Saturday, December 19, 2009

Jane St. and 8th Ave

I don't like change. I know I'm not alone in this. This, I think, is part of the dichotomy of Christmas. On the one hand I (and many people) love the sameness of Christmas; the traditions, the music, the food. On the other there is CHANGE.

As much as I struggle to surround myself with all the same traditions that give me pleasure at Christmastime, I am constantly reminded all around of change. All very natural, of course. The older one gets the more change there is. Some family members are no longer with us, no need to visit Santa, children grow up, they remake classics. The list goes on.

Technology brings change as well, some of it quite welcome. Now I can rewatch some of my favorite movies on DVD and at times most convenient for me. If I fall asleep and miss the very tail end of "White Christmas", the good part where they fold back the big doors and you can see the snow and the horse and carriage, well I can just watch that bit the next day. I can't shop at small stores in small towns anymore, but I can sit in my pjs and order online.

I mentioned last year that one of my traditions is reading "Christmas on Jane Street". I love reading the description of the tree lot in such an urban setting. When I started reading that book years ago, I knew not a single soul in NYC. Since then, through knitting, I've met Mary. Well not really met, but you know what I mean.

Mary is not only thoughtful, she's quite creative as well as evidenced by the package that arrived here. She got the 10th anniversary copy of the book AND she and her camera headed to Jane St. to get Billy Romp to sign it and urge me to visit. (as if I needed urging)

Then in a separate package with a note reminding me to open the other one, the book, first, was a CD of photos. Photos of Jane Street, of Mr. Romp, of the TREES, the camper he lives in during the season, the shop across the street that lets him connect his electrical cord.

Suddenly I was there.
On Jane St.
With the trees.
Breathe in deeply.
Can't you just smell them!I can.

4 comments:

Mary said...

I'm cringing while reading the note I attached--what a Bossy Boots I am!

stringplay said...

ETA: Not a Bossy Boots. LOVED the instructions as they made the opening so much FUN.

minipurl said...

How totally clever. Mary, you are amazing :)
I can almost smell those Christmas trees.
Merry Christmas.

Sheri said...

I know I'm a little late for this post, but just had to tell you how much this "Yankee" enjoyed that post. Made me tear up and get goose bumps!