HOME

When I was a little girl, my Grandma Lova Bell happened to love baseball.  She was a huge Dodger fan and whenever we would visit her she would chat about the Dodgers.  If a game was playing she was listening to the radio and/or watching it on TV.  She LOVED baseball and happened to pass that love onto my dad.  He played baseball, watched baseball and loved all things baseball.  He would often take us to watch baseball games when we were little kids so nothing feels as nostalgic and HOME-like then watching a baseball game.

This last weekend, the Dodgers and the Diamond Backs had their MLB opening series games here in Sydney, Australia.  We were able to attend the Saturday night game with the girls (Thank You Mr. Paul for the tickets - Best neighbors we have ever had).  

The game was being held at the old Sydney Cricket Grounds on the same complex as the stadium that hosted the Taylor Swift concert.  I was much wiser this time and we took mass transit to get to the game (train and bus).  We made it with plenty of time to spare.  It was a cool, breezy evening and we were seated about 3 rows up from first base.  The seats were perfect and the feelings that we had as we watched a little piece of Americana filled our hearts. 

Over the last few months, my children have been challenged and missing HOME.  They think of Parkmeadow Drive and the life that they had there quite often.  They reminise about the days when life seemed a little less confusing and accepting.  They wonder if it would be the same and we often say that nothing stays the same.  Time changes everything.  However, as I sat in the stadium on Saturday night and watched the baseball game, I felt like I was HOME - enjoying my little slice of North Carolinian heaven.  I have to admit that when the American National Anthem played, my eyes got a little moist.  I had no idea how much I missed my country, my state, my friends, my family and most of all my old life!  I am proud to be an American Southern Woman! 





I am happy for the experiences that we are having here.  I am grateful for this once on a life-time chance that we have to grow and learn in a foreign country but, there is a little part of me that longs to be HOME!  

The game was fantastic and the Dodgers WON!  I am sure my Grandma Lova Bell was cheering them on from Heaven because she never misses a GAME!

Grandma Lova Bell would be smiling!

THE MAGIC FLUTE

The famous "RED" steps!

When we moved to Sydney, Tom began his LOVE AFFAIR with the Sydney Opera House (SOH).  He loves to spend time near her, taking pictures of her and enjoying all that she has to offer.  He lights up when he sees her glistening white sails (I am in complete support of this kind of love affair).   This AFFAIR has grown inside all of us and we knew that we MUST take the girls to see an actual opera.  Nothing is more quintessential than seeing an OPERA inside the Sydney Opera House.

I have continually checked the website about what is playing at the Opera House and was delighted when I found out that "The Magic Flute" by Mozart was going to be playing in the Joan Sutherland Theatre.  This Opera is geared towards children and many of the costumes mimic the designs that were part of the musical "The Lion King", another favorite of ours.

I promptly bought us five tickets however, I really wanted our tickets to be in a certain section of theatre.  When you take the Opera House tour, the guides give you very specific inside ticket information regarding performances.  They have suggested that for Opera's the best seats in the house are on the mezzanine level front and center so that you can read the subtitles.  If are watching the show from the dress circle and you don't understand Italian,  you must continually look skyward at the subtitles screen.  You end up with a horrible neck ache not worth the "inexpensive" ticket price.

The girls were very excited and so was I.  I have never seen an Opera.  I happen to love musical theatre but, Operas are known for their vocals NOT their complex story-lines.  After 2 hours and 10 minutes of breathtaking Mozart music, incredible costumes, and humorous script, we can safely say that we enjoyed ourselves.  The girls loved the OPERA!  

Now, they want to go see a BALLET....Tom you are going to need to open up your wallet again! However, I think he will be willing considering it is for his girlfriend SOH and it will be another opportunity that he will get to be near her!

40 - I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!

Well, I turned forty today.  Yes, I know what you are all thinking….she is too young looking to be forty but, I can definitely tell you that I feel it some days.  According to my girls, things are starting to sag (earlobes, the girls, my butt, I think you get the picture) and I am loosing my mind on occasion.  Of course, these physical and mental deficiencies have nothing to do with giving my children the gift of life and spending hours upon hours raising them however, they are worth the sacrifice. :)

I was feeling a little depressed about turning forty and not being able to go on a girls trip with my sisters and mom this year because I am just SO FAR away.  It takes an entire day to travel to the east coast….23 hours in the air. It was difficult to arrange to meet them in Hawaii (the half way point) considering some of them have little ones to take care of so I opted to spend the day here in Sydney reminiscing about the days when I was young.

When I was a young girl, we often went to Rehoboth Beach with cousins.  We loved our time at the beach and it holds many HAPPY, HAPPY memories for me.  One of the many things that we would do at the end of the trip is go to FUNLAND  and THE CANDY KITCHEN that were on the boardwalk.  FUNLAND is this cute little amusement park that sits right on the beach.  I happen to love roller coasters, fairy floss (cotton candy), funnel cake (elephant ears), snow cones, clowns and the whole feeling of an old-time amusement park.  I would climb on the rides and laugh my guts out as I got dizzier and dizzier as the night progressed.  I was game for anything because I had a iron stomach.

So when I knew that I would be spending my fortieth birthday in Sydney, Tom wanted to know what I wanted to do on my VERY special day.  He told me that we could do whatever - the sky is the limit!  I told him that I wanted to take the kids to LUNA PARK, (www.lunaparksydney.com) a small amusement park in the Sydney Harbor.  Tom happens to hate amusement parks of all kinds so for him this sounds like an absolute nightmare of a day but, he was happy to indulge me.  We spent 5 hours at the park, we rode every ride except for 2 because I don't think my stomach is a iron-clad as it used to be.

I felt so happy to share something that I love with my girls.  They commented that this was the BEST birthday celebration EVER!  They loved seeing me delight in a memory as I told them about all of the different rides that I LOVE.  Claire and Grace had the opportunity to go to FUNLAND two years ago with their cousins and they loved it as much as I did.  It must be genetic!  

Tom was the best support.  He spent the entire day in the park, photographing the monumental day, carrying our bags, offering us refreshment including drinks, snacks and hugs.  It was splendid!  We polished off the evening with dinner at our favorite restaurant that was just a short walk from LUNA PARK.  As we walked along the boardwalk, the sun was setting in sky of the Sydney Harbor, I thought to myself that  I am really blessed to have these four wonderful people in my life.  

I am going to embrace 40 and the aging process.  If things start to sag too much, I could always get a lift….maybe that is what I will do for my 50th!

This was my favorite ride ---The "HAIR RAISER"!  It is a ride that you free-fall from a height that is above the Ferriswheel.  It is new to LUNA PARK and when the girls found out that I wanted to go on it, they were shocked.  I knew it would be a challenge for me and scare me to death but I wanted to do it.  I can definitely tell I am getting older….I was scared to death and almost peed my pants - apparently a side effect of an aging LADY.

I love this guy to bits….he ALWAYS makes me happy no matter the opportunity cost!