Covid (Sighs) to California (Smiles)
Covid and California: The two reasons I’ve been out of touch with my website and email friends.
Nancy’s Surprise Visitors
January brought a big birthday and Covid-19 to our house. Which meant days in bed and the drug called Paxlovid—followed by rebound Covid. To my immense relief, the illnesses ended just in time for me to take a long-anticipated trip with my daughter, Suzanne, and granddaughter, Stella.
The reason for our fantastic “Adventures by Disney” tour of Southern California and Disneyland was to celebrate Stella’s tenth birthday. It turned out to be a bang-up celebration for all three of us, and here are a few of our once-in-a-lifetime adventures with a fabulous group of people, including tour guides and fellow travelers.
Suzanne, Stella and Nancy at Walt Disney Studios
First stop in Hollywood was meeting with our tour guides and fellow tourists. It was a wonderful group filled with energy, enthusiasm and kindness! Later, we visited Grauman’s Chinese Theater. Out on the concrete walkway, my favorite handprints belonged to Mel Brooks. Mel’s sense of humor prevailed, and he added a prosthetic to implant a six-fingered print!
AP photo
Another Hollywood favorite was our visit to the Henson Studio. An amazing place that once was Charlie Chaplin’s studio. A favorite there when Stella got to try out puppetry that played out on a TV screen—with an honest-to-goodness Henson puppeteer!
Oh, and who wouldn’t enjoy the outdoor setting of the Disney model train museum? Suzanne saw a hummingbird, and I spotted some hawks up in the surrounding hills. A stop at a fabulous ice cream shop enhanced the experience. Making things more magical. When the three of us were on our own, we celebrated Suzanne’s birthday at a lovely Malibu restaurant—though Stella couldn’t wait to get back to her friends.
Mid-week the tour moved on to Disneyland which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the start of the Disney Brothers Studio. My Favorite rides had me gliding across the world (Soarin’), acting like Spiderman’s assistant and slinging webs at invading spiders, and escaping Storm Troopers in a as part of the Star Wars resistance.
Unlike my short list of rides, Stella and her aunt Suzanne, along with three very special new friends on the trip (who just happen to live a town away from Stella’s home) went from morning to night enjoying all there is of Disneyland. Recovering from Covid and older than the others, I took more opportunities to rest.
Stella’s new friends
That doesn’t mean I missed out on the fun! I went on the Spider-Man Web Slinger ride and shot those multiplying spiders, glided over the realistically animated world on the Soarin’ ride, and took a trip into Star Wars where we were captured by the Storm Troopers than made our way to freedom.
A highlight of the trip was breakfast with the Disney characters—Minnie Mouse, Chip the chipmunk, Tigger, and Winnie the Pooh.
Stella with Winnie the Pooh
This trip brought back lots of fun memories of childhood and my children’s childhood. I’d love to know if you have any Disney memories!
Just for fun, check out this short-sweet-early Mickey Mouse animation—Steamboat Willie! https://youtube.com/watch?v=hxf-UHuGobI&feature=share
How fun! I haven’t been to Disneyland since high school. This makes me want to go back!
I hope you do, Sara! It’s such a fun atmosphere and brings back fond memories of childhood. 🙂
Stella is sooo fortunate to have you in her life, Nancy, or NaNa Vroom Vroom as she used to call you when she was younger. It must be a testimony to your unbounded energy. I am sure she will remember her trip with you and Susanne for the rest of her life. Have you recovered from the trip yet? Since Lynda (NaNa TicToc) and I (PaPa TuteTute) share Stella as our granddaughter we feel very lucky that we have become such good friends with you and David. Love, Jim & Lynda
You and Lynda enrich our lives, Jim (Papa Tute Tute) 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to comment!!!
Great suggestion, Barbara! Thanks for the reply.
Nancy,
You have posed a great question; here is my response:
I would love to know how you breathe life into your characters — Kitty, Sarah, Sadie et al and all. Where does the idea for a character come from. How do you get them to feel — be angry, sad, joyful, reflective, take action, give one redeeming attributes, and another questionable ones? When and how do decide when a dynamic character needs a flat one as a device in a plot? Even the flat character can have a purpose, as you know.those. Do, you see yourself as one of the women? And if so, how do you apply the skill of stepping away and creating the dialogue that allows the character to become herself or (himself? I have always wondered how accomplished writers such as yourself accomplish this. Hearing from you on how you negotiate, caress and navigate your skills to bring forth the creative ooze will be pleasing to know and powerfully instructive. Whatever the way, please keep doing it, dear sister-friend.