A Musing Mother 6

Joey made plans with her husband and kids to go to Mexico with some other families so now we're vacationing with fervor.  We saw Newsies  which I LOVED so much and met a couple from Utah across the aisle. We also had an unfortunate exchange with a couple from Germany who complained that Suzy leaned forward and blocked their view. Even after repeated, hard jabs in her shoulder. She had no idea why they were jabbing her until intermission. Then they went and got an usher to tell her to sit up straight. Very German of them.  I still highly recommend Newsies. So Saturday was Joey's last day. We had to put our having-a-good-time on steroids. We ran to Tijuana  Canal Street and had the opportunity to talk to the Chinese immigrants who pretended to not understand our English while bartering. Inconspicuous Chinese grandmas in fanny packs walked close to us with shifty eyes while asking, "Watches? Purses?" They had the name brand knock-offs off Canal Street. They took us throu

6:00 a.m., New York time (4:00 Mountain), the girls were up and dressed. I heard them ask if I was joining them on the Today  show. I think I answered. I did not feel the Today  love they were feeling. It was Jene's birthday. I left Today  to them. It was a gamble they were willing to take but it paid off. They met Al Roker, Carson Daily (who shared a moment with Jene, having just celebrated his 40th birthday) and had three or four seconds of fame on television. Did you see them? Can you believe I missed the opportunity to be in this shot? Look at them. They look perfectly normal. Not creepy or crazy AT ALL. We hit the subway system again. There were no more famous people sightings. Unless you count my sisters who were on the Today  show. We got on the wrong train a lot. We were turned around and had to take more subways. We finally made it to the World Trade Center Memorial, waited in a long line to get tickets, waited in a line to get in then found ourselves sobered by the feelin

One of my sisters had a big birthday coming up. Not "big" as in high number but "big" as in it-begins-with-a-four-and-ends-with-an-0. She texted one day and announced she was spending her birthday in New York. All of her sisters were invited but she got a screaming deal on airfare. I was not as lucky in that respect but I finally decided to go. We all left on Wednesday night; Suzy, Jene and I from Salt Lake, Joey from Phoenix. We took the miserable red eye and arrived early at JFK. We had an hour to kill before Joey arrived so we claimed a corner and went to sleep. It was a very short hour. We reunited with all the sisters and hailed a cab. I ended up in the front seat and had a white knuckle ride. Taxi drivers in New York are certifiably crazy. I thought I was going to die. Meanwhile, in the back seat, Suzy was beyond exhausted and hit nausea. Her first taxi cab ride in New York and she threw up. Jene then mocked her by calling her "Grandma." I was glad I