Growing up, my grandma took me to the Nutcracker every year. She would buy me a cute new dress, take me to dinner, and then take me to the Nutcracker at the Wheeler Opera House. It was always the highlight of my holiday season. The Sugar Plum Fairy was always my favorite. This year, I found out my employer was the biggest sponsor of the annual show of the Nutcracker. I quickly emailed the bank's marketing director when she announced that the bank had two pairs of tickets. A couple days later I got an email back saying that I had won one of the pairs! I mentioned to my mom that I had two free tickets and that Adam definitely didn't want to go. She told me that she had never been. WHAT?! For some reason, it had never dawned on me that because I always went with my grandma, my mom never had the opportunity to enjoy the same experience. So, I invited her. We have been looking forward to it for at least three weeks. She even skipped a trip to Texas to pig hunt with my dad and my brother. (I know, what a sacrifice...)
We spent most of the day yesterday Christmas shopping locally. We went to the indoor winter farmers market and finished most of our shopping. Then we came back to my house and changed clothes and headed out the door into the winter storm that had shown up. We decided to leave my car at the bus stop on the highway so that she wouldn't have to go all the way back to my house after the show. I got into her car, and off we went.
Or so we thought. We were pulling out on to the highway, turning left, with a green arrow, and I looked to our left and an SUV was speeding towards us. I gasped and yelled something and she slammed on her breaks. The SUV hit the front end of her car and spun us ninety degrees, turning the car downvalley. Thank God I yelled, otherwise she wouldn't have hit her breaks, and we would have been t-boned, likely crushing my mom's side of the car. We called the cops, no one was hurt, and parked her car to be towed later on. Luckily everyone was ok, and both cars had insurance. It was very scary though.
With about an hour to spare, we headed into town to dinner and then headed to the show. We were not going to let even a car accident stop us from seeing the Nutcracker! We enjoyed a delicious dinner and then carefully drove to the show.
It was such a great show! It always is. It was so fun being there with my mom and seeing her enjoy the ballet as much as I always have. It really does get you in the mood for the holidays! I feel so grateful to be able to share the experience with my mommy, that for so long I shared with my grandma. I am also very grateful that we are both ok after the scary events before the show.
Thanks for taking me, it truly was a delightful evening. I too could not believe that I had not seen the Nutcracker, I was sure I had. It was so much fun to see the little bumble bees and the beautiful sugar plum fairies, etc. I know I was a very young child when I used to see Ballet West when they came to Aspen. It is a distant memory and I cannot actually remember being the event, but I remember seeing them at the old Aspen High School.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, it is such an honor to be a part of your life and be invited to spend the day with you. Thank you. I LOVE YOU.
Mommy
as you already know, i LOVE the Nutcracker. i love that you went with your mom this year, and i went with my grandma (and Sami) and that none of them but us had seen it before. what a wonderful way to spend a saturday. i'm glad you're both ok, and i heart you tons.
ReplyDeleteps. you really are a great writer. think about a book. :)
I am glad that you two are OK. I love the Nutcracker but have not been in years. Stephanie's remark about the ballet being at the old High School reminds me of the time I went to a dance event there. I think it was the Twyla Tharp Dancers. I don't remember much of the modern dancing , but I remember sitting in the bleachers. K
ReplyDeleteSOOOO glad you are okay! That was one of my favorite traditions my mom and I had! Hopefully one day I can pass the tradition along! Lots of love!
ReplyDelete