Day 790: Mammo

Men hear: "Turn your head and cough."

Women hear: Lift your arm over your head.  Now grab the bar.  Bend your elbow.  Turn to the right.  Relax your shoulders.  Chin up.  Keep your feet flat.  Lean in.  Hold your breath.  30 seconds of pain.  Zaaaappp.  Breathe.  Repeat. Pain. Repeat.  Pain. Repeat.  Pain. Done! All clear for another year.  Peace of mind.

Another very productive work day on stage.  Lots of crew, cast, alumni, adult staff showed up to work and we got a lot accomplished.  The cyc is up!  For one and half hours, Anna, Aleah and I cranked up the lift and positioned the lift carriage, hauled the cyc and then Steve tied the cyc up on the bar.  The crew also hung the ice house ceiling grid framework, checked out all the lights, and finished painting the telephone hour cubicles.  Then, of course, there was an hour of cleaning paintbrushes, rollers and pans.  Lots of cooperation and teamwork made it all possible. So very proud to be part of this wonderful team.

Angela, Michaela and Bailey

Jake, Bryson, Daniel, Jake and Claire on light bar repair

Day 789: Birdie Paint Crew

Bryson, Anna and Abby

Bri, Taylor, Anna, Abby, Aleah and Andrew

Day 788: Birdie dance rehearsal

Day 787: Maps and Compasses

Our Brocton backpackers are delightful.  Today, they had to fill in the form with their tent partner's name and their request for cook group members.  They actually made me choke up.   Each one of them said they didn't care who they were placed with because they want to meet new people.  And Sierra said she wants to tent with the girl from Silver Creek, even though they've never met.

They enjoyed working with the topographical maps and were very responsive in our activities.  Having a group of six is so much easier to manage than fifty-eight.  Maddie was the only student leader to show up today.  She has become a really valuable member of the team.

Steve was out at another house fire today in Irving for hours today.  He came home chilled to the core and is sound asleep.  Winter fires are brutal for everyone.  Fortunately, no one was injured.

The polar vortex is back and another huge storm will sweep across the country over the next week. Yet, the solar company is coming to start installing the solar panels starting on March 10.  I know that solar power is an important green step for us to take, but the installation process makes me very nervous.

Lady Dianthus

Day 786: Our escape day

We try hard to take one day a week as an escape day, free from fire calls, meetings, backpacking classes, musical rehearsals or construction, emails, parent calls, coordinator's meetings.  It hardly ever works, and that was the case again today.   We had a fantastic lunch at the Sun Restaurant, did some musical fabric shopping, saw Monuments Men, then went back for more fabric.  Steve took a half dozen phone calls, emails and texts.  After a quick dinner, he was off to rehearsal.  He came back early, but still fielded more texts and calls.  So much for a day off.

Steve's black rice lobster rolls with pickled ginger and wasabi

My entree: Mango chicken

Black rice mango rolls

Salad with spicy dressing, vegetable tofu soup and Thai iced tea

Snow boy!

Day 785: Cat eyes

At Penelope, we had the pleasure of playing with Ben and Jeannette's two little cats.  My work was put off till the end of the meeting again, so we did not get to spend much time on my chapter.  The feedback was very helpful, but I would have liked to get through the whole chapter.  

Steve, Jake and I got lots done on the sets.  They started work early this morning on reinforcing the steps and put wheels on them so they can moved easily.  Then when I arrived, we worked on skinning the front of the steps and put shelves in the Telephone Hour set.  

We were able to walk for an hour.  The wind was harsh, but the sidewalks were finally clear enough to wear sneakers!  We haven't seen bare sidewalks in months.  

Ben and Jeannette's cat

Day 784: Got a lot of living to do!

The drill was incredibly successful and Steve is exhausted, but happy.  The Coast Guard's commanding officer was highly complimentary to the entire contingent.  He said it went so smoothly that it was like they had been working together for years.

Then at 9:30 tonight, he got a call because one of the squads transported a patient that had bedbugs.  So, on Saturday night, they called him to find out what to do about their ambulance, clothing and equipment.  Fortunately, he knew what to do since we've had experience.   This incident is on a much grander scale since it's a public service vehicle.  So, now he's on the phone with the hospital supervisor trying to make accommodations for the crew.  What a juxtaposition!  In the morning they ran a drill with the Coast Guard on a plane crash with 43 casualties and now a real life crisis for a crew with bedbugs.

I spent most of my day at school working on costumes and taking pictures.  Kay's lovely granddaughters and I made progress pulling items from the racks.  Jody and Doreen cut out the two polka dotted coats for the dancers.  There is lots of dancing in this show and the lights are not adjusted yet so my photos are not great.

The kids rehearsing We've Got a Lot of Living to Do!