Putzed around on the computer, then zipped up to Shop-Rite in the morning. Put a tomato/pepper/onion/garlic concoction in the small crock pot, then dressed for "Sunday Musical Arts" to see the 2010 staging of South Pacific at Lincoln Center.
Oh, mama, was it terrific! Of course, I saw the treacly film version (with Mitzi Gaynor) years ago, but if I ever thought original stage productions and movies had any closer relationship than ships passing in the night (just love mixed metaphors), I was disabused of that notion (love those old-fashioned phrases, too) yesterday afternoon. This was just elegant. Alan Alda--is he terrific or what?--introduced and interviewed some Lincoln Center officials--then let us alone to enjoy a superb afternoon.
I had never heard of the leads, although looking them up later, I found they had been in all kinds of musicals, had won tons of awards, and, presumably, everybody else in the known universe was familiar with all of them. Anyway, it was wonderful to see and hear.
I did have a puzzled reaction to casting two clearly part African-American children as--well, the two children. They were supposed to be half Caucasian--no problem there--and half Tonkinese--that's Asian. To my knowledge, virtually all Asians have straight black hair and these kids had curly hair; couldn't understand that.* Howsomever, it's hardly one of the sacred mysteries of life, so I'll drop it.
Wore my woolly "chaps," along with low boots and everybody exclaimed over them. I told them I had "left mah horse at the hitchin' post outside."
Got home to have the crock pot mix nicely done and served it to myself as sauce over pasta. Yum, it was good--imagine, I made my own pasta sauce just like the Italians!
NOTE: I came across an enthralling web site. It may seem morbid--and even morose (there's a difference in those words)--but I find it fascinating.
http://obit-mag.com/articles/the-history-of-embalming-preserving-a-nation
Just read an article on the practice of embalming and how it caught on in America. Blame Abraham Lincoln for one--.
* Son P. called this morning and challenged me on the hair thing, saying, "Don't tell the Samoans." Also maintained that some Japanese have naturally curly hair. Will investigate when I'm there.