Phantom

(SPOILERS!  If you haven't seen Les Mis or Phantom of the Opera proceed with caution!)

Biggest fan

We are full of the phantom here at Casa Doyle.  It all started when Ella found out that the traveling Broadway production was coming to Pittsburgh and she began lobbying.  She offered to pay for tickets if one of her sweet parents would take her.  Instead, Chris decided to take the whole kit and caboodle, the entire motley crew, all seven of us Frodos.  March 3rd was the last day of the run and we attended the very last performance.  In the snow.  Large beautiful flakes fell on our heads as we walked the short distance from the parking garage to the Benedum.  Many kind theatre employees held umbrellas and helped shuffle the crowd inside as quickly as possible.  We found our seats easily but only after Ella made the souvenir purchase she had been planning, a mask on a chain that she has not taken off since. It is the first thing I have seen her buy with her own money aside from one used book, candy (too much) and Christmas gifts.
I have to admit, even with Ella's incredible enthusiasm, I had only marginally looked forward to the play.  Les Mis is my favorite of favorites and I could not remember much about the story of the Phantom.  Since the show, that has changed.  I have been listening to the music constantly, not only because the girls have the sheet music and have been playing it instead of the music they are supposed to be practicing for piano festival (Ahem!) but because I have been trying to "get" the story. What is really happening here?  What I have discovered has amazed me.  Les Mis and POTO may be totally different stories but boil them down a bit and you get to the same heart of the matter--mercy versus judgement and the power of love to heal and transform.  In many ways, it is the same message one might hear in a homily.  In a story though, instead of being told, we are shown.  Which is why stories are so powerful.
Take Les Mis for instance.  The first key moment is when the bishop forgives Jean Valjean for stealing the silver and tells him to use it to change his life and become a good man.  Suddenly, the silver itself becomes as nothing in comparison with the bishop's mercy, which is really God's mercy.  Jean Valjean chooses to accept that gift and becomes an instrument of mercy himself when, in the final important moment, he forgives and releases Javert, his persecutor.  Sadly, because Javert is so wedded to the idea of the supreme importance of justice, he cannot accept mercy and chooses to bring judgement on himself in the form of suicide.

Ella's necklace

On the surface, The Phantom of the Opera is the ultimate love story and there are at least three kinds of love in the play: romantic love, parent-child love and love of music.  The phantom is a miserable and broken soul, a basement dweller who shuts out the light of day, of life and of love.  As the story unfolds, we discover that the rejection he experienced as a result of his deformities spurred him to embrace that rejection and live a life outside of society becoming not only a phantom but a kidnapper and murderer.  He tells Christine that he has to live in hell, "not for any mortal sin" but for his face.  Wow!  Who talks about mortal sin? Normally a priest not a mask-wearing villain who, by the way, has committed a couple of mortal sins since becoming a basement dweller.  Which is of course the problem with shutting oneself up away from the light, you tend to become dark.
The Phantom demands that Christine choose a life with him and freedom for Raoul or Raoul's death and freedom for herself.  Rather than choose, she sings so beautifully, "Pitiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known?  God give me courage to show you, you are not alone."  Then she kisses him tenderly, saving both him and herself.  Be still my heart!
While "All I Ask of You" oozes romance, this moment of crisis in the watery basement is the pinnacle of true love.  Who among us should not be asking God to give us the courage to show those lonely, broken people in our lives that they are not alone?  Perhaps not with a lingering kiss on the lips, but still!
What is love?  It is empathy and sacrifice and risk and action in the critical moment.  Most importantly, it always comes from God.  As this beautiful play points out so clearly, the light of God's love is present in the darkest of basements.  Not just in Paris opera houses but in every house, everywhere.

I love this play!
But---probably not as much as Ella.

We had a post-play feast back at CD.  Sophie made the dessert.

Daddy-Grams 2019

Which was the first year that Chris made his special Valentines for the girls?  I do not know but they have become a joyfully anticipated staple of our February 14th routine.  I play support person by choosing and printing pictures but Chris does the rest.  I always have favorites and this year, it is a tie between G's and mine.  G's for cuteness of image and message and mine because it is so funny.  Since when do zebras chase lions?  And why is Chris so solemn?  Am I outrunning him?  That seems unlikely.  In addition to cards, Chris laid out breakfast for the girls including ready-to-pour pancake batter.  He truly knows the way to their hearts!

As for me, I was treated to a five course dinner on the 12th at our local brewery.  It was so much fun and not too fancy which is the way I like it.  The beer pairings were brilliant and I especially enjoyed the sour cherry beer I sampled midway through dinner.  Conversation-wise, the best part was when we each took a quiz to discover our Star Wars character (as I said, it was a casual dinner).  Chris got Hans Solo and I got Luke which did not make me happy as he is so much more whiny than I am 😉

I really like Valentine's Day because it can be a lot or not much and still be just right. 

I Love My Cat

     Clearly, this blog is all over the place.  I  left off last in the middle of our Canada adventure, bogged down by the number of photos.  And I will get back to that.  Today though, I have been thinking for the millionth time about how much I love my cat.  Cats.  We have two.  And I love them both for different reasons but I am speaking of cat number two, adopted in September and born in May, the month that changed our lives forever.

     After our Canada trip, the girls and I started visiting Pet Smart looking for the next right cat to adopt.  "Cuddly" was the imperative adjective.  Our first cat Lily is beautiful and sweet but also shy.  She likes to be close by but not to be held.  

     Whether actually selecting a cat or not, a trip to the cat kennels at Pet Smart is always a highlight.  The girls hold every single cat and want to adopt each and every one.  During the visit in which we found our cuddly kitty, the girls had identified another kitten, "Biscuit", for adoption.  We were taking turns holding "Hazel" mostly for fun while making that decision.  I had some misgivings about Biscuit and it occurred to me later that night that Hazel might be a better choice for us.  Coincidently, Lily's name had also been Hazel when we met her at Pet Smart, a connection that did not go unappreciated.  The girls agreed to give Hazel 2 a try and she came home where we quickly sequestered her in the Master Bath for a trial period.  Aside from the two dogs, my biggest concern about adopting a new kitten was Lily and her ability to adapt.  It was touch and go for awhile.  Lily went through a period of scary hissing and attacking the intruder but incredibly, they became friends.  Now, they curl up together for naps and groom each other.  

     There was some discussion of keeping the name Hazel for the new kitty since it was the second time a Hazel was chosen to be a Doyle.  We threw around quite a few names and ended up with one that wasn't anyone's number one but was liked by all.  Maeve.  A few weeks after naming her, I found out that "Maeve" means "bringing joy".  I don't know if I can explain how I felt when I read that.  Let's go with "a propos".
     There are things about Maeve that remind me of her name all of the time.  Her fur.  She has medium length hair and it is incredibly silky and wonderful.  Maeve is joyfully playful.  She equally loves knocking something into the bathtub to bat it around and chasing the laser light up the wall.  She lies on her back and swipes at my shoelaces and circles through my ankles as I walk though the house.  She totally ignores any mischief from the dogs and has been comfortable with them from day one.  Poor Lily gets chased if they even see her shadow but Maeve?  I suppose she has earned their respect.  As much as a dog can respect a cat.  

     By far the best thing about Maeve though is the way she purrs-- like a cross between a car motor and a massage chair.  I do not have to hold Maeve to enjoy her purring because I can hear her from across the room.  But holding her--that is the best.  It is a gift that feels like waves of love coursing through her to me.  From God?  I think so.  I am seeing more and more the way that God communicates His love to me in little ways every day.  Many times, I think I miss them because I write them off as ordinary, as in, "that's how it is" or "I know about that".  But seriously--why do cats purr?  I am sure someone could give me a biological reason but that is not what I mean.  What I am asking is--why did God make cats purr when it could have been otherwise?  I never wondered this before I met Maeve but now that I have thought about it, I will tell you what I believe.  God made cats purr so that He could love us through them in that unique way.  I physically feel that love when I hold Maeve.  And I am reminded that God has not forgotten us.

I love my cat

Maeve.  The black cat who isn't really black.

Tree Guarding

A Ten Hour Drive to Quebec City

Monday morning we got up at dawn to pack the van and make the drive to Quebec City.  Though it was out of our way, we drove to the falls for one last peek and it was absolutely worth the trouble.  Filled to the brim with tourists the day before, the walkway was empty and quiet and we had an opportunity to appreciate God's majesty once more and say goodbye.  I have always liked to take my leave of places in at least a small ceremonial way and I may have passed that on to our babes.  And Chris.  I did not have to twist his arm to take the 45 minute detour.
On the road, it was much like driving in the US except the speed limit is in kilometers and there are no billboards to interrupt the beauty of the landscape.  It was a little under ten hours to Quebec City and we spent much of that time listening to a dramatic rendering of the Narnia tales.  We got through The Magician's Nephew, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and a good bit of The Horse and His Boy which is Grace's favorite.  Perhaps the most exciting part of the trip was when Mia drove.  She has to log about nine hours this trip to stay on track to get her license in October and she got two hours between Niagara and Quebec City.  My little baby--all grown up and driving in a foreign country!
We arrived in Quebec City on schedule at 5:30.  We checked into the Auberge Saint Louis which is more hostel than hotel.  Because of the size of our group, we need two rooms when staying at hotels. I had prioritized location over luxury which turned out to be a great choice.  We were right in the heart of the city.  Unfortunately, in the short term, we had a problem parking because the car top carrier did not clear the entrance of the parking garage.  Chris and Madeleine went off to find another solution but 90 minutes later, ended up removing the car top carrier to fit the van in the garage.  Lesson learned--take off the car top carrier immediately.  It was easy to do.
That first night, we walked around and ended up eating at a pub with a view of the old part of the city.  There was an accordion player, the food was typical pub fare but we were hungry so you know how that goes.  After dinner, we walked around old town Quebec.  It is incredibly quaint.  In one section, there are all different colors of umbrellas hanging upside down.  In another section, it was colored balls.  We got ice cream (a theme of our vacation so far) and went back to the rooms and to sleep.
The next day, we got up early to eat breakfast at a very well reviewed crepe restaurant.  It is rumored that at some points in the day, there are lines to get in.  At 8:15, there was no line!  A good thing as we have found that getting a table for 7 can be tricky.  The meal was one of the best we have had.  Most of us got fruit crepes with chocolate, whipped cream and even ice cream (at breakfast!).  Chris and Madeleine ordered more lunch/dinnerish crepes and those were delicious also.  We really enjoyed everything about the meal.
Things we saw/ did during the day:
*explored an ursuline convent
*toured Notre Dame and attended daily Mass in French
*went to the city wall to take photos and see the view
*played at a couple of beautiful fountains
*went to a museum about the history of the French Canadian people
*climbed around on canons overlooking the St. Lawrence River

We ate dinner in another restaurant recommended by the guidebook.  Conveniently, it was a block from our hotel.  It served typical Canadian food and was housed in the second oldest building in the city.  We had so much fun at dinner.  Again, the setting was beautiful, the company even better.  The meal was three courses which meant we took our time and lingered.  Because we had eaten out of the cooler for lunch, we were all hungry which made everything taste even better.  Sophie and Ella even tried pea soup!
After dinner, we walked around and then tried to find a carriage ride.  Madeleine and Mia made the great sacrifice of not going in the carriage (because we were over the maximum number of riders) and went shopping instead.  The carriage ended up being a lot of fun and our driver Peter was so friendly, cheerful and informative, he really added to it.
Our last event of the night was a street show.  There were continually performers in the square at the end of street and we had stopped for parts of several of them before.  This one was by far the best.  He was extremely funny in addition to being very good at juggling and unicycling.  All of the shows that we saw involved audience participation.  His first participant was a baby, probably about 9 months old.  I did not believe that the baby was randomly chosen at first because, well, who hands their baby over to a street performer?  Apparently, it was authentic.  He took good care of the baby, got tons of laughs and handed baby back safe and sound when the first part of the show ended.  We stayed for the whole thing of course and then went back to the hostel and to bed.

E checks out the view at dawn

 Sleepy Soph

 In case you've never seen it, this is the Madeleine look

 View of the side of Horseshoe Falls and the amazing mist

 Monday morning sunrise

 Our family--don't we look cheerful considering the hours in the car to come?!  Maybe we should have taken an after picture!

Stay tuned for a few installments of Quebec photos.  There are a lot!  Moderation is good in all things but photos!  

Best of the Day: Day 3

August 12, 2018: Today, we took the Horn Blower cruise to the middle of Horseshoe Falls and then to the very edge of the right side where we were soaked.  Impressive, but not the best of the day.  We ate another delicious breakfast and had a picnic lunch.  Both were yummy but not the best of the day.  We walked for frozen yogurt just a few streets away from our bed and breakfast.  A convenient treat but not the best of the day.
     I have heard it said that, when traveling, a person should do what the locals do.  Pass on the tourist attractions, get off the beaten path and really live the place.  Yesterday, while driving around, we saw people swimming in the river under a bridge close to where we were staying.  This afternoon, we headed over and spent a glorious three hours or so swimming in the river and jumping off the bridge.  Sophie surprised me by being the most enthusiastic jumper and swimmer.  Time after time, she floated from where we were sitting on the dock to the ladder at the end, climbed out, jumped off the bridge and repeated.  She met a friend--Gigi--who swam with her but was reluctant to jump again after one try.  Ella swore she would not jump but ended up going twice.  In fact, we all jumped multiple times.  It was a lot of fun, just the right amount of scary and the river swimming is my favorite kind.  The water in this particular river heads to Niagara Falls meaning that the water we swam in ran over the falls not long after it touched us.  I think that is pretty cool.  Definitely the best of the day.
    Later, Chris and I walked to the Queen's Guard Bar and spent an hour over beer on the patio.  The beer was not my favorite or that might have competed for best of the day.  Instead, it was just good time spent in beautiful weather on our last night in Niagara Falls.

 On the Horn Blower cruise.  On the US side, it is called 

The Maid in the Mist and the ponchos are blue.

 I had a rain coat with me so I opted not to wear the red trash bag er poncho

 All red

 The US side.  On the right is Bridal Veil Falls.

 Another cattle boat.  They really did pack us in.

 River swimming

I've always suspected Sophie of being a fairy but maybe she's really a mermaid.

Very clear sign

 Dock sittin' cuties

 Ella said never but jumped more than once

 She gave it a thumbs up

 Oldest three dames jumping together.  This may have been Mia's first jump.  She did not wear her bathing suit to the river because she hadn't planned on swimming.  The fun persuaded her to go back and change!

 I think this photo shows that we are not in Kansas (or Pennsylvania) anymore

I'm not sure how many times Sophie climbed up this ladder.  Many times 10.

Two sunflowers

 Look at that face. 

 Canada?  US?

Goodbye sweet Niagara Falls B & B!  Next up--Quebec City.