mess. (Leaving the mess would have been unthinkable for me in the past.)

Today my friends Timmy and John dropped in - usually I would have been uncomfortable because of the messy house - but instead there was more eating and laughing and merry-making. And, thanks to these two sillies I now have a leopard coat from the props department of an old theater. I wore it out to do chicken work and Timmy photographed me with his new I Phone. It's not a mink, but I like to think I look like Little Edie Bouvier in it. I do need a turban though... So that's it, I think. Not thinking so much about what one HAS to do is the best outfit for the day. And tossing on a leopard coat is a perfect finish to happily relaxing...the cat's pajamas.