Musicals, Errands, and Elephants Oh My

     I've still been feeling pretty good although maybe not quite 100%.  I did a lot of walking (about 3 1/2 miles) and errands on Thursday (IRS for forms, Chinatown for carryout (Linda's favorite), Reading Market for Cornish hens and delicious cannolis).  There was a little rain and I had an umbrella; so I was actually limited in how much I could carry with one hand and a backpack.  And then Amos was getting active which added some suspense to my getting home without any accidents (I made it okay.)
     Linda and Rachel liked "The Book of Mormon" in NY Wednesday night but didn't love it; and Linda didn't think I would have liked it based on my anti-musical attitude.  Actually, I have seen some Sondheim plays locally that I've enjoyed very much.  Last night, Linda went with friends to see the musical "Scottsboro Boys" about the 9 African Amercan boys falsely accused of rape in Alabama in 1931 and convicted and most went to jail, even after one of the accusers recanted.  Linda enjoyed it but didn't think I would have.  Actually, she had forgotten about the play and the friends had forgotten they had gotten a ticket for Linda; but I got an e-mail ad for the play at 6:30 p.m. which reminded me and I reminded Linda that she had a ticket for the play.
     The Ringling Brothers circus comes to Philly next week.  Last year in February, before I got sick, I went down to the South Philly arena (Wachovia Center, now Wells Fargo Center) where the circus performs and watched the elephants leave their train walk through a path and up the road to the arena.  It was quite cold but I was surprised that I was the only civilian there to see this; the others, all young, were about 3 or 4 media people and 2 or 3 people from the arena.  It was quite cool to be within 10 or 15 feet of about 10 elephants, most of whom held in their trunks the tail of the elephant in front of them.
     I saw an ad for a DVD "The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven" (not the current best seller) but the family involved was appropriately named "Malarkey."
     Lastly, it is quite ironic that Darrel Issa, the right wing Republican, held a hearing yesterday on the Obama Catholic/contraceptive controversy entitled "Lines Crossed:  Separation of Church and State..." when none of these conservatives believes in the separation of church and state.  Of course, Issa only invited conservative male religious leaders to testify; no women.
     Have a good weekend.

Elkan - Friday evening