Sunday’s rambling

I forgot to mention that at Darius’s party yesterday that Criss hooked up his electric guitar. I sampled a few songs and once again became energized at the prospect of learning how to play. I am cautious though. This is because Alan also becomes very excited at seeing a “real” guitar, and doesn’t have the gentleness that one needs to have when handling "grown-up" instruments. I am concerned that he and I will have on-going struggles with this at his young age….I want to encourage his curioisty, yet teach him to be "nice" to the guitar. He says to me “share” and then began grabbing Criss’s guitar. He doesn’t do this when we’re at Ms. Kelly’s sing-al-longs at the library. I’ll have to think this one through a bit.

Speaking of guitars, I went to the John Street Jam last night with Jules. She’s performing at next month’s Jam. With each song, I became more and more relaxed after a hectic week. I became teary-eyed by a song performed by Vickie Russell.

Here’s the true story she sang about: Two college-aged sweethearts are separated when one leaves for the army. They profess their eternal love to each other. A disapproving mother schemes to sabotage this relationship. She does not give her daughter the letters which her lover sends from the army. Plus, the mother writes to the lover saying her daughter has “moved on”. Both sweethearts believe they have been rejected by the other, yet hold onto their strong feelings for each other throughout their entire lives. 40 years go by. The mother dies and the daughter discovers her lover’s letters in a closet that her mother hid from her… He has loved her all along. She doesn’t let time steal her from being away from her true love anymore. She finds him, and though 40 years have passed, they profess their love for each other, and now they are together. This is a true story of someone who Vickie knows. I wish I could remember the melody. It was a beautiful song. Hope I told the story coherently in this late hour.

So as Saturday was a socially packed day, today was low-key. We spent the day at home, I went to the gym, and Alan took a lovely nap, though he fought it in the beginning. I rearranged the playroom creating two distinct areas, a reading nook and a play area.

Oh, I forgot….Alan’s new favorite song is another James Taylor favorite called “Shed a Little Light.” It has a gospel sound and the song is about Martin Luther King. I wanted Alan to know about this great man, so I Youtubed his “I Have a Dream” speech. Wouldn’t you know that he watched the entire 17 minute speech on my lap – enthralled by him. He clapped when everyone clapped. I gave kid-appropriate commentary for a two year old, “See, he wants all the children to play together,” etc…At dinner, I told this story to my Dad, and when I said to Alan, “Remember Martin Luther King,” He responded, “I have a dream!” I couldn’t believe my ears. Below are links to the song and speech.

James Taylor Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkYheh9R93k

MLK I have a Dream speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk

So yes, we did drive up to keep Pop-Pop company for a little while tonight. I made us dinner at his place, and was home by 8pm.

Hope you all had a great weekend!!!!!!