Sal Visits Sophia For the 4th

Sal and I went to visit Sophia (and her Mommy and Daddy) over the Fourth of July weekend.  We did it last year, too.  What a difference a year makes!  Check out this post from Independence Day of 2014 to see how Sophia has grown! 

It was a lot easier to get sharp shots of Sophia and Sal when Sophia wasn't a moving target, so to speak.  To get her to stay in one place for a photo, I held her on my lap and Daddy took the picture. 

Daddy setting an example for Sophia.

Let's see if sitting with Daddy will lead to a good shot.  Not so much. 

Sophia and Sal on the sofa.  I think we're getting somewhere...

Nope.  Sophia is done with the whole thing.  End of photo shoot!

Sal Goes to Public Square to See the Fleas on the Big Screen

Tonight was the night!  The Cleveland Jumping Fleas would be seen by thousands of people on a Jumbotron on Public Square before the Cleveland Orchestra's annual free concert to celebrate Independence Day!  (See the post from May 31st if you don't know the back story.)  A bunch of Fleas talked about meeting on the Square by the Moses Cleaveland statue to watch the Jumbotron together.  The rest of the Fleas were alerted through postings on Facebook and Meetup.  The Jumbotron video was to be shown from 5:00-5:30 p.m.  Sal and I were anticipating a really fun evening with a bunch of cool people...

The day began with ominously cloudy skies and the forecast was for possible thunderstorms, but I kept hoping the evening would be dry.  As a pessimist (or a person who has been in Ohio for the past couple of weeks) might expect, it began to rain just as Sal and I were setting off!  As I drove to the Rapid Transit station, the downpour was so hard that I had my wipers on full speed.  I began to doubt that any other Fleas would be crazy enough to show up, but I had said I was coming, and I'm a woman of my word, so I kept on driving.  It was raining as I went from the parking lot to the train station, and it was raining as the train was traveling downtown.  When I emerged onto Public Square, it was no longer raining -- Yay!  And as I turned a corner and saw a couple of Fleas by the statue, I heard a familiar voice coming from the Jumbotron nearby -- the voice of Melissa -- our fearless Flea leader!  I quickly got out my camera and took some shots of the Fleas on the Jumbotron.  There was no time to find a way to include Sal in a picture -- the Fleas were only doing one song in the video!  I was very happy to see that I was not the only intrepid Flea who braved the rain to see our awesome group on the really big screen.  Unfortunately, because of the weather, there were not thousands of other people watching the Fleas -- or the other local musical groups featured on the Jumbotron.  For some reason (the torrential downpour perhaps), there were very few people on the Square.  

Luckily, because of the magic of technology, you can watch the video (minus Melissa's introduction) here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY13gdQsOPk

The Fleas are on the Jumbotron!

A close-up of the Fleas in musical action.

After the Fleas performance it was time to get a photo of Sal with Moses Cleaveland.  Of course we had to include the other Fleas who made the trip downtown in such horrible weather!  I think everybody had fun despite the rain -- I know Sal and I did!

Not afraid of a little rain!  Amy, Tom, Melissa and Sal, Lynn, and Moses Cleaveland.

Melissa helping me get a shot of the statue without an orange cone in front of it. :)

Sal and Moses

Everybody taking pictures of Sal.  (Full Disclosure: When I saw one person doing this I asked everybody to do it.  I thought it would be a fun photo -- and it is!)

Sal Travels Without Me In An Attempt To Make It BIG (Literally)!

Every year the Cleveland Orchestra gives a free concert on Public Square to celebrate Independence Day.  This year, in collaboration with Cuyahoga County Public Library, there will be a Jumbotron video before the Orchestra begins to play.  The library advertised for local music groups to be taped for possible inclusion in this video.  Jeff, one of the fabulous Cleveland Jumping Fleas, thought it would be a good idea for the Fleas to participate, and arrangements were made.  I couldn't play along, so to speak, because I had to work the evening of the taping, but I felt that Sal must be there.  Bruce, a fellow Flea, was kind enough to pick her up and take her along to get her photo taken at this exciting event.  The best laid plans don't always work out, however, and Sal didn't get her picture taken with the whole group.  There is a picture of her hanging out at the rehearsal, though, thanks to one of the hard-working CCPL staff.  Thanks, Dave!

Bruce picks Sal up and takes her to the taping.  Love the historical/patriotic hat!  This is the only picture in this post that I took.  I stayed at work, and Sal went to the taping without me.  :(

Sal hanging out at the rehearsal. (Thanks to Dave for taking this photo.)

More Fleas have arrived and the rehearsal is in full swing.  Sal is already out of the picture -- literally -- but she and I are with the group in spirit.  (Thanks, Thomas, for letting me use this photo.)

The incredibly talented and attractive Cleveland Jumping Fleas!  I sure hope we get to see them on the Jumbotron!  (Thanks again to Thomas for allowing me to share this photo with you.)