"The costumes, the scenery, the makeup, the props"

Micaela and I are having a good time rehearsing for Alpine Community Theater's production of Annie Get Your Gun. The directors are great and we are getting to know some very nice people. We knew it would be demanding even with the small parts that we have, but this is a particularly busy time for us because of the library's summer reading program (with over 1200 kids attending every week) and we're both feeling challenged. Micaela helps me at the library on the storytime days and on Fridays I cataloge like crazy, trying to accomplish as much as I normally do. But it's impossible, because we are busy spending the end of our book budget and as the weeks go by the piles get higher and higher!

Micaela and I have talked about being in a musical together for the last few years, but seeing Wicked together really clinched it. Bob worked very hard to get us tickets (thanks so much!) and when Micaela said, "That was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life," I knew I didn't want to wait any longer to have that experience together. I have so many good memories being in productions with my father as a child and more good memories in junior high and high school productions. It's been almost 30 years--unbelievable!

While at Wicked, I saw that Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was coming into town, so that's what I asked for for my birthday present. It was a darling show. Steven Wilson, who played Caractacus Potts, said in an interview that he'd been warned about working with "children, animals and flying cars" and they were all so fantastic I can understand why. In fact, the car was so amazing (It actually flew!) that when it got its own curtain call I fully expected it to get a standing ovation. Catchy music, great fun!