Highs...

...and lows.

Tumultuous week.

 Made our monthly pilgrimage to Disneyland.  It was an OK day. 

High: We had a nice breakfast at the Rancho del Zocalo

Low:  We had hoped for a pre-show set by our favorite piano player at the Golden Horseshoe, but it was not to be.  It was entertaining when the CM dumped a load of ice in front of the door.  I suggested to the crew that we should all sing "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?", but they were not amused.




High:  Sheriff Woody was out for a stroll and spied my mother, the stud magnet.





High:  As we waited for the piano set that was not to be, we got to listen to the Silverdollar Six playing on the rooftop balcony.  Always a treat.  I noted this time that the trumpet player sounds like Kermit Ruffins.  Toby is always a beloved old friend, Dad's favorite park musician.

 

Low:  We had planned our day around a trip to DCA to see the new Frozen stage show.  They only did one show that day, and we had already missed it.

High:  I got my chance to ride the new Luigi's Tires ride.  I think this may be my new favorite ride at DCA.  It is adorable.  And while it seems boring from the sidelines, looks deceive.  Every time these little cars move in their dance, the rider gets a little jerk to the side.  Or front.  Or back.  Or other side.

Then a double pirouette at the end.

High:  They were hosting a preview of Moana in the Bug's Life Theater.  I am more excited about this movie that I've been for any movie (Even Star Wars VII) in a long time.  The preview was about ten minutes, and I was delighted to note they had managed to choreograph it to the Bug's Life effects.

High:  Hatter was his usual charming, attentive self to Mom.  Even loaned her a quarter to tap.  (Didn't let her keep it, though.)

High:  Last set before leaving.

Low, low and triple low:

We've started a new tradition.  We leave the park early, then head to Knott's Berry Farm for a famous chicken dinner. 

Totally forgot about this.

Three hours.  THREE HOURS from Disneyland to Knott's, not counting the twenty minutes I had to sit at the end of a full parking lot row trying to merge into the line of traffic trying to leave the full lot onto the street that was bumper to bumper as far as the eye could see.

High:  Once I bullied my way into the line and made the turn, within the short row someone almost right next to the handicapped row backed out.  We got into the restaurant without a problem, enjoyed our charming server and delicious meal and got home just as the rain was starting.  Mom suggested I stay, but it cleared up enough for me to get safely home, then rained most of the night.

High: Repeat: rained most of the night.

Low:  As usual, my students did not pay attention to my directions on an assignment even though I told them they were using the most important article of the year and I wanted them to read it carefully.  Had to take another day for them to correct their mistakes, but none of that was as awful as the worst low ever.

Low Low Low:  Last year I had as a student a delightful, curly-haired blonde boy with bright blue eyes.  In the wee hours between Monday and Tuesday, his stepfather shot and killed his mother (while he and his three siblings were in the house) then turned the gun on himself.  The stepfather died a few days later.

It's a horrible, helpless place to be as a teacher.  The best the school could do was to have a couple of dress-in-support days.

High:  It did cheer me up to learn that Carrie Newcomer, my new entertainment crush, will be close enough to enjoy this coming Friday.  I've got my ticket and am looking forward to the drive down the PCH right after school Friday.  I should be able to get there in time for a fast food dinner and then her concert in a famously intimate venue.  REALLY excited.

High: speaking of entertainment crushes, my younger son played at Manhattan, a fine food restaurant down the hill from my house.  He plays occasionally with Michael Falcone, an amazing piano player/singer.  Michael plays and sings EVERYthing starting with  big band standards and into Michael Jackson, Billy Joel and Elton John with some fifties and sixies rock and roll thrown in.

Low:  Once the dinner hour has ended, this place takes on a bar atmosphere.  I hate it.  I had friends there, all of whom ended up too close, too slurring and made me too worried about their safety getting home.  My son may not play there again (right now it sounds like he may never play again anywhere; tired of lugging the set everywhere for tips).  While it saddens me that he's considering giving up music, I won't miss drunk night at the Manhattan.

High:  Before the dinner and performance, I went to the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology or, as Camarillo calls it, the bird museum.  I'd never been there.  It's pretty impressive, although I prefer my living birds to the preserved birds in the extensive display.  Add a mariachi band and the atmosphere was upbeat.  Best part was that I ran into one of my dearest retired teacher friends.  Oh, and I was able to identify the flock of tiny birds that swoop into my orange trees to hang upside down and peep peep peep as they clean off all the tiny insects that are infesting my drought-challenged old trees.

Low:  For three years I have been collecting pieces for a Maleficent costume for Halloween.  Life kept getting in the way, and this was the year (my last year of teaching) that I was going to make it work.  I got the bodice part of the dress halfway finished and tried it on.  I'm not sure it would have fit at all, and if it had it would have been indecent even for a bar, much less a middle school.  I admit it was somewhat satisfying - after struggling with the weird pattern - to just gather up all the offending pieces - fabric, partially completed dress, pattern - and dump them in the outside garbage can.   But now I have to be a Dalmatian.  (Most of the teachers are dressing as 101 Dalmatians for Halloween at school.)

And now it's time to finish my laundry and wrap this up, but I don't want to end on a low, so will tack these beautiful lyrics by Carrie Newcomer in her gorgeous song, "The Gathering of Spirits." 

Let it go my love my truest,
Let it sail on silver wings
Life's a twinkling that's for certain,
But it's such a fine thing
There's a gathering of spirits
There's a festival of friends
And we'll take up where we left off
When we all meet again.

I can't explain it.
I couldn't if I tried
How the only things we carry
Are the things we hold inside
Like a day in the open,
Like the love we won't forget
Like the laughter that we started
And it hasn't died down yet

Let it go my love my truest,
Let it sail on silver wings
Life's a twinkling that's for certain,
But it's such a fine thing
There's a gathering of spirits
There's a festival of friends
And we'll take up where we left off
When we all meet again.

Oh yeah, now didn't we
And don't we make it shine
Aren't we standing in the center of
Something rare and fine
Some glow like embers
Like a light through colored glass
Some give it all in one great flame
Throwing kisses as they pass

Let it go my love my truest,
Let it sail on silver wings
Life's a twinkling that's for certain,
But it's such a fine thing
There's a gathering of spirits
There's a festival of friends
And we'll take up where we left off
When we all meet again.

Just east of Eden
But there's heaven in our midst
And we're never really all that far
From those we love and miss
Wade out in the water
There's a glory all around
And the wisest say there's a 1000 ways
To kneel and kiss the ground
Let it go my love my truest,

Let it sail on silver wings
Life's a twinkling that's for certain,
But it's such a fine thing
There's a gathering of spirits
There's a festival of friends
And we'll take up where we left off
When we all meet again.

My goal is to be throwing kisses, but after last week I've just fanning the dying embers.

This week will be better and end in joy.