Music Thursday: Party Girl by Rachel Sweet

With apologies to Lady Java, the Queen of the Music Monday Meme, I've got a tune in my head right now and I just can't wait until Monday...Rex and I went out to Red Sky in New York City last night for an outing with our new (well, 6 months old) colleagues from work. I learned earlier in the day that one of the only two other female bankers was away on business and would not make it to the event, and offered to raise a glass in her honor/absence. When I asked her pleasure -- beer, wine, or a fru-fru drink -- she responded "yes," leaving me drinking for two all night and threatening to dance on the bar with several of the boys until Rex took me home. In fact, after six Stellas (see photo), I may have let it slip that I have a blog. Do you think any of my colleagues will figure out how to spell "Roxiticus"??? Will they vote for me for Hottest Mommy Blogger 2009? Will you?

Don't bother watching the "video" (it is just a picture of the album cover, but it was the only one I could find on YouTube), but enjoy this great tune from Rachel Sweet and think of Roxy the Party Girl... when I was in grade school, I had the lyrics written all over the cover of my three-ring binder.



Little girl, where do you keep those rhinestone eyes?
Little girl, where do you hide those paper smiles?
In some secret file, you keep your heart locked tight
But every night you let a stranger into your room
Oooooh
Cuz you wanna be a party girl, party girl, tonight
You say you're gonna be a party girl, party girl, tonight

Don't let 'em touch your heart
Don't let 'em touch your soul
Don't let 'em know you save it all for rock 'n' roll
Don't let 'em touch your world
Baby, you're a party girl
Don't let 'em touch your world
Baby, you're a party girl

Little girl, look in the mirror, tell me what do you see?
Little girl, where are the heroes you wanted to be?
With all of your visions in white
Yeah, well, there ain't no magic night when it all comes true

Oooooh
Cuz you wanna be a party girl, party girl, tonight
You say you're gonna be a party girl, party girl, tonight

Don't let 'em touch your heart
Don't let 'em touch your soul
Don't let 'em know you save it all for rock 'n' roll
Don't let 'em touch your world
Baby, you're a party girl, yeah, yeah, yeah
Don't let 'em touch your world
Baby, you're a party girl

Missed the Twister

One of my newly rediscovered friends from high school "wrote on my wall" at Facebook (I use the quotes because all this twittering and LOL is all new to me) to ask how we had weathered the TORNADO in the Roxiticus Valley this weekend. She and her husband and pugs hunkered down in the basement a few miles down the road from us, apparently around the same time we headed back into our house after spending the afternoon in the sun by the pool??!! Apparently the twister passed right by Bernardsville and Peapack-Gladstone and ended up in Summit, where they saw the funnel clouds. Very unusual for our area. Weird weather patterns, glad to hear everyone in the neighborhood is safe.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes Part II

When London and Maddie were born, I adored their little baby selves, mesmerized by each stage of development they reached, watching them for hours to see what they would do next (smile at me? stick a tongue out? walk? throw something out of the stroller and watch me pick it up... again?). Rex was a loving dad, but having been there before with his older kids, he told me that our children would be much more interesting when they were a little older. Now that Maddie and London are seven and eight years old, I know exactly what Rex meant! Not that infants aren't soooo precious, but... now that I can really enjoy my kids -- on the beach, when I see them perform in their ballet recital, throwing a ball around the backyard, really getting good at tennis -- I wouldn't want to go back to those days of changing diapers and using a baby formula savings calculator to figure out how much our family could save on baby formula by skipping the big name advertisers and purchasing store brands at local retailers such as Sam's Club, Walmart, Kroger, Target, CVS, Walgreens and Babies R’ Us.

Our nanny brings her almost three year old son with her most days when she takes care of London and Maddie, and it is just a nightmare for the girls and me to toddler proof the house before he arrives. It is hard for me to imagine having to be on duty 24/7 to prevent choking on Barbie shoes or having an action figure flung into the big screen HDTV. But as I noted in my first Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes post, time really does fly. Enjoys those infants now because soon they'll be reading Sweet Valley High and crushing on their Annie's Playhouse camp counselor.

If you've got one of those sweet little babies and you choose or need to use infant formula, here's a recommendation from one who knows (I swore my babies would never get anything but the "real deal" but nursing five month old London was too much for me once I was pregnant with Maddie): Buy powdered formula. It costs less than concentrated liquid or liquid formula. All infant formula sold in the United States must meet the same basic nutrient requirements specified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, so if your baby likes store-brand formula, go ahead and buy it -- in the largest-size cans you can find.

Music Monday Tribute to London and Maddie's First Ever Double Trouble Slumber Party -- David Bowie Sings "Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes"

It's Saturday night in the Roxiticus Valley, and we're getting a jump on Music Monday during London and Maddie's first ever Double Trouble sleepover...two friends (one for each girl), a double feature movie night (101 Dalmatians and Nancy Drew), two kinds of popcorn (movie theatre butter and kettle corn), a double stack of Rex's pancakes** in the morning. So far, everything's gone just right... the weather cooperated for the perfect swim, and I cooked two boxes of Kraft Mac & Cheese ("The Cheesiest") and there wasn't a single macaroni noodle left over. The girls watched one of the movies, checked in with their moms, and are out in the backyard catching lightning bugs. Rex and I are out on the deck, drinking wine and hoping we can stay up later than our 7 and 8 year old daughters and their guests. We've still got big plans for "smores indoors*," though we may have to turn on the grill to toast the marshmallows.

I still can't get over how the girls have grown... the "afternoon nap" photo is from the summer after Maddie was born, and here they are getting ready for an "all-nighter" with their friends.



I still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time

I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't tell t hem to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Where's your shame
You've left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can't trace time

Strange fascination, fascinating me
Changes are taking the pace I'm going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Pretty soon you're gonna get a little older
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can't trace time

* Smores Indoors (summer gas grill combo): Break 8 whole graham crackers in half, line 8 halves up on tin foil in your toaster oven tray with a piece of thin chocolate on each one. Heat toaster oven to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit and melt the chocolate onto the graham crackers for about 5 minutes. Throw 8 big marshmallows into a basket on your gas grill and cook until they start to caramelize and ruin your basket. Put the 8 graham cracker halves with the melted chocolate onto a plate and bring outside near the grill. If the weather is cold or rainy, you can use the toaster oven instead of the grill to roast the marshmallows. Put a marshmallow onto each graham cracker/chocolate combo and smush down with another half graham cracker to make a sandwich. You've got smores...Enjoy! From someone who has attempted to staple my girls' Brownie badges onto their vests, I suspect this approach might not receive the Girl Scout seal of approval, but they sure taste good. I will leave it to someone else to post a recipe that begins, "Rub two sticks together until a fire starts."
** Double stack of pancakes: I have a recipe for buttermilk pancakes from scratch that Mary sent me a while back, or we might be lazy and just throw some chocolate chips into a batch of Bisquick-based pancakes.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Roxy's 25th High School Reunion

Well, I'm already home at ten o'clock, so you might be thinking it wasn't a very exciting event. However, Rex and I enjoyed my 25th high school reunion with maybe 40 friends from the Somerville High School Class of 1984. We started early, arriving around 7:15pm at the Green Knoll Grille (it used to be the Exchange, aka Sex Change, where Roxy had a bizarre half-blind-date in 1993 with a guy who picked me up at my house in a hearse) in Bridgewater, New Jersey.

While I didn't see any of my closest friends from high school, there was a good turnout among people I was glad to see. Since Melissa's baby isn't quite three months old, she didn't fly in from California, so a classmate who moved to Nashville four years ago probably travelled the farthest. Ellyn was due to show up "late" but I've already done my [closing] time waiting up fo Ellyn, so we left just after 9pm without seeing her.

I ran into the boy who was my lab partner for all four years of high school science and we caught up on the past five years since I saw him at our 20th reunion.

I enjoyed the Buffalo calamari with the girl who pulled my hair on the bus every day throughout elementary school. Now we're friends, laughing about it, she still insists it was the catcher on our softball team who pulled my hair but I know better.

I talked with at least three kids who were in my first or second grade class.

I'm pretty sure most of the marching band was there, but only one football player... the electrician I danced with all night at our 10th reunion... now he has twin 8-year-olds, a boy and a girl, and I've got wonderful London and Maddie.

Rex started talking to one of my classmates and it turns out she lives right down the road in Peapack-Gladstone, so we'll probably end up getting together for dinner, maybe at the "new Opah Grill" that just opened in Gladstone... it is called Sublime!

You Don't Have To Put On the Red Light... but Maybe the Blue Light Special

Everything old is new again! Rex and I just returned home from my 25th high school reunion with a bunch of old friends from the Somerville High School Class of 1984, and what do I hear? They're bringing back Kmart Bluelight Specials tomorrow. For one day only -- Saturday, July 25th, Kmart is going to put on the blue light and we can all get special offers throughout the day on everything from grills and patio furniture to jewelry... all at Blue Light Special prices. You could stay at home, shop in your jammies at kmart.com, and find great offers online.

Even though we've rented our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, our weekend in the Roxiticus Valley is going to be action packed. Tomorrow, we're having Grammy over for a quiet Saturday lunch, while we prepare for London and Maddie's first ever double trouble slumber party. Each girl is having one friend over to spend the night, complete with a double feature -- probably 101 Dalmatians and Beverly Hills Chihuahua -- and two kinds of popcorn. We'll also chow down on home made brownies and old fashioned smores. On Sunday morning, Rex will make a double stack of chocolate chip pancakes for the girls.

However, if you can make it out to your local Kmart store, there will be are over forty (40) exciting Blue Light Specials throughout the day in-store. Just follow @kmartdealsnnews for updates and more specials.

Roxy's Wish List for Mother's Day 2010: Mer-Mom by Wendy McCarthy

Wendy McCarthy's new show at the Anchor & Palette Gallery in Bay Head, New Jersey, just opened last Saturday... but I've already found my "dream gift" for Mother's Day 2010. Her newest painting in the Mer-Moments series is "Mer-Mom" and it just leaves me weepy. I don't know if you can see the detail in the photo at left, but it is an absolutely HUGE canvas. The littlest mermaid in the center is sad because her sister ruined her sand castle. It reminds me sooo much of London and Maddie at the beach, with mom unable to fix the hurt.

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Roxy's 25th High School Reunion This Friday Night!

Oh, it has been a long, long time since Roxy graduated from high school, and since the four years in Syracuse when I had to worry about how hard it is to keep money coming in while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average as a college student. My friends and I had some crazy ways of cutting corners to keep costs down. I was on the Pop Tart for breakfast, Ramen noodles for lunch, dining hall only-for-dinner meal plan, and I had one friend who had a neverending stream of bizarre roommates to share the rent. To earn a little extra, I wish I could have had a blog, but Roxy went to college before the Internet. Hard to believe! Instead, I think I earned $5.00 per hour by tutoring football players in Psychology 101 and helping them with the required reading for English, all the while hoping to run into red hot grad student Jay McInerney in the English department.

These days, college students have it much easier. While they're hitting the books, "kids these days" can count on mom and dad to supply them with reload-able gift cards from a Sears store, and to keep the funds coming throughout the semester by adding funds online or in a student shop at their local Sears or Kmart store. There's even a Sears CampusReady Facebook application to help parents and their college bound scholars to prepare for the transition from high school to the college experience. Just like when we were in school, Sears has everything a college needs for his or her new dorm room.

This Friday night, I'll be reliving my glory days with my old friends from the Somerville High School Class of 1984 at our 25th reunion. Looking back to 1984, I don't think any of us could have imagined what it would be like to be CampusReady on Facebook, but we're definitely all "Reunion Ready" with pictures of our kids and stories to tell about all that's gone on in our lives since the last time we were together. I'm looking forward to catching up with a few old friends, and I'll be sure to let all of you know how it turns out.

Music Monday: Oooh, I Feel Lucky Today

I will be back later tonight to tell you exactly why I feel lucky today, but for now imagine how lucky I was to find a video tribute to one of my fellow Desperate Housewives with Mary Chapin Carpenter singin' all the great lyrics to "I Feel Lucky." Hope this post brings a little luck your way.



Well I woke up this morning stumbled out of my rack
I opened up the paper to the page in the back
It only took a minute for my finger to find
My daily dose of destiny, under my sign
My eyes just about popped out of my head
It said "the stars are stacked against you girl, get back in bed"

I feel lucky, I feel lucky, yeah
No Professor Doom gonna stand in my way
Mmmmm, I feel lucky today

Well I strolled down to the corner, gave my numbers to the clerk
The pot's eleven million so I called in sick to work
I bought a pack of Camels, a burrito and a Barq's
Crossed against the light, made a beeline for the park
The sky began to thunder, wind began to moan
I heard a voice above me saying, "girl, you better get back home"

But I feel lucky, oh oh oh, I feel lucky, yeah
No tropical depression gonna steal my sun away
Mmmmm, I feel lucky today

Now eleven million later, I was sitting at the bar
I'd bought the house a double, and the waitress a new car
Dwight Yoakam's in the corner, trying to catch my eye
Lyle Lovett's right beside me with his hand upon my thigh
The moral of this story, it's simple but it's true
Hey the stars might lie, but the numbers never do

I feel lucky, oh oh oh, I feel lucky, yeah
Hey Dwight, hey Lyle, boys, you don't have to fight
Hot dog, I'm feeling lucky tonight

I feel lucky, brrrrr, I feel lucky, yeah
Think I'll flip a coin, I'm a winner either way
Mmmmmm, I feel lucky today

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

London's First Ever Sleepaway at Girl Scout Camp in Jockey Hollow Tonight!

I can't believe it, my baby girl is getting so grown up. This morning, Rex and I put London on the bus to Jockey Hollow Girl Scout Camp with all of her stuff for a one night sleepover -- sleeping bag, pillow, favorite stuffed animal, last minute love note from mom snuck into her sleeping bag...

This was London and Maddie's first week at the Girl Scouts Jockey Hollow Day Camp, and both girls have loved it so far -- classic summer camp stuff, like swimming and hiking and arts & crafts. For rising third graders and up, the Girl Scout camp also offers the opportunity to sleep over on Wednesday night during some of the weeks of camp. Maddie isn't old enough this year, and probably isn't quite ready to sleep away from home, but I'll be glad to have her home tonight to keep me company while her sister camps out with a bunch of her Girl Scout buddies.

Dog Shampoo for Cashew's Puppy Party

Our neighbors down at the beach are having a puppy party to celebrate Cashew's third birthday this weekend, and we're invited... and so are all the neighboring hounds of Bay Head. I know that our handsome host, Cashew, will be treated to a dog shampoo on the day of the big event. However, given London's dog allergies, I hope that all of the guests don't all show up itching, scratching and stinking beyond belief... and that's just the owners!

Kidding, kidding... but it is a reminder that many of our friends will wash their dogs one day, only to have the stink return the next. Or worse, I've seen dogs on parade at the beach whose owners have clearly waited weeks between bathing their pets because their skin gets so dry and flaky. If you're attending Cashew's Puppy Party this weekend and need help getting fresh before you bark at the door, why not try the all natural dog shampoo Dogosuds ® made by Dinovite ?

Some benefits Dogosuds ® users and their moms and dads and neighbors enjoy:

• Makes your dog smell clean and wonderful for a long time;
• Lathers beautifully and rinses easily;
• Contains 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils that have natural, healing properties;
• This gentle, soothing shampoo works well for sensitive skin, but humans don't try this on your own golden locks!
• Is a natural deterrent to fleas;
• Contains no chemicals, no fillers, and no perfumes, so there's nothing to irritate or dry Cashew's skin!

Isn't it time for that new dog smell? See you at Cashew's Puppy Party!

Music Monday: Lipstick On Your Collar by Connie Francis

Usually you'll find Roxy stuck in the 80s, but this week London and Maddie have selected "Lipstick On Your Collar," a hit going back to 1959 from Connie Francis. It's been running through our heads because last week the girls started up at Annie's Playhouse Summer Stars again this summer, where last year the big show included 50s faves like Jailhouse Rock, Heartbreak Hotel, On Broadway, Love Potion Number Nine, and Lipstick On Your Collar. I made them a CD with many of the songs from the show, and we've been driving to camp with the top down on Roxy's red convertible, belting out the lyrics:

When you left me all alone
At the record hop
Told me you were going out
For a soda pop
You were gone for quite awhile
Half an hour or more
You came back
And man, oh man
This is what I saw

Lipstick on your collar
Told a tale on you
Lipstick on your collar
Said you were untrue
Bet your bottom dollar
You and I are through
'Cause lipstick on your collar
Told a tale on you, yeah

[Instrumental Interlude]

You said it belonged to me
Made me stop and think
And then I noticed yours was red
Mine was baby pink
Who walked in but Mary Jane
Lipstick all a mess
Were you smoochin' my best friend
Guess the answer's yes

Lipstick on your collar
Told a tale on you
Lipstick on your collar
Said you were untrue
Bet your bottom dollar
You and I are through
'Cause lipstick on your collar
Told a tale on you, boy
Told a tale on you, man
Told a tale on you, yeah

Ribbit. BluFrog Contest Ends Soon.

Before we spent a perfect nine days of vacation leading up to and through the Fourth of July at our beach house in Bay Head, NJ, London and Maddie spent a few weeks trying out a frog as a pet. I found the friendly teeny tiny little guy ribbiting out at me in the rain one day, scooped him up, and brought him in to live in the aquarium/terrarium with the girls' hermit crabs. The girls had a lot of fun catching bugs to feed Froggy in his habitat, but I think what he was trying to tell us before we set him free in the backyard was that he'd really prefer a shot of BluFrog Energy Drink.

Just like Roxy, Froggy seemed a little low on energy, and we both could benefit from the boost of BluFrog, a bold new energy drink just loaded with naturally good, better-for-your-bod ingredients -- organic fruits blended with radical superfood nutrients, hard core vitamins and herbs in a proprietary Limu blend that makes the BluFrog unique. Give me and Froggy the pure outrageous energy of Blu Frog...I'm sure we'll see him hopping around our backyard with a new level of performance, endurance and concentration. I'm ready to turbo-charge my inner frog and jump start my activities with Froggy's fierce fusion of health and enery.

Right now, there's a BluFrog contest going on, featuring great themed prizes like:

• BluGamer, the ultimate gaming package that includes an Xbox 360 Elite Gaming System with a Rock Band 2 bundle;
• Happy BluYear New York: the chance to come and ring in the New Year 2010 in New York City with Roxy;
• Blullapalooza: a trip to Lollapalooza in Chicago;
• BluStreak: a Richard Petty racing experience in Orlando;
• XtremeBLU: a trip to the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado.

Better hurry over and check out the contest, which ends soon.

Ah, the Sweet Routines of Summer... London and Maddie Start Summer Stars Camp at Annie's Playhouse

I'm working from home today, since I need to be here to take London and Maddie for their annual doctor visit with Dr. Eric Yorke of Somerset Pediatric in Bedminster, so I had my first opportunity to drive the girls to camp... it's a top down day, and we had our CD of last year's musical favorites from Annie's Playhouse Summer Stars blasting as we drove to the Bernardsville Presbyterian Church in Roxy's red convertible this morning. On Broadway, Love Potion Number Nine, Lipstick On Your Collar, Heartbreak Hotel... I had the good fortune of seeing Annie this morning, and learning that London has wasted no time in putting the moves on Annie's brother, who is one of the reasons my girls jump out of bed in the morning excited to get to Summer Stars camp.

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Music Monday: Dancing in the Street by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas

Back to work on Music Monday, after a 9-day vacation at our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey. For those of us, including my family, who missed Martha Reeves and the Vandellas performing live at this year's 4th of July Parade in Brookside, I thought I'd share the following fun video. I'm here at the office, dancing in my seat!



Callin' out around the world
Are you ready for a brand new beat?
Summer's here and the time is right
For dancin' in the streets
They're dancin' in Chicago
Down in New Orleans
Up in New York City

All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin', swayin' and records playin'
And dancin' in the streets

Oh, it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on, every guy grab a girl
Everywhere around the world
There'll be dancin'
They're dancin' in the street

This is an invitation
Across the nation
A chance for the folks to meet
There'll be laughin' and singin' and music swingin'
And dancin' in the streets

Philadelphia, P.A. (Philadelphia, P.A.)
Baltimore and DC now (Baltimore and DC now)
Yeah don't forget the Motor City (can't forget the Motor City)

All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin', swayin' and records playin'
And dancin' in the street, yeah

Oh, it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on, every guy grasp a girl
Everywhere around the world
There'll be dancin'
They're dancin' in the streets

Philadelphia, P.A. (Philadelphia, P.A.)
Baltimore and DC now (Baltimore and DC now)
Yeah don't forget the Motor City (can't forget the Motor City)
All the way down in L.A. California
Not to mention Halifax Nova Scotia
Manchester
Alexandria, Virginia, Virginia

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Dog Shampoo?

Rex, London, Maddie and I have just returned from a glorious nine day vacation at our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, where London and Maddie were happy to have the responsibility of walking our neighbors' cockapoo several times a day. The girls are selling painted seashells again this summer, trying to raise money to buy a leopard gecko and and anole and all of the equipment that goes along with lizards... when what the whole family would really, really like is our very own dog. The good news is that London may be outgrowing her dog allergies, or that our neighbors' cockapoo is just "hypoallergenic" enough for her to not have an allergic reaction to Cashew so far this summer. Maybe the secret is that Cashew's "mom and dad" found him a new dog shampoo called Dogosuds® made by Dinovite.

Is your dog itching, scratching and stinking beyond belief? Do you? (Now be honest, if other people cross the street when they see you coming, it just might be your doggy stink) Have you ever washed your dog one day, just to have the stink return the next? Do you wait weeks between bathing your dog because his skin gets so dry and flaky? Does your husband hate bathing your dog because he rinses and rinses and rinses...and still can't get him completely rinsed?

If you and your doggy need help, why not try the all natural dog shampoo Dogosuds® made by Dinovite, Inc. Just like Cashew across the street, your dog may start to smell wonderful and clean for a long time, attracting lots of admiring young girls who volunteer to walk him around the block and over the bridge and around the park several times a day. You and your canine friend will find that Dogosuds® lathers beautifully and rinses out easily. Made with 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils that have natural, healing properties, the gentle soothing shampoo is a natural flea deterrent and works so well for sensitive skin that you may be tempted to try it on your own goldilocks...Isn't it time for that new dog smell?

They'll Be Dancing In the Street In Brookside, NJ On the 4th Of July: Brookside Community Club 86th Annual Parade

According to a long standing annual tradition, Rex and the girls and I are spending the week from his birthday through the 4th of July at our beach house in Bay Head, New Jersey, but for those of you who are sticking around the Roxiticus Valley (Mendham, Chester, Bernardsville, Peapack-Gladstone, and Morris County), I thought I'd provide some entertainment in the form of local parades and fireworks.

I'd like to start with one of the biggest and closest 4th of July celebrations, put on by the Brookside Community Club in Brookside, NJ (part of Mendham Township, near the Mendham Township Elementary School). This year (2009) marks the 86th anniversary since the Community Club held Brookside's first Fourth of July Parade in 1923. The theme for the parade is "Dancing In the Street" with lots of singing, dancing, and music for all to enjoy, including Motown legends Martha Reeves and the Vandellas making their first U.S. appearance on their summer tour.

The Brookside Community Parade and Grand March begins at 9:00am on Saturday, July 4, 2009, and after the parade, Martha Reeves and the Vendellas will set up shop in the firehouse and continue to belt out such Top 10 Motown classics as "Heat Wave," "Jimmy Mack," "Quick Sand" and "Nowhere to Run." The performance is free. As usual, children of all ages will enjoy field games, clowns, moon walk, dunking booth, fire truck rides, food, drink, and an afternoon swim at the Brookside Beach.

The famous Pooch Parade returns this year with dogs of all kinds, shapes and sizes. To enter your dog, please call Diane Tolley at 973-543-7302 or e-mail heratdto07926@aim.com

For all the details, visit the Brookside Community Club web site or call 973-543-7250.

I hope all the Roxiticus Desperate Housewives who are in town for the 4th of July will check out the parade and events and let us know all about it.

Fourth of July 2009 Fireworks and Parades in Morris and Somerset County, NJ

In addition to the "Dancing in the Street" Parade in Mendham Township, NJ featuring Martha Reeves and the Vandellas this year, and the Fourth of July Fireworks event at North Branch Park in Bridgewater, NJ, there are Independence Day celebrations going on all over the Morris County and Somerset County areas. Here are just a few highlights I found online:

Bridgewater Township: Saturday, July 4, 2009. Washington Campground Association's annual one-hour Fourth of July ceremony will take place at 10:00am at the Middlebrook Encampment Site at Mountain Avenue and Middlebrook Road. It will include a retiring of the colors by an honor guard, followed by the reading of the Declaration of Independence by Sallie de Barcza, a direct descendant of John Hancock. 5:00pm North Branch Park on Milltown Road. Family festival with live musical entertainment. Activities include a moonwalk, giant slide and cartoon characters for children, Revolutionary War-period groups and other attractions. Live music will be performed by Bounce Ooolala and Daniel, Shorty Long and the Jersey Horns and Fortune. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. For all the details, check online (somersetcountyparks.org) or call (908) 722-1200, ext. 225.

Chatham: Chatham Borough's annual Fourth of July parade begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday on Hillside Avenue and continues down Main Street to Chatham Middle School, 480 Main Street. A picnic on the school grounds begins after the parade, with hot dogs and other refreshments. Fireworks are scheduled at dusk. For more information, please call (973) 635-9090.

Chester: The West Morris Community Band presents an Independence Day weekend concert at Chubb Park (off Routes 24 and 206) on Friday, July 3rd at 7:00 p.m. For details please call (908) 879-5100. On Saturday, July 4th, an Independence Day celebration will take place from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at Cooper Mill on Route 513. Visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch and blanket or folding chair. Admission is $3, $2 for seniors and $1 for ages 4-16. Call (908) 879-5463.

Denville: A Fourth of July band concert will kick off activities at Gardner Field, just off Route 46 West at Savage Road from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, followed by fireworks. Call (908) 964-0026.

Dover: Holiday activities begin with food, refreshments and musical entertainment by Tropical Storm at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 3rd on Hamilton Field, 302 E. McFarlan Street at Route 46. Fireworks start at 9:45 p.m. For more information, please call (973) 366-2200.

East Hanover: Festivities begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 4th, in Lurker Park on Eagle Rock Avenue including children's rides, pony rides, food, refreshments, DJ music and games. At 8:00pm, Jimmy Sturr and his Orchestra will perform, followed by fireworks at dusk. Call (973) 428-3091 for details.

Flemington: The Flemington-Raritan Recreation Committee will sponsor fireworks at the Reading-Fleming Intermediate School on Allen Street at dusk Friday. Call (908) 284-7501.

Florham Park: Independence Day events begin with a flag-raising ceremony at Firehouse No. 1 on Brooklake Road at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 4th. A parade steps off at 9:30 a.m., rain or shine, at Ridgedale Avenue and Brooklake Road. A family picnic will be held on the borough hall lawn at Ridgedale Avenue and Elm Street from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., with children's rides, games, pony rides, a petting zoo and the Saint Barnabas "Fire Safety House." Fireworks are scheduled for about 9 p.m. Look online (www.fpjuly4th.com/schedule.html) for more details.

Franklin Township (Somerset County): Food vendors, inflatable children's amusements, crafts, games and a clothesline arts exhibition will take place at the municipal complex, 475 DeMott Lane in Somerset, from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, followed by fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Parking will be available at the Sampson G. Smith School. Call (732) 873-2500.

Glen Gardner: There will be firetruck rides for children Saturday in celebration of Independence Day. The first truck will depart Glen Gardner Borough Park at School Street and Hampton Road at 10 a.m. and rides continue until noon. Call (908) 537-2370.

High Bridge: In addition to hosting its sixth annual traditional Fourth of July celebration Saturday at the Solitude House Museum, 7 River Road, High Bridge will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Lake Solitude Falls. There will be free food, including hot dogs, soda, ice cream, popcorn and snow-cones, and entertainment by Billy D. Hunter. The High Bridge Mini-Historians will read their compositions from this year's competition. Call (908) 638-3200.

Lebanon: The 62nd annual Lebanon Borough Fourth of July parade will kick off 10 a.m. Saturday with a theme of "Many Faces, One Nation." It will run from Main Street to Myrtle Avenue, then down Brunswick Avenue, Beforehand, there will be a baby parade at 9:30 a.m. on Sutton Place, and a "Borough Students of the Month" presentation at 9:50 a.m. in Holjes-Sheppard Park, 6 Maple St. behind Lebanon Borough Elementary School. Call (908) 236-8464.

Lincoln Park: Paired with the grand opening of the Jerry and Dolores Turco Medical Rehab Center, the Lincoln Park Care Center at 499 Pine Brook Road will host a variety of activities 6 p.m. Saturday, including carnival games, pie-eating contests, a moonwalk, an "Elmo & Friends Revue," an obstacle course, face-painting, watermelon-eating and hula hoop contests, rock climbing, balloon-making and a DJ. Foods will be available, and fireworks are scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. Call (973) 696-3300.

Mendham Township: Saturday, July 4, 2009, 9:00am. "Dancing in the Street" parade down Main Street in Brookside.

Morristown: A Fourth of July celebration is scheduled to begin noon on Saturday, July 4th, at Washington's Headquarters Museum in Morristown National Historical Park, 30 Washington Place. Stories, riddles, jokes and an inspection of the troops will precede a reading of the Declaration of Independence at 1p.m. Costumed park rangers will denounce tyranny and praise liberty, and the festivities will conclude with celebratory musket volleys. Call (908) 879-5463. Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, 73 Kahdena Road, will host a patriotic celebration from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 5th, with old-time games. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own lunch. Admission is $6; $5 for seniors; $4 for ages 4-16; $2 for ages 2-3. Call (973) 326-7645.

Mount Arlington: A fireworks display over Lake Hopatcong will begin at dusk Thursday, sponsored by the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club, 75 Bertrand Road. Call (973) 398-4324.

North Plainfield: The 4th of July Parade begins at 10:00am on Saturday at Wilson Avenue and Greenbrook Road and ends at the North Plainfield Community Center on Clinton Avenue. The honorary grand marshal is the North Plainfield Volunteer Rescue Squad, celebrating 60 years of service. Call (908) 769-2902 for detais. On Sunday, July 5th, there will be a concert by Mylan starting at 7:30 p.m. at West End School, with fireworks to follow at dusk. Call (908) 769-2900 for more informations.

Parsippany: The annual Parsippany fireworks display will take place at dusk Saturday at Parsippany Hills High School, 309 Baldwin Road. Call (973) 263-7001.

Randolph: Randolph's annual Independence Day parade will be held at noon on Friday, July 3rd, beginning at Dover Chester Road and Randolph Avenue and marching to the County College of Morris. It will be followed by a Freedom Festival Fair from 2 to 11 p.m. at the college. The fair will continue on Saturday, from 2 to 11 p.m., with fireworks set to begin at 9:45 p.m. Call (973) 442-7608. Nash Dancenter at 10-12 Emery Ave. will host a Fourth of July party with a picnic-themed ballroom and Latin dance social 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday. Participants are invited to dress in casual red, white and blue clothing. Admission is $20. Call (973) 328-7979.

Somerville: Somerville, where Roxy went to high school way back when, marks the 100th anniversary of its historic courthouse from noon to 4 p.m. on Friday, July 3rd with music, children's games and entertainment, all part of an event called Picnic on the Green. The courthouse is at 20 N. Bridge St. Call (908) 231-7110 for details.

If any of you Roxiticus Desperate Housewives out there attend these events, we hope you'll come back here and share a comment with the rest of us. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!