Road Trip

Eleasha and I recently packed up Buddha in the car and took a road trip to Charlotte, NC.
Why you may ask? To go and visit with one of our mutual best friends, Sean MacLaughlin, who is playing Raoul in the National tour of Phantom of the Opera.
We had such a great time, and I am so happy Eleasha thought of the whole trip in the first place.
The drive down was spent with Eleasha and I basically having our own talk show in the car about 145 different "hot topics" and also singing our faces off to whatever popped up on her ipod. (Lots of Prince).
Buddha is still adjusting to his strange new life and got a bit nervous about what was happening and why Daddy was packing up things. As soon as he realized that he was coming along for the trip he calmed down and rode on my lap sleeping the whole way there.
The poor little guy has gone through lots of stress trying to figure everything out that he has definately aged in the past several months. He looks much older in just a few months.
Hopefully he will relax into his life a bit more as the summer passes on.







When we got to Charlotte, we met up with Sean and his lovely girlfriend, Elaine. Sean's puggle Albert was there to greet Buddha, as well as Elaine's Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy, Lady. Buddha soon realized that this was basically going to be a "Dogs gone wild" weekend. He played NON STOP while we were there. Lady really wore him out, and Albert who I am guessing was relieved that someone else was there to play with Lady and give him a break, would frequently remove himself to Sean's bed and watch from a safe distance.
In addition, two other members of the tour were staying at this hotel and had dogs of their own. There was an off leash dog area behind the hotel and Buddha, Lady and Albert would then play with Sweet Pea the Morkie (Maltese and Yorkie) and Madison the Golden Retriever. It was dog mayhem. I was so happy to see Buddha running and playing and having the time of his life with his pack of dog buddies.



It was so great to get to spend time with Sean and to get to know Elaine. Elaine and I instantly clicked and ended up giggling and laughing about everything under the sun the whole trip. In fact between Sean, Eleasha, Elaine and the dogs, I have not laughed as much in a very long time. It was a much needed thing.
I got to see Sean be Raoul from the 2nd row center section. It was amazing. He was amazing. I was so proud of him that I cried several times. Phantom is such a big part of many of our childhoods. We all wore that cassette tape out, whether we care to admit it or not. To see Sean up there singing something I used to sing in the shower at age 11 was just all too much. It was like waves of nostalgia and pride at the same time. I'm sure the people around me were like - what's his deal?
I didn't care.
The show is still a great show, no matter if some think it is outdated 80's spectacle (which it is) or not. It still entertains people, it still makes people cry, and it still has brilliant moments of theatricality. It is a grand gothic melodrama, and you know what? I still love it.

The visit was short but sweet and any time that you can spend with those you love is quality time, so I cannot complain.
And as you can see from the photo to the left, I am my usual summer blond, and Eleasha is SUPER SKINNY! She had to change her entire diet due to acid reflux and she has dropped weight ever since. She looks amazing!
So then Eleasha and I headed home, again singing various cast recordings and pop albums and trying to stay awake.
Buddha was clearly no help, as he slept again the whole way home. But having been away from his new home for a few days, it was nice to see him excited to be back home as we pulled up. A feeling that I think both of us shared about the new place. Maybe for the first time.
Good Sunday to ya.
xoxo
SGS