Post-Holiday Catch-Up!

Howdy, dear readers!  I hope 2019 is going swimmingly for you - I've already had a couple of work screwups that make me think I should've stayed in bed for a few more days, but I guess I can get past them.  I had a great time over the break, spending time with my family (most especially my sweetheart), but it was over much too quickly.  Before I went home, I also saw two shows that I neglected to blog about - here's a report on all of that...

Heading home the day before Christmas Eve is a risky proposition - what if the weather doesn't cooperate?  What if I'm driven nuts by the airport?  So many 'what if' issues.  Well, the airport WAS nuts, but I guess it was ok.  It took me over an hour to get my bag checked, then through security, then to the gate.  Fortunately, I'm one of those people who like to be at the airport extra-early, just in case.  Oh, and it also took me almost a half hour to get through the ladies room line.  LaGuardia may be renovating, but they're not doing it fast enough.  I was in a terminal that still isn't spiffed up, so there was one ladies room in the whole gate area, and one of the stalls was broken.  There was basically two places for all the women in Terminal B to go to the bathroom.  NOT FUN.  

seriously?!  on a plane?!

Security was a bit weird, too, now that I think of it.  The woman in front of me was wearing (I kid you not) hip boots, so it took her forever to get out of them.  But I couldn't get around her in line.  So her suitcase went right through the machine, but she was still struggling to get her boots off.  I tried to alert the security guard that a bag was going through unattended, but he seemed unconcerned.  And the bags piled up so quickly on the other side of the scanners, that my liquids and boarding pass popped out of my bin and into someone else's.  What a crazy start to the vacay.

Apparently, there had been some weather issues before I even got there.  There was a family arguing with the gate agent - the agent said, "I can see how you can be frustrated," and the mother said "Yeah, I've already spent one night here, please get us on a plane!"  I also noticed there was a group of three kids who were traveling unaccompanied.  And no one was keeping an eye on them.  They were supposed to be on the flight before mine - when the agent announced the last group to board, the kids were still sitting there.  Finally, someone noticed them and got them on the plane.  I still wonder if their bags made it - the agent kept saying it was a full flight and all of the bags wouldn't make it on board...

My flight itself was fine - I got some reading done and my developing head cold didn't bother me that much.  Earplugs and cold pills are on my definite 'to do' list before boarding a plane.  When I got off the plane at home, I was so happy to see my sweetheart waiting for me.  He's so grown up!  And he very sweetly let me hug him for a very long time, even though we were in public.  I'm just crazy about him.  Oh, ok, I love everyone else in my family, too, lol.

It was a busy week - it seemed like we were doing something every minute, though I don't think we really were.  I helped my mom make our Christmas Eve cookies, which is a tradition; we had a big family Christmas Eve party (and for some reason, I became my six-year-old cousin's very favorite person, so we hung out a lot.  I loved it.); Christmas Day was fun - I got a lot of lovely gifts (the one from my sweetheart was my favorite, of course!) and people seemed to like the gifts I chose for them.  I didn't get to see quite as many holiday lights as I usually do, but that's ok.  I enjoyed spending time with my family, no matter what we did.

photo credit: John Wilson

My sweetheart wanted all of us to see a movie together - he decided on Holmes and Watson.  Well, I had heard it was terrible and people were walking out.  But we went anyway.  It's pretty dumb, and I really don't know why they made it, but we had a good time.  My sweetheart laughed at some stuff, and we all laughed at each other throughout.  I marveled at the demented glee of Will Farrell (whether it's misplaced or not), and there was a fun, and completely unnecessary, musical number.  Oh, and it had Ralph Fiennes.  I hope he got paid a lot.  After the movie, we all went out for dinner (uh, not Ralph Fiennes), so it was a totally fun family afternoon.

photo credit: Jay Maidment

My mom and I went to see Mary Poppins Returns.  I told my mom that I wasn't leaving without seeing it, so she knew what she had to do.  Thankfully, she wanted to see it, too.  She said she was ready for some happiness and fun, which is a great attitude.  And we did have some happiness and fun.  I think I had a smile on my face the entire movie - well, except for the parts where I was crying.  A couple of times I felt as if the movie was trying a little too hard, but that's quibbling.  For the most part, I was enchanted.  The children in the movie were adorable without being annoying, the songs were lovely, the underscoring with music from the original film was a gorgeous bonus, and the joie de vivre of Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda was just wonderful.  I loved the little cameos throughout the movie and just had the best time.  I can't wait to see the film again.

My sweetheart, sister and I got the parents a new big-screen tv, so that was fun to program and watch.  I got my mom to watch the first few episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which is a delight.  I can't wait to find time to binge season two.  I made my parents watch Battle of the Sexes with me, which was great fun.  I can't believe I didn't go to the movies to see it.  It was so well done.  We also watched several episodes of The Golden Girls and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, as they were meant to be seen.  Terrific.  Oh, and there was even a tennis tournament in Australia that my mom and I could watch before bedtime.  It was a wonderful week and I was sorry to leave.

Just to add a little sprinkle of theater to this post, before I left, I caught two shows that you should see:  Fabulation, or the re-education of Undine by Lynn Nottage (produced by the Signature Theater), and the Broadway revival of Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song.  Fabulation is so funny and so moving, with amazing acting and just smart smart writing.  I mean, I never expect anything less from a play by the incredible Lynn Nottage.  Please go.  And although I had heard some negative reports of Torch Song, I enjoyed myself.  I had actually never seen the play before, so I enjoyed watching the way it all unspooled, and Michael Urie has great charm and empathy.  You all know I love me some charm.  Those plays were a good way to end my year of theater (you can look at my previous post to see what my favorite theatrical experiences of last year were) - now I'm ready for some great stuff to come!  Let's all grab 2019 by the horns and make it the best year ever!