The Catbird Seat

If you’ve seen Disney’s “Cinderella” lately (as I have), or if you have a great memory of it from your childhood (or your children’s childhood), or if you just have an amazing memory, in general, you will most likely have connected the picture to the left and the title of this post.

If none of those things is true for you, here’s what transpires in the movie:

Jacques and yeoman mouse come scurrying into Cinderella’s room as she’s finishing getting dressed. Here’s the dialogue (not line-by-line-perfect, I might add.)

Jacques: “Cinderelly! Cinderelly”

Cinderella: “Now, Jacques, what’s all the fuss about?”

Jacques: (speaking very quickly, but enunciating his very best) “A new mouse in the house. Never saw before. Visitor! Vi-si-tor!”

Cinderella: “Oh! A visitor! Well, she’ll need a dress, and a hat…”

Jacques: “No! No! No! Not a SHE, but a HE! He! HE!”

Cinderella: “We’ll, that makes a difference. He’ll need a jacket, and some shoes…”

That’s exactly how I feel. Just like Jacques, wide-eyed and so excited that he’s borderline frantic.

A visitor! Vi-si-tor!

I just found out that Daddy Harv (my dad) is coming to Orlando this weekend to celebrate Jane’s 3rd birthday.

Yaaaaaay!

And now I’ve switched to the Cinderella role, hurriedly making the necessary preparations (He’ll need a ride from the airport, a place to sleep, and sheets, and a place to put his stuff…)

For those of you that aren’t making the connection to the timetable, that means in two or three short days, my dad will arrive with bells on. (not really. it’s just an expression.)

Has anyone seen the state of my house lately?

Let’s just say that if cleanliness really is next to Godliness, then I don’t have a prayer!

Thankfully, I’m slowly but surely coming to the place in my life where I’m truly more excited to see my dad (and see him see my girls, which is really more exciting) than I am to please/impress him with my domestic skills.

[Aside: maybe I’m just finally ready to admit that the “clean-house thing” is all an act anyway.](sheepish grin.)

So, Jane gets to see her grandad on her birthday, possibly spend Friday at Disney (anyone have any passes they’re willing to share?), party with her friends at the park on Saturday, and get her very first bicycle to boot. (Shhh about that last part…she doesn’t know!)

Fun, huh?!

Now if I only had a fairy godmother to say, “Bibbidi-bobbidi-BOO!” over the whole weekend to ensure its success.

Silly girl! That’s just a dream.

(sound of melodious background music begins to play as I began sweetly singing,) A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you’re fast asleep…in dreams you will lose your heartaches; whatever you wish for you keep…

Filed under: General, Catbird, Random Thoughts on October 23rd, 2006