2015 Reasons to Celebrate
Wait … before you think I’m organized enough to actually come up with 2015 of anything, let me assure you this is not a laundry list of let me count the ways. But you’ll have to admit I did get your attention.
I am actually very excited about my prospects for 2015, especially given that 2014 was not my favorite year by a long shot. In fact, when I look back upon this time a year ago, I’m thrilled that 2014 is over and that I don’t find myself in the same limbo I was facing just 365 days ago… when I still had breasts.
As 2014 was winding down, I did have lots and lots of great times with family and friends. Two of my sisters flew out to sunny California to visit (and they both assured me it wasn’t just to escape the frigid temperatures in Indianapolis)! We spent each day together laughing until I’m sure everyone around us wished they had a mute button they could point our direction.
At just about the time they were scheduled to say adios, my son and his family arrived, so although I was sad to see Jenny and Lisa depart, that empty-house feeling I always get when people I love head home was nicely delayed.
I was absolutely delighted to have my son and the grandkids here, even after he informed me that I’d been selected as the person most likely to help him take the kids to Disneyland.
I’ve always thought my daughter-in-law is amazingly intelligent, and now I know that to be absolutely true, because if I hadn’t been tapped to participate, she would have had to trudge along. Instead, she got to spend the day at the beach reading a book – she’s a genius I tell you, a genius!
old disneyland ticket bookI hadn’t been to Disneyland since my kids were wee ones, back in the day where you got a coupon book that contained a couple of E tickets for the rides you simply had to go on, accompanied by several other categories that became more yawn-worthy as you went along. In those days a Big 11 ticket book cost $6.75 and kids under 2 were free. Today you practically have to mortgage your house just to spend a day.
Here’s a brief glimpse of how our day went. First, I had to convince my son that we didn’t need to leave at 4:00 am in order to miss the traffic (yes, I was lying, but the idea of getting up at 3:00 am to make that ungodly departure time was simply more than I could bear). At that time of day, the happiest place on Earth for me is my bed!
Luckily, we were traveling on a day when a lot of people were still off work, so we didn’t hit any rush hour traffic in Los Angeles. I thought this was a good sign, until we arrived at our destination. All of those people who should have been snarling up the freeway were already bright-eyed and bushy-tailed – and snarling up Disneyland.
We arrived at 9:00 am on the dot, and by 10:45 am we actually got into the park. Yes, you heard me right; it took us 1 hour and 45 minutes to get from the parking lot, through the ticket line and through the gates. I would like to remind you that I was tethered to a five- and nine-year-old, so 1 hour and 45 minutes in grandma time is sort of like dog years – it adds up quickly. Fortunately, the kids were little angels, and I’d say that even if we weren’t related.
As I look back, I’m pretty sure this placid behavior was due to the fact I had not yet plied them with sugary treats in an attempt to sway them to my way of thinking. My way of thinking at several points during the day involved finding a place to sit. As the hours dragged on, all of my good grandma ploys like have a carrot stick or piece of celery, sweetie deteriorated into I’ll get you some cotton candy or an ice cream sandwich that looks like Mickey Mouse, if we can just sit down.
Twelve hours later, our motley crew had been on a total of six rides. The five-year-old I’d plied with sugar loved the free video games and was convinced these were more fun than the ones at home (the same home I’d nearly had to mortgage to gain access to this magical kingdom – sheesh)!
Since it was the holidays, every time we attempted to cross Main Street there was a parade taking place. Translation: we spent most of our time in Tomorrow and Adventure Lands, which might explain why I had to stand in line to go on the Buzz Lightyear ride twice.
If it sounds like I’m complaining, I’m not. Although I wouldn’t jump on the bandwagon if just anyone said, “let’s go to Disneyland,” it definitely gave me lots of time with three of the people I love most in the world. Sure my dogs were barkin’, my pocketbook was singing the blues and my patience was tested (if one more person had run into me with their stroller…)! But by the end of the day I realized the happiest place on Earth is actually any place that includes my family. And that’s not the sugar talking!
