Oct 19 - Cinderella

Rogers and Hammerstein's takeoff on Cinderella was the big story of the day.

After I went to Mass, we got organized and headed to New York.  Traffic got a bit heavy as we approached the split into cars/trucks but never stopped.  At the Lincoln Tunnel, it stopped ... in the tunnel.  They must have been letting one tube go and then another because there was no traffic coming the other way either in this tube.  Eventually it started and we were out and into our parking lot.

I haven't driven the New Jersey Turnpike for a long time, a very long time.  They are just about to open the car/truck split down to Exit 6, the PA Turnpike exit.  That's a major improvement, lots more lanes through that point.  That would have helped me back in the day when I was driving that highway almost every day to J&J, Parsippany office and then much later to Prudential.  Yes, I've seen a lot of that highway ... and the Amtrak to/from New York and the Eastern and then the US Air Shuttle.

We figured out that I've been into New York a lot more than Sandy but she knows the city better than I.  My trips were Amtrak in; walk/cab to office or client (mostly to ofice), then reverse course.  She would head in, park, walk to theatre, Broadway shows, head back that night.

So ... back to yesterday.  We walked.  It was very windy and cool.  The City didn't faze Emma.  We stopped at the Times Square McD's for lunch; Emma ate almost all of her cheeseburger and fries.  Sandy had something as well.  I held out for a Subway, not wanting to partake of McD's.  Another block or two and I'd found my lunch.  I took a couple of pictures of Emma in Times Square, need to get those off my camera once we're in Florida, and we walked to the theater.  Almost there, Sandy remembered that she'd left the tickets in the car ... she rushed ahead and they printed new ones off at the box office ... whew.  It would have been a hike back and forth in limited time.

The show was good, some interesting twists on the classical story.  There were lots of kids in the audience, many of them wearing themed clothing / accompaniments.  There had to be glass slippers in the show of course.  For me these things are more about the music and it wasn't as catchy as many of the other R&H shows so I'd give it a middling review, personally.  At Intermission Sandy asked Emma how she liked it ... "good so far" she said.  At first she was mesmerized by all the set changes, activity etc. but after a time she was fidgety.  She took it all in though.  Intermission was consumed by the restroom queue.  Show over, we found a diner on 8th and Emma found French Toast on the menu which she gobbled up.  We were afraid that she'd say it wasn't as good as Nana's or that it was different and she couldn't eat it, but no.  I had a bowl of chili and a salad; Sandy had salmon.

Reversing course, we were at the Tunnel at 7pm and back in Reading just before 9:30.  Twenty minutes before we got back, Emma decided that she'd played long enough with the Kindle, handed it to Sandy and went to sleep.  I carried her in and put her to bed.

We parked at the usual place -- 9th and 42nd.  The price has gone way up but it's a self park so you don't have to leave keys.  The show was at 53rd and Broadway.  That's a fair amount of walking for a 7 year old but she never complained.

Jeffrey and Sara turned in early so we had a glass of wine / beer and turned in ourselves.  This morning I saw Jeffrey as he was heading out.  Next visit Christmas in Reading (maybe) or January in Florida (definitely).

Today we head south.  I'm not sure how far we'll get because Sandy will do French Toast first.  We'll book something from the road once we see where we'll be around 6pm.

Right now it's 35F in Reading; 40F in Barrie; 43F in Loring (yes, warmer at the cottage); 31F in Hemmingford ... and ... 75F in New Smyrna Beach at 6:14 a.m.  Guess where I want to be ???!!!  I'm way overdue for a bike ride.

Onward !