We moved over the weekend. And moved. And moved, and moved.
Marie and Konrad came up, so kindly, and gave up their whole weekend to help us move. Tim and I agree that if it had been just the two of us doing all that work we would still be only half way finished. As it was, with such generous helpers, we are now completely moved out of our old place and the garage; it is spic and span cleaned, and we moved all of our plants over into a pile of dirt that we dumped (temporarily) into the driveway/ patio area in the front. Our house looks more unpacked than it is, mostly because I moved all of the still-packed boxes into the spare room for now so I don’t have to look at them. They are mostly books, but I know my key card for work is in there somewhere, because I had to beg someone to let me in this morning when I couldn’t find it.
The weekend started Friday night with me rushing home from work, helping Tim move over the 8th load of the day (he worked by himself emptying all the garage stuff out), and scrambling to get dressed in time to head out to the Phantom of the Opera at the Paramount Theatre. We stopped in at Chapel first to chug rosemary infused vodka martini (they didn’t have Rosemary infused gin, Jeff). Chapel is a hip bar on Capitol hill that is in the space that was once a mortuary. The bar is made of old mortuary slabs and the vaulted ceilings scream Vampire. We then trotted the two blocks downhill in stilettos (me, not Tim) to the theatre. Packed with a hushed crowd, dressed to the nines, the theatre was more full than I have ever seen it. I had to stop myself from preparing a mental calculation in my head of how much money was being spent on tickets alone that night as we hurried to our seats. A few rows in front and below us, in the founders tier (nice seats) were a mother with her two twin daughters. The little girls must have been all of 6 years old, dressed in white satin dresses and patent leather shoes, following their elegantly clad mother eagerly as she led them, hand in hand like a little elephant train, to their severely expensive seats. I was charmed by them, but forgot to look later to see if they had fallen asleep. There were men in full military dress and teenagers in tuxedos and prom dresses and all in all I felt like the masses had risen to the occasion. Tim, in his only suit, and I, in my little black dress, were very nearly underdressed!
The Opera was fantastic, the singers amazing, but what blew us away were the sets and lighting effects. Especially when the Phantom takes Christine to his underground lair, piloting her about on the rivers that leak into the underground labyrinth beneath the Paris Opera, the effects were entrancing. Filled with dry-ice steam, the stage became a dark waterway, and the Phantom pole propelled a little boat through the mist, lighted candles bobbing about in the “water.” As they moved toward his lair, candelabras and dry land drifted toward them, until they came to a stop with a bump. It was captivating.
Images from Singapore Sights
Once Christina has saved her love and freed the Phantom from his own tyranny with a kiss, we drifted out of the theatre with all the other patrons in a tired and blissful stupor. Marie and Konrad showed up that later that night, letting themselves in after we were fast asleep. Moving commenced Saturday morning, with a break for lunch with Uncle Jay, and kept on through 8:30 last night. We are exhausted, which may be a vast understatement, but thrilled to be in our new place. I’ll post shots later this week.
Thank you thank you thank you, Marie and Konrad!!!