Saturday, May 21, 2022

Culture!


The dance recital was terrific! What a production! There's Maggie after the last number, getting an award for being part of all three of the recitals of the company since it began. She did so well in her two numbers. Especially the tap one. She is five years younger than some of the kids in her class and she pulled it off with sass. 
Gibson amazed me. He is the only boy in his class and so he was sort of the star of their piece and he was terrific! He has come so far in two years. I was truly, truly impressed. 


The recital was held in the auditorium of a community college, same place as last year. It's way on the opposite side of town from where I live and where Lily lives and wouldn't you know, the second I got to Lily's to pick them all up, it began to pour rain. I hate driving in the rain but I managed to get us there safely and on time. 
Phew! 
The auditorium was packed and that was only one of the three shows. I cannot imagine the work and money that went into that affair, from costumes to sound system. Of course the parents bear the burden of all the costs in the end but there were plenty, I would think, to share. And everyone is so proud of their child or children and it means a lot to the kids as well as the parents and grandparents and siblings so...
It works out.
There were the usual moments. The one that breaks your heart when a little child is frozen with stage fright, unable to do so much as one plie. The one where there's one kid who obviously adores being onstage and has that extra zzhuz that captures everyone's heart and attention. The tiny dancers who all look at their teacher in the wings, following her movements and being so adorable you can hardly bear the sweetness. The final number was a sort of mix-tape of music and was performed by many kids and I loved it. The children were allowed to wear whatever rock T-shirts they wanted and I spied three Rolling Stones shirts which made my heart happy. I wanted to be onstage with them, dancing the way I used to dance, free and unafraid, as happy as I could ever be. 
One of the things I do like about this dance company is that no one seems to be preaching the sylph-like body form that dancers so often feel they need to conform to. There were STRONG girls on that stage, as graceful as any swan could be. Maybe fewer eating disorders will come from that school. I hope so. 

So that was a fun afternoon, except for the rain part. I am happy we got the rain. I just did not like driving in it. 

Here's a picture that Lily took on the way home. I am not sure that Maggie was actually asleep but she may have been. 


My babies. 
I say that a lot, don't I?

So that's the story from here. I got a few things done before I left the house but there is more to do- most importantly, getting the clean sheets back on the bed. There was no way I was going to go eight days without washing sheets. And making supper. We're going to eat some of our potatoes and I'm going to air fry some green tomatoes. I am hoping they turn out well. I really have enjoyed that little appliance. The green beans have started blooming so we will be eating them soon and the tomatoes look to be bountiful which is why I felt I could spare a couple of green ones. 
One never knows how a garden will turn out. 
Or anything else, either. Not in this life. Not really. 

We hope for the best. 

Love...Ms. Moon

23 comments:

  1. Lily's children are beautiful! I know you're so proud of them, and for good reason. :) And Magnolia looks so sweet in her costume! <3

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    1. I am proud of them! They are all so amazing in their own ways. Maggie was fussing about something after the recital and I said, "Girl! How can anyone be cranky wearing a dress like that?" She gave me a look. A Maggie look. Side eyes were involved.

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  2. Maggie looks adorable in her costume ... I know how proud you are of those kids and you have every good reason to be!

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    1. I can't imagine how much fun it must be for a little girl to wear a costume like that. They must all have felt like princesses for real.

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  3. Oh Maggie girl! What a doll baby! I would have loved to see that recital so much. Driving in the rain is driving every day up here. and I do not like tit much. I will take it over a California dust storm though.

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    1. The recital was pretty fun, I have to admit. We have a lot of rain too, as you know, but not constant. Mostly I hate driving on the interstate in the rain. I won't do it.

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  4. That was a grand recital, and that back seat of babies is priceless.

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  5. I wish there were video of the recital! It looks as if everyone did a terrific job. Can't blame you for feeling proud.

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    1. Oh, there is a video, coming soon! Not necessarily to here though.

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  6. what a proud moment for all of the Moons! Stellar! Everyone looks glorious.....especially Queen Maggie! And yes, she does look pretty conked out in the car photo! LOL!
    Happy evening! Hope you have a Martini with your garden bounty dinner and clean sheets!
    Susan M

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    1. Maggie is most definitely the queen of us all. I know she must have been tired. That's a LOT for a six-year old.
      And we had a good evening. Thank you, Susan.

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  7. That looks like such a lovely performance - well done Maggie and Gibson (and the whole school)! When I was on maternity leave with number 2, we went to watch my oldest in the end of school performance. Frankly he was terrible, basically just stood there with his fingers in his mouth mumbling. BUT at the very end, when everyone had finished applauding, he spotted me with his brother in my arms and yelled out "it's all right mommy, we can go home now", and brought the house down!

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    1. That is the BEST! I love it. Great story. Our Owen is the one who has always hated to do anything in front of a crowd. We still talk about how he had to dance with a little girl at his kindergarten graduation and he was so stressed out about it that I don't think I've ever seen anyone braver in my life- just doing it was really more than he could bear. When Gibson went through the same situation at the same school two years later he BEAMED through the whole dance. They're all so different.

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  8. I loved going to my grands' recitals, the babies in the show were always adorable and the older kids so accomplished. Maggie looks beautiful and Gibson looks so proud. Well done both of them. Did you make Maggie's dress?

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    1. I did not make Maggie's dress. The parents all order those costumes and they are not cheap. I don't know how everyone does it. But they are pretty.

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  9. Good for them! I used to hate being in piano recitals. My Mom would give me aspirin to calm me down because I was so nervous. Don't think that ever helped!
    So nice you are able to attend these awesome performances with them!

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    1. Aspirin? I think she may have been going for the placebo effect. I just heard a story about a girl who had never had caffeine and someone gave her an Exedrin for her cramps and that stuff has caffeine in it. She thought she was dying- she had a horrible panic attack because of it.

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  10. Looks like the recital wore her out, I Love that last image!

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    1. It's pretty sweet, the way she's holding on to her brother.

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  11. Yay for Maggie and Gibson. Can't wait to see what Gibson does with his desire to dance.

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    1. Me too! He was totally going to give up dance before this recital but after he got all that applause, he's ready to give it another shot. I hear his teacher really pushes him and he needs that, I guess.

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  12. So happy for those kids and you and glad to know no one is teaching them to hate their bodies.

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  13. 37P: Maggie and Gibson are stars. And you’re there to see them shine. I love this so much.

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