Two completely unrelated things made me smile today. We have guests in the Bird's Nest from Holland and as I tidied the bathroom, I noticed a shaving brush on the shelf in the shower. A shaving brush, like the one my father had. I remember watching my father shave, it was a morning ritual. He would lather the brush up , working the suds, until he was satisfied with the quantity and quality of the suds. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror he would apply the suds to his cheeks, chin and under neck and then with long deliberate strokes of the razor, remove the suds and the beard, finishing it off by rubbing his hands together with Old Spice, getting just the right amount on his palms, then gently slapping his cheeks with the Aftershave. Just seeing that brush on the shelf brought all those memories back, almost the smell of that Old Spice. The second time was reading today's New York Times and reading an article about a remake of Gray Gardens. Big Edie and Little Edie. That's what Maria and I were named, first by Sabra's husband Tony. Ria and I were sharing that awful last cottage we shared together and Tony and Sabra had the cottage on the hill above us. He would stop by on his way to get the paper, see me having my coffee, Ria with her tea, Ria in her bathrobe, me wearing my Miller Lite pajama pants and Miller Lite shirt. He must have remembered watching Gray Gardens (both Sabra and Maria had loved that documentary) and he thought our outfits worthy of the names of Big Edie and Little Edie. Drew Barrymore is playing Little Edie and Jessica Lange is playing my role. I once had the honor of riding in the truck that Jessica Lange had ridden in the movie "Tootsie". The movie was filmed in Hurley and I worked at IBM with an older gentlemen who drove a beat up truck, that the film company had asked to use in the filming. I can't remember the IBMer's name now, but I recall his face. He took me for lunch at the Bowery Dugout and I had the honor of sitting in the same seat as Jessica. That makes me smile too. Then at the Bowery Dugout I would order soft shell crabs, my favorite - and Adam's is starting to carry them. Well, there you go, from shaving brush, to Big Edie, to Jessica, to soft shell crabs. It's Easter Saturday, the day last year that Maria was buried. This cold, dreary day is perfect for the thoughts that pop into your head. Rest in Peace Little Edie. Love, Big Edie