I’ve been experiencing some sort of awful fatigue lately, so I begrudgingly went to the doctor to get it checked out.  My husband had noticed me stop breathing in my sleep last week, so we suspect sleep apnea, but I have to undergo a sleep study to find out for sure.  Good luck scheduling THAT during this Christmas season!

But the doctor also had a few interesting tidbits of advice, even though I felt extremely silly at the office since I actually saw my kids’ pediatrician – he is also the resident sleep specialist.  It didn’t help any when I got measured by a Sponge Bob ruler and found out that I must be shrinking – I’ve always considered myself to be on the tall side, but this time, I didn’t measure up – according to Sponge Bob, anyway.  So not only am I shrinking, but somewhere along the line I’ve become a year-round allergy sufferer who also has mild asthma.  And I just thought I was out of shape…

And to add insult to injury, I also got two new prescription medicines to add to my cabinet –  just like any other senior citizen would get at a doctor’s visit 😉

Just a quick note because I’ve been too busy, and I miss blogging!  I had started two posts about last weekend, but haven’t had the time to finish either one – hopefully I will soon!  It’s been really difficult to blog with a 17-month-old who only wants to climb on me and bang on my keyboard when I actually do have the time to sit down!  So then my computer will reset, and that’s the end of that…

More later – I’m hoping!  STAY WARM!!!

And nowhere was that more apparent then at work today.  When I arrived, the indoor had it’s usual mind of it’s own during blustery days.  So, I locked it much to the chagrin of customers who still tried to push it open without heeding the “Please Use Other Door” sign.  People actually thought we were closed at 5PM.  The marquee with our specials advertised out front also was problematic.  I don’t know how many people came in and told us that it was about to blow away.  It was so wind that the swinging doors leading to the stock room would swing back and forth.  I don’t know of any ghost stories surrounding the store, but I have been in the catacombs and it is not a pretty sight!  Maybe a projectionist from the days of the movie theatre met an unfortunate end.  Ah, well we may be in for a long winter and the calendar still says we are still in Autumn.

.  And here’s a cute video to enjoy in the cold.

I’m currently watching an old Bill Bixby Hulk Movie. Before the big screen ‘block busters’, we had Bill and Lou as part of the Banner/Hulk duo. The eyes turn green, the shirt rips and somehow he can keep the same pants buttoned.

No animation here, just one very big man in green makeup. I liked these shows when they first were first on the air. I liked the stories they wrote, and I liked the acting in the show. The show holds its own even after 20 years. That is a tribute to good writing, directing and acting.

After starting to watch this show, I am hoping to see some of Bill Bixby’s other shows. My Favorite Martian, The Courtship of Eddie’s Father and The Magician. I will have to look see if I can find DVD’s of these other shows. I wonder if they will hold up to the test of time.

Who knew that the weatherman would be right for a change?!  We indeed got our wintry mix.  On the way to rehearsal, it was just beginning.  Starting out as a bit of rain, the freezing rain, and snow.  At intermission, I peeked out the window to see a mess.  Oh, boy what fun it will be to laugh and sing all the way home.  Not so much singing nor laughing.  After pulling in at home, I told Shelby that she could either stay here or call and have her parents pick her up in their 4WD.

But everything is so near audience-ready.  Isn’t it typical to have cast members not show for the next-to-last dress rehearsal?  Seems to me that it is.  That aside… this show is GOONA ROCK!!! YES, I meant to have “GOONA”  I am soooo anxious.  One cast member was counting the number of rehearsals/performances we have left.  WWWWWHHHAAAAT! Not sure what that was all about but… whatever.

So… hopefully, ol’ man winter gives us a break just a bit.  It is supposed to turn to all rain overnight.  I’m all for a white Christmas, but after December 25th, it can go bye-bye.

HOORAY!  I DID IT!!  And it only took a couple years!

A rather rare treat for this production are three nights off. No rehearsals, no readings, nothing. A day off today, tomorrow and the next day. I’m using this time to get some rest and get a few things done. Tonight was the night for rest.

An old Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes movie, a light snack and quiet time.

Back in the day Basil Rathbone was Sherlock Holmes. I never realized when I first saw these movies that they were set in the wrong time period. Of course, I saw the movies before I started reading the books. Even after reading the Holmes stories, I liked the way Rathbone played Holmes. For years when I thought of Holmes I thought of Rathbone.

Of course, some time ago I saw another actor in a series of shows that put Holmes in the correct time period. On a British and then PBS series, Jeremy Brett played Sherlock Holmes. After watching that series, I often thought of him while reading any Sherlock Holmes story.

There was one other actor I often think about when I think of Holmes. My college roommate portrayed Holmes in a college play. It was my first (and I thought my last), try at acting. This play gave me a line that to this day remains my favorite. “Don’t worry, there are ways to inflict excruciating pain and yet leave no marks.” Even after 30 years I remember that show.

And finally back to Rathbone. The movie “The Hound of the Baskervilles” is the only Rathbone Holmes movie that was set in the correct time period.

Everything is falling nicely into place… of course, there are a few minor details to be worked out before Friday’s opening, but I would be even more surprised if there were not.  I definitely have found a role that rivals even the visitor from another country in terms of ranking.  It is so funny that fellow cast members who were at the audition site told me that I nailed the role of Henry F. Potter right then!  Am I really that good at playing evil?  There’s that oxymoron again.  I did get my ears lowered this afternoon.  I don’t think a man in the 1920s-40s would have long hair, particularly a gentleman of stature.  I noticed that my goon, admittedly, was looking rather shaggy tonight as well (not to mention his attire).  It is rather late in the game so there is really no chance of finding a replacement.  I must say that good help is so hard to find!

There was a photographer taking shots for the paper tonight.  She noticed my character and mentioned that if this kept up, I would become typecast.  Why?  Well… you will just have to come and see for yourself.

Sunday afternoon show and more family showed up. They really seemed to enjoy our attempt to entertain. We had another good crowd and show today. It always amazes me the energy the actors get from the crowd. When the audience gets into a show, it seems the show gets better. That is how it was this weekend. A series of good audiences and fun shows.

This morning I spent some time getting new tires for my truck. While I was expecting to get new tires soon, I was hoping to be able to shop around a bit. I wasn’t pleased to be forced into getting new tires before I had that chance. But the happenings of yesterday my choices just a bit. There are very few places in the boondocks that are open on Sundays. So again, my hand was forced. Such is small town life.

But getting the tires did allow me to drive my youngest daughter back to college after the show. I like the time I get to spend with my daughters, so it was good to get the tires today. Oh well, the truck does need a bit more work. The miles I put on it tend to wear things out.

Starting Thursday we have our final run of 4 shows. I hope they all go as well, and I have few vehicle problems.

I guess it’s time to return to the topic of kids- subbing and at church.  The past week I was back to two days of subbing after my big half-day Thanksgiving week.  I was lucky to get even that as only one district I am signed up with had classes at all that week, and only Monday and Tuesday.  Monday of course is a photo day for me which left only Tuesday for work.  So this past week I did middle school for two days in two different districts.  What happened in both cases was the teachers were taking a second sick day in a row, but fortunately this did not spell disaster like in that one BD/ED classroom in near-urban district.  The first class was a Spanish class, and half of a husband-wife team.  They even had classrooms right next to each other.  This is the second time I have ever encountered this, the first being in hometown district where a husband and wife both teach the same grade of science- one on each of the two teams for that grade.  Incidentally at that school there is also another married couple, but in their case they teach two different things.  So back to Spanish, it was a very easy day- for all classes I showed a video.  Now, she teaches both 7th and 8th grades, but everyone still got the same video- the celebration of Christmas in Mexico.  What was it?  Oh, yes- Piñatas, Posadas, and Pastorelas was the title.  I’m sure you’re familiar with the first- a seeming staple of Mexican celebrations.  The other two mean a party and a Christmas play, respectively.

Wednesday I filled in for an 8th grade resource teacher, though she had one 7th grade reading group.  This was a bit more interactive than the Spanish class, at least for some of the periods.  As mentioned, I worked with a reading group for one period, led an interesting homeroom activity where the kids picked sides with questions about what is more important to them and then some explained their choices, acted as an assistant in a language arts block, watched over a tutorial period, and led another block period with reading a story together and then watching over the kids as they defined words from the story.  A varied day for sure, unlike typical middle school classes.

Next post: the kids at church this week- I’m already tired of writing…

The ‘What’s Your Favorite Christmas Movies / Tv Specials’ poll has been done before, but I  thought I would obtain my own consensus.  After all, opinions change from year to year, and I’m also interested to see what people like.  Feel  free to choose more than one answer and also to add something I may have forgotten.

[poll id=”11″]