It's Time For Those Bloopers Again!

As I have shared, as soon as anyone hears I own and ride horses the first question I am asked is not what kind or colour but, "How DO you get ON your horse?!!" 

 

So when television stations were featuring Patches and I during the time of our famous Ride they wanted to film my getting on Patches because our fanbase was keen to know this.  

When I addressed this very subject in my funny blog, "How A Little Person Gets On Her Horse," I touched on the fact horses cannot be depended upon to remain still for more than a few seconds.  So this is when hilarious things can happen during the getting on process.

First what I used most was my car hood.  All of my horses knew the process which involved them standing next to my car as I quickly climbed onto the hood then got onto their backs.  Twenty-four out of twenty-five times the process would go quite well.  And usually when that one time happened when it did not go quite so well there would never fail but be an audience on hand in hysterics dying in laughter.🤣

Which is exactly what happened the day when two television stations were filming their segments on how I got on Patches, got off Patches, and cared for Patches.  They had already done a segment filming how Patches came galloping to me when I called his name.  And that segment actually went quite well because once and awhile, Patches in his excitement to come to me could misjudge the stopping distance necessary at a full gallop and slide into me.🙃

Anyway, I lined Patches up next to my car then rushed to get onto the hood of the car before he moved.  Only he did just a bit.  No problem.  I knew I could still make the distance leaping through the air.  But the 

thing is you see I needed to really propel myself to accomplish this and had done it successfully many times.  

However, if one propels oneself TOO hard one can go sailing high to the sky in the air right OVER the horse all the way to the ground with an amazing somewhat dignified landing with aplomb.  Which is exactly what happened.  As the cameras were rolling.  And the crews laughing.  In hysterics.🤣

Next the crews wanted to get a clip of Patches and 

I galloping towards them from the fields.  Patches and I were doing quite wonderfully, that is until he decided to suddenly stop way before we arrived at the place where we were SUPPOSED to make a grandiose stop.  I promptly went flying over his head but very heroically managed to land on my feet, again showing off my amazing aplomb ability.

THIS...was turning out to be one of THOSE days.🥴  

Next the television crews wanted to film me caring for Patches such as grooming him and cleaning out his hooves.

To clean the hooves of a horse one must balance their hoof in one's lap while squatting then deftly clean and check each hoof.  Usually there very seldom ever is an instance where anything can go wrong during the process.  Only cameras were rolling this time.  For as I was squatting with his right REAR hoof in my lap I suddenly noticed his tail raising up which can mean only ONE thing. 

Patches was SHITTING.  I managed to dive out of the way just in time.  PLOP.🤣

Then it was time to film me grooming Patches.  Now what could POSSIBLY happen doing THIS, right?!!  

WRONG.

Patches absolutely loved whenever I groomed his back or scratched his back.  When I did it felt so good he would completely relax with closed eyes loving it.  However, on these very rare occasions Patches would REALLY relax.  And I mean RELAX here folks.  As in a certain organ of his anatomy dropping down.  THAT kind of relax.😱  

Well Patches happened to get THAT kind of relaxed with the television crews filming.  

Ohhh, they REALLY began laughing then.  I mean they were just totally dying in hysterics.🤣  

Finally, they wanted me to get back on Patches again and film us galloping away across the huge expanse of fields.  Now with THIS segment everything went right.  Beautifully right as we galloped off without wings soaring away into the bright distance.😃

I asked the television crews to give me their sworn promise to PLEASE never ever use those blooper parts of the filming in anything.  They each very emphatically assured me they absolutely would not THINK of ever doing such a thing.🙄 

Several months later for our fanbase a lovely thirty minute piece was done all about our very touching story again.  And within the piece just happened to be this hilarious bloopers segment with the many bloopers Patches and I had managed to successfully accumulate...🤣

Christmas Bits Revisited In June🎄...

Though I wrote the following blog two weeks before Christmas, its messages may inspire even in June...

We are very rapidly approaching what is likely to be one of the most subdued and sad holiday seasons for many around the world. 

I will be alone this Christmas however on Christmas morning I will have the pleasure of being able to have a hour tweet visit with fun dear friends mostly in the U.K.

Later in the day I will then get to have a Zoom visit with other very dear friends.  

From childhood on I learned how to be alone.  Even on holidays.  So with gratitude my glass is full even with the many losses I have endured.

Throughout my childhood filled with alcoholism, very fighting parents, and violence, most of my Christmases became spent with fear and tears.  I do not have very happy memories of Christmas as a child.  Though sad and painful then I have never let this keep me from having bright happy Christmases once I began living on my own at seventeen.

As an adult a few Christmases had to be spent in hospital.  One year was spent in a Intensive Care Unit following severe complications during a spine surgery two days earlier.  I wrote about this here recently.  

Christmas morning Dr. Mortara came anxious to see if I still had any movement in my legs.  Only a few toes on my right foot moved.  He began crying because this grieved him so.  I was grieving for HIM, grabbed his hand and told him I WOULD walk again.  He was so moved he cried more, but tears of gratitude to see my indomitable spirit was still so strong.  Those shared moments of compassion turned what could have been a terrible Christmas for us both into a very memorable touching one.  And I did eventually learn to walk again.

This likely will not surprise my dear readers to know how deeply I latched onto the song "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer" as a child.  It STILL strikes an emotional chord in me, but not as much as it did as a child.  

Though I knew Rudolph was not real he still opened a door showing me for the first time in my young life I was not alone in being ridiculed and shunned.  To be a child without normal parental acceptance, support, and reassurance, the discovery of Rudolph went deep.  It also instilled a hope in me too, because eventually in the song Rudolph finds acceptance at last.  Even admiration.  

Still somehow I sensed my being ridiculed and shunned would happen always yet I really believed there could come the day when the pain of this would no longer hurt me inside...that I could break free.  

With my determination and the help of my mentor friends, I did.  And haven't stopped soaring yet.

Not surprisingly though I have the 1964 stop motion classic of "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer," besides several ornaments, figurines, and even a cute stuffed 

Rudolph Aiden gave me.  So that little Reindeer still has a very special place in my heart.

Often other Christmases alone yet not alone were spent with my horses.  Quite often going for a exhilerating gallop in the snow.  A person with the soul of a horse who has a horse is never alone.  

And a person with the soul of a horse whose body is broken who was blessed to have horses five decades 

is never alone because they still keep me soaring.

Although many of my Christmas Days were alone this often was because friends were on the road to visit family.  Yet we would have a wonderful day of joy and love opening presents, eating, and having fun on Christmas Eve day, making very bright, happy, loving memories.  Or the day after.  Whenever we could.

Being such an outgoing kid I was always surrounded by friends.  When I was nine I presented my neighborhood friends with the idea of us caroling to each house one evening a day or two before Christmas Eve.  It became such a hit with the kids and the homes throughout the neighborhood we did this five years!  

Our caroling became an eagerly awaited event for all, especially at a time when carolers were no longer going around caroling anymore.  Besides we had a whole lot of fun doing it too.

We even rehearsed making sure we learned the words properly to all the well known carols and other well known songs.  Younger kids from the ages of five to nine were included too.  Often lots of snow was on the ground while snowing too, making the fun we had doing this even more magical.

Afterwards we would gather at someone's home for hot chocolate and cookies we had baked ourselves for this.  This was and is still a bright childhood memory of the season I have always held warmly in my grasp.

Absolutely my best Christmas Day ever was the one when Aiden insisted we ride our horses beyond the fields into the woods when there was deep snow on the ground making the ride more magical.  I had no idea of what was about to happen.

Suddenly Aiden dismounted Sierra in deep snow.  I had asked why he wanted to dismount in such deep snow.

He said, "This is why," then placed a ring on my finger asking me to marry him.  Of course I said, "Yes!"

What a bright Christmas moment that was!  And certainly one I will hold warmly in my grasp forever.

I have learned on this journey of mine there is treasure for Christmas and every day if we seek it.  

Even when alone, on a horse, in ICU, or in a theatre, magic happens.  

As it did for one born with a red nose and a Little Person both finally finding at last the very magic, the very gift of acceptance.

READERS

My Dear Twitter And Blogger Readers,

One of my dear fellow Theatre Scene Designer friends who I was blessed to know forty-one years suddenly passed away today.  We created a lot of Theatre magic, laughed until tears ran down our cheeks, and shared a few long roadtrips together for Theatre Workshops.

Despite a very rough day at last as promised I finished and am posting the new type of blog piece I will be doing about every week or every other week.

Of course my daily blog pieces, including some new ones will still continue. 

I will be taking you all on another kind of journey with me, and you will have front row seats.

I deeply will appreciate your and how...if...you like the first piece just shared for it will mean a lot.

Hugs to you all,

Adelaide 

SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS...

 

Once upon a time Walt Disney had his heart set on making a movie based upon a book about a unique nanny named Mary Poppins.  And he did make the movie the whole world would fall in love with, released in 1964.

However, if you have been reading this blog very long, one thing in my years as a Theatre Scene Designer and my penchant for Theatre, film musicals, and Vaudeville History, is in Show Business, the most hilarious, interesting, amazing, and unexpected things can happen.  And they DID!  They DO!  

There's just no business like Show Business...this business we love...this business I love.

With my Minor in Theatre History, and my vast knowledge and books on the subject, over the next few months every other week, I will be taking you on fascinating journeys often hilarious, behind the scenes into our most favorite musicals, Broadway Shows, and Vaudeville.  You will not even need a ticket.  So on with the Show!

When Walt Disney set his heart on making Mary Poppins, he knew there would be challenges, yet he plunged forth anyway because that is what Disney did.

Some backstory first.  

Pamela Lyndon Travers (P.L.), published the first Mary Poppins book in 1934.  Because Disney's daughter Diane loved it so much, sometime during the early 1940's he began to envision what an amazing film could be made of the books that not only children, but adults too would love.

I have not seen the 2013 film, "Saving Mr. Banks," which details the years of conflict and drama between Disney and Ms. Travers throughout getting the rights to the story, of how the story was to be portrayed, and the film itself.  Though I shall touch on some of this here, I am going to refrain from getting into all that as I would rather focus on the more interesting and concise stuff having to do with behind the scenes events in making the film itself instead.

Briefly, the Mary Poppins books were inspired by the stories Ms. Travers told to her younger siblings to keep their spirits up as their father was an alcoholic, dying young, and their mother very sadly unstable mentally.  But in the Mary Poppins stories Ms. Travers portrayed a much different scenario by having Mary Poppins be a very prim, proper lady while Mr. and Mrs. Banks were happily married and quite attentive, loving parents.

After Disney envisioned in the early 1940's how grand a film Mary Poppins could be, it took him many years of visiting Ms. Travers, sending telegrams, and telephone calls trying to convey his vision for the film and to get her to sign over the film rights. 

Of all things Ms. Travers detested that Disney was best known for was threading songs and animation into his work as he did in Mary Poppins too.  Outraged, at the film wrap party Ms. Travers demanded he remove all songs and animation from the film.  This is when Disney famously told her, "Why Pamela, this ship has sailed," not caring what she demanded because he knew what a gem of a film Mary Poppins was about to be when it hit theatres.

Now then, the behind the scenes goodies.

The creation of "that word."  

THE word.  

 

SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS.

The two Sherman Brothers who wrote the music for Mary Poppins and other Disney films knew they needed a really unique, funny, magical kind of word that Mary Poppins herself would use.  The brothers always claimed "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" came from parts of crazy words they made up at summer camp.  

So when they needed a long rhyming word they combined parts of the past and present into what became "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."  But believe it or not the Sherman brothers soon found they were in a copyright infringement lawsuit!  

Two songwriters claimed THEY created a word close to "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," in 1949 by coming up with then, "Supercalafajalistickespeealadojus."  Only in Show Business, you see.

The judge eventually threw the case out of court.  And then...AND THEN...unbelievably, wouldn't you know a number of years later a librarian working for Disney discovered a newspaper clipping from 1931 used this version, "supercaliflawjalisticexpialadoshus" of what the Sherman brothers thought was THEIR creation!

Another beloved song from Mary Poppins written by the Sherman brothers was "A Spoonful Of Sugar."  As a kind of metaphor with having fun while cleaning one's room, something far more serious in reality became the basis for the song...something many of us in the early 1960's remember well, yet appreciate more as adults.  Until 1963 polio shots were injected by needle along with smallpox and others.  I received the injections in 1962.

By 1963 though, polio vaccines were given in an oral form by adding the liquid of the vaccine to a sugar cube, which was actually used as a way to administer other vaccines back then too.

Anyway, on a day when the Sherman brothers were still stumped on a song needed for that scene, Robert gloomily went home only to learn his kids had received the polio vaccine that day.  Concerned he asked them if it hurt very much.  That is when he learned the polio vaccine was being administered via a sugar cube, thus the dear "A Spoonful Of Sugar" song was born and began entering our hearts.

Like Theatre Scene Design and film, the same amazing special effects in Computer Graphics were still far in the future.  Not until the 1990's.  I remained in demand as a Theatre Scene Designer long after the amazing Computer Graphics took off, because I was schooled in the "old way."  Many smaller theatres could not afford the new Designers educated in Computer Graphics or the equipment.  Regardless I would have loved being a young Designer these days with all they can do now!

So as you can imagine, creating special effects in a  film like Mary Poppins during the early 1960's really took some ingenuity.  Especially in combining animation with film too.  This is where the Disney Magic created many new groundbreaking effects in Mary Poppins far ahead of their time I am proud of.

Predating what we know as "the green screen" now with Computer Graphics, was a combination of sodium vapor compositing which I am not going to try explaining here because we are not going THAT far behind the scenes unless by popular demand you would like me to in a future "Behind The Scenes" blog on special effecting in theatre and film during the dark ages of which I worked and created.

Anyway, what I will say is how sodium vapor compositing is what enabled real actors to seemingly appear in cartoon settings right along with animated characters as in Mary Poppins. 

One of the actors playing a Banks' kid remembers that since the special effects were filled in later, there were these prop guys trying to dance about with cut-out horses and penguins to show them what was going on so they appeared to react to what was later animation.

Often, so the director could get the best reactions from actors they wouldn't reveal anything about the special effects so they could capture the best reactions.

There of course is a lot of "flying" in Mary Poppins which involved special camera angles and the infamous harnesses and hanging from wires...while trying to act their character and remember their lines.  Trust me, hanging in these harnesses in a theatre or film studio is NOT comfortable!  

But fun to try.

Julie Andrews had an accident that happened to her during one of many flying scenes while in the harness.

In her words:  "I was hanging around up there for the longest time with the umbrella.  I thought I felt the wire leave and drop about six inches.  I was nervous and very tired.  Then I called down to the crew to let me down slowly, but a wire broke as I was lowered, causing me to fall.  I plummeted to the stage and there was an awful silence for a minute, then I did let fly with a few Anglo-Saxon four-letter words, I have to admit."

Did you know the beloved actor Dick Van Dyke actually played two roles in Mary Poppins?  Besides the Chimney Sweep Bert, he played the old Banker, Mr. Dawes.  Wanted the part so much he offered to do it without accepting payment for the role.  He donated $4,000.00 to a charity to play Mr. Dawes.

Audiences and critics absolutely enjoyed Van Dyke's singing and dancing throughout the film, though some

were critical of his attempt at a cockney accent.  As Van Dyke explains, "I was concentrating on the dancing mostly, and they had given me a voice coach who turned out to be an Irishman, and HIS cockney wasn't much better than mine!"

Thankfully for Van Dyke the dear citizens of England could forgive him.  Why?  While he was accepting a BAFTA award, he said, "My accent could very well be the most atrocious cockney accent in the history of cinema."  They loved it!

I am going to write about a part in Mary Poppins so small many are unfamiliar with it.

The part of The Bird Woman had only one line, but not only was it at the heart of the film, Disney had his heart on the 83 year old actress Jane Darwell to play the part long before he even had obtained the film rights.  Disney rightly believed only Ms. Darwell was capable of bringing the humanity and warmth so needed to the scene.  And dear Ms. Darwell lived humanity and warmth in spades both onscreen and in her life.

Ms. Darwell was best known for her Oscar winning portrayal as Ma Joad in "The Grapes Of Wrath" with Henry Fonda.

Ms. Darwell was suffering with a heart condition and had concerns but Disney assured her filming would take only a day and had a limo take her to and from the studio.  To be sure she was comfortable on the set, the crew cut a hole in the stairs so she could sit on a pillow. Mary Poppins was Ms. Darwell's last film.

And finally, do you know the scenes where the children and Mary Poppins sit upon the stair banister appearing to magically ride up it?  Wonder how it was done?  And what prevented their butts from hurting?  Plaster casts were made of their bottoms...in wet plaster...OF THEIR BOTTOMS.  

Then after the plaster hardened those casts were fitted up with wires and used as a sort of form-fitting seat that literally pulled them up the railing.  The casts were hidden by the clothing throughout the scene and made the actors appear to be moving on their own.  One even thought it fantastic getting to have one's bum made imprinted in plaster, going on to say, "It's not quite Mann's Chinese Theatre, but it sure is close."

And that is some of the behind the scenes goodies of the 1964 Mary Poppins film.  So hope you have enjoyed the journey with me and will look forward to these unique journeys yet to come.🎭💫

Gallop On, Gallop On...

I adore the song, "You'll Never Walk Alone," and share the powerful lyrics below...only in true Adelaide fashion, altered the lyrics slightly...

When you gallop through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark

At the end of a storm
There's a golden sky 
And the sweet silver song of a lark

Gallop on through the wind
Gallop on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown 

Gallop on, gallop on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never gallop alone

Severely damaged Harland Young painting of wild horses I restored a year ago over the seven month period it took to complete the restoration.  There was precious too little paint left remaining on each one of the horses I restored, based upon Mr. Young's original.  Half the sky was gone as well the canvas was badly warped.  Before I could do anything I first had to stabilize the canvas, then flatten it with braces for several days.

This Is Not It But...

Ahh my dear ones, hopefully you read the Reader Letter I posted for today about the new special blog within The Blog I am preparing which shall come to you here once every other week.  It will be fun and something I believe most of you will like.  At least I hope so!😂  As my day has been a bit difficult I could not quite finish it, unless I rushed and for me, that usually does not turn out well!  So I will definitely be posting the surprise tomorrow.  I will really REALLY appreciate your thoughts about it.  These pieces shall include a number of photographs too.

In my Reader Letter I shared what all of you dear 23,000 readers have made your favorite #1 Blog piece I have written here:  the VERY amazing, touching story of how my beloved horse of 29 years, Patches and I came together when he was a foal who I saved from slaughter, where he was to be taken.  Our journey together took us far beyond my wildest dreams and inspired thousands.

Actually, though Patches has been gone since 2016, we STILL are inspiring thousands...you.🥰👍💫

I want to share how Patches, the little unwanted foal in dire need and I came together.  My previous horse went blind, but a lady looking for a companion for her blind horse in a safe facility was thrilled our mutual vet told her about Havilla, so I donated Havilla to her.  I then began looking for a foal to raise and have for its' lifetime.

The farm where I boarded my horses for years was a beautiful place owned by brothers who could be tough with their horses.  One day Paul called me to say he had found the perfect foal, a registered six month old Quarter horse colt he put in the box stall at the farm.  

Then he warned me, "The man threw in this three month runt of a foal for me to get rid of and it is in the stall too.  BE CAREFUL!  It's very dangerous!  It took four of us and a lot of beer to finally get him!"  

My heart immediately went out to the "dangerous runt."

I rushed to the farm and found the lovely fancy colt and the "dangerous runt" who had just been ripped away from his mama by four loud beer drinking men, with a heavy long rope tied around his neck looking very dejected.  As I slowly entered the stall the "runt" began to back up but I stepped on the rope.  He trembled.  I whispered I was only going to stroke his forehead so he could end the day by being touched GENTLY.  He relaxed.

From the barn phone I called Paul.  

"I'm taking the 'runt!'"  

He kindly replied, "What?!!  You're crazy!!!  He's dangerous I tell you!"

"I'm taking him anyway!  Besides, you will have no trouble selling the fancy colt and I will save you the trouble of taking the "runt" to slaughter."

"I still think you're making a huge mistake you'll regret!" 

"I'm taking him anyway.  How much?"

The next day I took sweet feed, a small halter, and grooming stuff with me.  The "runt" began to back up then stopped...without trembling.  While he ate I gently groomed him with no sign of any fear or "danger" at all.

Patches was a palomino pony with white patches, hence the name I immediately gave him so he would not become known as "the runt."

Day three he nickered when he saw me.

I needed to get him out of the very dirty, dusty stall.  Told Paul I was turning him out.  

"What?!!  You're crazy!  You'll never be able to catch him again!"

"Don't worry we've got this."

I turned him out.  Day four I arrived and found Patches on a hill.  I called him.  He stared intently.  When I went up to Patches he made no attempt to run.

On day five when I called him, Patches neighed and came galloping TO me!  The "dangerous runt" was safe, loved, and mine.  We became very VERY close sharing a wonderful twenty-nine years together.  They know when they are in danger and they know when they are safe.  And love grew Patches into a much larger pony than was expected too.🐎💕🐎

When Patches was a year and a half old I put lead shanks on each side of his halter one day.  Got on him and simply began riding him.  THAT was all it took!

One day Paul happened to come along and see me riding Patches.  He stammered, "You're...you're RIDING him!  How did you...I...I can't believe this!"

"Yep!  This is the 'dangerous runt' bound for slaughter. Still think I'm crazy?!!"🐎😃🐎

A sleepy Patches at four months old.  During the night either a horse, brambles, or some old barbed wire did a number on him.  Immediately I treated his wounds with

an antibacterial ointment for horses from my equine first aid kit I always had with me.  Then used a liquid ointment to help protect him from the flies.  In the process of all this my darling one fell asleep!😃💕💫

Alive In The Back Of A Hearse...

In my "Two words of mine" blog piece I touched on one of the many things I have been blessed to do along my galloping journey was to ride in the back of a hearse ALIVE...

When one is a somewhat crazy dwarf-horse-artist-hippie-theatre-wandering-fun loving hooman, one can gather quite an amusing assortment of friends and keep very busy in all kinds of activities.😂

Two of my dearest best friends from theatre were John and partner Martin.  We had a large circle of both gay and straight friends who all did a lot together.

I did not have a problem when I turned thirty as some do because I'd already had two spine surgeries which I had to learn how to walk again from...twice, besides hospitalized on a Pediatric Oncology ward to receive a new bone marrow treatment for terrible problems with my blood counts. So I was just thrilled to have even MADE it to thirty.😃

However, by the time I was about to turn thirty-five was another story.  I had just been diagnosed a month before my birthday with the severe, extremely painful inflammation disease within my spinal cord and given a terrifying prognosis.  No one knew exactly what to expect when, other than awful things would begin horribly shutting down as the inflammation makes its way upward.  And the pain would worsen aside from all my other orthopaedic pain.

Since I was still so young and full of life this diagnosis  was very hard to take.  I knew I had to keep fighting because that's what I know...what I do.  Yet it was quite hard to think of celebrating a birthday in the midst of all this.

But John and Martin knew just what to do.  They knew what I was dealing with and they also knew what a wicked sense of humor I have and to work they went.

You see they wanted to help me meet my future head on and felt what better way to help a friend who was just handed a dire prognosis than to rent a HEARSE for a birthday surprise?!!🤪  To just meet this thing head on with laughter and love!😂💕

Somehow John, Martin, and all managed to keep the birthday surprise a secret from me.  Like a theatre performance everything was perfectly planned and orchestrated.  That year my birthday just happened to be on a Saturday. 

That morning John called me.  

"Sweet Adelaide, dahlin,' Martin and I are picking you 

up at 5pm to take you out to eat and we absolutely will NOT accept "no" for an answer!"

"But what if I have other..."  

"WE know you don't yet dear, so you just be ready at five and DRESS UP!  And honey, be sure you wear black!"

It didn't occur to me as to HOW those two knew I hadn't made any plans yet or why I HAD to wear black!🤣

At 5pm precisely I heard a very strange sounding horn tooting for me.  

I stepped out the door to find a long black old style hearse waiting at the road festooned with black balloons, and both John and Martin dressed up in very fancy black suits at it's side laughing.  Hysterically.🤣

So was I.😂

Of course when everyone else on the street heard the strange horn they too came out shocked to see such a strange scene unfolding!🤔

The hearse had been remodeled thankfully.  The area which once held the coffin now had seats of which I was flamboyantly escorted to.

Martin could not contain his excitement, "Oh are WE going to have SO much fun tonight, dear!"

Then both together, "Happy Birthday dahlin'!  We love you!"💕

There was room for six more and the first stop was to pick up five friends waiting for us.  Soon we were all in and heading out to eat.  One might have thought the plan was to eat somewhere snazzy, right?!!  Not with these guys!😂

They wanted to have as much fun with the hearse as possible so we went to...wait for it...a...car hop!🤣

Oh my gosh, you should have seen the looks on the faces of staff and other customers when we pulled up in this hearse festooned with black balloons!  At a car hop!😂

Sasha and the guys had gathered a bunch of hearse, funeral, and yes, even death jokes, then began pouring them out with gales of laughter as all of us were in hysterics while trying to eat.

We then made a stop at a small theatre to see...wait for it...a funny play about someone DYING...who was trying to cram some fun in before going!  The whole cast was in on the festivities too.  So after the theatre was finally empty we all gathered on the stage as the house lights were dimmed.

Suddenly from stage right came the lead cast member carrying a lighted birthday cake as everyone sang loudly "Happy Birthday" to me!  Such fun, camaraderie, and laughter!

Then it got serious for a bit.  I was asked what things I would yet like to do before things got worse, by Jason who played the dying one in the play.  I could think of two things at that moment.  One is something that has eluded me in being able to do which has been a burning desire to gallop a horse on a beach.  Yet I have galloped everywhere else.🐎😃🐎💕

The other?  

"To always...ALWAYS...continue to have these magical serendipitous moments like this with friends, laughter, creativity, fun, and horses filling my journey to the very end if possible."💕

The next stop was to our favorite bar, City Lights, which had an amazing rock band whose lead singer Priscilla, was a lady we all knew and loved.  Priscilla was in on the birthday festivities too and was the sixth one to join us after we closed City Lights down.

Our next stop was to all pile into a Waffle House for breakfast.  Imagine the shock when everyone saw a hearse pull up!😂

Finally, as the sun began coming up I was brought back home with fanfare to where the birthday of a lifetime all began.  It certainly WAS the birthday of a lifetime!😃

So this, my dear ones, is how Adelaide had the once in 

a lifetime experience of riding in a HEARSE...  

...ALIVE.🐎😂🐎💕💫