For one, my parents are financing Zach's education. His Y classes were a Christmas present that is perfect. So perfect I have a plan to build on for preschool readiness. Gym again starting in September accompanied by swim (I feel like I'm missing out) then Gym through June with Art or Music to go with it. Next summer is camp at the Y to get used to school without Mommy then preschool the September after he turns three. I start preschool research in August and have dabbled in writing Preschool Workbooks long before I created him, back when I got certified to teach preschool. He is doing not so surprisingly well for his young age. They are aimed at 2 1/2 - 4 year olds. Now that he has the desk, he loves using it. What has that to do with the Gilmore Girls? Well, Loreli goes to her parents to help pay for a private school for Rory, then Rory goes to them to help pay for Yale. My parents agreed to pay for Zach's preschool too.
Richard and Emily Gilmore are seemingly endlessly rich. The condition to pay for both educations is a weekly dinner "Friday night dinner". While family dinner isn't a requirement for Zach, we have weekly dinners and whether it goes good or bad it's part of being a family and I love every minute of it. It's just like nightly dinners growing up but with a couple of extra people (Josh and Zach). Dad asked when I was pregnant if Zach's seat can be between him and Hugh. I said it's up to Zach. Zach started between me and my mom (not a bad place to have a distraction by the way) but did choose Pop and Uncle Hugh. Grandma is jealous. Through ups and downs those dinners bring Loreli and her parents closer together and that's true for us.
Richard is a slightly exaggerated but accurate version of my dad. He's so serious that even his jokes are serious. He is intellectual, interested in learning everything relevant. He values his work and would rather read then get involved in possible argument causing situations. He appreciates a good drink and loves Pot Roast. Played by Edward Herrman, he even takes my father's expressions when giving advice on how to do things. Well meaning but often greeted with a "yes dad" just to get the advice to stop. Then there is her relationship with her mother. Emily is personality wise like my mom. Played by Kelly Bishop (Baby's mom in Dirty Dancing) she's a corporate wife who's main job is Networking oriented party planning and fund raising with the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution, a real organization). My mom worked but that stubbornness is there. So is the uncontrollable impulse to look concerned whenever Lorali tells her about what's going on in her life and the vocalization about the things that are not up to Emily's standards. I can even sympathize with Lorali not telling Emily about a boyfriend that would upset her. It took me two years to tell my mom about my seasonal wardrobes. Just like Loreli, I dreaded the criticisms.
There is a big difference though. The show is about how Lorali and Rory are best friends because Lorali had Rory at 16. I can't related to that. Lorali ran away from home because of her parent's controlling, opinionated nature. I run temporarily but always come back, looking to work out our differences since that's what family is. Lorali became a maid at an inn (embarrassing to Emily) but at the start of the series was the general manager ending the series as a part owner of a new inn. Emily tries to encourage her to add a spa to her inn as an excuse to loan her money to continue the weekly dinners even after Rory is sent traveling for her new journalism career. Ironically, following Barak Obama's Presidential Campaign trail. It's poetic that Loreli says, "let's talk about it Friday, at dinner" when Emily is clearly seeking an excuse to continue the dinners she cherishes. I never want our dinners to end.
My mom and I argue like Loreli and Emily. Sometimes I feel the weight of needing her help even when it's not mentioned, like Loreli, but also like Loreli I don't have a choice if I want to give the best life to Zach. It's for him. My parent's own the condo and we pay a very low rent but the alternative is they're house with them so my parents would rather we have our own place. Thanks to Republicans making laws and changing programs that help people like us, a large portion of people my age have told me about needing additional support from their parents.
My mom is critical, judgemental, and embarrassed by my lifestyle, something that was created out of necessity due to finances and sanity maintnance. There are things she insists on that I have to say no to. Last year's July electric bill was $121 and change. I budget $110 averaging $85. To keep that expense low, we have high requirements for humidity and/or external temperatures before we close the windows just to save on electricity. Days she insists on the AC I can't always promise. Yesterday, the day it hit 105, she offered for us to come to their house to spare us the expense. Some expenses are worth it though and for the sake of our relationship I said no but had fans and the AC in here. Today it was humid but livable without the AC. Windows first. We had simply spent a lot of extra time together and the space was best for us all.
Just like the Gilmores, we have each other through good times and bad. But we also have a bond through those weekly dinners that make us want to work through our problems and never drift apart. When I was in college, Josh joined us for Sunday dinner before I drove back to school that night. I came home every weekend. Most of our dinners are Sundays but during lake season it's during the week. It doesn't matter when just as long as the six of us dine and chat together. Sometimes Sonny or my Aunt Clare join us but it's all about family. Maybe Isabelle will join us soon too. Hugh has said he wants to continue them and would even host them after my parents sell the house. Not knowing how his future wife (whoever that may be) feels about it, I'll offer to host it. He cherishes every debate, criticism, and compliment on the meal as much as I do. There occasionally are other compliments too.
Josh is like Luke too, a little. He's the "staying in my small town" guy that captures Loreli's heart and stinks at communication. His actions show he cares. He doesn't like going out and doing things much but loves the town (Stars Hollow) and knows almost everyone in town. He'll do anything he can to make Loreli happy, like Josh, too. My town reminds my of Stars Hollow. You can't leave it, you always want to come back.
What ever happened to tv shows using actors playing characters that seem like a piece of your life, like Gilmore Girls is for me? I might not have been a runaway teen mom with ultra rich parents but the actors could have followed my family around to prepare for the roles. Steven Collins plays Eric Camden on 7th Heaven. He's a lot like my dad too, even looks a lot like him but a much better singing voice (similar taste in music though). He's a minister. I remember my dad's 14 hour lecture as we drove down to college in South Carolina for the first time. How much advice can you fit in before your kid officially can be in charge of your contact time? We had weekly phone calls that I looked forward to all week. Just like the dinners. The food is delicious but the family moments are priceless. This is what makes kids grow into healthy and intelligent adults, strong family bonds. Zach doesn't need to do bad things to get our attention. He gets plenty of love and attention from his entire family and that includes Josh's parents, Lisa, Sammi, and Michael. He even had his first solid food at a family dinner. It was a moment my parent's and Uncle Hugh were happy to be a part of. My mom was even in the delivery room when he was born.
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