How The Princess Bride is Part of Our Lives

June is a month of school's out freedom, graduation celebrations, and final performances. 

Since I knew I'd be traveling to Ventura to watch a beloved friend graduate from high school and perform the lead in Giselle, I decided it would be fun to rev up my Audible App for the long driving journey. 

First, I listened to Born a Crime by Trevor Noah.  It's a must read story of true grit.  I kept thinking to myself, "How did this guy survive? How did he get to where he is today?"  It taught me about South Africa.  And Noah narrates the book.  I can't recommend it enough. 

Second, I listened to As You Wish, written by Cary Elwes who played Wesley.  The book's tagline reads Inconceivable Tales of the Making of the Princess Bride.  

Ah, The Princess Bride.  It's one of the only movies that I watch over and over again.  It's a movie that gets handed down to our kids.  Right now, I bet you can rattle off lines from the movie.  You'll giggle just a bit, and swoon thinking about Wesley and Buttercup, and just plain feel good inside.  

The entire book is a love letter to Rob Reiner and how he lead the entire movie-making experience.  I love knowing that Billy Crystal made him laugh so hard that Reiner had to leave the set because his raucous laughter was ruining the sound track. 

Cary Elwes narrates the book and lots of cast members make cameo appearances in the audio.  Even though the book gets redundant at times, it feels like a beloved relative (with a sexy British accent) retelling a favorite story while you're sitting around the dining room table. 

But, here's the real reason I'm writing about this book - The Princess Bride has become part of our lives.  It's more than a little fairy tale, swashbuckling, comedy, love story.  

Here's a short and sweet list of my Princess Bride real life stories:

1.  We ski at June Mountain a lot.  It's a small ski area and you have to ride an access chairlift to get to the main ski runs.  This means you also have to ride the same chairlift down the mountain at the end of the day.  Going down a steep mountain is very different than going up a steep mountain.  It's kinda scary!  Our friend (Dad of young woman I watched graduate and dance Giselle BTW) yelled, "The Cliffs of Insanity!"

2.  Any time something has been unbelievable, insert this line, "Inconceivable!"

3. Any time something is confusing, insert this line, "I do not think that word means what you think it means."

4.  And just yesterday, when I was talking to my parents on the phone, arranging details for them to stay with our daughter while my husband and I go on a little getaway, my dad said, "Lorrie, you know my only grandparent rule, right?"

"Yes, Dad. I know."

"As you wish." 

Could there be any better way to be a grandpa? 

So thank you William Goldman for writing such a lovely line that's seeped into the fabric of our lives.  

Happy Father's Day. 

Celebrate it as you wish.

Always writing,

Lorrie