Fear and Love and Crying at the Movies

I knew I shouldn't have watched. Nothing on tv bothers me like the sad fate of an old married couple losing each other. Tonight's TCM classic was Make Way for Tomorrow, about an elderly couple who lost their home and had to rely on their children to take them in. None of the five grown children were willing or able to take them both in, so they were split up and lived with different children. The promise was that three months later, they'd be together in the home of another of their kids... but instead, they were separated even farther, after a lovely and romantic night on the town in the hotel where they'd spent their honeymoon fifty years earlier.
I cried and cried at the end of the movie, for a few reasons. Funny, my biggest worry as a kid was that our house would burn down and the five of us kids would be separated like the Waltons. Tonight's movie was a grownup version of that story... and it's just as scary. And now that my parents are getting on in years and fearing their own future, we are all in position to assess what can and should happen for them. They are taking charge of this process so far, which is so kind of them, and helpful. We are blessed beyond explanation that they have planned and thought about this situation much more than Scott and I have done about our own!
Which is my next reason for crying at the movie... it occurs to me that I never remember feeling fear like that I felt when I felt love for Scott and married him for life. I remember thinking that this lifetime commitment, til death us do part, meant just that- that death would part us, one way or another, eventually. How scary is that???
It's worthwhile, this life, I am willing to live with this fear and face this unknown future where ever it leads us. I pray we'll be together for as long as we can be. I pray the same for our parents.

A man and a maid stood hand in hand;
bound by a tiny wedding band.
Before them lay the uncertain years
that promised joy and, maybe tears.
"Is she afraid?" thought the man of the maid.

"Darling," he said in a tender voice,
"Tell me. Do you regret your choice?
'We know not where the road may wind,
'or what strange byways we may find.
'Are you afraid?" said the man to the maid.

She raised her eyes and spoke at last.
"My dear," she said, "the die is cast.
'The vows have been spoken. The rice has been thrown.
'Into the future we’ll travel alone.
'With you," said the maid, "I’m not afraid."

Birthday Girl

It's my birthday! Well, technically yesterday was, but it's still my birthday season. Never do I feel so popular (or, now that I think of it, all that popular at all...) as on my birthday, both in person and on Facebook. I am blown away by the Facebook wishes, and as easy as it is to send them, I know it's just as easy not to. I love wishing people a HB on their walls and it's soooo neat to get them on mine.
We went to Maine for a Summer-Birthday-Fest and I hope I got gifts to everyone I owed them to, and I brought home an awesome haul. I love those family parties, and not for the presents... but for the presence... old stories and bad jokes and silliness and great food and great people.
We then spent a few days in Provincetown with our dear friends, and had such a wonderful time. They are laid-back and easy-going and the trip was so easy and fun, I loved every minute. We went to the beach one day, and I spent more time there than I've ever spent at a beach, and liked it too. All the elements were lined up perfectly- the weather, the company, the cheesy Pringles. I am so off my diet. But let's not talk about that. There's something about P-Town that makes one feel like they can say anything, un-censored, and that was kinda fun. Not that I have much salacious to say, but I'm usually at Church when something comes up, or in polite company, or in public. It felt nice to be free like that, even if I didn't come up with much naughty to say. I'll think of something for next time.
We went to a drive-in, too, and saw The Other Guys, which made me laugh out loud. It was very Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker, and that is my kinda movie. Last night, on my official birthday, the Pappanicos took me out for sushi and OH it was so good, and so good to be with them, followed by ice cream and then home to watch the Sox with my brother, keeping an eye out for Scott and his yoots, who were in the bleachers.
After a day of lounging hard (I finished my book, and unpacked my bags and took a nap and had grilled tomatoes...) Scott is out "doing errands" and then we'll go off to dinner. Tomorrow, more lounging, plus laundry. I love vacation, and I love birthdays, and I love my friends, and I am a blessed, blessed girl, whether I deserve it or not.

Not Happening

Last night we spent our last $20.00 until payday on two tickets to see "The Happening." I don't want to ruin this movie for you by mentioning specifics, but then again, I DO want to discourage you from seeing it. It's awful. I'll just point out one biggie, and let you decide for yourself:
The premise of the movie is that there's something in the air that's making people go crazy an do bad things to themselves. No one knows where it's coming from, but they soon pinpoint the wind as a bringer of the badness. So here's the thing: in the entire 91 minutes, not one person covers their mouth and nose. Not ONE!
Really, that's all I'll say- but isn't that enough, really? If you're really determined to spend your ten dollars, send it to me in thanks for saving you from this movie-going experience. Feel free to add another $8 for a soda.