wellborn my hometown

My knew GPS in my car, plus Mapquesting the route between my home and Disney's Coronado Resort, plus enlisting navigator helper, Carmen Hernandez, enabled me to drive myself to Mickey's Magic Kingdom for a 3 day respite from reality. I've passed the 4 month anniversary of the dreaded widow's role. God keeps granting surprises to warm my heart and show me that Life is Good and He has a purpose for me yet..
The invitation came from niece Gail who lives in Massena NY. She needed respite from the view of the frozen St Lawrence River outside her living room window. Gail too was at an anniversary of her own widowhood. Gene died a year ago.
The too much-ness of Disney caught up with Gail and after we assured one another that a day's bedrest was all she needed, I started out to explore Disney on my own.
I was in the line for the LionKing Show @ the Animal Kingdom Park when I heard the line attendent ask "Are you traveling alone?"
(New widows weep easily and unexpectedly) . "Yes" said I. Then Boo Hoo, boo hoo.
She shooshed me into the speedy seating line and said "There There. This is a happy place . Where are you from etc etc."
Soon another one of them came with a Tinkerbell Pin pin, a gift for me. "You need a family for today" she said and introduced me to the threesome next to me in line. They were Linda, her husband and 8 year old Sophie from New Jersey, my own place of birth. Conversation came easy.
Then still another Disney worker seated us in the front row VIP seat, almost into the preforming area. :-) She was OK that my weepies were gaining momentum and asked if my adopted daughter Sophie would help her lead the group singing in my place. It was part of the pre-show action. Sophie was really cute & loved the spotlight.
During the LionKing extravaganza show all the brightly costumed actors and actresses seemed to be favoring us four with nods and waves and extra smiles. AND afterwards we were escorted to back stage where we had a picture taken together with the cast. WUTTA DAY TO REMEMBER!!
Talk about Random Acts of Kindness! Itis unlikely that any of us in this true story will ever see one another again. I'm not even sure I gave my e-mail address correctly when Linda promised to send me the photo.

My beholden-ness to God for orchestrating the whole thing leads me to promise Him and myself to Pass It On. I do it now.
Be heart warmed too . May the ripples spread in ever widening circles. Amen

Labels: Acts of Kindness

Scenes from the February first Saturday Wellborn Blueberry Breakfast:
Ron Chappel at the keyboard, Jim & Pat Smith, Beanie Brooks and Sandra Jordan as the kitchen crew.
Jim Smith doubled as Maitre D' host whose extra mile welcome was to invite Carmen Hernandez to b e his dance partner.
The Smiths come for pancakes in January and again in April. It is a Brooks/Smith friendship from Massachussetts days.

Joy Geiger assumes the role of Cunegonde in Bernstieins comic operetta, Candide. Cunegonde(Joy) laments her fallen estate, but at the same time revels in the fine jewelry she has accumulated through her transgressions.
This piece was the grand finale of Joy Geiger's Graduate Voice Recital in the College of Fine Arts, School of Music on Friday January 30, 2009.
It was a night to remember.
Read on!

Friday evening, January 30, 2009, in the College of Fine Arts, School of Music Building at University of Florida soprano Joy Geiger sang her Graduate Voice Recital.
Attending from Wellborn were her parents, Maurice and Ann Geiger, sister Alice Geiger and sister Marcia G. Roe with brother-in-law James Roe. Family friends, blessed with knowing Joy all of her life, enjoyed the evening together with the proud Geiger family: Janice Underwood, Izzy Wolff, Jinny Wilson, Cathy Townsend and David and Doris Coney. Newer friends from Wellborn at Joy's concert were Judy and John Husocki and Myrtle Principatio, Carmen Hernandez, Jim Messer and Linda Young.
Newest friends of all were the fellow students and faculty who came because they had to :-)
EVERYONE WAS VERY GRATEFUL TO BE PART OF JOY'S FINAL RECITAL at U of F..
"How many hours does it take in preparation?" I asked Carolyn Reaves, Joys piano accompanist. "We have been working together on some of the really challenging ones for a year." she admitted. The program was presented in two segments, each one divided into three entrance and exits done with a dramatic flare, truly beatifully. We appreciated Joy's training and her easy stage presence. We felt her own involvement in the music she had memorized. And of course the evening held auditory ecstacy.
Joys voice soars. There are many octaves between her low and her high notes and she easily runs through the gamut.
She sang in Italian, German and French and English, a total of 13 selections. My favorite was a whimsical piece about a serpent who felt compelled to sing.

Both before and after the professional perfomance we saw Joy looking like we see her around town. Beforehand she was dressed in college kid clothes and stood in the spotlight and checked out the sound system and the piano placement was adjusted minutely.
After the concert it is Geiger tradtion to wind down at ChickFillet

Between these two ordinary life scenes, she metamophisizes hereself into an accomplished operatic star!
It is awesome!

The audience had been transported to loveliness. When it was over, we landed back on this earth to make a standing ovation and vigorous applause. Picture taking , orchid presenting and more picture taking followed. Fellow students wanted a picture with Joy. It was all such fun. The afterglow lingers yet.