I took my girls to see Rent last week. I had an offer for cheap TDF tickets and we wanted to see it one more time before it closes. We first saw it five years ago, I think, although we knew some of the music already. The girls and I loved it from the start (Doran didn't, which is why he didn't come with us this time). I remember Zara (8 at the time) leaning over and whispering to me half way through, "Is Angel a boy or a girl?" I also remember being so glad we live in NYC when she took to singing sections of the song La Vie Boheme on the playground ("Here's to sodomy! It's between G-d and me! To S and M! La Vie Boheme") I imagine there are places where that might be looked at amiss, but here it's okay if it's Broadway :-).
We loved it just as much this time around. I cried at the Reprise of Cover Me, laughed at the jokes I know by heart, and just gloried in the music. We waited by the stage door to get our programs signed.
Our shul has an annual "Getaway Weekend" and I've been going for years. For the past several years we've gone to a lovely place in Dutchess County run by the Workmen's Circle. It's on a beautiful lake and there's a pool, nice (albeit rustic) living quarters, etc. We hold services sitting by the lake, have time for swimming and boating. There are usually crafts activities, some classes, a campfire, and lots of general schmoozing and relaxation. Zara in particular has always wanted to go, but it has always fallen on a weekend when the kids weren't with me. Until this year, that is.
So last weekend
vickifelder and I took six teenage girls along with us to the retreat. I took my daughters and Vicki took her daughter and each kid brought a friend. The girls stayed in a camp-like bunk by themselves and we had a motel-style room. Zara and I both leyned (in a very PSJC moment she got out of the lake, put on a talit, and leyned) and Kendra did a fair amount of the religious stuff, even getting me out of the lake to go to "Parsha Insights with Carie." We all relaxed a lot, too - swimming and boating and hiking and sitting by a thoroughly gorgeous lake and reading. I gave a workshop on making beaded jewelry which was fun and well-received. The food was good; the company was very good. Zara and I got sunburnt (in spite of wearing oodles of sunblock) but other than that it was great.Here
is a picture of my girls and Kendra's friend Rosie at the Saturday night campfire. I wasn't actually at the campfire, having turned in early. And I was glad of it, because shortly after these pictures were taken, four thirteen-year-olds showed up at Vicki's and my room, saying, "We're lonely! We're hot! We saw a spider! We want to sleep with you." I pointed out that there was a double bed and a single bed in our room, but they said they could all sleep on the double bed and Vicki and I could sleep on the single bed. So that's what we did. So I was glad of the sleep we'd had before that.As we got into bed, Vicki's daughter's friend said, "You're so nice. My mom would have said, 'Emma go back to your own bed.'" But, actually, it hadn't occurred to me that that was an option until after I'd agreed. So, I'm not nice - just a sucker.
A little after midnight, Kendra and Rosie got back to the bunk they were sharing with the younger girls. Kendra called me in a panic.
K: We just got back and the little kids aren't here! Are they with you?
D: Yes.
K: All of them?
D: Yes.
K: You should have told me.
D: Yes.
K: Go back to sleep.
D: Yes.
Also through TDF I got tickets for a Cole Porter Birthday celebration and went to it this past Monday. I'd never heard of either of the performers but it was a swell evening of cabaret.
- I'm taking a couple of these classes next week. Yes, I know, everyone has a different definition of "fun" and for many people it does not include classes in emergency response, but hey! Different strokes for different folks (and so on and so on and scooby dooby dooby).
- Vicki and her daughter and I are going to see Gypsy on Broadway later this month to celebrate Vicki's birthday.
- Vicki and I are going (by ourselves!) to New Hope for a weekend in July. We're staying here and I think it looks lovely. We've been dating since January and only went away alone for one weekend (DC in February) and are excited to be doing it again.
- At the end of the summer, I have a week's vacation planned. We're going to Mystic, Connecticut and will spend time at the Seaport Museum and the aquarium. Then we'll spend one day/night in Rhode Island and - depending upon weather - either have a beach day or tour mansions in Newport (speaking of Cole Porter, the kids should see High Society before we go). And we'll spend the long weekend in Northampton with
rpics and family, which is always a good time.Anyone else having fun or having fun plans coming up?
