Little Bit actually slept - all night long - in her big-girl bed. YAY! Yesterday, when I put her down for a nap, I didn't put up the gate, I just closed the door. When she woke up from her nap, she stayed put and simply hollered, "Mommy! I awake!" or "Mommy, where ah oou?" It was pretty funny.
This morning, she and Kiddo spent some time in her room and she kept saying, "Look at my new bed, [Kiddo]!"
Suffice it to say, I think she likes her new totally Dora bed.
Thank goodness for small favors.
****
On Saturday, Kiddo, Little Bit and I ran around town using up some of the gift cards they got for Christmas. Our friend BG gave them each $15.00 gift cards to Toys-R-Us and their step-grandmother gave them each $25.00 gift cards to Wal-Mart. Also, our favorite Microbiologist, SW, sent us a gift card to Applebee's. So, yesterday morning saw us out of the house around 9AM driving to Toys-R-Us, where the kids wasted no time picking out exactly what they wanted. Then we went to The World of Wally. I picked up a couple prescriptions and again, the kids made short work of their gift cards, finding some very surprisingly educational things they wanted. (Honestly, I really didn't have to help them that much!) Then we went to Applebee's for lunch.
It was a good morning.
Little Bit fell asleep rather quickly and napped well. Kiddo didn't sleep at all, but was quiet.
****
Speaking of gift cards, for Christmas, "the kids" gave me a $15.00 iTunes gift card. (Since I adore my iPod Nano, they knew this would be a wonderful gift for Mom!) I used my card right away, knowing exactly what I wanted to get. I got the Original London Recording of The Phantom of the Opera.
Now, for me, this was a risk for a couple of reasons.
Reason #1: Because I used to listen to this before my mother died in 1989. I listened to it regularly and knew it backwards and forwards at 13 or 14 years old. I adored the music, the singing, the drama, the story - but I never did see it on stage. My imagination was more than enough for me.
Reason #2: Because I haven't listened to it since my mother died in 1989. I was afraid that I would have a complete emotional breakdown. I was trying to get better, get stronger, and move on with my life, not do things that reminded me of my mother. That was not what my multiple therapists would have said; they would have told me that listening to it would help me feel my feelings and move on through the grieving process. Um. Yeah. Sure.
The thing is, I
really love this music. I love it with my whole heart. It's almost a part of me. (Does that make sense?) Ever since my former boss called me into his office and said, "Hey - I'll bet you've never heard this..." (he was always trying to show off how "cultured" he was) and proceeded to play it for me, I've wondered how I would react to listening to the entire thing. I told my former boss that not only had I heard it, I knew it backwards and forwards; surprising him greatly, I think. I wondered, because when he played it for me, all I could do was smile and think of good things and remember the love I had for the music. I didn't have a breakdown (of course, I only got about a minute or two of music at that time) remembering my mother.
So I purchased the entire score of The Original London Recording of The Phantom of the Opera - and I've listened to it now three or four times through, without having a breakdown once! I still love this music. I still feel for the characters. It still is an absolutely incredible piece of work. I still have never seen it on-stage. I mentioned this to Hubby, saying wistfully, "I would give my eye teeth to see this on Broadway."
He said, "Be careful what you wish for."
What does
that mean?
BTW: It's best when it's loud (but I need to keep my ears...)!
Happy Monday!
TTFN
JMS
Thank goodness for small favors.
****
On Saturday, Kiddo, Little Bit and I ran around town using up some of the gift cards they got for Christmas. Our friend BG gave them each $15.00 gift cards to Toys-R-Us and their step-grandmother gave them each $25.00 gift cards to Wal-Mart. Also, our favorite Microbiologist, SW, sent us a gift card to Applebee's. So, yesterday morning saw us out of the house around 9AM driving to Toys-R-Us, where the kids wasted no time picking out exactly what they wanted. Then we went to The World of Wally. I picked up a couple prescriptions and again, the kids made short work of their gift cards, finding some very surprisingly educational things they wanted. (Honestly, I really didn't have to help them that much!) Then we went to Applebee's for lunch.
It was a good morning.
Little Bit fell asleep rather quickly and napped well. Kiddo didn't sleep at all, but was quiet.
****
Speaking of gift cards, for Christmas, "the kids" gave me a $15.00 iTunes gift card. (Since I adore my iPod Nano, they knew this would be a wonderful gift for Mom!) I used my card right away, knowing exactly what I wanted to get. I got the Original London Recording of The Phantom of the Opera.
Now, for me, this was a risk for a couple of reasons. Reason #1: Because I used to listen to this before my mother died in 1989. I listened to it regularly and knew it backwards and forwards at 13 or 14 years old. I adored the music, the singing, the drama, the story - but I never did see it on stage. My imagination was more than enough for me. Reason #2: Because I haven't listened to it since my mother died in 1989. I was afraid that I would have a complete emotional breakdown. I was trying to get better, get stronger, and move on with my life, not do things that reminded me of my mother. That was not what my multiple therapists would have said; they would have told me that listening to it would help me feel my feelings and move on through the grieving process. Um. Yeah. Sure.
The thing is, I really love this music. I love it with my whole heart. It's almost a part of me. (Does that make sense?) Ever since my former boss called me into his office and said, "Hey - I'll bet you've never heard this..." (he was always trying to show off how "cultured" he was) and proceeded to play it for me, I've wondered how I would react to listening to the entire thing. I told my former boss that not only had I heard it, I knew it backwards and forwards; surprising him greatly, I think. I wondered, because when he played it for me, all I could do was smile and think of good things and remember the love I had for the music. I didn't have a breakdown (of course, I only got about a minute or two of music at that time) remembering my mother.
So I purchased the entire score of The Original London Recording of The Phantom of the Opera - and I've listened to it now three or four times through, without having a breakdown once! I still love this music. I still feel for the characters. It still is an absolutely incredible piece of work. I still have never seen it on-stage. I mentioned this to Hubby, saying wistfully, "I would give my eye teeth to see this on Broadway."
He said, "Be careful what you wish for."
What does that mean?
BTW: It's best when it's loud (but I need to keep my ears...)!
Happy Monday!
TTFN
JMS
6 comments:
Oh Ya - you need to see it. G and I went to Phantom in Chicago many years ago - I too used to listen to it often. I think I will get it out and play it again while I paint the guest room this week. Love you sweetie (and your therapists are right).
I remember!! You are right, that music is a part of our souls!! I love all of those songs! I know all of the words! Ah childhood memories! Seem to be having a lot of memories lately. Must be all the time I've been spending with Johny and Patty! On a different subject I registered for classes and took my placememt test today at Daytona State College. Tell you all about it later! Love ya!
I saw it on Broadway once when I was in high school. A friends father treated us to a night in NYC. I remember most vividly the chandelier falling, becuase it fell almost directly over our heads and then crashed into the stage. Spectacular. f you get the chance you should totally go.
So the question I have for you is have you read the book? If not you should. Although it was written 100 years ago it will instantly captivate you. For me it always added an new dimension to the music that seeing the show never did.
If your local library doesn't have it I could always let you borrow my copy. Yes, I still have it.
Yes - I read the book many years ago. It would probably be a good thing for me to read it again, though. I remember thoroughly enjoying it. :)
JMS
Hey-- I know this is a bit late but I went back in May 2003 and saw it on Broadway. It was AMAZING!! I've got the soundtrack, the movie and the Playbill (somewhere). It's the experience of a lifetime! You should totally plan to go!
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