Let's Get Cracking

 A bunch of Golda and Ruby's dance friends descended on our house at lunch time opening-night-day for corn chowder and salad.  It was fun for me to see them with their hair down and in civilian clothing.  I only ever see them in leos and tights and buns.  They are beautiful girls, polite and gracious.  It was a pleasure having them in our home, even if I did have to miss most of it picking up little Ptolemy from ballet.

Afterward, I was lamenting the fact that I had napkins that I didn't put out, and I should have had some chocolate for the girls.  I said, "I just wonder if there will ever be a point where I do something just right?"  Golda's reply was, "Oh my gosh, Mom, all the girls were so grateful and so happy with it.  What other mom would do all this?"

I have to remember not to let perfect be the enemy of good.  I learned a long time ago that nothing is ever going to be Martha Stewart Perfect.  I'm still learning not to Monday-Morning-Quarterback my efforts.   The night of the lunch, a mom approached me backstage and said, "My daughter was at your house today and just loved it!"  I could not, for the life of me, think who her daughter was or why she was at my house.  I was wracking my brain, wondering if she had been one of the people who picked up a cello or violin.  Then the mom said, "The lunch?"  We both laughed.  She said she would have been totally stressed out about something like that, and it was funny I had no recollection of it.  I'm losing it. :)

 I checked Freestone out to rest for part of the day Wednesday.  He thought my reason ("Cuz.") was funny.

 And then it was opening night!  Scott, Grandma, Xanthe and Ruby went to Javier's for dinner beforehand...

      while Freestone chilled with the Party Boys and...

 

  Golda tidied up with the Maids.

 

 Backstage shenanigans

 My Chinese.  What a wonderful group of girls!  They are very polite and nice.  This was before I got the email that said no photography backstage.  Dumb rule if you ask me.

 We love our fans!  ;)  Seriously.

After the performance, we had a midnight showing of Catching Fire planned.  We were in the middle of a huge windstorm and we're just hammered from this week.  So we went to the movie anyway, which was a great idea because you're so wired after a performance that you can't sleep anyway.  The movie was great!  It was me, Golda, Ruby and Freestone.  When I put this picture of Freestone of Instagram, I added the caption, "Freestone's Thursday started with a 6:45 am violin lesson, choir at 8, school all day, then candlemaking for his Colonial Day project, opening night as a Party Boy in Nutcracker, followed by a midnight screening of Catching Fire.  At 2:15 am, coming out of the movie, he conceded, "My eyes are getting tired."

That's my boy!  Now, after a nice, relaxing early out Friday, we're ready to do it all again.