Today is a day full of activities. Some enjoyable, some that just have to be done. As I sit here early in the morning thinking about everything that needs to get done today, I can't help but to wonder why I really have no reflections about the year. There were some good times, and bad times, but most of all....I feel like it's just time to move on. I don't want to dwell on what happened last year, I want to focus on what I'm going to do this coming year.
I woke up early this morning, not because I was anxious about today, but because I had to retrieve some blood of the elders from the game Vampire Wars on Facebook. I know that sounds stupid, but hey if it gets me out of bed, and helps me start the day, I'm all for it!!! I went out in the kitchen and played my game for awhile, checked e-mail, wished everyone a very happy new year, and then I was done. What I mean by done, is that there was no stress on having to get things together for today, what was I going to wear for tonight. As Cesar Millan would say...I was in a calm submissive state. It was kind of nice.
Tonight Jim and I are going to go see Xanadu at the community center. Jim won free tickets by being the 1000th friend of Pat and Tom on KNCI on Facebook. I am so excited. I so love the arts and things like music circus, operas, etc. I have never really been to anything like this. Not to mention it's time together just Jim and myself. Now don't get me wrong....my first thought was after the play where are we going from there, maybe to a bar to have our first public new year's kiss. Then my head goes into...I wonder if Spencer would like to join us for some music and festivities after the show. I am always thinking of others before my hubby. That has got to stop!! Jim has stood by me through thick and thin and it's time I show him that.
I sometimes get upset with Jim because I feel like I'm taken for granted, but it just dawned on me, that I do the same to him. So this year, I'm focusing on us. I'm not making an resolutions...they just don't stick, besides this is a new year and a new opportunity. Mom has a car now, so I don't have to be their taxi. I'm getting back to me and Jim and Shadow. Home is where the heart is...and they are truly my heart and soul. So sorry friends and family, but mending is around the corner for my heart.
And we're off.....
Jim and I left the house around 10am to go pick up the tickets for the show tonight. We had to take the long way there because we were still on the spare tire. But we got there and got the tickets. Jim noticed that where we were sitting was in the orchestra pit. Oh how fun!!!! After that we headed over to mom's house. We sat around for awhile, then since mom had to go to the bank, I thought this would be a perfect time to try out her car before I have to drive it to the doctors office. So we all piled in the car and off we went.
The car is not that bad, it has a few issues but hey.....it runs!!!! I have to figure out a way so mom can sit up straighter in the seat. The seat leans waaaaay back....I felt almost like I was laying down in the back seat driving. lol. The car has a lot of get up and go, so let's hope that mom will finally be able to get up and go!!!!
Anyway, we came back home to mom's. Jim had to leave to pick up his paycheck, get a new tire for the van, and then meet up with mom, Kelly and I for lunch. That is where the day went wonky!!
I took mom to the eye doctor. When we got there we saw a lady that used to come to the brown bag program that mom runs at church. Her name is Barbara. She looked great. Barbara has some medical issues like diabetes and such, but she looked really healthy. That was nice to see. We talked for awhile, but I had to get mom in for her appointment. They took mom right away.
Now her appointment was to get her eyes checked so she could get some new glasses. I was thinking maybe half an hour or so. Half an hour came and went, still no mom. Forty-five minutes, still no mom. Hmmmm. Kelly is getting restless, and we both are getting hungry!!! Jim shows up and an hour later, mom re-appears from the land of the blind. We thought that we were done....should have known. The doctor dilated mom's eyes and wanted her to see the surgeon about doing surgery to get rid of her cataract. So that was going to be another half hour or longer wait. Which is fine, because she needs to have this done. But I was getting hungry!!! Jim and I only had a bowl of cereal at 8am and here it is almost 4pm!!! But we wait.
Once again, mom re-appears from the grasp of the doctor, and she has this sick look on her face. I ask her what's wrong. She has to have surgery and the doctor is going to fix both eyes, a month apart. Then she shows me the appointment schedule. Wholly cow....she has about 8 appointments before her surgery on March 9th!!!! Then after March, they are going to do surgery on the other eye for her far sightedness in April!!! Looks like I'm still a taxi driver for another 6 months or so. That's ok, I would rather mom get her eyes fixed than to put this off any longer. *sigh*
Moving on.....we head over to where we are going to have lunch, which has now turned into dinner. We get over to Panda Buffet and they are closed!!! They close between lunch and dinner to get reset I guess. So I took mom and Kelly across the street to the store so they could get some groceries for later and then we headed back to eat.
Now it's 4:30pm. Jim and I have to be able to eat, take mom and Kelly home, get us home and changed and out the door by 7pm to go see Xanadu by 8pm downtown. To give you a breakdown of time, mom lives 30 minutes away from the restaurant, we live 45 minutes away from mom (with no traffic), and we live 20 minutes away from the theater downtown but then have to find parking. Whew!!!!
The funniest part of the whole eating thing is that mom's eyes are still dilated. She can't see a thing!!!! Her nose is shot so she can't smell anything...so if I catch her licking things to find out what they are, I'm leaving....LOL. I helped mom figure out what everything was and we finally got to eat. RELIEF!!!! The food tasted soooo good. I had to catch myself and slow down otherwise I was going to either loose my dinner or it was going to get stuck and I was going to be super uncomfortable for a long time. Since we got there right when it opened, not all of the food was out yet. By the time all the food was out, I had eaten my cup of food and was done. No matter though, it all tasted good. I was good too though. I didn't eat anything fried, I did however eat the filling out of the crab rangoon!!! Yummmm!!! I had my fill of protein, veggies, jello (oh I so love jello!!!), and yes I had some ice milk.
Now it's time to break the sound barrier getting mom and Kelly home. We got them home and unpacked then we were off. Thankfully we knew what we were going to wear to the theater tonight. Like super hero's, we changed in an instant and we were off and driving again.
Are you tired yet?!? We were but our night was just beginning!!! We parked in a parking garage and walked over to the community center. We had no idea where they were holding the play. In the front of the center was a clean and sober group, I don't think we need that, and on the side of the center was a recovery art show. Hmmm...I see a theme!! lol. Behind the community center was the theater. Yeah!!!!! We have finally arrived!!! As we walked in, there was someone selling these books. I thought that they were programs at first, since this is my first Broadway production that I've been to!!! Nope, these were books about the whole life of Xanadu. I thought, cool, I've never seen the movie, and it would be a cool item to remember tonight by. $25 dollars later.....it was still cool!!! Jim headed over to grab a beer.....$5.50!!! It was Budweiser too!!! Who cares, tonight is our night. I was going to buy a water but not at $3 for a 16.9 ounce bottle. We had about a half an hour until we could go into the seating area. So we sat back and watched all the people arrive. There were people in furs and people in jeans and hoodies. It was interesting to see what everyone was wearing. I was afraid that me in my black pants and t-shirt were going to be out of place. Nope!!!! lol.
7:30pm we are ushered into the seating area. An usher takes us to our seats. WOW!!!!! We are three rows back from the stage!!!! Woot woot!!! We take our seats and look through our program....not the book, but the actual program. The seats are filling in around us, but so far no one is sitting on either side of us. I was worried because I didn't really fit in the seat. There is nothing worse than having to sit next to a heavy person and have them "hang over" your seat too. So far so good. I was amazed at the lights, and the settings, it was all just so exciting. There were seats up on stage that people were sitting in too! I'm not sure I would want to sit there. Then it happened, the seats next to me filled up. Thankfully she was a skinny little thing and I was able to sit closer to Jim (who had no one sitting next to him), so we all had room. She would occasionally kick me or elbow me but that was ok.
The theater darkens....it's beginning.....the show is on!!!!!!
It was fantastic!!! The lead singer actually occasionally sounded like Olivia Newton John! The humor was hilarious, and the singing and dancing was absolutely amazing!!! I LOVED IT!!!!! I'm hooked!!! We left the theater and were going to head over to a bar to finish out our evening, but everywhere was packed!!!! Neither one of us wanted to really drink anyway. So we headed home. I was tired but amped too. This was a fantastic evening!!!
Finally home and stripped down to our comfy clothes, we relaxed. We watched some tv, played with the dog, and by 11:30pm I was asleep. So much for my New Year's day kiss....but not so. I felt Jim lean over and give me a kiss on the cheek at midnight. Now you know why I keep him around.
The evening was over. What a wonderful way to close out the year. Happy New Year everyone. May all your wishes, dreams, and desires be obtainable, and fulfilled.
Good night.
