It probably won't surprise anyone to learn that I love words. I love they way they sound.
Words such as:
Plush.
Glide.
Accoutrement.
Glorious.
Entourage.
Cupcake.
It probably also will not surprise that there are certain words I hate the very sound of.
Rotten.
Putrid.
Infestation.
and....
Head Lice.
The last two words where what Lucy's kindergarten teacher said to me when she leaned into the car during pick-up time yesterday. Now before we all freak out, Lucy does NOT have head lice. Yet. But apparently the kindergarten has an outbreak of them. Mrs. Blevins sent home five children yesterday with lice. She handed me Lucy's nap towel wrapped in a garbage bag.
I asked Lucy in the car, "Who had to go home with lice?"
"With what?" she asked.
"Lice! Grody, disgusting lice!"
"What are lice?" she said.
"They're tiny little bugs who get in your hair and don't get out and lay eggs in there too. They're wretched! Awful! I'm going to be sick!"
"Ohhhhhh," she said, realization dawning in her voice. "So that's why the nurse looked through my hair. She said I'm OK though."
When we got home, I made her strip in the back hall and hit the shower. We washed her hair twice with two different shampoos. I took her uniform, her backpack, her raincoat, and put them on the superwash cycle with hot water and extra detergent. Then I stripped their beds (which I had just freshly made a day ago) including the comforters and Rabbie and Catty and gave them the same treatment.
I also cleaned the house and wiped everything down with Lysol wipes. I have no idea if that's effective in any way, but it made me feel better.
Then Darren's parents arrived because they were going to take care of the girls for us and spend the night while Darren and I went to Chicago. My parents had tickets to the opera, but my mom is just too sick to go right now so they gave them to us.
We got ready to go and headed out. We went to dinner downtown at one of our favorite restaurants, which we hadn't been to in years. We had plenty of time to get to the opera before 7:30. We parked nearby and discovered that the meters don't turn off until 9--we had thought they turned off at 6. Of course we didn't have change. Darren had to run back and forth, getting change, which necessitated trying several places because some people don't give change, and feeding the meter.
We ran over the bridge and burst into the doors at 7:28.
Alas.
They were no longer seating people in the theater.
We were too late.
The very polite man at the door told us that we would have to sit in the lobby and watch the opera on a small TV screen.
Unbelievable. However, we sat down to watch.
But then...the polite man came over and whispered two words I really never hear in connection with me:
Box Seats.
Someone had called in to say they wouldn't be using their box seats. And since box seats are the only ones in which people can be seated after the opera starts, he could show us to them.
To the BOX SEATS. Have we covered that? We were actually rewarded for being late.
We settled right in to watch Cavilleria rusticana and Pagliacci, two shorter operas that they normally perform together in the Spring. And the soprano in Cavilleria looked just like Wynona.
So, in less than 12 hours, I went from scouring my house from top to bottom to prevent head lice, to sitting in box seats at the Lyric hearing people shout "Bravo!"
It was, in a word...
Surreal.
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6 comments:
Oh my gosh, that's fantastic! The box seats I mean of course not the super icky lice scare. We were given notice that the same thing's going around Cole's school a few months back so each week the parents are required to check their child for head lice. Can I tell you how hard that is to manage on a three-year-old? And of course at the mere mention of head lice my stomach turned and my own head started to feel itchy. My mind is easily influenced by the power of suggestion. Glad to hear Lucy is safe from the lice as of right now and hope it continues.
The opera! Oh, that sounds so fantastic and what a boost to your spirit it must've been once the polite man sat you and Darren in those posh seats. I'm so glad your night turned out so well.
Wow! That is so great - what an unexpected blessing! And BOX SEATS! Too cool.
We must be on the same page with words, because yesterday somebody said, "asphalt" and I laughed like it was the funniest thing I'd ever heard! Some words just make me smile, too. Glad to know I'm not alone.
Ah, head lice. Our school got hit BAD one year when I was a little girl, and I had hair down to my rear end. I still remember Mom standing in the shower with me and combing them out fix and six times. It was horrid! SO, so, so glad Lucy doesn't have them!
Bravo, Lucy!
Wow! I wished I knew of some great english word to use to express getting thos box seats!
Just saying the word, "lice", makes you cringe. But whenever one has children in any schools, it can happen.
Where did you eat?
We ate at Reza's on Ontario--a Middle Eastern/Persian place. It's our fav, and we haven't eaten there since before Lucy was born, I think!
We choose to call them "The Itchies" in our house, because the word LICE almost makes me upchuck on the spot. I am SO glad that little Luce doesn't have the itchies. I have the name of some incredible products should you ever need them - but I'm praying you NEVER will.
How fun -- the opera, not the lice of course! Hope that the lice situation stays far away from you. :)
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