Sunday, February 14, 2010

A Very Good Valentines, Not To Mention Chinese New Year

It's been a good, good day. Mr. Moon gave me sweet gifts of candy and a red pen. I made him French toast from the bread I made and the eggs our hens give us. We worked in the garden together some and then he went hunting and then to a basketball game. I went to rehearsal and then to Kathleen's to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Kathleen celebrates everything. That's the way she is. We celebrated at her house with Chinese food. She had ordered charts of the Chinese astrological calender for us to color but they hadn't arrived. We were sad but not too sad to eat a bunch of Buddha's delight and chocolate cake. She apologized for not sugaring pansies to put on the cake. Between the lack of the coloring activities and the sugared pansies, we all decided that we should just go home.
After we were full of yummy Chinese food and cake.

Funny. It's been the best Valentines in forever. And there was nothing that special about it at all. Just sweetness. Sweetness. And a heart open to that sweetness.

But I'll tell you something that made it really special- watching Jan and Jack be able to hold hands in public. They never seem to let each other go, as if after all this time they can't afford to, don't want to and don't intend to.
And that makes me so damn happy.

The play opens Friday. Am I nervous? You bet but I think I'm pretty much there on the lines. We had a bit of a problem tonight. I wore the dress I'm thinking of wearing for the play and I'm wearing it for several reasons, not least of which is that I need to wear a dress I can wear a red slip under that in three seconds I can turn into a negligee with a black lace thing over it because three seconds is about all the time I have for a change. I don't even have time to go back to the dressing room.
Anyway, I've always rehearsed in pants and when Colin did his nose dive tonight, he ended up, ahem- a bit under the dress and slip. Oh my! We were both disconcerted. Look- this is the first physical pratfall bit of the play and it has to be good. We both have to be comfortable with it to make it work. And we are PROFESSIONALS! Yes! We are. Not as professional as Professional Woman, but we are professional...adults. Very much adults. Even though Colin acts like a seven-year old half the time instead of the seventy-year old he is.
We discussed the situation. Kathleen insists that it's so much funnier if I'm wearing a dress that I must wear a dress. Plus- there's that quick costume change which has to occur later on.
So we're going to make it work. Tomorrow I have to go out and find some red tights. Thick ones. Modesty must be preserved, even if dignity is sacrificed.
I told Colin he had better have his eye closed. He only has the one, you know.

And really- what more can I say?

We shall persevere. We shall put on Sex Please, We're Sixty, even if half the town is still reeling that life has imitated art and that the lovers have come together. Even if Jan's last day as Opera House director is tomorrow. Even if I have anxiety out the wazoo. Even if my kids are embarrassed. Even if our Hilary is getting home from a cruise on Thursday and has to drive all the way back from Ft. Lauderdale for our last rehearsal on Thursday night. Even if Colin makes us all laugh so hard we forget our lines, our entrance cues and our blocking. We shall overcome, dammit!

And Jan and Jack will kiss until the lights go down.

And then they'll probably kiss a little more.

Yeah. It's been a good Valentine's Day. And a good Chinese New Year's. Year of the Tiger. Growl! (Hands up in claw position, y'all....HISS!)

And the best part? The very best part? Mr. Moon will be home soon and when I sleep tonight, he'll be there beside me in the bed and I'll just be so happy he is.

Night- night. Sleep tight. Sweet dreams, baby-cakes. Sweet dreams.

12 comments:

  1. Oh you.
    Thanks for taking the time to write this post, to think it out.
    I love your paranthasis about the tiger growl and the line about Colin's eye. You make me smile and giggle.
    I'm sure it will all work out. It's going to be a fabulous play.
    Glad you had such a loved filled day. A red pen seems perfect.
    I wonder what your handwriting looks like. I've seen Mr Moon's but not yours.
    Kathleen is so funny apologizing for not sugaring the pansies! Such amazing friends you have.
    Night night to you too.
    I'm going to call someone "babycakes" this week.
    Love.

    ReplyDelete
  2. How about underarmour shorts? Short ones for under a dress?

    I like it when you call us babycakes, because I feel like it's a dispatch from my other southern mama :)

    Glad Mr Moon is home tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  3. These: http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/ua-underwear/womens/pid1208013-Women-s-Mesh-Boy-Short/1208013-052

    Or bicycle shorts from Target -they've got them.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hmm. Danielle is not going to like this news about the skirt-dive. He's very protective, you know.

    Break a leg, as they say :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Re. "But I'll tell you something that made it really special- watching Jan and Jack be able to hold hands in public. They never seem to let each other go, as if after all this time they can't afford to, don't want to and don't intend to. And that makes me so damn happy." I loved reading this, partly because, like you, it makes me feel happy, but also because it makes me feel sad. Being in a long-term same-sex relationship the last thing I can afford to do is hold my boyfriend's hand in public - experience has shown it's just too dangerous (and I live in one of the most progressive cities in the world). This observation isn't very Valentine's, but it's the truth.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Bethany- Well, let me say I have very nice handwriting. Perhaps I should handwrite a blog and scan it.

    SJ- Or I could just buy some men's underwear. I'll figure it out but those are good ideas. The bike shorts might work very well.
    Thanks!

    Jo- What? I think Danielle can handle the idea. I hope so.
    I mean, I'm not JUST a grandmother and chicken farmer.

    Nigel- When I first really started thinking about all of the unfairnesses our society foists upon gay couples- that was the one that grabbed my heart hardest. It's inhuman not to think a couple can simply hold hands or give each other a peck on the cheek when in public. I might write about this one of these days. What would happen if you DID hold hands? Ah lah. Crazy fucked-up world. I wish it wasn't this way.

    ReplyDelete
  7. i adore that mr moon gave you a red pen...i love a good pen, and that it is red made me think of the chinese red thread proverb...

    "an invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance. the thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break."

    so, yes! eat buddhist delight, handwrite your blog, and pull us all closer and closer to your blessed heart.

    let us run free when we need, and be our mother hen of the church of divine destiny.

    i double dog dare you. growr!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love you, and I'm so glad it was a good day.

    Break a leg with the play. You'll be great.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh dear! That Colin! I'm sure that even with his one eye he's up to no good. Thanks for the giggle, Ms. Moon.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your life just sounds so dang interesting...and I wish I could go watch you in your play but I am so far away in CA....thank you for this post!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm so glad that you had such a lovely Valentine's. You and Daddy are my favorite sweethearts. I also love the year of the tiger bit. Funny AND beautiful? Oh Mama, you are a paragon.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Adrienne- Sounds like a big responsibility. I think I am more rat than tiger but hey- you know what? I'll try. If you will...

    Angie- You are right about Colin. He is up to NO good. Except that he's the very best thing in the play. He steals the whole damn show. And we let him!

    Ellen- Yeah, see, it wouldn't be worth it to fly to Florida just to see this play. Darn. And my life interesting? I just pretend it is.

    May- Paragon of what, may I ask? Love you, darling girl.

    ReplyDelete

Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.