.....Well, the birthday girl arrived on time for lunch at China Gardens even though they first drove south instead of north. The four girlfriends she brought down with her were exceptionally sociable and we all had fun at the round table. One gal had a lobster at my suggestion and she loved it. My sister ordered a 2 pounder. Cantonese sauce on the side for dipping! With garlic! I had spare ribs and fried rice. I'm not used to having spare ribs and fried rice for breakfast, because I usually have breakfast around that time of 11:45. I sleep most days until 11. Sometimes I don't have breakfast until 1pm; if I decide to go out, Dunkin' Donuts has a great coffee roll. Speaking of pastry, I had Publix make up a birthday cake for this event, and it was served with our dessert of ice cream. I had them put six candles on it--one for every 10 years. I don't think there was time to put on 60 candles. Anyway, Robin blew out the candles with one breath. Rhoda had to go bowling, but she finished in time to meet everyone at the airport at 3pm. The girls flew back to Tallahassee at 3:30. A fine time was had by all.
.....I find it hard to believe that I have a daughter who has reached the magic age of 60--because what does that makes me? It's really a very weird feeling. Robin has three siblings who are in their 50s. I think I liked them all better when they were little kids--let's say Robin 10, Joel 8, and Bobby and Bonny 5 years old. You see, they used to listen to me then. When I told them to keep quiet they did; when I told them to go to bed, they did--after a while; when I told them to finish their plate, they did cheerfully. You never saw four kids so well behaved in a restaurant. I think at this age they all bonded, even though JR kept punching Bobby in the arm when I wasn't watching.
.....When they all reached high school age, I brought them to North Shore H.S. where I was an English teacher. Bonny came a semester to my Shakespeare class where she sat in back of the room with her boyfriend. Every day she had a new boyfriend who plied her with weed. Robin was in my Speech and Public Speaking class. I gave her a 98. Joel and Bobby were never in my class, but I did coach Joel on the soccer and track team. Bobby was never on one of my teams, but he did have one distinction--he kicked the first field goal ever for the football team; I believe it was about 35 yds. They all graduated--Robin to Oneonta State, Joel to Cornell, Bonny to the New York School of Dog Grooming, and Bobby to the college of hard knocks. To conclude, it was absolutely wonderful to see my daughter Robin on her 60th birthday even though it was only for about four hours. It was way better than not seeing her at all.
Happy 60th to Robin! Tell her I've just turned 63 and have decided I'm 21, but 3 times over! (Some days it works, some days it doesn't.) Enjoyed your account of your kids' childhood and growing up. Maybe you should write the Great American Novel. While there's still time!
ReplyDeleteHello Dr. Ross.....just found your blog (by accident though Plaxo) and was pleased to see that you are still going strong.
ReplyDeleteI will be sure to check in from time to time....
Have a great holiday and a healthy and happy New Year.
Happy 60th to you, Robin. One of my fondest memories of you is when you, armed with a clip board, were the manager of dad's track team. You were, to the best of my knowledge, the first female to manage a boy's athletic team.
ReplyDeleteMany others have followed the trail you blazed, but you were the pioneer. May God grant you many more happy, healthy years!
Btw, Doc, I have a very devoted daughter, but I never saw anyone so consistently loyal to, and understanding of, her paterfamilias.
This is not a knock on Joel, Bobby, and Bonny, all of whom are devoted to their parents, but Robin goes way above and beyond the call of duty.
Jimmy!! What a great and pleasant surprise. You're a Christmas gift to me, I suppose. Thanks for writing. I don't do much on Plaxo except send e-cards, but I'm sure glad you found me there. Have a great holiday Jimmy; I remember you fondly.
ReplyDeleteJimmy, years ago, because of a glitch in my email address book, your email addy and that of your splendid brother, Burt, disappeared. Would y'all be kind enough to contact me @ coachpmb@pobox.com. Thanks.
ReplyDelete"I usually have breakfast around that time of 11:45. I sleep most days until 11. Sometimes I don't have breakfast until 1pm." The Red Baron
ReplyDeleteThe Doc is not living the life of Ross; he is living the life of Reilly. And no one deserves it more!
Well, a slight correction is in order. Although you were my Winter Track coach, you never were my soccer coach. You wanted to be the Varsity coach during my senior year, but the Administration would not allow it. Fortunately, as a freshman, I had the greatest NSHS soccer coach ever up to that time -- one Phil Bergovoy. Whatever happened to him; why do we never hear from him? How does one get in touch with him?
ReplyDeleteAlso: Bobby WAS indeed on one of your teams. In fact, during his senior year, he was the top scorer on your soccer team, and he was selected team MVP.
Oh yes!! Now he remembers. Bobby scored the winning goal against Cold Spring Harbor which was won by a 1-0 score. And Joel played soccer also for Fred Wrecker. "Doc" apologizes for the memory lapses. It comes with the territory.
ReplyDeleteThe following is totally sincere and accurate.
ReplyDeleteLet it be known for all posterity, that while I have coached many great athletes (I will stop with Hank Bjorklund and Ronnie Biggers so as not to justly offend any other All-Americans), none was better than Joel Ross.
Joel was very subtle. The layman and the opposition were frequently unaware of his excellence until they came up empty. That was some indication of his future profession.
Back in the day, he was slender, deceptively speedy and quick, and possessed of stamina and determination that few could equal. No one had more courage.
All-time, very few soccer players tackled better or came up with more loose balls. But his chief virtue is that he made others play better.
Joel's team had the least talent of any I ever coached, and that includes three other schools besides Viking Heaven.
In the previous eleven years, NSHS lost only 6 of 131 games, and never more than one in any year. Every goalie went on to be All-Scholastic with two becoming All-Americans.
The '67-68 team lost only two games of 12, almost solely because of Joel's indomitable spirit. His best position was center half, but, late in the game, especially with a throw-in in a strategic spot, he moved to inside.
Not only was he our leading scorer, but he literally won two games with late goals--against Glen Cove and Garden City, who went on to dominate their opponents on varsity level.
But his chief value was what he gave his teammates. Joel encouraged, prodded, and pulled them to get the best they had to give. Without his input, NSHS could easily have suffered its first losing season.
Joel is still playing high-level soccer as he nears his 40th birthday, and is a good bet to continue to do so well into his sixth or seventh decade.
So, raise your tankards high, to this great man who has served so honorably his community, country, and especially Doc, Barbara, Adam, and Hannah, individuals all. God bless them and all the other Rosses, PLEASE.
Yup. But make sure that what's in the tankards is REAL ALE!!! (That's what you lot call "Micro-brewery beer.")
ReplyDeleteAle? What Ale? It's ail, it's REAL AIL!!! and my tankard is full of it.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, as of this blog, I have published a new book starting with the blog of July 7. The book has 176 pages and is called CONDO CREDO. I now have to devote myself to perform in the next show here.
ReplyDeleteAnother wonderful addition to the works of Doc Ross. Someday, Montaigne and Pepys will play second fiddle to the Baron. Having seen him (on tape) in THE FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, those diarists should be honored.
ReplyDeleteTruly, the Doc is at least the equal of anyone I saw play Tevye on Broadway or in regional theater. His Gilbert and Sullivan is also worthy of high-level awards.
Yea, verily, the head of Clan Ross is a one-man cornucopia of talent. Rejoice in him!
Phil, thanks for the kind words. After all these years, my one main soccer regret is that after my freshman year (when the great P.Bergovoy reigned), I did not have a good soccer coach to guide and inspire me beyond whatever level I could push myself. To this day, I remember your key lesson: E=MC2 -- the secret method of gaining position and winning balls, especially against larger opponents. Each time I knock down a player without fouling him, I give you thanks. The Baron, on the other hand, inspired me to make him proud.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are making the "Doc" to blush.
ReplyDeleteOne reason I am so respectful and appreciative of the Doc, the Red Baron, and his offspring is because I saw, first-hand how the Great Man faced his demons without complaint or letting lesser mortals suspect. Through it all, he loved his children unconditionally.
ReplyDeleteAnd those children deserved unconditional love. Joel, as he pointed out, got more loose balls than anyone I ever coached, and inspired some of his less-talented teammates to do the same. Furthermore, he was able to find Barbara who bore him two outstanding children. Well done on all counts, Joel, and thanks for your service.
Robin stood up under pressures that would have destroyed the average person, and served our country more than honorably.
Bobby came back from one blow after another to survive and even prosper.
And Bonny is Bonny, a ray of sunshine in a cruel world.
Hail the Rosses, modern day conquering heroes. And that is not hyperbole, but fact.
Dear Cuz Baron - drink enough real ale, and all your "ail"ments will be forgotten. We want you 'ale and 'earty! Cuz Ruth
ReplyDelete