Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Please Come to Boston

I know, I know - I promised I would blog on Tuesday. I forgot about how exhausting it is chaperoning a field trip for teenagers. I drove a car full of students (BOY students, no less) from Alex's voice class to a dress rehearsal performance of two operas put on by the music and theater departments of the University of Southern Maine. In case you're into opera, the two performances were Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi, both by Puccini. I don't listen to this kind of music for fun very often, but I don't mind going to a fully-staged opera once in a while. I think I learned to like it by watching Bugs Bunny cartoons when I was a kid (remember the Rabbit of Seville? Classic.)

It was about an hour's drive each way. plus two operas and a lunch stop. I was wiped out. I'm not sure which was more tiring - the uplifting themes of banishment, suicide, greedy relatives and corpse abuse or listening to teenage boys talk for two hours (dude, really?)

I came home with a horrendous headache and I was unable to keep my eyes open past suppertime. The good news is that I'm fully awake now, and can tell you all about Boston.

Since I had been at the dogsled race for Friday, and came home very late that night, I went down to Boston first thing on Saturday morning. We all met at my friends' house in North Reading and carpooled to the TD Banknorth Garden for the Bruins game. We had the highest possible seats (the only place the purchaser could get 12 seats together) and I was a little creeped out at first - that last section of stairs was pretty darn steep, and I admit to a little fear of heights. After a bit, though, I got used to it, and we could see everything going on perfectly.



Here's the view from my seat. I left my camera at the dogsled race, so I have only this picture from my cell phone.

We had an amazing time, and the Bruins won, so all was right with the world. GO BRUINS!

Last week, when I mentioned that I was going to Boston for the game, one of my blog readers, Lisa from The Life and Times of Lisa, mentioned that she was going to be there, also. She was good enough to tell me the section that she would be sitting in with her family, and told me to look for her kids, who would be wearing Bruins jerseys with Kessel and Bergeron on them. At that point, I had no idea where our seats were, as my friends had the actual tickets. When I got to the garden, I was amazed to find that we were sitting in the section directly next to the one she was in. I spent every spare moment searching the section for her, but no luck. I saw lots of Bruins jerseys, but not the right ones.

I was walking out, after the game, when my friend (who had heard me complain about not being able to find her) said, "Hey, those kids are wearing Kessel and Bergeron." I ran down the stairs (fear of heights be damned) just as they were disappearing around the corner, and I shouted "LISA!" thinking, 'if this isn't her, this woman is going to call security on me' or, worse, 'this is her and she'll think I'm a total nut job!'

It WAS her, and she didn't think I was a nut job - well, at least she didn't SAY so. She turned out to be just as nice as she could be, with a lovely - and patient - family.

Lisa is from Vermont, and has a great attitude about life, which is why I like her blog. The first think I noticed on her blog was a quote that said, in part, 'Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Play with abandon.' I loved it, and I grew to love her positive way of looking at things and her daily gratitude journal. Go on over and check her out - and next time we're headed to watch the Bruins kick some ass, you should come along!

Lisa's son was nice enough to take our picture - again with my cell phone. I have my eyes closed, and this is definitely not my best angle (don't my boobs look HUGE? Well, they are big - not quite as big as they look in this pic...) but I wanted you to see how adorable she is. We managed to chat all the way out of the building, and I was absolutely thrilled. What a small blog world it is!

My friends and I spent the rest of the day walking around Boston. Not the best thing for my broken foot (damn you, cobblestone streets!) but I didn't care. It was above 50 degrees, sunny, and I was with some of the funnest people on the planet. We ate cannoli's from the North End Bakery and window-shopped and people-watched and laughed ourselves silly. Some of us stayed in North Reading overnight (pizza and movies) and then our hostess made these spectacular Belgian waffles with every conceivable topping for breakfast.

It was a wonderful time, and I managed to forget all about the things that trouble me for a while. I think a little respite from my stresses was exactly what I needed, and I think I need to schedule more of these little breaks into my life. I can't afford a big fancy vacation, but that isn't what I need. What I need is to do more things with people that make me feel happy. If I was a resolution-making kind of person, I think that would be mine.

Note to self: Spend more time with people who make you laugh.

22 comments:

Wonderful World of Weiners said...

Your boobs are perfect...perfectly large but I love them!!

(thought you needed to hear that)

I ASSUME I will be seeing much more of you since you have decided to spend more time with people who make you happy. IE..ME!!!

Hallie :)

Alice said...

Isn't it cool to meet bloggers we "know" in real life?? I'm looking forward to meeting many, many more of you!!

PS--Your boobs look great! :)

Evansmom said...

Sounds like it is time for another "Girls Night Out"!!

Your boobs have always been big and have always been just perfect - even when we were wearing the "ugliest bridesmaid's dress in history". :)

Kim said...

I would love to meet one of my bloggy friends! How fun for the both of you.

Lipstick Jungle said...

I'll grab kimD and we will be on our way!

I know the "dang it should be easier than this" feeling when you are looking for someone and cant find them - I am so glad you found her!!!

Also very glad you are back!!!

kim-d said...

You want happy people? You've got happy people! (See Lori's comment above, and Hallie's and...). I'm so glad you had fun and got to laugh and do stuff you enjoy; it's amazing what a difference that makes in a person's outlook. It's always been my policy to endeavor to spend my time with the people with whom I have the most fun; life is too short NOT to.

Glad you're back!

for a different kind of girl said...

I think I got a nosebleed just looking at that photo! I've been to the tops of some indoor arenas and have had to have my husband talk me up the rest of the way after I've come upon those steep, narrow steps. I'm definitely not a heights person!

It's so fun that you got to meet someone you've connected with online. It truly is a small world we're all living in!

Unknown said...

Oh that's good you got to relax and have fun.

(Welcome to my shop, let me cut your mop...)

Elenka said...

Sounds like you had a great time. When did you break your foot? I read you all the time, I must have missed it. Or something's up with my memory. That's the more likely story.

Sarah Laurence said...

Sounds tiring but fun – both Portland and Boston. Definitely use your free time for some ME time too. Laughter always helps.

Laura Marchant said...

I love that note to self...best people to hang out with.

claudia said...

Sounds like a fun, fun, fun time. I know all about those nosebleed sections...I sat in one at an Eagle's Concert a few years back. That was the one thing that kept me from having a second Margarita!
Glad you had a fun time and are home safe and sound!

As Cape Cod Turns said...

You could hang out with me, my mom and my sister. We went to Stars on Ice one time in Portland. We sat in the last row and were joking about it being in the nosebleed section.

MY MOM GOT A NOSEBLEED!

We still laugh about it till this day!

Unknown said...

Sounds like you had a great time! I would love to meet some of the people behind the blogs that I read. I have to have the time first, which is few and far between lately considering one I read lives about 20 minutes or so from me and I haven't made it there yet. :( I would love to come to Boston again though. My real dad is from there and I visited briefly a couple years ago. Maybe one day...

Glad you had a good time though!

Laura ~Peach~ said...

i got a bit dizzy from those seats... I am terrified of heights so am not so sure I would have been able to sit with you guys...
Love the pic of you two together and great boobages ... those of us with lesser endevors ... admire LOL... giggles ok i am being silly but still love the pic!!!!!!
Glad you survived teen boys conversations:)
Love n hugs Laura

Unknown said...

I'm jealous. I SO want large breasts.

:-)

By the way, here I am now:

http://longpatience.blogspot.com/

joanne said...

I agree with Peach..I'm a little jealous of the boobage!

Sounds like an amazing time, I wish I wasn't so far away from all the 'fun.' I love your note to self---I need to remember that one too. Hope your foot is o.k., that broken foot thing can be a real pain. Take care M.E...glad you are back safe and sound!

Tonjia said...

great advice! Spending time with those who make you laugh is good medicine.

The trip sounds like a lot of fun,and getting out of the cold and into the warm has to make you feel better.

by the way, your boobs look fine. ;-)

Odette said...

So gald that you had a good time. I mean seriously dude that's awesome! lol couldn't resist :P

kim-d said...

Please come back to the Blogosphere.

Boston's done. Wipe off shoe and move on.

Please come back to those who love you here.

BWAHAHAHAHA! Seriously...I miss you. So unless you have found gainful employment, come back.

Proud Mom said...

Hi friend, I've been busy myself (with laundry, work, Nut home with another bubonic plague, grocery shopping, sleeping, and various other time-consuming crap) so I am just now finding the opportunity to tell you how thrilled I was to meet you.

I tried not to stress about whether or not the stars would align to make it happen, but I did say a little prayer that it would. I will take you up on the dog sled ride offer some day, too.

Meanwhile I think I'm going to plan a sisters weekend to the Maine Coast this summer so I'd love to meet again. I also think we should shoot for getting to a Bruins game together.

Remember me telling you that the Bruins come to VT for training? If they come again, I'll let you know and maybe we can hook up there. The Ben & Jerry's plant is only 5 minutes from the rink, so how's that for incentive!!!

Thanks for finding me... let's hope your "man"hunt works on your BioMom now.

Hugs ~ Lisa

Cupcake Blonde said...

Sounds like an incredible trip! Lots of fun with friends is always great, and hockey makes it even better! How cool you got to meet a blogger friend too. :)

Reading this post makes me miss Boston so much. I need to come home for avisit. Guess you'll have to come down for another Boston trip! :)