THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE!!!!

I love the diversity of my life!  The people, the activities, the busy times and the quiet times.  Today, being Monday, I would usually be meeting with my doctor in the afternoon, yet, he is on vacation, which is a good thing considering I need to recover from the crazy (fun crazy) day which I had yesterday!

Many years ago, when I worked in a local church, and was much younger, I used to be a magnet for the all kinds of people, but especially to the down and out and people who have had it rough in life.  It was great fun in helping these people hook up with the resources which could help them, be it food or shelter information, who to talk to and where to go to get whatever help they needed.  It was so fulfilling to help those who really needed it.

Later on in life, when my children were young, our house was where all the children came and played games and had snacks and got some positive attention which they may have been lacking in their own lives from their own families.  I could relate to them, as I had a childhood where, although not unloved, I absorbed the positive love that close families shared with each other through my friends families.

These days, I am more comfortable with myself as a human being.  Being myself and doing things which I would not have done in my younger days, which I would have enjoyed, but the people I was around would have thought weird or abnormal ~ like going to plays and art shows for example.

I used to care too much about what other people thought about me, more so than I did about doing what I liked and not giving a fig about myself deep down inside.  I like the new me, who does what I like and am living for myself and not giving a damn about what anyone else thinks!

It is more fun this way!  Yesterday for example, I had accepted an invitation to see the play Muckrakers at the Barrington Stage.  Having volunteered last week, I saw "On the Town" which was a wonderful musical and had heard a bit about Muckrakers, but did not think there was much chance of seeing it.  I was delighted to accept the invitation.

I had never been in the recently renovated theatre.  It used to be the VFW, which, I think I have been in once over the course of my 40+ years.  Dressed for the matinee I gladly took my second row seat in the wonderful air conditioned theatre and enjoyed the 80 minute two person play immensely!

The fun was not over there, as we had plans to attend the Williamstown Theatre volunteer meeting as well after the play.  When I lived in Williamstown a few years ago, they were in the process of the major reconstruction of the theatre, so it was my first time there as well, having walked by it a million times over the course of my brief residency in this cool college town.

Driving from Pittsfield to Williamstown, we drove by my old house and of course I am disappointed that the new owners do not care for the lawn and grounds the way I did, with the grass in the very front yard ready to hay instead of cut.

I know it is not my place anymore, but hell, have some respect, it saddens me to see it that way, I took such pride in my yard and grounds, lovingly cutting the lawn regularly!  I am only glad that you cannot see the house from the main road so I could not tell if they are just not loving my old place the way I did or if it is slowly decaying!

So, we had a great volunteer meeting along with some amazing Thai food from a local restaurant on Spring Street in Williamstown ~ (the name slips my mind ~ however, I am sure there is probably only one Thai restaurant on the street, I do recommend the morsels of yummy goodness!)

After the meeting, we took a ride over to the Athletic Field, where I am told, they are going to remove the wooden bleachers and replace them with a new version (it is kind of funny, only one side is wooden, with a roof (home) and the other side is open bleachers (away) ~ kinda funny in a way!

My friend was searching for the Platform Tennis, which, after some inquiries we found behind the old elementary school, next to the tennis courts.  Not only did we find it, it was also unlocked with two paddles waiting for us!  My companion had a ball in his car...

I am dressed in a dress, for the theatre and next thing you know I am running around trying to volley the ball back 11 times...did I mention the last time I had a tennis racket in my hand was in the 1980's (I don't think a WII controller counts).

So we are running around trying to hit the ball back and forth.  Forget keeping it in the square, I was happy just to hit and return the ball over the net!  We made it through once ~ sort of and so the second volley should have been easier right?  Not so!  We gave it our all ~ switching sides to make it fair, and I think I may have broken or sprained my pinkie finger over the course of our very energetic and fun attempt!

The court is fenced in so you don't have to chase balls~ alas I scored the winning shot over the fence and we were done!  Fortunately whomever designed the area did not put dense shrubbery around, so on our way out, I  easily retrieved my ball.

The day was not over yet, our next stop was North Adams ~ Mass MOCA ~ where the Wilco Show was getting out.  I have never been to Mass MOCA personally ~ another day I am sure I will be checking out that gem!

I got a tour, not limited to a rock which took Meryl Streeps husband 20 years to find, cut in half and hang -suspended across the street of the entrance way.  I still don't know how they raised it - cables run through it and it is high enough to walk under.

We saw this tree as well, which they suspended upside down a couple of years ago I believe, with its roots on top, ( I think in a container with water feeding to it) whose branches do not grow down towards the ground, but have reversed direction reaching for the sun, as all smart branches do!  It is mind boggling!

It was great fun all and all.  As we were traveling back to Pittsfield ~ via route 8 this time ~ my phone rang, my son ~ making sure I remembered we had a date (Sunday night t.v.).  I told him, of course I didn't forget, and for him to wait ten minutes and make me a tea (lovely boy that he is had a very large tea waiting for me!)

He was waiting outside on the stoop when I arrived, and I was surprised with some Kielbasa as well, just in case I was hungry.  He is just so thoughtful like that!  Happy that I was home with 40 minutes to spare before our "date".

We have begun watching this show off of the Discovery Channel on the "Brain" so we checked out the second episode before our show and settled in to relax after my busy day.  I was happy to be home, with a tea and something to nibble on!

Life is good!