Hairspray

Picked up Aline at 10:30 and we were on our way to Margate, having planned to meet others at Downbeach Deli an hour later.  Of course, we were early, even for then, but my other guests, Louise and Bobbi, joined us shortly.
After Betty and Hazel (whom she had mysteriously asked to come) got there, we still had to wait a good half hour to be seated.  Once we were, though, we all enjoyed lunch.  I just had latkes (potato pancakes), as I usually eat lunch late and had had  breakfast a few hours earlier.  Bobbi joined us, but had another commitment after, so wasn't able to attend the show.
Got to the Performing Arts Center a good half hour before people were admitted, but had no problem--at least, four of us didn't--with standing in the (very warm) vestibule and chatting. The exception was Hazel, for whom we found a chair; otherwise, she may have dramatically fallen over.  Hazel suffers--she says--from a wide variety of serious/minor/imaginary maladies.  They range from neuropathy (some kind of foot condition), to arthritis, to a back something-or-other, to a vague, undeclared vision problem.   She hobbles on a cane and wears her white, wispy hair in two bizarre pigtails.  She no longer drives or does much of anything and essentially, it seems, considers her present life just a long waiting time before she...
Okay, moving right along:   Aline later said she was taken aback to learn Hazel is less than a year older than Betty and me, as she seems a good decade longer in the tooth.  Throughout the day, Hazel proved to be a pain in the ass--but amusing, in a way-- moaning and whining about this and that.  She had to sit on the aisle, natch, and at intermission, asked me to take her to the ladies' room--which had a long line, of course.  I asked the frontrunners if they would allow Hazel to go first and the were all very gracious, but what a bore.  When we went outside for a breath of air, she had Betty massage her neck, for heaven's sake, and gasped and sighed throughout.  This kind of baby behavior went on all day.
Hairspray was terrific and after, I was able to congratulate Dawn, my NP, on her performance.  We said goodbye to Betty and Hazel, then Louise, and I asked Aline is she wanted to drive down to Longport. 
Yes, indeedy, and we did, only to find there's some kind of construction going on at the jetty and you can't even get near it.  I then suggested we go to the Ventnor boardwalk, which always thrills Aline, and we did.  Sat and talked for a good hour--so enjoyable for both of us.
I was hungry then, but Aline had had a regular lunch and just wanted ice cream.  I suggested we go to The Pine Cone in Little Egg, which we did.  I got a tiny bowl of chili, my dear friend her favorite confection, and it was fine.
Didn't drop her off until well after 7:00 and got home to see Ellen on Skype (I'll be out there in little more than a week--yay!) and receive two phone calls from Betty.  Wine, popcorn, and a good night's sleep followed after a great time with my friends.
Nothing going on today, but I have a variety of activities scheduled on every following one until next Monday.