one of those days

I have no pictures for today. If I did, you would think I made all this stuff up just to have an interesting blog today. Let me tell you...I had no idea all this stuff would go on today.

You know how when you get up in the morning you have a vague idea of how your day is going to go and what the highlights will probably be? That's how my morning started out.

Cue the "back in time" harps.

It all started this morning when we went to church in Plano to see Kim and Martha Hall. Kim was the Youth Pastor at Trinity Heights Baptist Church where I was a teen. His wife Martha is a hoot. She hasn't changed one bit. Then, when I was married to Jon, they were the pastor (and pastor's wife) at the church we went to in Ruston (an event in my life I had completely forgotten until Martha came up with my old last name - Schindehette - and if freaked me out). Sorry Kim, I'm sure it's just my faulty memory - not the preachin'. I talked to Martha for little bit and gave her my card with my e-mail address and blog address so Martha, Kim, if you're reading about yourselves "Hi! - It was great to see you today! Let's keep in touch."

We went to 9:30 service because we needed to get back to "A-town" so I could go get Uncle Ernie so we could go see "South Pacific" at 2pm. Until the following events happened I thought I might blog about the security measures Hunter's Glen Baptist Church uses for their children and how much this world has changed since my boys were in Sunday School. Oh, that is so boring now.

We go to Country Kitchen for breakfast because when it's not crowded you can get in and out fast. We needed fast. Now remember, I've just seen a man and woman who had a great influence on my formative years - high school. We are on our way to be seated and I run into Steve McClure. Who is Steve McClure you ask? Well, he was only a guy I graduated with from high school. There were only 45 of us so we were all pretty close knit. Of all the places, Arlington, and in Arlington, of all places - our breakfast place - The Country Kitchen. What are the odds? Turns out, he's moving here and getting married. I'm not sure of the order or if it matters but that is wild with a capitol W. I gave him my card with my e-mail address and blog address on it so Steve - if you're reading about yourself "Hi! It was great to see you today. Let's keep in touch!"

Next on the agenda...South Pacific. I'm a little excited but not sure what to expect. Some of the shows we've been to have had stars like Diana DeGarmo from American Idol. And some have just been shows I've been wanting to see like "Les Miserables" and "Mamma Mia". This as far as I knew didn't have a "headliner" but I had wanted to see it. It wasn't like it was a national touring company or anything but Casa Manana puts on a good show.

We get there and on the cover of the program is a picture of Ron Raines. I know, I know, who is Ron Raines? Well, he looked familiar to me but I couldn't place him. Turns out he was a three time Emmy winner for his role on "The Guiding Light" as a villain. He's playing the Frenchman, Emile de Becque. We watch the show. Ron's GREAT as is the lady who plays Nellie Forbush and Lt. Cable is the handsome fellow who played the straying wife's boyfriend in "The King and I". Now, ladies, there's some boy toy-eye candy for you. OK, I digress, excuse me he's reeeeaaallllly cute.

Applause, Applause, it was great. (and here is where the day derails and becomes weird in that if we hadn't gone through this we wouldn't have done that sense) We go to the valet desk and have them bring around the "Ernie mobile" and when it gets there the lift won't come down to lift. I think "no problem" I'll go in and do it from the inside". No go. Nothing works. I don't panic (yet). I just get the manual turn knobby thingy out and start crankin' that baby by hand. Now, you have to understand, it's about 250 degrees in that van. I already sweat like....well...I don't know what sweats buckets for no reason but that's what I sweat like and I HATE sweat tricklin' down my body. So I'm hot, the hand cranky thing that I was so proud of remembering isn't working. We - the man standing there letting me hand crank this thing and I notice that the main arm of the hydraulic thing is bent, buckled, bowed over, whatever, it's not looking like it's supposed to. Here is where panic starts to seep in. My first thought is "Oh my goodness, it is so hot out here that the arm has melted". Then I think "Lisa, that's the stupidest thing you've ever thought".

Back to reality, back to panic. So now I have a man in a wheelchair who by now is back inside the Bass in the air conditioning along with Sadie and Ms. Bea who we took with us and is as old as Uncle Ernie but she loved the show - and I don't know how I'm going to get him or us home. The lift won't go all the way up or down. What do I do when something goes wrong? I call my beloved husband. He says he'll be right here. So, I go inside and wait for him. The lovely gentleman who is in charge of hospitality and valet who has been with me throughout this ordeal offers me (and everyone else) some water and I take him up on it. Sadie takes him up on a coke.

I'm standing there cooling off rehydrating my body and I look down the front corridor of the Bass (all other patrons are gone by this time) and I see what looks like could be Ron Raines and a lady down the way. Immediately I think I could meet Ron Raines! Cool! Off I go, Sadie in tow down the corridor and I come across the lady and ask her if that is Ron Raines (he's down the stairs but still in eye sight) and she says "yes, I'm his wife". I say "it is very nice to meet you" and it really was. She was VERY nice. She spoke to Sadie and guessed her age and I told her I thought her husband was very good. She tells him to come meet us, that we're fans and he kinda waves us off. He was trying to get the House Manager to move a picture of him to a spot that was more favorable. We follow them down the corridor because I had to go that way again anyway to go see what was happening with the van - there were people out there trying to do something - to no avail. And then my husband arrives and I forget all about Ron Raines.

I send Madeline and Anna inside so they don't get too hot and, of course, Madeline has to go to the bathroom. I send Sadie with her and Sadie says "oh, Momma, I got to meet Mr. Ron Raines". I couldn't believe what she just said! I said "what?" She said "yeah, he called my name and I went over and met him". I said "what did he say"? She said "he said 'tell your mom you got to meet me'". I'm sure he said something else to her besides that but that was all she could remember. I gave his wife my card so Ron Raines and his lovely wife Dona, if you're reading about yourselves "Hi! It was nice to meet you today. Let's keep in touch!"

I have to say a HUGE thank you to the Concession and Valet manager (whose name I so lamely forgot to get) at The Bass Hall. He stayed with me until the end and got the valet guys to help get Uncle Ernie and his wheelchair into our other van. No small feat.

I would also like to thank my wonderful husband who came at a moment's notice and rescued us. You're the greatest!

And thank you Ron Raines for giving my daughter her first "star" meeting. I won't soon forget it. And I'm sure she won't either.

ps. I didn't really give Ron Raines' wife my card, but I wish I had.