Looking back, I must admit 2011 hasn't been the best of years for us. A huge chunk of time was spent going to doctor appointments, countless hours on the phone with AT&T trying to get our services to work, trying to redecorate for showing the house (someday) and attending far too many funerals for family and friends. Somehow, we were able to survive a record setting drought, late record setting freezes that jumped straight to record setting heatwaves, the wildfires from Hell and city imposed water rationing because there are so many idiots in our city that just didn't get it that we are seriously running out of water. Soon.
The entire year has been riddled with repairs in and around the house and we've still only taken a tiny chunk off the *Big Picture* of things that need to be done. We still have so many things to update and repair. However, if we keep hiring people who are slow as molasses, then we've still got a few years ahead of us before we're even ready to put the house on the market, much less move. Luckily, I've also learned many things already, about the way things are done and not done.Always good to know, right?
Whew! That is the most we've ever had to deal with in one year. Maybe one other year. The year we lost both of Mr. Snooty's parents to cancers (7 months apart) was gut wrenching but we didn't have insanely drastic and unpredictable weather to deal with, in addition to what was going down in our lives. But I'm getting off track here.
So taking everything that has happened this year into consideration, I'd say 2011 ranks pretty low on my list of the *good years*. That said, there have been some pretty grand perks to the year. I was able to see Celine Dion for the first (and last) time, zip-lined for the first (and second) time, learned I could successfully do my own home decorating, discovered the joys of spray painting and Goodwill, taken 4 or 5 nice trips together, and I had one of the highlights of my year, going to Seattle and getting to know my *blisters* (blog sisters) better.
Probably the best part of 2011 Christmas was having Mr. Snooty's brother and his family come to visit after Christmas. We had so much fun with them and we all found one another to have mellowed over the years, allowing us all to have nothing but fun times. However, we all went bowling yesterday (which neither of us have done in years) and today we are both miserable with muscle aches, back aches and various other pains.....
Yes, after the most hair-raising flight I've ever been on, and the hairiest landing ever, we are indeed home again. We weren't even able to get cocktails on the flight (due to severe turbulence), which I really needed in order to get through the scary stuff. Didn't happen. Of course, the winds from Hell were still blowing here at home, which made for a very precarious and frightening landing. The pilot even had to approach the airport from a direction that we had never experienced before. It was crazy and the sky was full of blowing 50 mph gusts of dust and smoke from more wildfires. Everyone on the plane clapped and cheered when we were finally on the ground. Yes, it was that bad. I bowed to the pilots on the way out of the plane.
As always, we had a great time in Vegas even though we I lost all the money I had for gambling. The card gods completely failed to *cover my back*, which I just wasn't accustomed to. It went really well the first night, after dining at Hugo's (which we weren't so impressed with this year). I met some new *friends* I'll never see again and we were rocking and rolling with the cards, which was great fun. I didn't get back to the room until 2:30 AM because things were going so well. Then, I slept until 3:00 PM the following day. Apparently I needed the sleep, right? That was Sunday night.
Monday (after I finally woke up) we just walked around the Fremont Street *Experience*, did a minimum amount of gambling, AND I scratched another item off my *Bucket List*. Yup. They now have a Zip Line on Fremont Street, which I took full advantage of. Now, Mr. Snoots would rather have his fingernails removed with household pliers than do it, so he was the perfect (or not) photographer for my *Bucket List* chronicles. Yes, that's right. I. Rode. The. Zip. Line. With great enthusiasm. Woo Hoo! That night we ate at Vic & Anthony's (inside the Golden Nugget) and it was absolutely the best meal we had this trip, as was the service. Outstanding meal and service.
I actually wanted to do the zip line again but Tuesday I had to get ready to go see Celine Dion at Caesar's Colosseum, which I'd have had to be jailed or hospitalized to keep me from seeing her concert. So, Tuesday, April 12th, we hit the pool for some much needed vitamin D, then I spent the afternoon primping for the concert and yes, I dressed to the nines. It turned out to be everything I'd hoped for and, of course, I cried. I'm the town crier, remember? Before the concert we dined at BOA Steakhouse(inside the Caesar's Forum of Shops but I dutifully had my blinders on as we passed the dozens of high end shops except Judith Leiber but I merely drooled, nothing more), which was quite lovely but not nearly so much as its Santa Monica counterpart. They overcooked my grilled salmon and we had to make the concert so there was no time for sending back mistakes. Yuck. Wish we'd gone to Spago.
Anyhoo, Celine was divine and both Mr. Snoots and I were thrilled with her live performance. You can see it on video or on the internet, but nothing prepares you for the experience of seeing this talented woman up close and personal. Live. She puts on quite an astonishing show. Honestly, Mr. Snooty was almost as taken with her as I, which actually surprised him. He liked it even more than "Wicked". Celine Dion gives it everything she's got. Also, her 36 piece orchestra/band is an amazing collection of talented artists, as are her backup singers and all the others who work behind the scenes to make the magic happen. It's not just a concert, but almost a Broadway worthy *production*. Anyway, after the concert my eyes were so swollen that I didn't even go out to gamble that night. We just went back to the room, watched a pay movie, and fell asleep before it was over. We are such Party Animals!
But, I have to say that I would have preferred less bells and whistles. It's not about all that. It's about Celine and her incredibly beautiful voice. I had absolutely no desire to go into her store but somehow found myself buying a t-shirt. What is wrong with me? I DO NOT WEAR T-SHIRTS! I suppose I just got caught up in it all, which is what they're shooting for. I think I liked her better in the days of old. However, that's the Las Vegas Experience, right? Pay for all the extras that you really don't need or want. It's part of the deal.
Wednesday we ended up trying an Oxygen Bar, which I'll never do again. All they do is try to sell you hundreds of dollars worth of completely ridiculous items you don't need, which spoils the whole oxygen experience anyway, all the while making sure to not speak enough English for you to understand. Whatever. No more Oxygen Bars for me or Mr. Snoots. Extremely. Annoying.
We ate at The Chart House on Wednesday night, which is inside The Nugget. What a fantastic meal we had while gazing at their 75,000 gallon tank of tropical fish (but not for consumption). Our Tuna Tartare with fried plantains was to swoon for and the service was truly impeccable. I had their Lobster Francese which was unlike anything I've ever had. Needless to say, I gained like 3 lbs. on this trip even with all the walking. What a bummer. Then I ran into my new best friends again and proceeded to steadily lose my stash of chips. Why is it so much easier to lose those cute little chips? I was with some really high rollers and they lost way more than I did. Somehow, that was comforting. But then, they all deserted me because apparently I was the loser wooden nickel at the table, so I tucked my tail between my legs went up to bed to lick my wounds.
Thursday morning was the airplane ride from Hell and Mr. Snooty was really sick already. So, as he recovers from his *stomach thing*, I try to recover from my swollen feet, various blisters from wearing the *pretty shoes* instead of the *sensible* ones, along with a little leg shaving mishap, and a slight fall in the casino when I missed a chair at the blackjack table (I swear it wasn't the martoonies). Aren't you sorry you weren't with us to enjoy all the mishapsFUN? And No! There isn't a picture of me missing the chair. Thank Gawd!
I didn't mean to write a book, really. It just worked out that way. And today, we are finally recovered from the trip. Geeze! I need to start training for these trips.....
For our 30th wedding anniversary (which was the day before my 55th birthday), I decided we would go to Cancun, Mexico because I wanted needed some sun and some of Cancun's Vera Cruz style of cooking. I wanted a week of kicking back and doing absolutely nothing but eating and swimming, with a day trip or two thrown in for good measure. So, Mr. Snooty reluctantly agreed. He's not a big beach fan but he went along with it because I was adamant. I did, however, book us into an adults only hotel where they allowed topless sun bathing. I figured that would keep him happily entertained while I swam and sunbathed. I didn't bare *my girls* but many other women did and that kept him happy. We had a wonderful time and ate some of the best food we'd ever had, while we were there. I can still list all the things we had over the week. Yes, it was really that good.
On the plane returning home Mr. Snooty says, "You know, I was going to take you to see Celine Dion in Las Vegas but you seemed so set on going to Mexico that I didn't say anything." That was when I had to tell him the truth. I had to tell him that he would not have wanted to take me to see Celine because I would have bawled all the way through the show. I would have embarrassed him beyond all belief... and myself. Yes, I'm like that for some weird reason. I cry when I'm happy. I cry when I'm sad. I cry when I'm frustrated. I don't know why I'm like this because I certainly don't enjoy being this way. (You should have seen me during both pregnancies. I cried over everything. For 9 whole months, then again for another 9 months. I can hardly believe Mr. Snoots stayed with me through all of that, but I suppose he did want his children. I was a total mess.)
So, our son gave me the DVD of Celine's Vegas show for Christmas that year and what do you think I did? Of course. I blubbered and cried all the way though the DVD. Twice. Thrice. It's embarrassing, really. Sometimes I totally detest being like this, but everyone who knows me, knows I'm really a *tender heart* inside and this is how I react to things that really move me. Unfortunately, almost everything moves me. That's not to say that everyone I know isn't embarrassed if they are with me when this happens. It's completely ridiculous and I don't understand it. I mean, I could see a number of different rock or country bands and I'd be fine. It's the people who get to my heart, that make me react in such a manner. I never cried at a Willie Nelson concert, okay?
So, when Mr. Snoots sent me an email today about Celine returning to Vegas for a 3 year stint, I got so excited, I swear I almost wet my pants! You can read all about it HERE. She isn't scheduled to begin performances until late March of 2011, so I figure that gives me time to seek psychiatric help so I can get through one of her concerts without looking like a total emotional mess moron.
The first time I ever saw, or even heard of Celine Dion was her first American introduction on the Today Show. She could barely even speak English at the time, and had a very thick French accent. I knew even then, that this skinny, awkward looking young girl was going to be famous one day. I'm seldom wrong on predictions such as these, which makes me think I should have chosen another calling... like talent agent or DJ.
Here is Celine, singing my favorite song (among many) from one of my favorite movies:
So.... What do you think? Is it possible to overcome an affliction such as this crying thing? Do I need to consult a psychiatrist psychologist? Or should I just sit and watch the DVD over and over until I can get through it without the tears? Well, I've got a year to figure this one out I suppose. But, I will attend her concert in Las Vegas, no matter what I have to do.
We've decided to make it a family trip and we're going to take both kids, so maybe they can pinch me to keep me from crying. It always worked for The Brown Recluse when I was a child. At any rate, we'll all go to see Celine Dion together in 2011 or perhaps 2012 and hopefully, by that time, I can learn how to control my emotions in public. Or not.
Snooty Primadona's Sparkling Outlook On Life ... Or Not
Growing older takes a seriously sick sense of humor, not to mention emotional & physical stamina.... it isn't for the weak minded or faint of heart, I assure you.
I will try to guide you through the aging process with a little humor, tales from the past entwined with stories of today, tips you'll need to keep from looking & acting like an old hag, and the music you'll need to listen to in order to stay "young at heart". Or at least put up a good appearance.
Posts
