I Finally Saw Les Miserables!

 I've long been a fan of Les Misérables, and I mostly knew it from seeing the movie versions and pop culture. I once tried reading the book, but it was waaaaaay too long, and I wasn't in the right headspace for it. Maybe I'll try again (when I'm retired! 😄). I was also familiar with the music because it's so popular. For many years, I've wanted to see the musical on stage. Well, that finally happened in June in Boston. And no surprise, the rumors were true; it was excellent. I went with David and Sam, which was fun. We had dinner at a Chipotle a few blocks from the theater, then enjoyed the show from our seats, which were higher up than I thought they'd be (but still cost a lot of $$$!?!).

Sights of Boston walking to and from dinner...

One of the things I love about Boston is the mix of historic old and modern new, right next to each other. 

The church is the Old South Meeting House.

When in Boston...

...why not dress like a Founding Father?

Finally!

The Opera House is ornate and beautiful inside.

Some views inside the theater before the show began...

Right above us, this:

It was a great show. I'd give it four out of five stars. It loses a star for the following reason: I didn't like some unnecessary queer stuff they put in toward the end—what an insult to the integrity of the storyline that Victor Hugo worked so hard on. I'm not sure if it was done because it was "Pride Month" and Boston is a very liberal place, or if it's just part of the show now. Related to that, I also didn't like how the musical focused more on the abhorrent, scamming innkeeper couple, who are secondary characters in the story anyway. They get a good laugh, but they're vulgar. Sadly, that appeals to the masses in the culture we live in now. I was able to let the Opera House know (politely) how I felt in a survey they sent out after the show. 

Despite that, I'm so grateful that I got to see this wonderful show! It has beautiful principles of love, forgiveness, and the ability to change into something better, with a good dash of history (the French Revolution!) mixed in. Vive la France!

Girls' Day in Boston, Including a Dreamy Bookstore!

 For my friend Jenny's 40th birthday, a group of us spent a fun few hours in Boston. We did our own little literary tour, went to a great bookstore, and had lunch. It was a lovely day! 

That's Jenny on the bottom left.

{I looked like a bot that day. Please ignore me in the pictures. 😄}

Louisa May Alcott lived here...

I love the red bricks, black shutters, filled window boxes, and green ivy of this neighborhood.

And Robert Frost lived here...

Acorn Street is a popular spot for family pictures and is one of the most photographed streets in the U.S. 

We managed to get a decent group picture there.

I'd heard of Beacon Hill Books before, but I'd never been. It was delightful! It's probably the most charming bookstore I've ever been to.

Books on tables, books on shelves, floor after floor after floor. (Three floors, to be exact, like the sign above says. 😁)

My dream house someday will have built-ins like this...

The children's room was at the top, and it was so cute.

Where the Wild Things Are and Peter Rabbit/Beatrix Potter hold special places in my heart. 

Look at the little doorway!

 It's a lot of fun getting to know my hometown city more, especially when it's with friends!

Cape Cod Weekend: Housework and Mini Golf

 June started out with a nice weekend trip to the Cape for me, David, Sam, Veronica, and Mom.

As we started the drive there, we spotted a turtle in the road in our neighborhood. David got out and moved it away into the grass. What a hero.

David drove there, so I was able to take pictures of the Cape Cod bushes at the bottom of the bridge.

We did a deep-cleaning of the living room window and painted the edging, along with the edging around the front door, which had been chipping. It looked much better after. You'll have to believe me because unfortunately I didn't take "before" and "after" pictures, only "during." 😄

I got two new rugs for the kitchen. The old ones were, well, old.

I found some time to read outside. 

(P.S. Yesteryear didn't live up to the hype.) 

We went mini-golfing at a new (to us) place. 

What picturesque surroundings!

It was a fun way to start out June!