There's Something About a Martini and a Tambourine

Yep, here I am still celebrating the Christmas season.  Starting from December 1st and going through New Year’s, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year.  So, why not celebrate the holiday season with a fancy martini!!! Not to mention, I'm also remembering that 19 years ago, I was welcoming my new baby daughter into the world.  Good reason to have a martini, I thought!  I mean, really, 19 years!!!  Where have the years gone?  I'm not exactly a youngster anymore, fifty- something, if you must know!!  However, if any twenty or thirty-something’s happen to be reading this right now, fifty-something isn't so bad and I'm still young at heart with definitely more years of fun ahead.  Which, brings me back to this martini and how this evening has just begun, not knowing, a tambourine would be the highlight!

After enjoying my martini, my husband and I had a walk through the park to see the beautiful Christmas lights and then on to a Christmas gathering with long-time friends.  I'm getting to the tambourine part...so stick with me!

This is an annual gathering with friends, where some have known each other 30 to 40 years. A lot of history shared amongst this group, to say the least.  We arrive to the party, which is taking place at a local bar, in a section of the bar reserved just for us.  The festivities always start with cordial greetings and finding out the latest and greatest with everyone.  Soon the evening is in full force with the band playing some funky music from the other side of the bar, more holiday cheer has been consumed and the evening has been filled with dancing and laughter.  This is where the fifty-something’s become twenty-something’s again!!!   Enter the tambourine!! 

After 30 years with this nutty circle of friends, I'm not surprised that one of them had a tambourine stashed in the trunk of her car (which is another story).  I did mention there was history with this group!  The tambourine just sits in her trunk to be brought out on a moment’s notice when you just might need to shake, rattle and roll.  Try to imagine a menagerie of fifty-something’s, gathered round, and the tambourine is being passed around like magical Christmas candy. It suddenly becomes an instrument of hip smacking and butt whacking and just hoping someone doesn't throw out their back or, worse, a hip joint.  Sorry, I'm not posting any pictures, as I need to protect the innocence of all tambourine players.

Without missing a beat, the tambourine is being jingled and jangled along with the song the band is playing.  They're playing great songs that seem to go perfectly with a tambourine! Well, of course it does!!  At this point, I don't think it mattered...along with the tambourine jangling, the dancing and singing, you would think we had formed our own band.  Needless to say, it was another fun time with every hip swivel, butt smacking and arm shaking. Yes, we're still talking about tambourine playing here! Besides all the silliness, we can mark it in the history book as another moment to park in our memories.

I'm ending this story, just to say, that I really want to get my own tambourine. I'm not kidding, because I plan to bring it with me to the nursing home one day.  You just never know when you'll need to shake, rattle and roll at a moment’s notice to feel like your twenty-something again!!

With that said, everyone should have a tambourine moment along with "a square of chocolate!"

Remember the song, "Green Tambourine?" Twenty-something’s probably never even heard of it! Hehe  For the heck of it, watch the You Tube video "Green Tambourine."

Put your smile on,
Laurie O