Weeeee're Off To See

The Wizard. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

My Mother's birthday present this year (or rather last year - December 11th) was tickets to see the touring production of The Wizard of Oz. This was what we refer to as a girl's day out, but The Bean is included. (Don't tell him we think of him as "one of the girl's).

The Wizard of Oz has always been one of my Mom's absolute favorite movies, with "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" being a special song for her. She even had it played at her wedding on the giant pipe organ. It was beautiful. I love the Wizard of Oz too. Well, now I love it. There was a time back in my Junior High days (before Ted Turner bought the rights to the Wizard of Oz) when it was only on the Friday night after Thanksgivng. Remember that? Friday night to me, was roller skating in my Dee Cee Painters paints with my coordinating Dee Cee Polo shirt and matching colored pompoms on my skates. Every Friday night I was at the skating rink; skating, being with my friends, looking at the boys, you know typical girl stuff.


But, on the Friday after Thanksgiving we had to stay home and watch The Wizard of Oz.

"Oh, puhleeeeeeeeze, can't we go skating?"


No, The Wizard of Oz is only on once a year, we have to watch it.

Oh My God, it was the end of my LIFE!


Until the next week when we went back and I wore my red Dee Cee Painter's pants and my red and yellow stirped polo shirt. Ah, good times, good times.


I digress. Back to the Wizard of Oz.

The Bean and I have been to several plays at the Arts Center, but most of them are pretty small budget. Like the lady on the bike in Oz would have walked by rolling a bicycle tire beside her or the witch would have melted into an obviously large heap in the floor. But, this was a real production with Glenda in a floating bubble and flying monkeys and a hot air balloon and a real bicycle. And, the Poppies. Oh, my goodness. The Poppies. The Poppies were ballroom dancers in all red with red Poppy petals falling from the sky. And, then right before your eyes, their red skirts swirled around them and everything suddenly turned white - their dresses, their vests, the poppy petals falling were suddenly white snowflakes. You saw it happen, but you didn't see it happen. It was magical. And, the Wicked Witch melted and disappeared like magic. It was such a fantastic production!

Another part of my Mother's birthday present was a real pair of Ruby Slippers. When I saw them online, I pictured ruby red slippers - like bedroom slipper. Oh, how cute, I thought. But, when they arrived they were actual adult sized Ruby Red Glittery Sparkly shoes!

I gave them to her sort of as a joke, but I will be darned if she didn't actually wear them today. There she was at the Wizard of Oz wearing her Ruby Slippers. And, don't think she went un-noticed. Oh, no, no, no! She was the Belle of the Ball. Everyone saw her Ruby Red Slippers. As we were leaving, we spotted a tiny girl wearing her full blown Dorothy costume complete with Ruby Slippers. My Mother stepped up beside her and said, "Look at our shoes!" He mother said, "Oh, she spotted you all the way across the theater!"

There's no place like home!