the goings on

Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve been away and you’ve missed me. What’s that? You haven’t missed me? Awkward. I guess I’m back anyway.

1. All the kittens, the lovely, snuggly, terror kittens, are gone. Three left us at the elementary school auction. Note: It’s hard to hand over a box of kittens to someone you don’t know. Who appears to be manning the cotton candy booth. Who doesn’t seem concerned about providing shade or water for the kittens. I might cry.
The last one, Pierre, came home to us for a week, learned to sleep on my head, made his mark on the cat lamp, and then left with the hippies. I wouldn’t have let him go if I didn’t think he would be loved, and the hippies seemed like they wanted to cover him in kisses, so I hope he is safe and happy. Also, I kind of hope he pulls the nose ring out of the guy.

2. We saw the musical Ragtime at the outdoor theater. Oh, Ragtime, how I love you. Oh, community theater, you try so hard, but you just can’t do it justice. This musical moves my soul. I can’t even listen to the songs in the car without almost crying. Something about the struggle to break from what is expected and be and do the things you dream about just touches me. Especially the story of Mother, who doesn’t even have a name beyond her title, who knows her place is The Home, but so desperately wants to travel and see the world. “What of the people who stay where they’re put, planted like flowers with roots underfoot? What of the people whose boundaries chafe? Who marry so bravely and end up so safe?” Maybe it’s because my culture taught girls so little of how to be anything besides a mother, and when I first saw and heard this musical I was struggling with wanting to be recognized as something valuable even though I wasn’t a mother, but my heart just aches for this person. And then, later, when she has a taste of standing up for herself, and she sings about she can never go back to before, oh, man. “There was a time my feet were so solidly planted. You’d sail away while I turned my back to the sea. I was content, a princess asleep and enchanted. If I have dreams, then I let you dream them for me. We can never go back to before.” I just can’t say enough how much I enjoy the music and the lyrics and the story of this musical. Do yourself a favor and go see it. Just, hopefully, at a theater a little better than community theater.

3. I love how the cities in Utah have “days” in the summer where they celebrate their city-hood with a carnival, rodeo, and fireworks. I could visit them every weekend. Um, except I’m not going back to the Summerfest again because I found a piece of metal in my snow cone. Also because I’m moving to another state.

4. We move in less than a month.