Into The Woods
Well, I’m back after a week off—and what a crazy week it was. I started off by taking our middle son Gabe to visit colleges, since he’ll be a high school senior this fall. I quickly realized that if I were to apply to colleges now, I’m not sure I’d get in. I was so impressed by the intellectual curiosity of the students that I met.
But the most exciting thing for me was seeing Gabe’s excitement at the prospect of moving on to the next stage of his life. [Or maybe he is just desperate to get out of the house. Whatever. The kid seemed happy. So who am I to judge…]
A few days later I was back home, on the phone, chatting with my friend Angela, while staring out the window. Suddenly I noticed there were three deer in the backyard, and one of them appeared to limping. Just as I was mentioning that to Angela, there was a banging at the front door—it was a man from "Animal Control" asking if I’d just called about an injured deer. I said, “No, but as a matter of fact…” and pointed him in the right direction.
Next thing I know a Police Cruiser pulls into the driveway and out comes an officer asking where the deer is. “How do you know about the deer?” I asked. He told me some woman had called into the station, reporting a deer down on my property. That’s when the guy from animal control said something like, “After we shoot him, I’ll help you pull him out to the curb." "Shoot him?!" I cried. The officer explained that if an animal is badly injured, that’s what you have to do, as much as he hates it.
I know that deer have a keen sense of hearing, but who knew they also understand English—no sooner had the word "shoot" come out of our mouths when that deer literally shot us a look—and high-tailed it, limp and all, over the fence and into the woods.
Speaking of Into The Woods, our daughter Lily performed in the Sondheim musical over the weekend. She played "Jack" and sang "There Are Giants In the Sky". Lily has been part of this performance troupe for several years, but for eight of the students this was their last play because they will be graduating from high school.
The show is about savoring moments in life, and how we are never really alone, despite how frightened we sometimes feel. This bittersweet notion wasn’t lost on the cast—as they sang the finale, I noticed there were tears rolling down their faces. But the loudest sobs came from the parents in the audience, as we witnessed the outpouring of emotion.
After the show, Lily and the rest of the actors went off to their cast party. I went home and retreated to the couch. When Lily finally returned hours later, I asked her to sit down next to me. I put my arms around her, told her how proud I was of her performance (and everyone else’s, for that matter), and said to her, “As hard as it is to say goodbye to your eight friends who are leaving the troupe, this is an opportunity for you to be 'one of the big kids'—now it’s your turn to impart that camaraderie to the next members who join.” She looked up at me like I was crazy. “Mom, we had our cry. We’re fine. We’re over it now.”
Then Lily went up to her bedroom. And I…limped away. Oh, dear…
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Meredith,
Within a mile of my house is a nature park, with a herd (if that is the right word?) of deer that live there. They come up out of the raveen, that is so deep and dense with the forest that it can not be seen to the bottom. But occasionally they will meet you on the trails, standing maybe 50 feet from you and just watch. They are beautiful and smart. The trails are always imprinted with hoof marks showing fresh runs they do when the park is quiet. The park has been untouched by time, and still looks as it did when the wagon trains crossed there. Occasionally, they make it into town, and we can see them walking down the middle of the street.
My grandson did Much Madness last fall at school. He had 90% of the dialouge to himself, and when it was over maybe I was the only one crying who knows, but I love to watch the theatre even on a small level. He has known since he was six that he wanted to be a filmaker some day, and has never let go of the writing he does.
Glad you had a good week off!
Linda
www.myspiritualwindows.info
Hi Meredith,
Well, visiting colleges and you already having one in college I need advise. We will have 4 girls in college next year but I am writing about my oldest that will be attending Cornell Medical to pursue a career in Physians Asst. Surgery.
She is looking for an affordable place to live in Mid town as Cornell Medical is right by Town Square. We do not want her to have to travel far, she is a small town girl going to NY. We as parents are probably more scared then her, but proud. Any tips as we are visiting May 4-7th to find a place. Thanks for all the laughs,
Sharie
Hello Meredith,
Glad you are back from vacation. Wow Gabe has grown up so quickly and I am sure you are saying the same thing.
Now as for the deer. I live in Upstate New York about a 2 hours drive from NYC and believe me I see them everyday on my way into work and on my way home. If not along side the road looking at the traffic driving by then they are off in the fields looking for food. I also have had them right in my own backyard. I actually found your story quite funny when it came to the animal control guy and police...boy at least your neighbors are watching out for you...or just being nosy.
I'm glad you had a good vacation!!
Deb
Glad you are back. My mother has six acres, my dad has been gone for some time now. Part of the acerage has gone back to being woodsy towards the back. She has a Herd of Deer that seem to live on her property. It really is kinda neat to watch them come up around her house, and back to the trees. They are almost always around, I think they must know that their will be no hunting on her property and also the property close by her. They ( deer ) do seem to be very smart indeed.
Hi Meredith,
It is nice to see you back on Today, missed you. I was surprised at who the new person is on the show. I was never fond of Kathy Lee, don't know why maybe it is that she seems so phony. I don't watch the show after 9:00 so I probably won't see her anyway.
I live in Wisconsin and we have a lot of deer in our backyard all year round. I would be very upset if the cops came to the house to tell me they were going to shoot a deer that was limping. I am glad they ran off into the woods.
Love ya Meredith
Joan K.
Wisconsin
Merideth,
I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about seeing Kathie Lee Gifford again on the a.m. airwaves. She and I were pregnant at the same time with our respective sets of children and she always made me feel so inferior going on and on to Regis about how wonderful little Codey and Cassidy were. And how they could take them everywhere, even to tea in Vail with Jerry and Betty Ford and how well-behaved and charming they always acted. Trust me, her cloying tales were definitely not what a brand new very hormonal nursing mom wants to hear first thing in the a.m. after a sleeplsess night.
Now that Codey is going off to college (my son is a freshman at Fordham, she must have held him back a year), I'm really not looking forward to a very public search for the perfect match with the Gifford family. I think you have have always been a modicum of decency and down-to-earthness as a working mom as evidenced by the poignant and honest tales that you post in your blog -- I've found that I can always relate to your humor and candor. Never mind Frank's highlight reels -- I hope Kathie Lee steals a page or two from YOUR play book.
Back in 1998, I moved from San Jose, CA to Cincinnati, OH. I own several websites, and work from home, which is a log home on 5 acres. Part of my land is woods, and between the house and the woods is a one acre lake, with about 30 Canadian geese, and 20+ mallards. The highlight of the day is when the come up from the woods and try to eat the birdseed in the feeding dishes I have on the ground for the geese and ducks! The geese will actually charge the deer - and the deer hightail it back to the woods! The only time they get to eat from the feeders is if the geese are on the far side of the pond!
For a city woman like myself - this is a dream come true to see all of this out my office window every day!
Mere,
Please be extra careful of deer at this time of the year! I moved to the wilds of Bernardsville, NJ two weeks ago and see at least one each trip up and down the hill I live on.
As my older granddaughter turned 18 today, I can feel your pain at your kids growing up - not as much as my daughter can of course.
So Gabe as started the college search! I can relate to that. As a high school senior, I sometimes feel like the last 12 months of my life were consumed by the application process. However, it definitely pays off when you start getting those acceptance letters. I was accepted Early Decision to my college in December, but most of my friends are just getting their decision letters this week. It's been fun to find out where they're going and congratulate them. Just yesterday, one of my closest friends got a full ride to Stanford. Anyway, good luck to Gabe! I hope he finds the right place.
I am glad you had a nice vacation...and happy to see you back on the show. You were missed! :)
Best,
--Misty
Meredith,
Fourteen years ago I survived malignant melanoma. I am lucky to be here and my melanoma was discovered by accident. Even my dermatologist was surprised when we found out what it was because it didn't meet the normal criteria.
I tell you this because yesterday you were wearing a skirt and I couldn't help but notice the large mole on the inside of your left knee. I am hoping you have had a dermatologist look at it. Having beren a fan of yours since you were one of the reporters on channel 7 Eye Witness News, on through your years on The View and then up to your terrific addition to the Today Show team, I felt obligated to ask you to please check that mole out if you haven't already.
I hope to be watching you for many years to come. Good luck with everything you do. You're an inspiration to so many of us, Stephanie
Hi Meredith,
I am disappointed but understand that you cannot continue your blog. I would like to say that I was shocked when I heard that Kathie Lee was joining the Today Show. I used to watch her on Live with Regis and Kathie and I think she is obnoxious and very phony. I couldn't bear to hear about her perfect Cody for one more minute. Needless to say, I won't be watching the latter part of the show. Good luck with finding a college for Gabe.
Kim
Looks like I am not the only one who can't tolerate Kathy Lee, I get the feeling she thinks she is going to take over, I sure hope not. I am glad that she isn't going to be on when Meredith is, she wouldn't out shine her anyway.
Love ya Meredith
Joan K.
Wisconsin
As a college student, I promise that he's not just desperate to leave the house. The prospect of college is itself incredibly exciting, especially when you're picking one out!
I've been reading your blog here and there ever since I read your husband's memoir Blindsided. Anyway, thank you for it and I'm glad ending it was just an April Fool's joke.