(no subject)

[mereilin]

Sadie has now watched Swiss Family Robinson so many times that she's humming the soundtrack and talking along with the dialogue. Sometimes she takes the identity of the youngest son, Francis, who is chiefly distinguished by his bad haircut, his love of animals, and his constant shouting.

So far she's not shouting much, although she sometimes sulks if I forget and call her Sadie.

"Sadie" came back yesterday, though, for a playdate with one of her school friends and a birthday party for another.

While all that was going on, Danny was at karate camp for the day and I was trying to find my way to the Hatch Shell. The directions were fairly straightforward, and I was just beginning to convince myself that driving in Boston isn't really that bad when I was hit with one of the frustrating realities of driving in the city -- one wrong turn and you're screwed. I ended up in Chelsea, and when I turned around on the highway to take the Tobin Bridge back into the city I discovered -- too late to look for any alternative route -- that there's a $3 toll. I had $2, and I emptied every coin I could find out of the ashtray. It might have added up to $2.75, but the tollbooth attendant let me pass. Not that there was any alternative, honestly.

Then I missed the exit for Storrow Drive from Route 1, which would have taken me exactly where I needed to go, because I'd somehow gotten into the wrong lane.

The other thing about driving in the city is that the people who actually DO know how to navigate the maze are incredibly impatient with anyone who doesn't. At the first sign of hesitation they honk; it only gets worse from there.

I did manage to get where I needed to go, and I wasn't even late. The Powers That Be let us park right next to the Hatch Shell, and there was time to get into costume and meet up with the rest of the quartet and figure out what was expected of us.

And I have to say, it's pretty cool to stand on the Hatch Shell and sing, although it's much smaller than I expected.

And I need a little more practice on my music. And a GPS system.

Comments

[leemer.livejournal.com]

I was about to say that you should get a GPS. They really really help. Good job being on time though :) Ultimately, all that counts is that you got there and didn't die on the way.

[mereilin.livejournal.com]

Yes, I kept trying to tell myself that. It got better once I was safely in the parking lot.

[htnatch.livejournal.com]

What did you sing? What did you wear? How did you find your way home? Would you do it again? Pictures? :)

[mereilin.livejournal.com]

Well, going home was easy. I just followed Storrow Drive back to Route 2 until I knew where I was.

I would do it again if I was asked, but I think that was a one-time promotional appearance. I don't have any pictures, and alas! the madrigal singers didn't find their way into the one news video I found posted online.

And I wore the dress they gave me. You'll just have to come to the faire and see it (although I may break down and post a photo here at some point -- but not until I've washed the poor thing!)

[katfur.livejournal.com]

Be sure to have a good GPS though. You'd really think they'd help in Boston, but with all the one-way streets and crazy-ass 'how is it I've found five ways to drive the same circle?' setup of the place, they can be more trouble than they're worth. At least, if they're the crappy ones on phones... Part of the issue might be that everything is so tightly-packed... Anyway. Just true, at least, when in the city.