Girl's Weekends Episode 1, The Nutcracker

I've been thinking about some memorable girls nights and weekends we have had over time.  First of all, because I live in kind of an isolated area like Owyhee, Wendover or Walden  I have to go to a bigger town every so often to do girly things like shop, go to a show of some sort, go to a spa for a massage, facial or pedicure, eat at an interesting place, check out old towns or boutique shops or farmers markets or antique shops.  You know, stuff my husband would not enjoy doing but I want to do!  Ideally, this would occur on a weekend when hubby is going to a farm implement auction or on a men only fishing trip.  But it could also be at a time when the men can stay home and baby sit if need be!  For me, all three of those towns are 100 miles from a big city so it usually means an overnight stay which is OK for me.

The one that is most traditional for our family is going to The Nutcracker with one or another of my daughters, granddaughter (even grandsons once when they were young) and several times with friends.  I love going to see it in Denver because it is different every year.  Some of the interpretations have been very interesting but the costumes, scenery and dancing is always superb.

  One time Carla, her sister-in-law and I went and I was very sick with strep throat.  Carla was so pregnant with Thomas that I think she had him within a day or two of when we went.  I could hardly hold my head up but I still enjoyed it and made it through the performance without passing out.  The next day I had to go to an urgent care place to get some antibiotics but it was still worth it.

Another time Carla, Marianne and I went and forgot our tickets at the hotel and Marianne and I raced back to the hotel and had to take a taxi at breakneck speed to get back before they closed the doors.

I guess the most memorable Nutcracker we have been to was when I lived in Owyhee and went into Boise, Idaho.  Carla, who had  just flown in from Colombia, Tory, Lori and I went.  I'm not sure but I think there must have been a musician's strike so the music was not live but on a CD.  I had been hearing about the "full contact Nutcracker " on the radio for several weeks but was totally unprepared for what we saw!  As the scene opened with the decorating of the Christmas tree, the tree was cut from green bulletin board paper!!!  Our next surprise came when the Nutcracker battled the mice with the help of a football team!!!!  Carla was wondering where her Clara went and we were torn between laughing out loud and great disappointment.  By the end of the performance the prince was thudding so heavily on his feet that we could hear the thuds in the balcony and the prima ballerina was so tired she fell twice in the adagio!  What a disaster but we still talk about it and get a good laugh out of our experience.

We have also gone to the Nutcracker in Salt Lake City.  JJ, Erin, Carla, and several friends have attended this one at different times.  Every year they put on the same interpretation which is the original one from the 1950's.  The costumes and scenery are the same every year.  There are many children in  this show and it is very nice. One of the costumes weighs hundreds of pounds and maybe 10 or more children  are under the skirt of the dress.  It takes a strong man to wear that costume, I think.

I am thinking about maybe taking the great-granddaughters and their mom to a Disney On Ice show in a few years.  I think they would love it! Or maybe we all need to go to a Nutcracker performance in San Antonio to check it out.

I didn't realize how many memories I have of just the Nutcracker so I guess I'll have to write another blog about some of the other girls weekends we have had later!