A Wonderful Day at the Beach

Good morning, everyone,  it is monday in Stamford, CT and we are on our way to Duxbury , Mass, later on today.   I have had quite a week, but I want to describe a specific day, as it raised my spirits  when sometimes that is just a really hard thing to do.  Let's take it from the top:

My son asked to take a day off and be with me, just to talk and be together.  This was such a lovely request, but we both had trouble with exactly what we should do, so we just went out and did it.  We started off going to the West Side for breakfast at Grumpy’s.  Neither of us had been there, and we highly recommend this spot as the corned beef hash was tremendous as were the burritos with egg, tomato, turkey and avocado….awesome!  Then we then went on to Bay Village to Huntington Beach at about noon, and we lay on the beach and talked.  Actually, we talked and talked and talked.  We had planned to record all of our conversation, but we couldn't get the plastic off the recorder, nor did we use the one on my phone.   Instead, we lay back and enjoyed the sun and clouds and just talked about everything.  I say it again, these kids are the finest thing Chip and I have ever done, not that we can take the credit (but we do).  I was so struck by Will's maturity and thoughtfulness as well as his humor and goodheartedness.  We laughed and cried, and laughed some more.  This whole situation must be so incredibly hard for my little family; especially with the time we thought we didn't have. 

As soon as we got up from the beach, I realized that the 6 flights of stairs back up to the car might be a problem for me.  I got up four of them, and then I couldn't go a step further.  Thank goodness I have a strong son.  Will put me on his back and hauled me up the last two flights, seriously.  He has some pair of thighs!  I would not have made it otherwise.  So we got in the car and called KT to find out where she had the excellent ice cream in Tremont, and off we went.  Unfortunately, it was 3 pm and the place didn’t open until 4, so we just came home and had two cones right here.  Perfect.  Then he went off to join the golf group and I went to sleep.

Next thing I know, Brent is waking me up at 6;30pm as we have tickets for opening night at the Palace Theatre for The Book of Mormon, and Brent knows the second lead as he acted in her community theatre in Stamford, CT, called Curtain Call!  She  had made sandwiches and we whizzed downtown and found parking right in front of the theatre (ok, i am not shy --I am using my handicapped thing, and it is a godsend).   Unfortunately, we were in the nosebleed seats, and there were another 6 flights of stairs to go up.  Brent is very strong and hauled me unceremoniously up to our seats, which were quite good, actually.  We had a sort of canopy in front of us and no on could sit there, so we could see and hear quite well.  We still were pretty sure we missed lots of what went on, but it was funny and irreverent, and the singing and dancing were marvelous.  I tell you, give me a musical any time.  Just being in the midst of the most amazing singing and dancing is sheer pleasure for me.  After the show, we found the stage door and Chris O’Brien showed us around backstage and was so excited to get Brent’s flowers!  All the actors walked by us and said that no one gives them flowers, but here we were, flowers and all.  It was all such great fun!  I barely made it to the car, but we made it home.  

I tell you, it was quite a day for me.  I am going to follow up with Will and KT about taping stories about their parents and about them.  It feels so right that they should have them and be able to hear us laugh and cry and whatever.  I won't let this drop again, but the day did help me think about how to organize this, and how to pull in my daughter too.  My sis and I are recording all our adventures already as a start to her sabbattial (isn't she a gift to me!).  

Mom, Brent, and I are now off to Duxbury to get mom in the sun and us at the beach for a week.  Then I lose my trusty companion, my sis,  who has helped me get out most everyday and see the world a little.  I will miss her, but I will see her again a bit later in the summer.  HOw about a little poetry.

The Poet With His Face In His Hands (Mary Oliver)

You want to cry aloud for your
mistakes. But to tell the truth the world
doesn’t need any more of that sound.

So if you’re going to do it and can’t
stop yourself, if your pretty mouth can’t
hold it in, at least go by yourself across

the forty fields and the forty dark inclines
of rocks and water to the place where
the falls are flinging out their white sheets

like crazy, and there is a cave behind all that
jubilation and water fun and you can
stand there, under it, and roar all you

want and nothing will be disturbed; you can
drip with despair all afternoon and still,
on a green branch, its wings just lightly touched

by the passing foil of the water, the thrush,
puffing out its spotted breast, will sing
of the perfect, stone-hard beauty of everything.

Lots of Sorrow and a Little Joy (Gregory Orr)

Lots of sorrow and a little joy.
Lots of joy and only a bit
Of sorrow.
Who can know
The formula beforehand?

We don't get to watch
While it's mixed.  No one tells us
What's in it.
We lift it
To our lips - azure elixir
That burns our throats to crystal.

~ Gregory Orr ~

Cheers and have a great week, my friends!

Lissa