Leo and Clayton

All the drama is over

After about seven weeks of rehearsals in the evenings and on the weekends, we finally had production nights for To Kill a Mockingbird, and a Sunday matinée. I came down with some pretty wicked congestion, sinus pressure and very sore throat on Sunday night. I stayed home from school and didn't attend rehearsal on Monday. Despite that, I think it was very successful. We received alot of positive feedback from those who voiced their opinions.All of our actors performed very well. Actually on Friday we skipped a significant portion of the court scene, inadvertently, near the close of Act one, but the audience didn't notice or mind.
The Wednesday previous, we had another day performance for our freshman students. They even liked it, so to me that's pretty credible. Because ninth graders don't like anything as geeky as a play.

We were pleasantly surprised to have sold out performances on Friday night and Saturday, and nearly three quarters capacity on Sunday. Friday night I had a whole slew of people I knew who took time out of their busy schedules to come be in the audience. Let's see, Mom and Dad, Grandma Bonnie, Aunt Becky (thanks for the pretty flowers Beck!), Jane and Joe Works and Jane's mother Maxine Wollen attended. Thank you all for the support. It was a big investment of their time as our play extended past four hours when arriving early is taken into account. That's alot of sitting in some not too comfortable chairs. Sunday, Marian and her father attended the matinée performance. Again, thanks.

It took many evenings of my time and I need to thank Marian, Jack, and Leo for allowing me to pursue something as selfish as the play. Marian had many, many days where she was the sole entertainment, guidance counselor, food provider, and many other roles for the boys. She deserves a standing ovation for her efforts. Many days I'd leave before they were up, and arrive after they were in bed. I know it put a strain on Marian to have sole responsibility for the boys all day long. Also, thanks to Jack and Leo who, bless their hearts, are so easy to forgive their dad for not being there to spend time with them in the evenings.

I'll finish with the comments on the play with this: acting is fun. It's a rush to go out on stage and let everyone scrutinize your every move and word while you embody another's spirit and character. The people who worked to make the production of To Kill a Mockingbird are some of the neatest, most supportive people I know who are very understanding and multi-talented. Working with and getting to know these people has been a blast. Some of them I knew from the previous summer's production of The Skin of our Teeth, but there was a whole new group that I came to know in addition to them for this play. Thanks to Harper Lee for writing the novel. It's a classic. You are rendering a great disservice to yourself if you haven't read her book. It's fun, and it's deep. Thanks to Steve Strickland, who played that dirtbag Bob Ewell, who picked some mighty fine guitar and sang some low down, trampy blues for us (and allowed me to join in) at the cast party Sunday night. I recommend getting out there and taking on a role in your community theater, it is good for your spirit. I'll try to get some pictures of it up here someday.

That Saturday I took Jack to Humboldt to spend the day with his Papa David on his birthday. Mom had traveled to Tulsa (as it turns out) with her gal group, so dad was on his own for his birthday. Jack and I arrived close to eleven. Dad and I played our guitars and Jack played along on the harmonica. Then, we took ride on the gold cart, despite the cool, wet weather. Then, we wrapped it up with trip to visit grandma Irene (g.g. for great-grandma Irene) where she fixed us a delicious lunch of scrambled eggs and mushrooms, with toast and coffee. That was a pretty nice day.

I have to say thanks to Clarie for all her wonderful support. She's like a good pair of underwear with all the support she provides. I know she's not through giving support either. I want to make you proud Clarie, and your advice does not fall on deaf ears.

I have to toot Marian's and my horn a little. Last week, during all the scrambling to put on a play, we celebrated our 8th year of marriage. We couldn't even do anything special. She got a nice message on post-it note from me. She tolerates alot from me. And she does a great deal of doing without for her family's sake. But, my goal is to change that and place myself in a position where I can be a better provider and give her the nice things a woman like her desires, and deserves. I'd be a bum without Marian. I love you, Marian.

We've completed the first quarter of school already. It's flying by. Believe it or not, I sort of look forward to this time of year when it's not just crackling cold yet, but nice and brisk and I can come in from the dark to a warmly lit, wholesome smelling kitchen. There I'll find my wife with her little ole' apron on cooking something up, and my two boys on the kitchen floor playing while she does so. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm richly blessed.

I pray overflowing prosperity and blessings on all my family, friends, and enemies, and myself. Try to value each day and suck the marrow out of it. I love you all.

October's dark, damp days

It's a Thursday, and it feels like it. Rain fell on us in the early morning hours while inside we were tucked away, cozy in our beds. Drizzle dampened the tops of my legs on my 15 minute bike ride to school, and moisture gathered into fat drops on the brim of my helmet as I rode. Light from the streetlamps reflected onto the wet streets stretched nearly a block long and cast the rode in a yellowish bath. Now, the black sky is incrementally growing brighter outside the window in my classroom, but low lying clouds will insure a gray, morning.

Last Saturday I loaded up the family and we drove to Humboldt for the 52nd annual Biblesta parade. I had been contacted by my aunt Debbie to be on the First Baptist Church's float. I portrayed one of two men who encounter Jesus on the road to Arameas. I wore a full length crimson robe and turbin, and the funnest part was wearing an artificial "fu-man-chu" beard. Matt Loomis portrayed Jesus. I've known Matt just about my entire life, so it was good to chat with him. The day started out cool and gray, but then turned to warm sun and cool breeze.

Marin, Jack, and Leo sat on the west side of 8th street in front of the bank with grandma Bonnie, aunt Becky and mom, where they've sat each year for as long as I've been attending the event. Marian tells that Jack completely averted his eyes away from and would not view the horses as they passed, but rather watched her face and asked, "are they gone?" But, he liked watching all the people and he almost worked up enough nerve to enter a "moonwalk" inflatable jumping area. Mom took him to the elementary school playground for a while. After the parade, Marian, Leo and I sat with Becky and talked, while grandma had moved to the park to listen to the music entertainers. Mare and I sampled the hot dogs and pie.

We then took the boys to see grandma Irene. We talked and the boys played and then she joined us at mom and dad's for the ham and bean dinner. Dad still wore his full biker regalia as he was helping to put on the motorcycle show. He'd just arrived back the day before from a whirlwind trip on his bike to Las Vegas. He's the real deal. Then mom and dad had to take off to attend their church's revival, so our family loaded up to leave around 6:30.

Sunday was a bright and gorgeous October day, so we took the boys outside of town to the pumpkin patch for a hay wagon ride behind the tractor. They took us out on a short ride to the pumpkin patch and we picked out three. Jack finally got his chance to try out the moon walk at the pumpkin patch and he tore it up. He was just bouncing and singing and screaming and just being a boy. It was a fun afternoon.

The play is going along well, I've started accumulating my costuming options, and I've nearly got all my lines down pat. I attended Wednesday night graduate class last night. Tonight and Friday night I'll be at the courthouse attending play practice. I'll be relieved when the play is over and I can be home in the evenings.

For those of you who are wondering, Shelby (my dog) is doing well. She's itching and scratching and otherwise underfoot most of the time; same as usual.

I also forgot to mention Marian received a speeding ticket the other day when she was leaving Ottawa, driving to Lawrence. It's an expensive little ticket. She was leaving a 30 mph zone and approaching a 45 zone. I guess she jumped the gun a little.

Kitchen moments

This is a lengthy video of Jack seated in the high chair at the table looking at some recent acquisitions from the library and just being a kiddo.

I hope everyone is well. This Saturday we'll be traveling to Humboldt for Biblesta. I'm looking forward to seeing both of my grandmas and parents.

Marian took Jack and Leo to books and babies today. Then on to the dr.'s office where Leo received three shots. While there, Marian tells me, Jack played real hard with a group of other kids in the waiting room with all the toys there. She said she let him play for an hour there while he was just silly and happy. He didn't nap today, but she said he remained pleasant all day.

I promise we are not shy about photographing Leo. But, I do see a lack of his pictures here. So, I'll make a pointed effort to get him on video and download some pictures of him here. I don't want to appear to favor one boy over the other. I love them both equally. We're very blessed with healthy kids. I am blessed to have such a great wife and the boys are blessed with a great mom. We're blessed. There, that ought to cover it!

Today was gorgeous weather, if a little windy. Temperatures in the seventies and that fabulous autumn sun really welcomed in October. Play practice tonight, in an hour; then, Friday (hallelujah).

We love you all, you know who you are.