Yes, yesterday found our first major storm of (the not even started) winter.  Saturday night’s forecast said not to expect any white stuff until the afternoon.  Well… as I was walking to work at 7:50 AM, there was already a dusting and more falling.  After work at 2, I walked home and spent the afternoon watching some holiday classic specials which have been DVRing faithfully awaiting the time when we could share in their viewing.  Later, we watched one of Mom’s favorite holiday movies, White Christmas.  Old sentimental fluff but I must admit that it puts me in the holiday mood every year.  Tidbit… several people think that the immortal Irving Berlin tune originated in this movie.  However, it really debuted in an earlier Bing Crosby classic, Holiday Inn.

Today, since schools were all closed (and even delayed last night), my brother decided to take his kids to the third Chronicles of Narnia feature, Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  Since a more local multiplex did not have a matinee, we decided to brave the blowing blanket of white for the big city.  Until we got on the Interstate, the going was rather rough.

The movie itself was wonderful.  I have it on good authority that it the movie is once again very faithful to the novel.  The seven Narnia books are each quite a bit shorter than the Harry Potter installments so I was not really surprised. The thing which surprised me was the switch from Walt Disney to Fox 2000 studios.  Apparently, the last film in the series (Prince Caspian) fell quite short in box office expectations and the Mouse House backed out of the remainder of the movies.

I have not read the book for some time so I did not know fully what to expect.  I knew the basic plot but little of the details.  But it was very good!  I can’t say what my favorite is because it is a series and definitely cannot stand on its own.  If you have seen or read any of the installments, you know that the series is a thrilling allegory.  Yet you do not have to be a devout Christian to appreciate the story.  Just going in and expecting a thrilling adventure is really all you need.  Growing up reading and re-reading all of the books,  I did not take the time to note every Christian symbol.  I could spend hours detailing C.S. Lewis’ theological mind… but I won’t.

Hope everyone enjoyed and was safe during the first winter storm of the season.

So much for my blogging break – I had a pocket of time and blogged like a maniac the other day!  I knew that would happen, as soon as I wrote about how blogging is going on the back burner, I would find time for it again.  That’s actually part of the reason why I wrote the “blogging break” post!  🙂  Not that I’m promising my 5 posts a week anymore, but I will do what I can – I do love to ramble on and on and on about everything while sharpening my typing skills!

Back to the point of this post.  A few months ago, we noticed that our front porch is crumbling away to nothing!  It’s a rather large cement porch, and parts of it have started falling off, seemingly overnight!  We called various construction places to get estimates, and according to them, it’s  a common problem around here this spring.  Something about a moist winter, then it got really cold while there was a lot of moisture, so water that was in the cracks of the concrete expanded as it froze, causing things to crack and crumble.  I’ve noticed it every where in the area – other houses, strip malls, parking lots.  But it really stinks.  I love my front porch, and it’s going to cost over $2,000 to fix it!  It’s kind of something that needs fixing asap before it gets any worse.  Replacing it with a wood deck is cheaper, but I really love it just the way it is – well, before it started crumbling to bits anyway.  The concrete where the garage meets the driveway is even worse, and I don’t think repairing that was even in the estimate!  Ah, the joys of home ownership!

BAM!!!  Winter returned earlier today with another blast.  Not that we were expecting anything less since it is only approaching the end of February.  I had rehearsal from 1-4 (4 being rather optimistic since I had to leave at 4.45 to be at work by 5).  The drive over was rather problematic: snow covered road the entire 10 mile journey, but I did make it (did you expect anything less?).  I arrived around noon to complete my costuming… THANK HEAVEN THAT IS DONE!  Now, we just have to wait for my final outfit to arrive from the costume shop in Toledo opening week (hopefully it fits).  But Grandpa is now fully clothed.  The costume mistress made a wonderful, very astute comment.  She told me that she knew that I had been a theatre veteran for two reasons: (1) my talent and (2) my security in dropping my pants without hesitation to try on costumes.  Well… my security in the latter is limited to the costume room.  I have yet to be cast in a role in which I have been required to drop my drawers (quite frankly, at present, that would cause a moments pause).

One of the highlights of today’s rehearsal was the trolley.  It is really going to be something.  Not quite complete, but enough that it could be moved on and off stage.  I must say that I was quite impressed with the organization and pace at which it was pushed on and off for one of the signature numbers of the show.

Grandpa’s songs must have impressed… well, I was told that I could be heard.  Unfortunately, the part that could be heard was harmony that was supposed to be mixed with Tootie and Agnes’ melody line.  I have often been told that one should never work with children or animals on stage.  Funny thing is, I have never had reason to believe it.  Wonder why?

Happily, the road back was snow clear for the most part although the wind was horrendous.  But, who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Happy Birthday to my daughter who loves the snow. We had a good amount of snow. It started early yesterday evening and continued on into the night. Of course the schools the had either delays or closures. This doesn’t affect my work schedule, but I sometimes wish it would. I do work in a school building, and the only good thing about no school is no students. I don’t teach or work with the students, so for me they just get in the way.

Anyway my daughter wanted two things for her birthday. One was snow. Well we got that. The other was to be able to swim. We went to our local “Y” last night and got some swimming in. I can’t see the thrill in swimming during the middle of a snowstorm, but it was exercise, and I do need that.

Even with the snow, which I do not like, I had two decent days. I’ll take all the decent days I can get.

We are scheduled (if the weatherman can do that) to get more winter precipitation later this week. I’m sure hoping it clears up a little on the weekend, mine is booked solid again. I would like to be able to get where I need to go.