The Wizard of San Francisco

So, somehow between my husband coming down with a mysterious illness (which turned out to be Typhus…I know, I had to Google it too) & being in hospital for 9 days, & us finding out, 3 days before the hubby was admitted to hospital, that we are expecting our 2nd little one, we managed to inadvertently guilt my parents into offering to watch our little guy for a few days, while we jet off to some exotic destination.  I’m sure the conversation between my parents went something like this.  "Grandpa (I’m not quite sure if my parents actually call each other by their first names it is always "Grandpa" or  "Dad", weird), we’re going to go out to Cali to look after the little guy while Margot & the hubby get away for one last hooray before the next "tiny perfect one" is born."  Grandpa’s response.  "What was that?"  Suffice it to say it was a one-sided conversation.  And, probably not something that was open for discussion.  So Gram & Grandpa arrive with extra suitcase in tow stocked with goodies for the little guy…I mean it has been since August since they’ve seen him. 

The best thing they brought, which I just had to share with all of you because it is too hysterical, is this…

which I’m fairly sure bears an excellent likeness to Mats Sundin (don’t even get me started, weirdly enough he’s at the top of my list…you know…that list).

Funny though, this is how the little guy chooses to dress him…

He’s a total California boy.  It’s scary.

So, Gram & Grandpa shoost us out the door, to enjoy our time alone.  I mean come on, we’re already giving them another grandchild…we currently can’t make anymore!!!  We jet off to exotic….wait for it…Sequoia National Park & San Francisco for 5 days.  Not exactly what I had been hoping for (my one stipulation to the hubby was that there be a spa), but with the recent Typhus outbreak, we were still not quite sure what our share of the bill was going to be (trust me, there will be more on that whole ordeal in the future), so Hawaii was out of the question. 

We had a great time in Sequoia.  I basically felt like I was on another planet, as it was like nothing I’d ever seen before.  Big trees…

Big trees, bigger trees, biggest tree in the world.  Nonetheless, spectacular & really interesting the preservation efforts that have gone on to ensure these trees are here for generations to come.

So on to San Fran (if you haven’t been, get on a plane, NOW) where we had a wonderful 3 days of museums, shopping, rain (it is San Francisco), cable cars, & virgin pomegranate mojitos (the best I could do, considering my current circumstances).  So after dinner one night at a fabulous restaurant in the Union Square area, we considered our options for the evening’s entertainment.  What do you think won out?  Dancing?  A cool club? Even pool or darts at a pub?  Nope, we decided to return to the condo, get in our pjs, make a big bowl of popcorn (90% for me really….okay 95%), & check out what was on the tube!  I know, we are so very exciting.  Watch out gossip blogs, here we come!

Much to our delight we found the very beginning of The Wizard of Oz.  It seems that every year around American Thanksgiving The Wizard of Oz is on somewhere on the tube.  We sat & watched every minute of the movie, as entranced as we were when we were little ones watching the movie.  We recalled our childhood memories of watching this very special movie with each of our families.  I remembered the wonder of seeing the door open into the beautiful Technicolor of Munchkinland & how the change between B&W & colour was truly happening (in my eyes anyway) right then & there in the world of movies.  My hubby remembers watching with his Mom & sisters & learning all of the words (probably by force from an older & younger sister) to all of the songs.

When we returned home from our 5 child-free days, it just so happened that The Wizard of Oz was on TV that night as well.  Even though we own the movie on DVD, there is something about finding a great classic by happenstance on the tube, commercials & all.  Something about being able to run to the bathroom, or make a bowl of popcorn, or cleaning the kitchen in 2 minute increments that is so old school.  Having to rush back in time so as to not miss a minute brought me back to pre-PVR, pre-VCR, simpler days.  What was a pleasant & totally unexpected surprise was our 2-year old son’s reaction to the movie.  He was mesmerized!  Now he is interested in many cartoon movies, but never live-action movies.  He sat there on Daddy’s lap so still that we considered putting a mirror under his nose just to see if he was still with us. I almost cried at his interest in a movie that was so important to both the hubby & I growing up.  I loved being able to share this wonderful piece of movie history with him, & revel in the fact that it could still be relevant & fantastic generations after it was made.  Very few filmmakers can say that about the movies they are making today. 

So my suggestion is that you not only expose your children to these wonderful old movies, but also the experience of the anticipation of the movie coming on live TV (commercials & all) as opposed to always plunking in a DVD.  It is amazing the conversations you can have with your kids in those 2 minute intermissions.  Not to mention the memories that come rushing back to you as you sit there & enjoy the movie, old-school live-TV style.

I would love to hear about your memories of watching The Wizard of Oz on TV. Are there movies that you have to sit down & watch when you catch them on the tube?  What are the movies that you make plans to watch when they come on TV every year?

Make sure you check back next week for a newly-released movie review.  What will it be?!?  A little hint….I love a little controversy!  I’ll see you at the movies.