The Monkey's Paw

Tonight is full dress rehearsal for a very scattered cast and crew. I've got directors coming from every which way and tomorrow is thee day!

I am at the point to where I'm not too sure about the whole thing. It seems this poor play was cursed from the very get go and nothing seems to be working for us still.

Our little actors have memorized until they are blue in the face. I've had committed actors memorizing the script but never showing up for practice, yet of all the rehearsals that we have had, they seem to be pulling it off when they do show, but are now throwing the other actors off because the others just got used to them not being there....sigh. Did I mention the cast before this one buggared off to do Rocky!!??

I've got one actor whispering lines to everyone and late for her own, I've got the lights man telling me which chair the main actor should sit in, I've got my props lady coming over to me and pointing out to me that the actors are not following the stage directions that are in the book! AARRGGGHHHH...too many directors and not enough actors. Oh, did I mention that the little high school student who was supposed to run lights, never did show up and when he did, he wanted me to sign the paper to his teacher saying he WAS there for all the rehearsals!! That didn't happen! I'm hoping he failed!

I am now doing sound, prompting, set construction and making damn good and sure there is a double caesar waiting for me in the wings when its all over!!!

I am praying that they will have a great run tonight.

Great day

So Buster and I headed to Edmontonius to attend an Adult trade show. We weren't sure what we were getting ourselves into but once Buster paid our entry fee, we were pleasantly surprised by all the booths, shows, chocolate!, and dildos!

There were booths from hot tubs, to blow up dolls, to lube, to a porn star autograph signing, to cars, to you name it, it was there.

It was one of the best days that I have spent with Buster.

After we saw all we saw!, we then headed to an electronics store and picked up a HUGE tv, headed over to a great restaurant and ended the night with installing the tv while eating an ice cream treat from dairy queen!!

It truly was a fab day.

Buster has since headed back up north to work. He has been home the last almost 3 weeks getting the harvest off. Its been so nice to have him home every night.
He makes me laugh, smile and he makes me very happy.

When he returns home, Kiddo will be here too which will be fantastic as it will be Halloween. Halloween is one of my absolute favourite days. I love decorating the house, carving the pumpkins and handing out treats to kids. With Kiddo being here, it will make it all that more exciting! Kiddo has decided to dress up as a brown cow this year...this makes me giggle. She has this infectious laugh and great smile that lights up the room. I cant wait to see her in it.

HUH!??

How on God's Green Earth can they possible mistake MY office for Health Services???

When you first come to my office, you see a door PLASTERED with posters of up coming events.
Not only that, but by my door is another cork board filled with more events and a prop table with props on it!

When you look inside you will meet a knight that stands about 5 feeet high and yes he is in shining armour!

You will then see my desk and leaning up against that desk is a parking sign that says "Drama Queen Parking".

You will then see all the little artsy fartsy things placed on my desk and you will see beautiful abstract oil/acrylic paintings on my highly coloured walls...

IN NO WAY, SHAPE, or FORM, do you see anything remotely similar to a health services office!!

BUT, they come in droves they do!
They come and saunter in and ask where the nurse is!

I look at them behind my desk, at my computer and over my glasses and ask them if I look like Health Services...

I am however, thinking of going into the props department and finding a doctors or nurses costume, changing into it and grabbing the HUGE syringe, filling it with water and yelling "Next" out my door!

Any suggestions??

Rocky Horror Picture Show Party

October 30, 2010
Celebrating 35 years of the cult classic.
I can't wait...
Oh by the way Wilma, I finally got the show watched...

Happy Heavenly Birthday Grapa!!!

I miss you everyday!

I love you.

Home sick

Where have the days gone?

The time went by so fast.

Its September and the leaves are changing, the wind is a little chillier and the animals are starting to hair up for the cold months that lie ahead.

The days are getting shorter which is making my internal clock want to hibernate and stay under the covers for just that one...more...minute longer!

I am a little home sick though, I am missing the September horse back rides through the beautifully coloured trees, stopping along the way to take pictures of the nature that surrounds me. I am missing the smell of the wet wood as we ride. I am missing the laughter and the fun my cousins and I had riding horseback, running flat out across the open prairie and looking down at my horses mane flowing back and touching my hand that holds the rein. I miss our giggling while we coax our horses to jump over fallen logs...yes, I am home sick.

Maybe I can get home for that one last ride before the snow flies.

Rocked!

Well, Bon Jovi and Kid Rock were great!!

I didn't think I would really like Kid Rock but he is a really good entertainer!

Of course Bon Jovi was GRRREAT! He has beautiful teeth!

I had Buster's birthday party and things went fairly well. I think everyone enjoyed themselves. I was a little stressed due to the fact that there were sooooo many little kids there. I am not used to little kids and there were 7 there, I think! There were alot in any case. I don't like it when people show up and let others look after their kids. Buster's sister-in-law did that and Im not their mom, so therefore, look after your kids!

I'll look after my own but it up to others to watch theirs....ugh.


We are getting ready to go on holidays and I am quite excited about it. I can't wait.

I'm also pretty excited about heading over to Wilma's for the weekend. I only wish Buster was home to go with. I am checking my four legged kid into the doggy hotel for two nights and am taking my lawn chair and some kind of meat and beverages. I haven't quite decided...steak and chicken or ribs....hmmmmm

Awwwww.....

So, I was complaining to Buster how he never gets me anything and it's time that he got me a present!

He did!!!!!

Two tickets to Bon Jovi and Kid Rock!!


WOOHOO!!!!


Should I dress back in the 80's to go to this with the high bang hair or should I just go "in the now"?


Thank you Buster!!!!
It's a great present!!!!

Quite a show

Dispite his personal demons that he is fighting, I had a chance to meet and truly talk with a really fantastic children's writer Robert Munsch. He has written so many books that touch the heart of many people.

He is this little frame of a man with an infectious smile and soft spoken charm. He actually takes the time to talk to you, to look right at you and to speak to you.
I had my books signed by him and when he did so, he noticed the note that my mom put on the inside of one of them and commented to me that I must be more than just a daughter and that he would sign on the page after my moms note. I found that quite touching.

Once this man hit the stage, he transformed into this fascinating storyteller, the kind that puts you in a trance and you just can't look away. He asked all sorts of kids to come up on stage to help him tell his stories. He did two performances back to back and not one story was the same. He was on stage for two hours telling stories about all sorts of things. One story he told to a little girl in a wheelchair and after when she came up to get her books signed he posed for pictures with this little girl and her face, eventhough you knew she was mentally challenged, her face just lit up. It was really cool to see.

If you ever get a chance to see Mr. Robert Munsch....do not hesitate...go.

Oh dear....

So, Festival is not going as planned. I won't be there....at all.

I instead, am having company and am looking quite forward to it as I have not seen these treasured friends in months...so welcome!

I am hoping we can head into Edmontus and hit the Mayfield Inn for Dial M for Murder on the Friday night or Saturday night.

The house is fairly clean, but the main thing is that the beds are made and they are clean and fresh as a daisy.

Believe it or not, I really did enjoy my first Easter with the "new" family. Buster gets frustrated with the fam sometimes, but then, who doesn't!

It was great fun to colour Easter eggs with little kids. Buster's daughter is going to be 5 soon and it has been fun so far. There has been a few bumps but nothing that can't be smoothed out. She has a great sense of humour like her dad and that is fun for us all.

I have enjoyed the eggs and decorating jars and helping do her hair, get her dressed and yes, even running the water for the bath is fun too.

Buster and the rug rat are gone now for two weeks and holy crap is it gonna be quiet. Can't wait to bring Effie, my dog home so we can pass the time together until the two week stints are done.

Well, this week is once again busy with work/performances...so off I go.

Hope you all had a great Easter!

A great day.

I am grateful for alot of things today. One being a Friday, which means I got through another week!

Two, is packing my vehicle yet again with belongs that are going to a new house!

Three, the interview with the paper went off well, so well that the other paper wants an interview as well as one of the radio stations.

Four, the weather has been amazing. One of my friends even spotted a gopher!!

Five, my clothes are starting to fit again and I can actually see an hour glass figure taking shape!

Brings me back

I am going on a web networking brown bag dinner today. I haven't had a brown bag dinner in years!

Huh, just to even find a brown bag is hard!

I have a ham on white packed and some banana bread with a can of coke.

I can remember grade 8 especially bringing bagged lunches to school. I also remember grade 1 bagged lunches too. My mom used to get so embarrassed by what I took in grade 1. I loved and still love raw weiners. The Harvest weiner is THEE best wiener. Raw or cooked. Mom would ask me what I wanted for dinner and always the same was said. "Cold wieners and bread and butter."

Grade 8 was cold hamburgers and large milk for dinner. Two of them to be exact, scarfed them down and then off to Dodge Ball or Murder Ball. I ate cold burgers everyday back then...its different now. My mom would give me a bad time about that too. By then I was packing my own lunch. She was good about never forcing me to take a fruit or vegetable.

Now, vegetables are a thing I can not go without. Thanks mom!

Grade 12 we would pile into the shaggin' wagon and head to the local Chinese Restaurant for fries and gravy! Who knew!?

Well, I am off to me session!

Ahhh, the bagged lunch never will be forgotten!

Getting closer

It echos in the apartment now.

As I was unpacking the kitchenware in Buster's place, our place, I ran across many things that I have missed. When I was in the apartment, I never did any baking or real great cooking. I just did the basics. Kraft dinner and sausages and so forth. No roasts, or not many that's for sure. I ran across my cheese cake forms, my muffin tins, my pan that I use only for roasting garlic in.

In my mind it brought back all these great smells that were a comfort to me years ago. I am hoping that I can find them again in the real kitchen. Not just in my mind anymore.

All the comfort smells that grama made in the kitchen, like home made chocolate cake with chocolate mint icing. Auntie Tyna's Chocolate Cookies, my Mom's roasted chicken with stuffing, potatoes and sour cream gravy. My turtle cake with choclate gnache. The great barb-q season!

It's going to be a new start with Buster, one that I am looking forward to. He is kind, funny, considerate (well, most of the time)! He makes me laugh. For once in a long, long, long time I am I am looking forward to what the future brings with the three of us.

It has been the first time in many years since I haven't felt like fleeing, felt like I should just disappear and make sure no one finds me.

I have found my smile again.

I have great friends, a great job and a great partner...and a pretty good family as well.

I think I'll stay for awhile.

The Play

The play rehearsals have started and are now in full swing. In community theatre, I find, and I have been involved with community theatre for years....eons...that you get people of all kinds. I mean, personalities, that you wonder just where have they been hiding all this time? Community Theatre involves people, ordinary everyday people with a love for the stage or some aspects of it.

The cast for this play is phenominal.

I see heart, and dedication, and I see them trying their best to perfect the English accent. I see history on the Baskerville Story being read up on and history on the year it was done.

This is the reason I love Community Theatre over Professional. To the Community Theatre People its a passion that never tires. Since I started working at this performing arts centre, I have seen many professionals paste their smile(s) on, with Community Theatre, its genuine.....thats why Community Theatre is so important. It brings people who would have never crossed paths before together under one roof to pull off a phenominal production. It brings working people together to share the same passion with one focus. It brings strangers together to help each other out on performance night when I line is missed. It strengthens the Community as a whole.

To me, that's Community.

To me, that's Theatre!

Christmas

My Christmas experience this year was a good one.

I spend from the 22-26th with Buster and his family.
I have never experienced so much Ukranian food in my life and was. it. good!

I was a little nervous going into this meet the family thing, after all, Buster has only ever met my mom, let alone the rest of the family, he has however, met Wilma and Bruno and they have given me a thumbs up and they are about as close to family as they can get in my books....but still I was nervous.

I was welcomed though with open arms and soon warmed up to Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sister, Mom, Dad, Cousins, In-Laws, kids....you name it, I was broke in. They also discovered that I can play a mean crib game! I love crib...and am not fussy about food choices! Yes, I do like to eat and try new things.

From there I went home from the Dec. 27-January 3rd. I needed to go to the Doctor. I was racking up various ailments, but was waiting til I got home and hoped I stayed together long enough to get there to see him....I unravelled at the Doc's office and was told that I still needed to be on my happy pills and that I had an ulcer, a sinus infection and a torn rotator cuff...WTF? What did I do to get that...I have no idea....but anyway...

I managed to get well enough to go out on the 31st. I headed to Spy Hill with my cousin and a best friend to see the cousins husband play drums in a band for a girl who won the star search contest for the local radio station. It was a great time.

The week at the farm was good, we managed to winterize the barn, bring home the main herd of horses to start feeding hay to, and we attended a few house parties.

I came home on the 3rd, welcoming the thought of work. Now, things are back to normal including my eating habits...although there is Mexico in a few weeks...

Hmmmmm

Mexico or bust

My chicken mystery remains...

On Janusry 29th, Buster and I head to Mexico. Can he handle my stupidity and quirkiness for a whole week? I guess we will find out! Wilma and Bruno are used to me rambling all the time but will Buster?

We are staying for a week at Decameron Los Cocos just outside of Puerto Vallarta. All inclusive and more weight I will gain. Why? Because the a la cartes are Seafood and Mexican!! YUM!!!! I am hoping to do some boogie boarding, matini drinking, pina colada sipping and tequila shooting! I also want to maybe get in a horseback ride, fishing and zip lining? Jet skiing and tanning. I am looking forward to nightly entertainment by the performers and Buster!! (haha) and am looking forward to the daily activities at the pool and on the beach.

Ahhh, so much to do...not sure what exactly Buster wants to do but I'm sure we can work his wants in too!!

I have packing to do and am gonna throw in an extra duffle bag, just in case! I just love the pottery. So many bright cheery colours...makes me smile.

Actually this whole trip/prep is making me smile. I think spending the week with Buster is gonna be great! He always makes me smile and I haven't laughed this much in a long, long time. I laugh with him about as much as I laugh with Wilma and Bruno and thats....a good thing!

Mexico...get ready!

Weekend in Vegas

Well, I just got back from Vegas with Wilma and Bruno. Once again it was a fab trip!
We met so many people this time. Some knotheads. Some genuine, sweet people.

The knotheads were from Canada and Austrailia. I was actually embarrassed that these asses were from Canada, however they were not from Saskatchewan and we are all nice here!

There were some fine folks that we met from Ontario, who found beer and clam in a can! Yay! Good on them. It was very hard to find Clamato. Bloody Marys are too thick and you can not pour tomato juice in beer....speaking of.....we went to a little martini bar, well actually it wasnt little but where we sat, it was quaint and Bartender Corrin was fabulous. What a nice lady.

There was also our cab driver Wally who was also just as great. We had music blaring and he too was singing along with us to Lady Gaga! When he picked us up for the ride back to the hotel, it was Thriller that was coming out of his stereo!!

The room was nice and the company was lovely! We giggled and guffawed til the wee hours in the morning....well, except for Friday....we ordered room service for supper and watched Star Trek movies....it was nice.

The shopping was superb, there were so many deals...I had a tough time keeping my hands in my pockets. The place I was hoping to get to was Victoria Secret and was about to give up hope when we stumbled on to it on our way to the Martini Bar. I did get some treats from there but the best deal I got was from Ann Taylor. I just love the clothes from there. They are girlie and the colours are so rich.

I am looking forward to another little excursion with Wilma and Bruno....always smiles and laughs.

Favourite Things

It's cold.

Ya, I know that it's winter, but holy hell, we went from -5 to -35 overnight?

Yes, I know even God has a sense of humour but jeezzzz Louise!

5 Favourite Winter Activities

1). Going out to count horsey noses, then standing in the middle of the herd sucking in their body heat and horsey smell.

2). Cross country skiing with my pooch...she is so much fun, you don't even know its cold out.

3). Ice Fishing...but don't ask me to touch it or gut it after I have caught it! Yuk! I will however, eat it once its cooked!

4). Down hill skiing...woohoo! What a rush!

5). Vacationing in a warm spot in Mexico, playing Tequila volleyball!

Reflection

As Christmas draws near, the more I pine for my grandparents.
If I could spend just one day each with them just one more, I would, well, I don't know what I would sell to have just one more day with them but I know something would go.

Christmas was always at Grama's house and when she got older, I would take days off, come home and help her start cooking, all the prep that needed to be done before everyone, even Santa came to the house.

I would prep and she would tell me what to add, if something needed a little more of this or to whip the meringue to that consistency.

I miss that so much. If I had just one more day with her I would ask her to give me the Sour Cream Raisin Pie recipie and to help me make her cheese bread and to go over one more time just who all were in those family pictures from way back when.

I miss her telling me what a good girl I am. I miss her smell, her smile and her wisdom.

Grapa, well if I had just one more day with him, I would ask how he could always turn a dollar into a hundred, I would ask him to show me just one more time how to build that frame for the chicken house stronger, what kind of shingles and to show me how to keep the oil shed and garage from falling down. I miss playing crib with him, the fake arm wrestling and most of all I miss dancing the polka, and waltz with him while Lawrence Welk repeats were on.

I miss going to church every Christmas eve with the family, drunk uncles or not. Grama oblivious to them and grapa looking at them with his eyebrows knitted together and my cousins and I giggling at them all.

I had three very important people in my life, my mom, my grapa and my grama, and now, now I am down to one very important person in my life and thats my mom. I went from three to one in such a short time. My mom is still so very important to me and love her dearly...eventhough she drives me nutty sometimes! I wouldn't miss it.

Christmas time is a bitter sweet time. Eventhough, I have lost two very important people in my life, my prolific cousin now has three kids, the youngest is nine months the middle one is 5 and the oldest 14. I must say that it is kinda fun to have young ones in the house excited for Santa and I am looking forward to seeing the nine month old as he has me wrapped around his little finger.

This Christmas I will be spending with Buster, his little girl and his family until the 27th, then home I go to my dear family. I am looking forward to it, as it is new chapter in my life and I am hoping it will be a chapter that lasts for a long, long time, one that when I am old and gray and nodding by the fire will think about fondly and smile.

Leaving on a jet plane

Well, Vegas is a hop, skip and a jump away. I am heading to Sin City with Wilma and Bruno.

I am flat busted broke and can barely afford my plane fare, but I am going.

Who can pass up spending a few days with your best friends to catch up on gossip and giggles while sipping on a martini? I mean seriously. Its only money. I can't take it with me when I die and I have no one to pass it on to...so I'm going.

I am also going in January to Mexico with Buster. We are waiting on his passport and then Hola bound. I do plan on swimming, drinking free tequila, and laying in the sun...maybe not all in that particular order, but its gonna happen. This pastey white girl is gonna sit under the palapa with her hat, sunglasses, wrap and bathing suit with a margarita in her hand getting waited on hand and foot by the cute little Mexican men, with of course, Buster by my side.

Now, what to pack for Vegas?