A rainy day in the northeast is matching my mood....bleak....quiet....introverted....
Nah...just kidding. I actually like a soaking rain as I witness what the water does to the flowers. Mother Nature is helping me to water the plants....thank you!
I am sure that you have a question: "How was Chimpanzee, the movie?" It's hard to say...I loved the scenery and learning more about the chimp, but the story about Freddy and Scar seemed a bit contrived, yet the reality of the alpha male adopting a motherless chimpanzee was moving. Just a quick fact....chimpanzees use tools to open their nuts and fruits. This is true. I saw it as Oscar's now departed mother grabbed rocks nuts and slammed the nuts with the rocks to open them, like a jungle nut cracker. She also used a twig to gather termites in a rotted piece of wood, then licked them as a delicacy. Fascinating! Once a colleague returned from African trip and handed out delicacies that she brought home. I had to pass on the dried bugs. Although some of my friends tried them, I decided to immediately start my diet, so I had an excuse.
Were we done celebrating Tink's birthday after the movie and lunch with family? Nope...there was more to come. It was "Tink Weekend" as we took her to see the Phantom of the Opera on Saturday in NY. It's been a few years since I was in the city and felt a bit overwhelmed with the numbers of people, pushing, shoving, long lines, and anonymity. As a person who lives in the suburbs, I was startled by the person who shoved me and told me to 'watch where I was going...' Huh? Me? Watch where I am going? Sista', I was watching where I was going because I was dodging the poo, trash, and gum on the sidewalk. I have to look forward too? Do I need to take a course on Walking in New York City 101? If so, I am staying in suburbia and taking a course in horticulture.
Back to NYC, the Phantom was really good, although I did not sit with Tink and Dad. Why not? Ok, again....typical New York story...we arrived in front of the theater in a great deal of traffic at 1:40 for a 2 pm matinee. The car was not moving, so dad let us out while he parked the car and we stood in a very long line and waited and waited for it to move. By the time we got to the door, there were three doors open with three people taking tickets for hundreds of people. Then they yelled at us that the show was starting....Tink and I found our seats but decided a restroom break was in order first, so we waited in another line. When we finally got into the bathroom, there were three stalls (seems three is the lucky number at this theater)...more waiting...show is starting....we run up the stairs and the usher flashes a light on our tickets and curses (NY?). Telling us to stand in the shadows until a scenery change, we waited and then we had one minute to take our seats in the middle of the row. The girl on the end refused to move her purse on the floor so we had to jump over it to move to the next seat...as the man finally stood, he yelled at me that there was only one seat so I could not enter the row. Huh? I have a ticket! So, the potty mouth and cranky usher took me back up the steps and I found an empty seat in the back row and watched the show by myself (which was fine). At intermission, I saw there was indeed a seat next to dad but the patrons on the end of the row only had patience to let Tink through and barred me with a series of pocketbooks and backpacks from finding my paid for seat.
On another note, dad was able to find parking, walk to the theater, hit the restroom and was seated before the show started. What is wrong with this story? Oh, yeah...while he was looking for a parking garage that was going to steal a great deal of money from our bank account, a woman stood in the middle of 44th street on the telephone. She looked at dad and said: "If you hit me, you are going to pay." 'Nuff said...only in New York does parking cost more than a theater ticket and you really do not need to go to Broadway to see a show. New York is pretty much a mini series itself.
How is the big kid doing? Is salty a good description? Last night as we traveled the turnpike to return to the 'burbs...ahhh...he called to report the starting pitcher had thrown a no hitter against a division rival in the Midwest. Rather than be totally thrilled for his friend, he was miffed. "I wasn't there"....OK, I get that. You want to experience these things with the guys. I completely understand it, but please express some kind of congratulations for the guy and team. My goodness, this is huge. Still salty, he predicted in no uncertain terms that he is going to throw a perfect game. Mark the date and time. This is his plan and he will do it and work harder than ever. Then he said that he was happy for the guy, had already sent a congratulatory text, but felt left out.
You know what? He was left out. The team was in another state and he was left out of the travel, games, dug out, and celebration. As a competitor on a team, he was blue and I understand his mood from an athlete's and mother's perspective. However, things like this happen when a person has surgery and rehabs throughout a season. The point is not to be despondent but determined to succeed. He has the physical tools, now he needs to focus on his mental toughness.
And so it goes. There are ups and downs on the road to a perfect game and if the kid says that he is going to do it, then I believe it. Yet, there will be days when he doubts his abilities but I lost those doubts long ago. With determination and preparation and sacrifice, a person can accomplish anything....really...believe....actually...believing is part of the process too.
Got to go...I believe that I need to spend time in the gym to work off the pre- and post- operative weight that I have gained. My tight pants are screaming at me to get going....so, off I go!
Enjoy!
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