Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Living Vicariously Part 2 (and a Mo Update)


If you look in between the two woman in the forefront, and past the young man with the white tie, you can see the back of my daughter. She's in the strapless black dress, with the white sash and with her back to the camera. She found this picture on line from the Washingtonian.

The short story of what my daughter reported back to me about her Cinderella experience is:

- Hotel accommodations, not so luxurious... turned out she and her friends had to share a room with 5 other people.
- Got to have hair professionally done up in a fancy do. "Inhaled enough hairspray to kill a small rodent".
-Spent most of day blowing up inflatable guitars, and tying strings to hundreds of helium balloons.
- Lunch was 1 sandwich shared between 4 other people.
- They got kicked out of the room while trying to get dressed for the gala... it was taken over by an actress, (who shall remain nameless)
- Sat on floor outside of room, painting toenails, when Anderson Cooper passed by, (yes he looks as good in a suit in person as one would imagine.)
- Was given a free bottle of champagne by a passing bus boy.
- Dislikes champagne, but enjoyed the added oddness to the whole situation.
- Waited for gala to start. Stood in long lines. Finally got in.
- Was surrounded by nice and generous people. Everyone she met was incredibly kind.
- Saw great globs of wealth, and lots senators trying to dance to hip hop.
- Saw Bill Murray in a plaid bow tie.
- Had an artist do her caricature
- Crashed in the wee hours of the morning, sleeping huddled on the floor, just the floor, of a cramped hotel room. shared a thin blanket with her friend.
- Tuesday morning, decided along with her friends to leave D.C. before all of the roads were closed off, as they had no where to stay, nothing to eat and were afraid to get stuck in D.C. (Plus they were concerned with missing more classes of the brand new semester.)
- Passed lots of police, secrete service, and FBI cars all zooming by.
- Made it back to college in time to watch the inauguration on the T.V.
-Realized the last 8 years were finally over, and felt relief. (Amen to that.)
- Had an experience of a lifetime.
- Went to the last class of the day, an art class, where she got to meet her new professor, a british woman who used the word "flummoxed". This made eldest daughter very happy, for two things she dearly loves are words, and a good british accent!

All in all, my daughter said that if she had to sum up in a sentence what an inaugural gala is like, it would be an "Alcoholic Prom For Adults"!

I would have loved for her to have been able to stay for the actual ceremonies, but at the same time I was worried as to how they would ever get back home, with all of those people jamming the roads, (along with lack of any decent sleep). So when I finally heard that they were all back in Pennsylvania safe and sound, the mom in me was very relieved!

As for me... I teared up plenty watching the events unfold on T.V.
What an amazing time in our nation's history.

PS. Molasses my dog, is still hanging in there, bless her soul. She has been having some various problems though and we had to take her in to the vets today for some antibiotics, as she has some skin infections due to her suppressed immune system. He is utterly amazed that she is still here with us. I am so grateful. She still enjoys eating, and playing with her toys and loves going outside and walking around the yard. I haven't been able to sew this week, as I am spending time with her. We have always been close the two of us, but the time we have spent together over the last couple of months has brought us closer then anything I can adequately explain. She is my hero. I will try to get back to the sewing hopefully today, or sometime this week, as I'd love to have something new or finished to show on my blog here... but if Mo needs me to just hang out with her, well I know you all understand.
xo Victoria

17 comments:

Unknown said...

That is quite the collection of events! Glad she made it out of DC safe, and without trouble :) so many amazing memories!

Glad to hear Mo is happily with you still.

dutchcomfort said...

An amazing time indeed, not only in your nation’s history!

So glad to hear Mo is still going strong!

Jackie said...

What a lucky girl to be involved in all that.I 'teared up' as you say and I'm thousands of miles away.
I use the word flummoxed quite a lot..in fact I am flummoxed quite a lot too.
I often wonder what fellow bloggers sound like. I have it on good authority from my American penfriend of many years that I sound like Daphne from Frazier..her accent is from my area.
Thinking of Mo.

Janis said...

My heart is with you and dear Mo. What an emotional day for you on so many levels. And what excitement for your daughter.

BTW, I tagged you in the random comments game. I have doubts that you have time for this but just in case . . .

xoxo to you and Mo!

littlebyrd said...

That was really fun to read about! So glad you (and your daughter) shared! Hang in there Mo.

High Desert Diva said...

Thanks for the update on Mo, and the second-hand inaugural voyeurism.

Karen said...

How exciting for your daughter! I watched it all on t.v and got quite emotional too and I'm not even American!!

Fer said...

Certainly an amazing experience for your daughter!

Thanks for the Mo update, I've been wondering how things were going. It's wonderful that you can share some well deserved quality time together.

:o)

connie said...

I loved reading about your daughters great adventure. Oh to be young again and be able to endure something like this.

I am sorry to hear about Mo. It is so hard when you have a companion that is so special. I know how you are feeling. Several years ago I lost my buddy. This year I finally got another dog and I am loving having a buddy again. Enjoy her!

kelly said...

Love your daughter's story!

I've been insanely busy at work for the past two weeks and sort of forgot that the inauguration was coming up (I know! How could I?!) When I realized yesterday morning what day it was, I burst right into happy tears. The light at the end of the tunnel has *finally* arrived. What a long 8 years it's been.

So glad to have a Mo update, as well. Take your time loving that sweet pup -- we'll be here.

Mrs.French said...

oh goodness...this had me giggling! such an adventure and of course go Mo! xo t

Hey Harriet said...

Wow! What an amazing experience that your daughter had. All of the craziness just added to the overall excitement to it I'm sure! I watched the highlights of the event on TV & I also had tears welling up. It was wonderful! There was such a sense of unification amongst Americans & the relief & hope everyone felt was very evident. All of the positivity is spilling over worldwide! We are all finally on the path to building a great future for everybody in this world. Thanks to your new President. And thanks to the American people for voting him in!

Of course we all understand your need to be spending quality time with Mo right now. I'm just so glad that you're able to! You see, it's all about hope. It can work! Big hugs to Mo! xo

jacquie said...

victoria,
i hate to bother you about this...you said mo is on antibiotics for skin issues. fudge has the same skin issues, same pronouncement from the vet, suppressed immune system, but we've gotten no drugs. they want to do a bunch of really expensive tests. i'm thinking maybe i should change vets. any thoughts?

Victoria said...

So sorry you are going through this, I will email you Jacquie.

I am Arizona; a person, not a place. said...

What an incredible experience for your daughter! It sounds surreal. I would have taken lots of photos of the senators trying to dance to hip hop and then posted the photos online. lol!

It must be so...I don't know the word...wonderful?? to watch your daughter grow up and become a woman. My daughters are still babies, but even at their age I watch them in wonder as they explore and develop.

PS: Hair spray is certainly nasty stuff. That part was so funny!!

Victoria said...

Yes it is a wonderful and incredible thing to watch your daughters grow into woman, and shocking too, for the time goes by so fast. It truly seems like just yesterday I was taking eldest daughter to nursery school, and now she is in college about to turn 20! How did this happen?! I personally wouldn't want to go back in time and do it all over, but oh, how I wish I could go back for just one day... to pick them up in my arms, breath in there sweet scent, hold there tiny hand in mine... Enjoy every minute with your little ones!

Unknown said...

Can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading your daughter's adventures. I SO wish I could have been there for any inaugural event!

Thanks for sharing (and thank your lovely girl, too!).