Annie!

For those who missed the live show, I have a few photos of the production which my dad took. He's not exactly an ace photographer (sorry Dad) but I was having camera issues and could only get the pictures the night he was there and I wasn't sooo....hopefully you can get the idea. Ben had a few various parts. He played the police officer and the radio announcer (no pictures of that - it was just his voice) and Bert Healy the radio show host (how 'bout that jacket and the slick hair?!). As usual, the youth company he's been working with put on a great show. JT ran the light board - he's become Mr. Bill's de facto expert. They both did a great job and it was fun to dig up this old classic story and watch it again with a cast of young, budding actors.

Remember This? Friday

It doesn't get any better than this. We watched the Muppet Show every Sunday evening while eating ice cream at our "stack tables" (little wooden tables that stacked in a pile when not in use). The show inspired my oldest sister Beth to become a puppeteer. She created her own puppet workshop in the basement and made some truly incredible puppets which she used in her production company Menagerie. She hired me and our middle sister Heidi to perform with her. We started out doing birthday parties and eventually we traveled around quite a bit doing schools, festivals and other larger venues - I know I went to NJ, PA, VA and all over MD with her. Not many people I know can say they've worked as professional puppeteers! I loved every minute of it (well, except for the thumb tack incident but I'll save that post for my therapist..lol). Beth worked with lots of other folks through the years and I stuck with her while Heidi drifted out of performing. Beth then began doing stage productions in venues where her audience had to come to her. Eventually that developed into a non-profit community arts center - Open Space Arts - which still exists today under new direction. Bork! Bork! Bork! Bork!

It's getting ridiculous

I now have a brand new computer (praise God for a hubby who likes to build them as a hobby!)and a brand new camera (Happy Birthday to me!) but I still can't get my pictures from said camera to said computer for posting here. For awhile we thought it was the batteries - how ironic that hundreds of dollars worth of equipment was stymied by a handful of $2 batteries, huh? Now it appears that there may be some other problem with communication between the two (our problems really do usually come down to a lack of communication, don't they?!) All this to say, sorry for the loooong hiatus in significant posts here. The problem should be rectified soon I hope and then you'll have plenty on which to catch up!

I have updated the FAQ's post with a detailed description of our laundry system - apparently I do have some time to burn!

Remember This? Friday

*Loved* the Rice Crispies Guys! Here's the original commercial of them from the 50's and note that it's a full minute long - and check out all the sugar they toss in that bowl. It looks just like how I liked mine - with a layer of sugary milky goodness to scrape off the bottom of the bowl when the cereal's gone.

Remember This? Friday

The Lemon Twist - stick the ring around your ankle, get it spinning and jump it like a jumprope. There have been many, many incarnations since but this was the original - another toy my sister possessed and rarely let me use. The lemon had some sort of little beads in it that rattled around as you jumped - hours of entertainment in the pre-Nintendo age! My gym teacher (back when you had gym teachers and not Physical Education Specialists) actually used to use these as a station for our annual "Play Day".

Conversation

David: I just had a race with my pretend friends.

Mom: Oh, who won?

David: I did!

Ben: How did you do that?

John Michael: He butted.

Happy Birthday Ben!

This starts that time of year when, for about 2 months, I have 3 boys the same age. Ben finally joined JT and Philip in the 11 year old club today! The stinker didn't have many surprises as he picked out most of his own presents and even decorated his own cake but he had fun being the Birthday Boy for a day. He even made his own birthday hat. He picked lasagna and corn for dinner and a plain vanilla cake with plain vanilla icing. Adora got him the Indiana Jones lego set which he set up on his cake with the candles lighting the way - looked pretty cool even though this isn't the best of pictures. He asked for one thing and one thing only from his grandparents - a plasma globe. The cool electric effects didn't show up on the pictures but he wanted this to be the center piece of his castle-themed room. Now he just needs to build it it's own pillar. His dad and I got him another lego set which he picked out and accompanied to the cash register. His brothers did manage to surprise him with a Narnia sword which he really loved and his Dad found him a vintage set of Star Wars RPG manuals. That should be fun. Happy Birthday Benny!

Davidisms

concerntrate - when you're angry and you have to work to fix your provlem

shinner guards - protection worn on the lower part of your legs during a soccer game

greem - the color of grass, trees, etc.

sleebs - the part of a shirt in which one puts their arms