Connie, Anna and the late real Mr. Moose at the Museum of Natural History (above); The Nige (right)

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By Marlena De Lacroix

Happy New Year 2010, everyone!  Hope you had as joyous a holiday season with your family and friends as Moose and I (a.k.a. Connie and Ed) did. My beloved step-daughter Laura and step-granddaughter Anna visited us here in Manhattan for a few days around Christmas from their home in Michigan.  They loved our seven month old beagle Nigel.  Our Nige has become quite a character, as we used to say very affectionately in the Queens of my youth.

As I served my Italian grandmother Concetta’s manicotti to Laura and Anna for Christmas dinner, I said, “Mange figlias, mangia figlia” (“eat daughter, eat.”).  That is

Only stories that are about love — and tell logical emotional truth about the characters we have long known and loved – can save daytime soap opera now.

what was my late grandma and father Cosmo always said to me as a girl.  Having the love and continuity of family around me really did a lot to soothe a difficult year and renew my spirit and hope.  (Originally, soaps taught me that!)  

I want to wish you, my beloved readers, a renewed spirit and much joy as we enter 2010.  Although I haven’t been posting a lot lately, I want  [Read more…]