Long Road to Here

This blog and its accompanying site have been suffering a fair bit of neglect over the past month, and for a variety of reasons. Holidays are always busy, of course, and this year I took on the challenge of directing the show that Village Players put on for Wolfeboro's New Year's Eve celebration, "First Night." I don't regret that decision in any way, for it was a great show put on by a magnificent and hard-working cast. But my body decided to have a bad sense of timing.

Two days after Christmas, on the first day of Production week, I managed to get sick with some kind of intestinal virus. It only lasted a day, but then I failed to do all of the things that you're supposed to do after you get sick, like rest, eat right, drink lots of water. I had a show to do, after all.

So by show night I was nearly doubled over with pain. But I managed to do an adequate job of running the lights and sound, while my cast (a director's job is really over once the show is on stage) put on three very energetic shows to three packed houses of appreciative audience members.

I'm better, and I was relatively comfortable during our trip to Florida, which was fun but not restful. But more about Florida later, when I've had a good night or two of sleep. 2011 has started with more of a whimper (or a groan) than a bang for me, but I'm recovering nicely and ready to dive into the fray.

Which tomorrow will involve, as it will for a giant swath of the Northeast, shoveling snow.

Nothing like getting a little rest.

Holiday Tradition

This morning, before Daniel's annual birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's, we went to our favorite tree farm in New Durham to cut this year's Christmas tree. It was snowing when we got up. No problem; we cut our tree in the snow all the time.

But by the time we left it was raining. And by the time we got to the tree farm it was pouring. But, hey, it's New England, and you can't let the weather slow you down. So off we went to cut the tree in the rain, and tie it to the top of the car in the rain, and drive it home in the rain.

Most people take great care to keep their trees fresh during the holiday season. So it seems strange that, as I write this, my tree is down in the basement drying out.

Birthday party was fun for the boys, and nice for us because we got to talk to adult friends for a couple of hours with interruptions only when the boys needed more tokens. But right after the party we had to rush home so that I could make rehearsal tonight.

It's still raining. The temperature has climbed to over 50 at this hour. The rain will go away by tomorrow night, but unfortunately so will the warm air. Sigh.