For a Laugh!

Oh my goodness! This picture was in the Mt Vernon Gazette, our local newspaper in Alexandria. If you google Mt Vernon Gazette and click on the first link it will take you to this lovely picture. TONGUE IN CHEEK!

I'm in Texas now for Thanksgiving, hoping to see as many relatives as possible. Sam arrives tomorrow and I can hardly wait. I will blog more later. But I couldn't resist shairng this hee-haw picture with you!

Moving toward Thanksgiving!!

They found Sam's open briefcase and thought it would be the purrfect place for a catnap!

Sleepy kittens, but boy, oh boy, do they love togetherness!

Cast posing on opening night!

Getting hair and make-up on opening night....no nerves here!

Here is Oriella playing with pocahontas in the paper that comes in the packing material from Longaberger. They love it. Why did I buy all those toys??

WOW, how time flies when you're having fun, or when you are so busy you don't even know what day it is! So Sam tells me today that the day is Thursday and that in one week we will be eating Tom's turkey around the big table with family in Texas. I can hardly wait. I haven't seen my newest beautiful Great Niece and since her grandmother (my sister, Jan) will be visiting elsewhere, well I guess I'll just have to be the one to hold and spoil her!! Look out little Bella, Auntie Willa is on the way!

Alas, alas, before I get there I have 3 more performances of Beauty and the Beast. The amazing cast of 41 did a great job last week-end. We played to huge crowds that rewarded us with standing ovations and whistles. I am the music director for it, as well as the "orchestra" (by playing the piano thoughout the entire show) and I have throughly enjoyed the challenge. The music is so well known and it's just really too hard to hide any goofs, so I have had to PRACTICE. Who knew at age 61 you still need to practice, but it's true all you aspiring studnets out there. Practice makes almost perfect! We close on Sunday night, strike the set, have a cast party, and I get outa Didge early on Monday morning! Woohoo! Oh, just a matter of record, but when we started tech week last week, I thought it would be fun (not sure that's the right word) to log my hours actually sitting at the piano. So the results are in; from Monday through Thursday at dress rehearsal plus performances on Friday, Saturday and a Sunday matinee I SAT for 33.5 hours! AfterThanksgiving I will be pointing out that sitting at the piano for that many hours certainly explains the "broadening of my bohunkas" (as we call it in the family - thanks to Cary) and that the turkey, gravy, stuffing and all the rest had absolutely nothing to do it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

The kittens are doing so well. They have developed their own distinct personality and both are just the cutest, most inquisitive little ones ever. I have to "baby-proof" the entire house. Oriella fell into a huge Longaberger box the other day and couldn't get out. Well, she didn't actually fall in; she jumped in of her own accord and even called Pocahontas to join her. Both of them just sat there in the bottom mewing so pathetically. They are just too cute. I keep trying to call them their short names Oreo and Poca, but I am having trouble. I love their unusual names and find that when I call them using their very official names they come a'runnin. Well, when they want to!

Time to sign off. Please feel free to share my blog site with others. I've included some pictures (let me say I hope I will be able to do that) of the kittens and one of my favorite opening night photos taken from behind the piano during curtain calls when the cast was acknowledging me at the piano. Tears in my eyes made it difficult to see the music. Good thing I had practiced!!

I borrowed this picture from the wonderful lady that sold my kittens to me. Her website is www.raresiberiancats.com and when I checked in today to see if new kittens had arrived this picture greeted me. Isn't this a cutie. She looks exactly like our little Pocahontas.

More later from me. I have lots to share and then I guess I really need to actually start giving this website to people. HA!

The Twins in AK

Just in case there is someone out there that has not seen Andy and Lisa's blog I stole this video for you to see and after you see it you will want to go there. Both girls are walking, but Katy has decided to show off her very good impersonation of a bull-dozer! The giggles crack me up and Sam and I can't wait to get there for Christmas.

I haven't shared this site with too many people. It might be that old fear of not being able to communicate very well. But I will keep trying. I got an email from Jan, my sis, and she was glad I was doing this so she can keep up with me. Something about us not talking to each other on the phone very much and life getting to busy....for sisters???! NEVER! I love you, Jan!

The kittens are growing if you can judge by how much the bitty kitties eat! Good grief they love to eat. I guess it that makes sense because they reach the "human age" of 15 by the time they are 9 months old. That's a lot of growing. They crack us up every evening jumping and scrambling all around the family room. Sam has adjusted well to staying upstairs with me and the girls instead of his usual place in the basement on the computer. Tonight after I get home from rehearsals dinner will be ready (I already did that) and he will make us a fire in our beautiful fireplace that is now behind my wonderful new Longaberger firescreen. We both really like it and are now waiting for the wrought iron log holder to complete the Longaberger look.

Speaking of rehearsals, I am getting close to the end of rehearsals for the Mt Vernon Community Children's Theatre's production of Beauty and the Beast. We have 2 more rehearsals this week, 3 next week, and then 4 during tech week where we will run the show with make-up one night, make-up & hair the next, make-up, hair & costumes on Wednesday and then we add the full dress rehearsal on Thursday and open on Nov 15th for 2 week-ends of 3 performances each. This has been a bit ambitious for the cast but they are an incredible bunch of talented kids. In Sept we auditioned 165 children between the ages of 8 and 18 to find the perfect cast of 41. If you are in the area I hope you will be able to come one night.

Okay, I can't remember how to add pictures again....sorry! TOM, I NEED YOU!!!

Pictures of the new Kittens

I have some pictures for you, but I'm not sure I know how to do this. My resident computer geek is leaving me tomorrow so if he can't help me tonight I'm doomed!!

The Beginning

Hi All, and I'm not sure who that might be since I haven't shared this brand new hot-off-the-press-site with many people. It's brand new for me to be on the blogging end of a blog. I love Andy and Lisa's blog and have gratefully followed it for years; when your children live that far away, as in, Aggies in Alaska, you are grateful for each and every word, picture and video from them. Andy started a good thing and people he doesn't even know sometimes fuss at him when he is slow to post an entry.

I'm pretty sure that will not be the case with people who read my blog, but I hope it will bring you a smile and that you will be compelled to send me a post in return. Let me begin this post.....hmmm, question #1, is this a post or a blog. Sorry, still learning!

Last week-end I picked up my two little kittens. They are beautiful and so much fun. Those of you who know Tom, one of my adopted children (son-in-law), has been living with us since June would also know that he is NOT a cat person. Never has, and never will be, much to the disappointment of his daughters, Rae and Liv. However, I knew he would be leaving us this month and had not intended on getting the kittens until November. Somehow my mind was changed so now Tom has been in the same house as....DREAD...kittens since Saturday and he doesn't leave us until Saturday, the 25th. What has happened in the interim might even excite Rae, Liv and even Christin! He is smitten with the kittens. When someone shows me how, later this evening, I will post pictures of said adopted child petting and even talking kitty talk to the girls. They love it and return the favor with purrs that sound like an idlying Mercedes! This morning he was seen patting Orio (pronounced like Oreo like the cookie) because she had chosen his briefcase as her bed. After several heart-felt pets he told her he didn't need the briefcase today anyway and that she should stay and enjoy it. Then he came over to the couch to pat Poca (short for Pocahontas) and tell her good-bye. Christin, are you reading this!? I know, he probably knows he is leaving soon and so why not go all out, but all that petting has not produced one single allergy moment. There may be hope after all!

Now, back to the kittens; Oriella (Orio) was born Aug 6th and Pocahontas was born on Aug 19th. They are Siberian cats and look very similar to our beloved cat, Sadie, who was a Norwegian Forest cat. Actually Siberians are considered forest cats as well because they originated in the forest of Eastern Siberia. They are a fascinating breed and one Sam and I both love. They are more dog-like thanj cat, meaning they aren't as independent as most cats. They are very talkative (they actually chirp) loving, clingy lap cats, and obey commands such as come, no, sit and whatever else they are taught. We used to tell Sadie when it was time to go to bed and she would head upstairs grumping the entire way. They are very regal looking and extremely muscular as adults, weighing between 18 and 20 lbs. Sam and I are both looking forward to watching the transition from kittenhood to adulthood in the coming months.

I wanted two kittens so they could play together and become great pals. They are already that if their chasing, jumping, bumping,and sleeping together is an indication. They have been together, with their siblings, since birth so there was no need to bond. I think they miss their litter mates but already seem to be very well adjusted to life her at the Brown house. They started in our bedroom and I stayed with them most of the time Saturday and Sunday. On Monday we ventured downstairs to the kitchen and family room. Lots of exploring insued. On Tuesday they had their first admiring public as friends came over for lunch and to meet the new members of the household. Later that day they were allowed to explore the living room for a short while I taught one lesson. Okay, I did get a little concerned when Poca made her way behind the Steinway and there was no room to turn around; she made it though and I didn't have to move the piano out to rescue her.

Yesterday they finally had the run of the entire downstairs and loved running all around the dining room, living room, family room and kitchen circle. Then they started ripping up and down the stairs and bounding up and down the hall. We could hear the pounding of little feet when we were sitting in the kitchen! Trust me that's huge because they only weigh 2 1/2 lbs each!The "last frontier" will be the basement. There is way too much to get into so that might take a while and a little more maturity.

I hope you will check back for pictures and then complain when I take too long to post more. As soon as Tom shows me how to do that I have many to share and even a video, but that might require more knowhow than I can muster in one afternoon!