1890 Federal Census listing my great great grandfather John Elliott who captained a boat on the Eire Canal.  His wife Susan listed as “keeping house”.  There 2 children Margaret and Elizabeth listed “at school”.  A younger brother Walter had died when he drowned in the canal.  Also in their household was William Laman listed as a “servant” and his son, John.  The Elliotts lived in Rochester, New York and I often wonder what their household was like.  Did they have some beautiful aesthetic silverplate to adorn their table?  Was it polished by Mr. Laman?  Is there some genetic code I’ve inherited that explains my love of aesthetic silver?

The other 3 images are pictures of the Erie Canal in Rochester.  Did my great great grandfather see these sights everyday?  It is the lure of history, the desire for connection to my past and a desire to fulfill my 19th century fantasies.

So, there I am walking up First Avenue in the East Village, an area where I used to carouse in my 20’s and 30’s at places like Foxy with the fabulous and wickedly witty Justin Bond, and I am passing all these cute hipster boys in their skinny jeans who give me a momentary but strange look because there I am pushing a black and bright watermelon pink stroller.  The occupant, my goddaughter for whom I am Mary Poppins 2 days a week and I have to say it is the greatest joy in my life so far.  This little girl was sent by heaven (to her family of course) but also to bring me tremendous happiness and I will always adore her for that.

The other day one of my clients said something odd to me, but also endearing:  “I think your goddaughter N____ was your grandmother in a previous life.”  How does one respond to a comment made by someone with whom your relationship is really only business no matter how friendly you are with one another?  You thank them and quietly move on…yet the remark was eeriely on target as one of my projects for the new year is to find out more about my own maternal grandmother and her German family.  She was born in The German Empire in 1909 and lived in Braunfels in a house at the foot of the spa town’s castle until she at age 13 and her family emigrated to the United States in 1922 when the German Empire was by then in the dustbin of history.  I never knew her because she died before I was a year old.  I regret that I did not know Hedwig Bier and that I have very little information about the German side of my family.

So, maybe N____ Noodle is a reincarnation of Hedwig or another grandmother of another life.  And N____ Noodle whom I take care of half the week a la Mary Poppins has given me great joy and in many ways transformed my life despite her young age.  She has given me hope where before there was very little…

My grandmother Hedwig age 8 or 9 with her dachshunds in Germany circa 1917-18 as the Great War raged…

Thanksgiving table in Ocean Grove

Christmas Eve Silver Polar Bear Extravaganza

This year I hosted Christmas Eve dinner at my house- carrot orange soup, salad, leg of lamb with white beans, roasted beets and roasted string beans.  The table was set with Limoges and Royal Doulton plates and a variety of 19th century and early 20th century flatware in both sterling and plate.

I had to rent an 8’ table and 4 gilt ballroom chairs as there were 9 of us at dinner.  It all worked out well and a lovely evening was had by all.

I should be a polar bear, but it’s impossible…