Hard to be Humble

ONCE UPON A TIME - you know the story about how a simple indentured servant became the "princess" of all times. The 20th was Charles' 35th and Monday was MacKaylas. We celebrated last Sat with the "maiden" voyage of our new grill as my previous comments have indicated.

Saturday was my present to MacKayla - a day at the new Bippity Boppity Boutique in "The Castle" at MK. I had planned to clean out the office when Kayla was getting "glammed up" as I am moving to a new park on the 6th and yesterday was the last day I was officially assigned to MK.

As many things in my life transpire, they don't always happen the way I plan. Her mom had a class that came up at the last minute and as someone had to stay with the "Princess", my plans changed and I got to stay as the Fairy Godmother did her magic.

MacKayla is so cute making her look regal isn't hard but as I watched the orchestration of it all, the "glow" continued to expand until the final results were truly magical.

It was her day. The schedule was to be determined as we went along and she decided to do things she had never done before at MK. Believe it or not, she had never ridden the train. As this didn't seemed to be an activity that would "muss" her hair, we jumped on the train after I cleaned out the office. (She waited for me on a bench as she is not allowed backstage)

As we descended from the train station, we were approached by a member of the "Dream Squad." She asked if we were going to be at MK at 12:55. I said probably not and I could not participate as I am a cast member. She assured me that being a cast member didn't matter in this case and again asked if we were going to be in MK at 12:55. (We were on our way out at the time.)

"Well" she said, "If you WERE to be here at 12:55 you could have an personal audience with Cinderella." MacKayla looked up at me, her mouth and eyes wide open, and we both immediately shook our heads and did a choral version of "YES, WE CAN BE HERE AT 12:55."

We DID lunch at Cosmic Rays and headed back to the prearranged spot. Behind some curtains, a photographer captured her look as we entered Cinderella's space and bathed in her presence. She IS as gracious as she seems and MacKayla was "over the moon" with excitement.

When it was time to leave, Cinderella said she hoped that Princess MacKayla would visit the Magic Kingdom again some time soon. MacKayla's only response as she left was "Perhaps."

Friends and Family

The members of my family and my friends are very important to me. They support me; they pray for me; they love me. Bob has not had good, close family ties so this is all new to him. He doesn't know how to respond most of the time, but he's learning.

Yesterday was Charles' birthday so to "christen" our new gas grill, we threw together a last minute "steak/etc." dinner at our place. As I looked around the table, Bret, Julie, Charles, Bob and I were there eating, talking, relating. M/M (the girls) were close by at the coffee table. Bret is "unofficial" griller and Julie makes a wicked salad. I'm just around to make sure we don't run out of coffee or tea to drink.

I don't know about anyone else, but for me it was a great night. (Oops - We forgot to take a picture BEFORE we cut the cake)

Prayer Changes Things

Being born in July makes me a "crab" sign and I am a lot like that. When "Life Happens" and I have trouble processing, then I crawl into my shell, try to sort all the inputting that is going on, and then come out on the other side with resolutions or processes that I can use. This usually involves prayer. When I can't pray, I can't process. That is where I am now:

• I have just gone through the "shift bid" process at work and I chose to move to another area that I really didn't want to move to, but I asked for the opportunity several months ago to try it, so I have to put up or "shut up" so to speak.
• I went to Brooksville to help Em with all that was involved with moving Marshall's other plane back into his hangar and pick up the Denali that was stored in the hangar. I wasn't much help to her. I was okay until I saw the Cessna and then reality arrived.
• On the way home to Orlando last night my battery light came on. I called Bob and he said to keep driving-if there was any damage it was already done and as long as it ran, I needed to try to get home if possible. The light went off and I made it home. Today as we started to go some place (Bob happened to be off-they messed up his work schedule) the battery light came on and stayed on. He called the Ford place and we took it in to get it checked out. Bob paid the $600.00 bill for me and even put gas in my car one more time this week, not to mention the sundry times he has taken me out to eat the last two weeks.
• Kathryn called and the person responsible for setting up interviews for a job for which I applied isn't even calling me for an interview - they didn't like my resume'.
• In less than 3 days my checking account should be at least $200.00 overdrawn and I won't have any money until the 30th.
• And, last but by no means least, tomorrow is Charles' 35th birthday and I don't even have him a birthday card.

I actually wasn't supposed to be here this week-end. I was scheduled to attend a women's retreat in GA. I couldn't walk off and leave the area as long as we are trying to make sense of Marshall's disappearance. I am going back to Pasco on Monday. We are meeting with the Coast Guard Captain who is bringing all the information they have available regarding Marshall.

How do I process all of this, especially without prayer?

When?

Yesterday my "sister" Emily called me with the news that her brother Marshall's plane was reported missing off the coast of Nassau.

Marshall is a brilliant man who is very thorough and conscientious. He is always in control of any situation. He is NOT a risk taker, nor is he a dare devil.

Reports from the Coast Guard's Search and Rescue Teams have come in indicating the finding of his life raft. They know it is his as he had his name, plane #, and other vital information printed on it. That's how detailed he is.

The newspaper article in the Miami Herald and the Coast Guard have indicated that he was in radio contact with MIA about some turbulence when his airplane signal suddenly disappeared from their radar.

This is a picture of the airplane he was piloting.


Knowing Marshall as I do, I HAVE TO BELIEVE he is waiting for his rescue on some island or in the water attached to a piece of his on-board equipment.

He will want to know what took so long. Me too.

To View or not to view

Yes, We made it. This is the set, or at least the
starting of the set of The View. We were not allowed to use cell phones during the program, and we forgot the camera. This is the only picture I got before they made the announcement to turn off all electronic equipment. It causes static on the program.

Charles explained the concept of the group while we were waiting to go in. Five women sit around and talk about whatever happens to be going on at the time. Whoopi Goldberg, who happens to be a favorite of mine, was the moderator, and Meredith, who I'm told once starred on the program, was back visiting today. The girl who stars in the new "Bionic Woman" TV series, who is actually English, was also there.

It was verrrrrrrrrry interesting; fast pace and at times funny. Charles said I was commenting on each thing they said and I didn't need to do that. I didn't even realize I was doing it. But I did get to ask Whoopi a question - "Is there a movie coming up for you?" She said not right now. She has a radio show and now a TV show, so she doesn't have the time.

There was very little interaction with the audience. Barbara Walters went up to talk with the people in the "balcony" area. It wasn't a balcony but higher level seating. The whole studio probably held 200 people and we were on the front row right beside the set.

What was my take on it? It was something I had never done; I was with Charles, whom I miss; they laughed; they talked; they gave us presents. Would I do it again? ABSOTUTELY!!!

The most shocking thing though, and I know you find this hard to believe, not one person asked for my autograph.

Interesting if not laughable

Just when I think I've seen everything, someone shows up to prove me wrong. I can't quite decide though which is the more interesting of the three. Could it be the person dressed as the Statue of Liberty, face paint, torch and all, or maybe the "cowboy" on the street corner wearing only a cowboy hat, boots, white briefs and strumming a guitar (He charges $1.00 apiece to have your picture taken with him). It could quite possibly be the girl with red, white, blue pasties on her breasts with red, white and blue short, short, short, shorts. I don't know. It's just a toss up. But NY certainly is interesting.

We did a triathlon today of two Broadway shoes, one dinner at an Italian Restaurant with friends of Charles (Trisha/Matthew and 3 children) and even found time to throw in a little shopping. I think the only time I sat down was when I went to the restroom. I DID manage to sneak in a Starbucks or two, which is a MUST as far as I am concerned.

Zanadu last night was phenomenal; Hairspray today was funny; but Wicked tonight was just right down engrossing. They all are so different, yet each one in their own right held me just where they wanted me. I found myself totally engrossed as if I was the only person in the theatre - they were playing to me; just for my enjoyment.

And the wonderful aromas and places to see (Flags in front of Rockefeller Center )- I can hardly wait until tomorrow when I venture out on my own.

We have tickets to see The View. I really haven't seen it, but Charles says it's a good show to visit. Who knows? I could be discovered tomorrow.

I promise I won't forget "the little people" when they put that star on my door.

"Start Spreading The News"

Here I am again; traveling. And, like all the times before, this is my view. We're traveling Continental this time, but the view is the same; just the material of the seat in front of me changes. I DID have more room this trip though - 3 across and the middle seat was empty.

It made the ride very pleasant except for the reparte of the pilot and stewardess from "National Lampoon's vacation" on the loudspeaker -

"We're holding"; "No, we're not holding"; "Please fasten your seat belts and put your seat in an upright position for our impending landing." "Ignore that voice; we're in a holding pattern for the next 20 minutes"; "Oh wait, they've changed their minds; we're getting ready to land." "No. We're on hold again." "You can keep all your electronic equipment on." "No. Wait. Please turn off all electronic equipment and place your seats in an upright position." Well, you get the picture. It got a little ridiculous after many indecisions.

This picture is out the window of the airplane. I thought the clouds looked like snow and the wing looks like a shark or dolphin laying sideways. (I've probably had a lack of oxygen or out of body experience.)

We're staying tonight at the Lucerne at 5th/79th. Very nice place; I didn't ask why but tomorrow we move to the Palace. Tonight we have tickets to see Xanadu. Can't wait.

Tomorrow is brunch at Balthazar - supposedly "THE" place to brunch. I'll have to skip Brooklyn Tabernacle visit this trip; can't do everything I want to do; too much to do; so little time.

The trip from the Newark airport was 2 hrs-through the Lincoln Tunnel. [I think we were actually in Mississippi for a while, but who knows.] It took 45 minutes - It is 8,216 feet long (I looked it up) and we inched along so slowly the driver could moonlight as a turtle.

What is with the fire extinguisher's every so many feet? That can't be a good sign. Makes me want to go "Hmmm."

Another odd thing about the tunnel - There was an American flag hung from the front of the entrance and it had systematic rows of half-moon shaped holes in the flag. I don't know what that was all about. If anyone who reads this knows, please let me know.

I got a great view of the Weehaucken Public Library which is shaped like a chalet from the Swiss Alps. I could have actually checked out books it took so long to get past it.

Taking the cab back from uptown was an experience in itself. I have been in many "interesting" cities and had many "different" drivers, but this driver either has a death wish or he is the last living kamikaze pilot who found himself without a job and migrated to NY just because...

I called Kim and asked her - "Do you know where I am and what I'm doing?" She said - "Yes I do. You are sitting in Time Square and drinking a Venti Cappachino from Starbucks." (I hate that she knows me so well) You gotta love a place that has a Starbucks on every corner, any imaginable show you would ever want to see and never seems to close down. Can't wait for tomorrow.

Communication?

It's hard to plan around conflicting schedules, especially when one of the two individuals don't know WHEN they can get off. As I have said many times, my life is not my own, so when my sons gave me a trip to NY for my birthday, it was already scheduled to coincide with the time Charles was to be there. That schedule was out of my hands.

When the women's retreat set their schedule for October, and I asked Bob if he could get off during October, he said "ABSOLUTELY NOT! This is the time they are redoing the train and no one can get off during this time." So, I asked if he minded if I went to the women's retreat in GA. He said no problem; go for it.

And, when Sherry asked when Bob and I could get off because she and her husband wanted to give us a week-end at the beach for a wedding present, the only time that was for sure available was the 12th/13th. I asked Bob if that would be a good time, and AGAIN, he said he couldn't get off during October. I invited 2 friends from Pasco to come over and spend the time with me at the beach.

I've also had some testing scheduled for this month, and, those are basically the reasons why I took off the whole month.

NOW, it seems Bob IS able to take time off. He has, in fact, already scheduled it. Of course, the first few days are during the time I'm in NY; the next times are when I'm in GA; and, of course, the only week-end he has taken off is the 12th/13th.

What now? The events are already set; the times are in place; how do I placate my husband? I think this is one of those "NO WIN" situations.