The Rain, The Parties, and Other Things

We had things planned for the week. Some happened, and some were cancelled because of rain. Drats!!!

Monday: We traveled to Nashville to see/hear DIL3's album release show. Naturally we loved being there to see her preform, but we also got to see a couple of guys who went to school in New York with Son3. It was good to see them and to also see some of their friends in Nashville we have been around a few times.

It was a great show and though we were invited to the after party, we opted out. It was a night for them to be celebrating with their friends and not feeling like they had to entertain us. 

If any of you ever have a chance to go to the Basement downtown, take advantage of it. It is a very cool venue.

Tuesday: We stayed at a hotel on the southern outskirts of Nashville, which made our trip home so much easier than staying in East Nashville.

We woke fairly early, had breakfast then headed home. The trip back to Birmingham was an uneventful, beautiful drive. 

It is so nice to be able to drive to Nashville, see them, then head back home, instead of doing what we formerly had to do and fly. We can actually be there almost as fast as it took us to get to the airport, park, go through security and get on the plane. There is a huge joy in the simplicity of car travel.

Wednesday: I missed my class to wait at home for the guy who takes care of our lawn. We have had some landscaping work done and I needed to be here to tell him a couple of changes to the routine. Some are temporary until the new sod has a chance to take root, but some of the changes were to the sprinkler system (new heads and such). 

I had a hard time getting in touch with him and the  yard needed some attention badly. 

It was worth missing my class to get the lawn looking better, since delaying would be iffy. The weather forecast was for high chances of rain for the rest of the week.

Thursday: This was almost a do nothing day. I had planned on going to a local garden's annual sale, but rain changed that.

I did run to the store to pick up a couple of things, but other than that it was a rainy, windy, gloomy stay at home kind of day.

Friday: I talked to 2/3 of my sons. 

Son1 told me about Pip’s Listening Party. She is a huge Taylor Swift fan and it seems TS dropped a new album. She invited 5 friends to dress in an outfit based one of each of TS’s album themes, I think she claimed the newest one for herself. They listened to songs, sang, watched videos, ate dinner, and had a heart shaped cake that oozed strawberry “blood”.  The cake was supposed to mean something but I am tragically unhip and have no clue what that might be. All I know is I got a video of one of the kids stabbing said cake while all the other Taylor wannabes cheered. I do love being included in her life even if it is from afar.

While the party was going on, TheHub and I went to a nearby community theater’s production of 'Fiddler on the Roof”. 

One of the participants of Independence Place loves theater and was cast in the ensemble. He had been asking me to come for quite a while, so of course we went. This is TheHub's all time favorite musical. It was his 3rd time seeing the play, but my 5th.

They did quite a good job with the performance, had a couple of extraordinary vocalists, and a few very talented dancers. A play about Russian Jews is not a great fit with Southern accents  but after a few minutes Tevye's long drawn out vowels just became part of the play. What did I expect? It was community theater in an Alabama town.

We did make a decision to start going to a few of the community theaters around town for some inexpensive local entertainment.

Saturday: We did our usual running around, came home to a lot of mutual reading, trip planning, and of course Alabama softball watching.

Pip Face-timed me to tell me all about the party, and talked about everything Taylor Swift. While we were talking she got her Dad's ukulele  and had him show her some cords to a song or two.

Even though I personally could not care less about Taylor, I am going to start listening to her music and learn to play some of her songs on my uke, so we can have more to share when she calls.

Sunday: I want to know what sort of sorcery this was.  I woke with every joint screaming at me, and got out of bed FREEZING.  Ok not truly freezing but the house was cold and after my shower I had to throw on long pants and a sweatshirt. We are on the other side of mid April and it is supposed to be warm. I cried foul! Didn’t do any good, but it made me feel better. Hey April! I should be wearing shorts and flip flops.  Let’s get with the program ok! 

The upside? Reading on the couch while covered in a blanket was a good way to spite Mother Nature.

April reading

How Do I Un-remember This

The Whispering Room

The Crooked Staircase

Look for your joys. They are always out there even if they are small.

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne