Friday, November 21, 2008

Berries and Faces






I'll have to highlight the whole week briefly, as I've opted for sleep instead of blogging lately.  It's been important for me to get rest for my singing and good health.  On Monday night we had a great dinner with Morris: Italian sausage with heaps of our own "sundried" tomatoes with Kalamata tapenade and capers, feta and pesto mixed with our own jar of canned tomatoes.  We enjoyed that pretty much all week.  Another special treat on that night was what Dave calls "pake".  It's basically a strawberry pie put on top of brown sugar shortbread instead of crust.  Well we had just bought some lovely smelling strawberries that afternoon as well as some plump raspberries (obviously from somewhere warm), and we had wonderful strawberry and raspberry pake for dessert.  Those two wonderful dishes lasted for many meals to follow and I was so grateful.
On Tuesday we all got up early and drove to the Badlands Passion Play site with our Greek class and masks.  It was foggy and soon got very cold, but it was stunning as well.  I loved seeing the students against the backdrop of the rugged basalt and cliffs.  Even Weston enjoyed it.  I know I shouldn't have let him, but he loved nothing more than just getting to climb and explore.  The ground was really not as loose as it is in the hot summer, so he was pretty safe.  --I loved hearing the voices rise and bounce off the various walls and cliffs.  The first time Sienna launched into her Creon monologue was huge and amazing ... unforgettable.
So, the rest of the week has been about carefulness and routine.  I think I might be getting a cavity because I have a molar that is terribly sensitive to cold right now.  Ugh.  Takes away some of the joy in eating all the fun sweets, -- like the muffins Weston and I made tonight: oatmeal, date, SKOR bit, and chocolate chip!
I'm glad the show is keeping in pretty good shape.  One small house this week, but the rest were better.  I heard all the Saturdays are full now for the rest of the run.  Yeah.  Tonight a woman said, "My husband says he doesn't want anything for Christmas, so can I get something?"  I said, "Honey, I don't see why not!"  Then I proceeded to talk about her husband, and how he probably didn't want anything because he had a good conscience and didn't want too much when so many have so little.  So I encouraged this "courageous soul" who spoke out to look for some way to give to him anyway... something that wouldn't take a credit card, but some imagination.  I challenged her saying she knows her husband better than anyone else, and she would know best just what he needs.  And then, "Go out and buy those new shoes!"  --Something like that.  Anyway, it's fun to commune with the audience in that way.  Often they don't respond, but when they do, it usually becomes a wonderful connection and lifts the show.  I'm glad.
Many of us are finding our voices fatigued at this point in the week, so we're all having to sing correctly in our head voices.  It actually makes for more accurate singing at times.
There's just a trace of snow and ice left, and I'm excited for more.  Time to drag out the long johns!

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