A Flagon Brimming with Goodbyes....

Goodbye Falstaff poster.  Goodbye stair railings in an ogival pattern.  Goodbye Tudor arch.  Goodbye checkered floor.  Goodbye green dress, red dress, blue velvet robe, Mary Queen of Scots cloak, and gold Medieval dress with the long boots.  Goodbye 15 polished and bruising steps that make up the most remarkable feature of Fustian House: the grand staircase.  Goodbye dear Felina Queen of Sorrows (my cat).  Goodbye long hours of sore middle from deep breaths and exhaustion.  Goodbye Chairman "Mau's" for pre-show warm-up.  Goodbye Quaff.  Goodbye purse with letters.  Goodbye sunhat, scarves and checkered vest.  Goodbye red vest.  Goodbye white in my hair.  Goodbye old age lines on my face with textured stipple.  Goodbye green room, change room with the gold velvet curtains, and dressing room with the brand new paint.  May La Mancha users cherish it every show.  Goodbye under stage passage with the new stairs and little "duck" reminders signs I made from Fiddler so I wouldn't bump my head on the low rafters anymore.  Goodbye sunflower yellow shoes that never fit right.  Goodbye sword.  Goodbye pink fuzzy slippers.  Goodbye cat food and dish.  Goodbye my pages in velvet.  Goodbye endored and jewel encrusted throne.  Goodbye Lotte with her head bandage, wig, peach blouse and purse.  Goodbye Falstaff chair.  Goodbye lights in my eyes.  Goodbye my love... my love of performing and getting to do the most challenging role of my life thus far.  Goodbye.  Thanks Peter Schaffer.  Thanks Morris.  Thanks Dave and the boys.  Thanks Brad, and Dan, and Shauna, and Fiona, and Belinda, and John, and Matthew, and Justin, and Kendra, and Samm, and Marie, and Lennette, and everybody at the Merc.

Goodbye my love, well, it's time to move on.

I have been enlarged

Enlivened

and enlightened.

Truly.

I'm right aren't I?

-For once.

sigh.

Out of hibernation, but still needing sleep.

Spring is still in the air and in the blood.  There is giddiness all around as students and staff suddenly run or hop on their bikes.  The roads are clear and we all have dirt under our nails.

With this burst of energy, however, still comes fatigue and tiredness.  We're productive, but still sleepy at the end of the day.

Which reminds me to go shower the white streaks out of my hair from the show and go to bed!  Sigh.  It's so late.  --But I wish I could stay up late and watch North and South again by the BBC.  So great! (Elizabeth Gaskell novel put to a miniseries... I can't get it out of my head!)

I at least had to post these shots of my beautiful children, rose-cheeked with "hotness" as Weston calls it, and full of new skills.  They're like bears out of hibernation and are running, jumping and riding with more agility in their longer bodies after their winter nap.

They're eating more ferociously too!  Bed time snacks of cereal!

'Course, Dave and I have to join in... only I snitch chocolate and roasted pecans!

This last crazy picture is of Lettice and Lovage.   Yes, that's me in the wig and beard, which totally spoils one of the surprises of the play, but it also makes me laugh.  You know how pre-show production photos go: wrong costume, cut the wig, etc.  That makes me laugh, because I'm usually wearing my big black cloak (backwards) and my executioner's mask over all this, and Marie doesn't even wear this costume.

I should note that Morris took this picture, and Steve Waldschmidt designed the costumes and set.

Still, it's a funny show and my beard has never looked so good!

It plays until May 16 in Rosebud, Alberta in case anyone can come out our way.

We're here.  We're surviving.  And we're enjoying the spring, which has finally sprung a leak just in time for Easter.