ReeHart – Blogging from the Heart

Archive for May, 2008

"Who will buy this wonderful morning?
Such a sky you never did see!"

So go the lyrics from the colorful and poignant "Who Will Buy?" out of Lionel Bart’s "Oliver!" Set in the seamier side of London, this musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ "Oliver Twist" has equal parts’ heart and terror, hope and tragedy.

"Who Will Buy?" is a particular favorite of mine for a rather odd reason. When I graduated from Army Basic Training the summer of 1974 at Fort McClellan, Alabama, our Company A graduation song utilized that tune.

"Here we go to do our duty,
Honor high, we’re leading the way.
Alpha First, the pride of the Army,
Working hard every day…"

All of us are scattered now. Some made the Army a career, still others made raising a family a career, but there are a few who went into land investment. While my heart pounds in anticipation when I prepare to perform on stage, their hearts respond to signs that say land for sale or to properties that all but scream "tax shelter." I heard that one woman who was stationed in England for two years got out of the service and took up residence. Eventually she even started investing in UK land.

I’d love to participate in a reunion of Alpha Company some day. I can still remember the way I felt as we sang our class song. Those feelings echo Lionel Bart’s lyrics near the end of song:

"Who will buy this wonderful feeling?
I’m so high I swear I could fly."

Like any other graduation, it was time of endings and beginnings. And it really did feel as though we could do anything — even fly.

When it came time for my boyfriend and me to start discussing our future together, he asked me what I was looking for in an engagement ring. I told him that I had always liked diamond rings in platinum and then told him that I was leaving the rest up to him. I did not want to help pick out my ring, as I wanted it to be a surprise and I wanted it to be something he did on his own as a way to show his love for me.

When he gave me my ring and asked me to marry him, I was amazed at how well he had done. I don’t think that I could have done a better job if I had picked it out myself. He definitely loved me and he really knew how to show it.

We went together to buy our wedding bands and we both decided that we wanted something simple. I did not want my wedding ring to take away from the beauty of my engagement ring.

When I was finished high school, I was very concerned about being able to find a job. I knew that I was going to be going away to college in the fall and jobs were very hard to come by in our town, especially for someone with no staying power. Ironically, I got a job giving out auto insurance quotes.

It is ironic because, up to that point, I had never driven a car in my life. I certainly did not know anything about auto insurance. I assured them that I was a fast learner and the job did end up making me feel like I wanted to get my license and drive a car.

That was many years ago and I am happy to say that I have been paying for car insurance for many years now, as well. I love driving and I attribute my love for cars to that one summer, when I did not think I would even be able to find a job.

One of the things that our family likes to do every summer is spend a day at a local theme park in our community. We always have a good time together, playing mini golf and playing on all of the rides and amusements that are there.

I was really surprised when the park was advertising their bouncy castles for sale. The castles were the highlight of the day for our children and I knew that the park would not be the same without them. I realize that they wanted the room for some of the new amusements that they were bringing in, but we were all sad to see them go.

However, when we saw the new obstacle courses that were in our favorite spot, we knew that would be a lot of fun as well. We decided to try these together as a family and I am happy to say that we had a blast.

If you haven’t seen a wedding cake in the last few years, you are missing out on some real pieces of art. Some of the cakes made today would be a shame to eat because they are so very beautiful.
I’ve seen everything from tiered cakes that look like castles to cakes with mermaid dolls incorporated with the design. I’m sure the cakes take hours to make because the details are so fine.

My boyfriend’s ex is a cake maker and made a fabulous cake for their son’s birthday. It looked like a large wooden chess board complete with molded chocolate chess pieces. The pawns and king and queen were placed throughout the board and looked just like a game was in progress.  Several people at the party were fooled by this and thought it was a birthday present!

She also makes wonderful wedding cakes, some with life like flowers made of fondant, a type of candied hard frosting that can be molded with some practice. It truly is an art form but it is too bad you can’t keep your cake and eat it in this case.

I have a sorority sister I used to get together with every so often until we moved to opposite ends of the country — I in the Washington, DC area and she in California. About a year ago she moved to Philadelphia and going on eight years ago I moved to Ohio. So, okay, we weren’t exactly living in one another’s back yard, but only a state and a half were now separating us.

The last time we got together she regaled me with a fun story. It seemed that she was interested in one of her new co-workers but he was moving too slowly in asking her out. This woman knows no fear, so she asked him out. Not a big deal in this day and age? Well, he’s one of her bosses. Actually a vice president and not technically over her department.

Anyway, she made dinner reservations at the best restaurant in town, paid an exorbitant amount to reserve box seats at "Mamma Mia," which she happened to know he was interested in seeing. And to top it all off, she went to the top Philadelphia car service agency to transport them in style.

As she was telling me this story, she kept fidgeting with her fingers. Suddenly I knew why and snatched her left hand. There sat a stunning 5-carat solitaire on her ring finger.

Not only is the happy couple planning to marry in a year, but their biggest plans are to start their own company. In Hawaii. I told you she’s a go-getter.