All That’s Right Is In Our Hearts
We know what’s right the day we’re born
The Bible’s words are just a start
All that’s right is in our hearts”
I made a 43-song playlist for Rider’s birth and this Bruce Hornsby song was on it. It’s called “Hymn in C Instrumental” and it’s from a Spike Lee movie. Some of the songs, for some reason, are more haunting to me right now, two years in. I don’t even remember hearing them then, but they’ll come on here and transport me there. “Hymn in C Instrumental” is one of those songs for me. I found a version with words, and stole some lyrics for the post’s title. This song flattens me.
As you may know from Part 2 of my Rochester trip (and Part 1 here), Hornsby started his “The Way It Is” with a teaser of “Hymn in C” which I’m still nerding out over. I even waited with bated breath for him to release his morning-after setlist and saw that my ears hadn’t deceived me! So after that late night, my mom and Des brought in hotel breakfast from the lobby into the room. Then we went to a brunch at my mom’s friend’s house. She’s a landscaper so of course her yard was like a wonderland for all of us. Rider was living his best life eating his cake on a hot tub, and Des was doing yo-yo tricks for the crowd. There was a breakfast casserole that I’m still dreaming about. I found it very uplifting that all of her friends were youthful and exuberant. All working and traveling and hanging with kids and grandkids. Telling stories of the past and the present.
After a little chill time, I wanted to have the perfect beach day. The wildfire smoke was mostly at bay, and the sun was out! It is very strange being at the beach without the saltwater smell, or wild waves, but there were lifeguards, beach umbrellas, and seagulls. Are they seagulls? Lakegulls? Des told me that they’re gulls. Anyway, they were fighting over our potato chips, which was rather funny. Sawyer ate a lot of sand. Rider threw sand and got reprimanded by a lifeguard, and then they high-fived, which was hilarious. Des buried himself in the sand. My mom and I pretended we could relax on the beach, even though we had three kids there and one was eating sand. Des also swam out as far as you can “legally” swim, and I was very proud of him. I don’t think it was deep at all but I was proud of him because he was there in his element.
After that we took a long walk on a long pier. We were exhausted and probably dehydrated. I have no idea why we wanted to do it. I’m usually pretty spry but even I had to stop at the car and drop off some beach and diaper bags that were weighing me down. We saw the most adorable baby ducks ever too. We rewarded ourselves with one last ride on the carousel as well. Then we headed to Wegman’s to have our last Rochester dinner together. We brought back that deliciousness to the hotel room and then after dinner, we all passed out spectacularly.
Everyone was a little grumbly the next morning, because we had to pack up, meet my mom’s friend for breakfast, then pack up the car, head to the Strong Museum of Play grand re-opening, and then drive back to Albany to have dinner with Chris and Ricky and their son and his family. I mean, somehow it was all awesome. Breakfast with her friend was awesome at Starbucks. Rider kept having me get up and order him more food. The museum is probably the best museum I’ve ever been to, so if I have any advice for traveling with kids to Rochester, it would be to go to this museum. I probably wouldn’t advise you to stay out until 11 at a Bruce Hornsby concert with a one and two-year-old, and maybe not to let your toddler feed potato chips to gulls, but you gotta do you. This museum is the most right thing I think I did. Also, we had an act of kindness because someone in line in front of us had an extra ticket and gave it to us, so that saved us $25.
The museum had this weird forced perspective, gravity type room that made you feel like you were walking sideways (actually I think you really were walking sideways) and it made you feel like you were being pulled to one side. It was heinous. I didn’t last two seconds. I yelled “I HATE THIS!” My mom took one for the team and went in with Rider TWICE. Ugh. Anyway, the museum was glorious. The ride from Rochester to Albany was mostly uneventful. We had a bathroom break at a McDonald’s and Rider talked me into getting him a Grimace Shake. He drank all of it! A little horrifying, but funny. Then it was dinner at Chris and Ricky’s for another meal. My mom was staying over but we’re only 1.5 hours from Albany and I couldn’t do a fourth night of musical beds with babies, so we did leave, but after a spectacular feast, and quality time with her son and grandkids. I was talking to him and remembering when we were kids together, and the whole world was opened up and magical and waiting for us. And now we were both tired and he has been recovering from shingles, and life can be hard and wonderful. I don’t usually let being older bother me too much, but it’s hard not to miss being a kid sometimes. I think real life adult magic is probably even more spectacular than what we imagined. And we both have accomplished some pretty wild dreams. He writes scripts and teaches and has kids. I write and take photos and have a house with secret doors. And four kids. Sometimes, I’m a little raw.
We live right; our souls survive
Conscious is clear and hearts take wing
And our hearts sing to do the right thing”
I enjoyed reading more about your visits to Rochester and Albany Tamara, and all the photos which really highlighted your story! It’s been quite a summer for you and your family so far with several weeks of the summer season ahead. That’s plenty of room for even more adventures! I really like Bruce’s vocals here. So pure and simple, and nicely complimenting his lyrics. Another song to check out on this soundtrack is his laid back jazzy-style vocals on “Spirit Climbing.”
That bubble picture is epic! I am so glad you had a wonderful trip! Traveling with many kiddos is so stressful, but somehow as we and they age we kind of forget that part and are just so grateful we went!