A little culture

 This was a fun and hectic week of cultural events.  We have season tickets to our local Centerpoint Legacy Theater (we've also added Hale Center Theater tickets this year, so we'll be busy).  We made the resolution to write down who we take each time so we can try and give all our children and grandchildren equal turns (well, as equal as possible--this play was more of a girl play).  This time we picked up Hyeji and Doyeon.  These plays are even more fun when you know the star, and this time, Ben Lowell, whose family grew up next to ours in Bountiful, played the lead.  The play was, "She Loves Me."  It was the same basic story as The Shop Around the Corner or, more recently, You've Got Mail.  It wasn't my favorite play we've seen there, but it was fun and Ben did a great job.  The girls seemed to really enjoy it.

Catharine, Doyeon, Ben and Hyeji;  Roy, Hyeji, Doyeon and one of the leads.  This girl wasn't the main female lead, but we thought maybe she should have been.  She sang beautifully and really enunciated so that Roy and I could understand all her words. 

One of the reasons the week was so busy is because it was my birthday.  Greta and Andy also had birthdays this week.  Happy birthday you two!

For my birthday, Roy took me to dinner and a magic show at Gardner Village.  The name of the place was Mystique.  We had to choose our entrees when Roy made the reservation.  Roy chose prime rib and I chose Octopus.  The dinner was good but a few things made it extra special.  When we were walking in, I ran into someone who has been my friend since Junior High.  Lisa Badger.  She was with her husband Rob Wood and her daughter, Tess.  The place was not large, but still it was quite astonishing when they sat Lisa right by Roy and me.  It was kind of funny because there were three of them, but when they'd looked at the seating chart, they thought it would be better to sit across from each other so they could talk.  They didn't realize the table was probably 8 feet wide; so her husband was seated on the opposite side of the table.  We had a good laugh when Lisa turned to her daughter and said, "Tess, this is the friend I told you about who would rip pages out of her paperback romance and pass them around the bus (probably on an A'cappella trip) for everyone to read."  She also brought up my sleep walking escapades when we'd have sleep-overs.  She said, "If you weren't faking?"  I promised her that I wasn't faking, I actually walked in my sleep. 

The lighting was terrible for pictures, but this was my dinner.  Octopus on pasta with an egg on top.  As far as I could tell I was the only one in the whole group with an octupus entre.



Following the dinner was the magic show.  The magician used very common tricks, but he was very good at them and everyone was amazed.  Because it was my birthday, he called me up as an assistant for one of the card tricks.  He had me write my name on any card I chose, then had me put the card somewhere in the deck.  He would consistantly bring that card back to the top of the deck.  For his final display on this trick, he had me put my card somewhere in the deck, and then he put his wallet on top.  The card didn't end up on the top of the deck this time--it ended up in the wallet, in the zippered section, sealed in an envelope.  He had me tear the envelope open, and there was my card.  We had no idea how he did this. 

 

My card, the ace of hearts with the sealed envelope.  Roy got called up to help with a different trick.

Roy, Catharine, Tovar the magician, Lisa, Tess and Rob

Lisa B. and Tess with me in the foreground. Again, bad lighting.

Friday night Roy and I went with Nick to see Caitlyn and Ori skate during half time at the Utah Grizzly's hockey game.  I've never been to a hockey game before.  It was interesting, noisy, and fun; but of course the highlight was when the Utah Figure Skating Club came on the ice.  They danced to Chim Chim Cher-ee from Mary Poppins.

Our pictures didn't turn out very well, but Caitlyn is on the left and Ori is 2nd from right.

Caitlyn was in charge of all the little skaters.

I mentioned that it was Greta's birthday this week, too (the 4th).  She had neighbors who had rented a limo for their son's dance night.  They wanted to take Greta to the dollar store for her birthday.  Ruby said it was the greatest day of her life.  

Bridget, Greta and Ruby

The Vance family, Ruby, Crista, Todd, Matt, Greta and Bridget

Roy and I finished out our fun week at the Utah Symphony where the featured musician was a floutist playing The Magic Flute by Mozart.  I was more in my element there than at the hockey game, and the noise was a lot more pleasant!  We didn't have anyone ringing cow bells in our ears for one thing.  At intermission we ran into a cousin and her husband, Dianne (Clyde) and Wally Carr.  They are the ones that lived in the Clyde home in Springville until recently selling it.  Apparently, Clyde companies bought it.  I have run into them now at a concert, at Market Street Grill and of course at family events like funerals.  

Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes and gifts.  It has been a great week.