Two Documentaries ♥

 Hello Friends! ♥

 I hope this Monday is finding you well so far. I'm feeling pretty good today as I had a rather productive weekend.  In case you're wondering I got my tire fixed.  Rob brought it to the garage on Saturday and had the nail pulled and patched.  Thankfully it was an easy fix.  I also got new glasses and the burn on my wrist is no longer stinging.  I got lots of good sleep, drank tons of coffee, and did a big housecleaning on Sunday which included emptying the fridge and cleaning all the surfaces. Not my favorite job (I mean really, how does it get so dirty in there?) but feels so good when it's done! 

Anywhoo, I'm feeling reset and back to normal. 

I'm ready to start a new week. 

Today I wanted to share with you two documentaries we watched on TV this weekend.  But first a short story. Back when I was in elementary school I had writing assignment to write about someone that inspired me.  I remember my 4th grade self could not choose between the three options in my mind so I wrote about all of them.  They were Walt Disney, Charles Schultz, and Mr. Rogers.  As a child (and still to this day) these men inspired me in such a way it's almost beyond words.  They made me happy, taught me lessons, and kept me company. When I think about the wonderment and joy Walt Disney movies brought me as child I almost get chills.  Seeing a Disney movie was special and Cinderella was MY movie.  I wanted to be her.  And I don't care what anyone say these days....I still do. Walt Disney brought her to life and many others that I hold near to my heart. Charles Shultz created Peanuts and I have loved them for as long as I can remember.  I related so much to Charlie Brown growing up.  I still get excited to watch the holiday specials every year. And of course Mr. Roger.  He was my safe space.  Everyday after school.  I never missed it.  I just love him with my whole entire heart. He was a sweet, gentle man, who genuinely cared about children.  And it showed.  

 No matter what was going on in my life, they were there.  Their characters still live on.  Looking back on my assignment I realized that I left out one special person.   I should have added an extra paragraph.  And that paragraph would have been about Jim Henson.  Who doesn't love the Muppets?! Who didn't watch Sesame Street?! We all did.  When you think about it, there probably isn't one person you know that does not know who Big Bird is or Kermit the Frog, or Cookie Monster, or Miss Piggy.  These characters are a part of us, probably in more ways that you realize. Jim Henson created an empire and his work continues to make millions and millions of people smile every day.  What a legacy.  How sad it was that he was taken from us at such a young age.  Only 53 years old.  Looking at the Muppets with an adult eye you realize that there are real people with real lives behind those characters and voices. We all know the characters, but we don't know the people.  And we should.

Street Gang is a documentary on (HBO) MAX that talks about the inception of Sesame Street and how it was brought to life. I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story available on Freevie is about Caroll Spinney, who spent most of his adult life voicing and puppeteering Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.  Both are fascinating documentaries that take you behind the scenes of The Muppets and Sesame Street and show the real people who brought these shows and characters to life, from writing to voicing, to going inside the suits.  Both go in depth on the love and admiration the community had for Jim Henson and what a down to Earth man he was. And what it was like after he passed.  If you want to go a bit further like I did, you can watch Jim's memorial service on YouTube.  It's sad, but so very beautiful. Caroll Spinney (as Big Bird) sang "It's Not Easy Being Green" and I literally lost it ♥

My childhood would not have been the same without these characters.  My adult life either.

They (and the people that brought them to life) should be remembered. 

 ♥

And that's all I have to say about that : )

Have a wonderful day Friends!  Wishing you all a great week ahead ♥