This is a copy of the letter I sent to the Carmel Community Players Board of Directors about a month ago. My term on the Board of Directors came to an end today. The bold emphasis added below was not in the original copy, but I added it here because that's really the thing to take away. Thank you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To the President of Carmel Community Players, the Board of Directors, its Staff, Membership, Patrons and Supporters:
As
you know, my current term to serve on the Board of Directors comes to
an end at the Annual Membership meeting on May 2nd, 2012. This letter
is to inform you that after months of careful consideration, I have
decided to not run for re-election to the board at this time.
When
I joined CCP’s board, little did I know where the organization would be
today. Right after I was appointed to the Board to fill a vacancy,
everything changed. I won’t rehash that history as most everyone is
familiar with it. But, since being thrust into a leadership position, it
has been an honor to serve CCP and help steer the organization through
those troubled times when we weren’t even sure we’d be able to put on
another show. Despite the difficult hurdles we faced, I am very proud
of what we have accomplished here at the Playhouse and always will be.
Please
note, that this decision does not mean I won’t be around. I fully
intend to follow through on all my commitments, including directing
“Grease” should it be accepted into the season. {ML NOTE: It wasn't accepted and I am fine with that. I think the new season has some wonderful possibilities.} Additionally, I still
plan to volunteer at the box office and concessions, and help with
Vendini and the website, even help with tech where my schedule allows.
And I will do so as long as I can or until the organization wants and
finds someone else to handle some of these duties. It’s just that,
after four years of putting every ounce of myself into this theater and
organization, things in my personal life have risen up, or have been
neglected for too long, and need my full attention. I need time to
focus on other important goals and projects in the free time I do have.
And,
unfortunately, something has to give. This is not a decision I came to
quickly. For months, I struggled with figuring out what was important
and what could be put off a little while longer. While it pains me to
not seek re-election at this time, I am comforted knowing that the
organization is very capable of even greater growth in my absence.
If
there is one thing I regret it’s that I maybe took too long to make
this decision. With about a month until the next election of officers, I
understand that I am putting unfair pressure on the board to scramble,
and for that I do apologize. But, I am confident with the leadership
on this board that the organization will quickly adjust accordingly.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
With Respect,
Showing posts with label News of Us. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News of Us. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Reflections on 2008
2008 started off to be a very promising year. In January, work looked up as I in line for a temporary promotion. The company was investing in a technology that would nearly automate the daily tag & bag process every TV station in the country goes through. I was brought in at the beginning stages to be the “Manager” of a new department that would be housed locally. It was to come with a higher salary. Basically, I was going to do all the leg work in setting up the process and procedures. Then, once the system was ready to go, part-time or entry level positions would maintain it. From there, I would go back to working my normal job at the new salary. Sadly, before the system was even ready for me to start working, engineering figured it was nearly impossible to implement due to the amount of RAM and processing power needed to run the entire (and I’m talking 30 or so stations networked across the country) system. So, by March or April that completely fell through.
Oh, and the company declared bankruptcy recently. Actually, I’m not too worried about that, layoff-wise. We are a hub for the entire company. And, we turn a decent profit. Plus, most of the debts are on the print side of things, and it’s most likely layoffs will come from that sector. Also, I’m probably one of the least expendable people in my department. But, really who knows? All I know is I’m not worried about it.
Theatre-wise, I did as much as I intended to do this year, which was pretty much nothing ‘cuz I needed a break. Well, nothing ON-stage. I worked on a few shows backstage for the money. And enjoyed every minute of it. Enjoyed it enough to put a little seed in the back of my head for a career change when I don’t have to have a stead income (ie: No kids; no responsibilities).
In fact, I realized that theatre was missing from my life, and in 2009, it will be theatre filled. First, I recently joined the board of directors for my local community theatre. That’s been quite interesting so far (and that’s quite the understatement). Now, I’ll be producing “Guilty Conscience” for CCP starting right at the beginning of the year. The show runs at the end of February and goes into March, but a lot of my work on it will be in January and February. Then, after that, I said I would work crew on “Ms. Saigon,” at Footlite Musicals for Noffke. That will take me into May. By then, we’ll be diving head first into “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” We’ve been working on that since March 2008 and it will be wonderful to actually cast the show and start rehearsals. After that, who knows. Hopefully, I’ll be able to work on “Frog and Toad” again in 2009. It’s just so much fun, and money to boot.
Then, the biggest news from 2008 – Tricia’s back surgery. It’s hard to believe that it’s taken up the last six months of our life. The bad pain started with an ER visit. Then a few Spine Dr. visits later, we knew she would need the surgery. That was in early September, and she’s hasn’t worked since Labor Day. That put a big strain on us financially. But, the good news is that we are at least floating and not dead in the water. In fact, she got the A-OK to return to work on January 5th. I hope that’s not too early nor too strenuous for her back, but I’d be lying if I said we didn’t need her paycheck. Thankfully, most of the surgery bills were covered by insurance, but we will be paying our chunk of the bill for the next year. She’s healing quite well, by the way. Most of her back pain is gone. And, she’s thrilled to be able to get out of the house and back to work. She doesn’t deal well with sitting at home with nothing to do.
A bright spot has been the evolution of my relationship with my son. The teenage years have been very frustrating. But, I think I learned the key to it all – Understanding his language and communicating correctly. I don’t mean talking all, “OMG BBQ BFF Jill,” like the kids do these days. I mean hearing what he’s saying, not just the words, but the meaning. For example, when I say, “What are you up to?” what he hears is, “What kind of trouble are you getting into now?” So, his reply is, “Nothing” because he isn’t doing anything to get into trouble. But, that’s not what I’m asking and I can plainly see that he’s doing “Something.” After all, doing mundane things is still something. So, I would get frustrated because we were speaking different languages. Now, I think we have a better understanding of where we’re both coming from and the yelling has decreased significantly. Of course, there is the occasional, “I need you to clean this to my standards not yours,” argument. Followed by the, “It might not be yours to pick up but, either A) you took it out and therefore need to place it where it belongs, or B) I’m trying to get this other thing done and we need your help in other areas (it’s called contributing to help the family, now get off the couch!),” argument. But, yesterday, he gave me a hug for my birthday and, you know, that’s all I ever really wanted.
Changing the subject drastically, you know, I just haven’t been able to connect with God much this year. It’s not like I’m losing faith. No, I just haven’t had time to talk with Him like I should, or reflect on how He’s blessed me in the past year. I do believe He’s been taking care of us. But, I have trouble noticing those “small miracles” in life. I do need put more focus on God in the new year.
I guess that’s one of the things I’ve been struggling with: Do we ever reach a point where we don’t have to run as hard to keep up with God? Where our day-to-day actions with and for God come more naturally… I’m getting tired of going to bed thinking, “Crap, I didn’t get a chance to read the Bible or really sit down with God for a spell.” I don’t know…
Anyway, here’s hoping for an outstanding 2009! It’s gotta be better than 2008. I mean, the bar is pretty low…
Also, I know I'm not blogging much anymore. I don't have much interest in this anymore. I'm not saying I'm closing the shop, but just don't expect it to be open all the time. When the passion strikes me, I'll tap the keys. But, I posted 20 times (including this post) this year. 20% of that were updates on Tricia's back that were emailed to people anyway. I don't know when the next post will be or if there will be a next post. If there's a way to easily archive all of this, I might end up taking it down. I really don't know. I'm typing whatever comes out of my fingers right now, so I might just be talking... Stay tuned... Or don't... Or do...
In the meantime, here's a picture of Nikita sleeping under the Christmas tree:
Oh, and the company declared bankruptcy recently. Actually, I’m not too worried about that, layoff-wise. We are a hub for the entire company. And, we turn a decent profit. Plus, most of the debts are on the print side of things, and it’s most likely layoffs will come from that sector. Also, I’m probably one of the least expendable people in my department. But, really who knows? All I know is I’m not worried about it.
Theatre-wise, I did as much as I intended to do this year, which was pretty much nothing ‘cuz I needed a break. Well, nothing ON-stage. I worked on a few shows backstage for the money. And enjoyed every minute of it. Enjoyed it enough to put a little seed in the back of my head for a career change when I don’t have to have a stead income (ie: No kids; no responsibilities).
In fact, I realized that theatre was missing from my life, and in 2009, it will be theatre filled. First, I recently joined the board of directors for my local community theatre. That’s been quite interesting so far (and that’s quite the understatement). Now, I’ll be producing “Guilty Conscience” for CCP starting right at the beginning of the year. The show runs at the end of February and goes into March, but a lot of my work on it will be in January and February. Then, after that, I said I would work crew on “Ms. Saigon,” at Footlite Musicals for Noffke. That will take me into May. By then, we’ll be diving head first into “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” We’ve been working on that since March 2008 and it will be wonderful to actually cast the show and start rehearsals. After that, who knows. Hopefully, I’ll be able to work on “Frog and Toad” again in 2009. It’s just so much fun, and money to boot.
Then, the biggest news from 2008 – Tricia’s back surgery. It’s hard to believe that it’s taken up the last six months of our life. The bad pain started with an ER visit. Then a few Spine Dr. visits later, we knew she would need the surgery. That was in early September, and she’s hasn’t worked since Labor Day. That put a big strain on us financially. But, the good news is that we are at least floating and not dead in the water. In fact, she got the A-OK to return to work on January 5th. I hope that’s not too early nor too strenuous for her back, but I’d be lying if I said we didn’t need her paycheck. Thankfully, most of the surgery bills were covered by insurance, but we will be paying our chunk of the bill for the next year. She’s healing quite well, by the way. Most of her back pain is gone. And, she’s thrilled to be able to get out of the house and back to work. She doesn’t deal well with sitting at home with nothing to do.
A bright spot has been the evolution of my relationship with my son. The teenage years have been very frustrating. But, I think I learned the key to it all – Understanding his language and communicating correctly. I don’t mean talking all, “OMG BBQ BFF Jill,” like the kids do these days. I mean hearing what he’s saying, not just the words, but the meaning. For example, when I say, “What are you up to?” what he hears is, “What kind of trouble are you getting into now?” So, his reply is, “Nothing” because he isn’t doing anything to get into trouble. But, that’s not what I’m asking and I can plainly see that he’s doing “Something.” After all, doing mundane things is still something. So, I would get frustrated because we were speaking different languages. Now, I think we have a better understanding of where we’re both coming from and the yelling has decreased significantly. Of course, there is the occasional, “I need you to clean this to my standards not yours,” argument. Followed by the, “It might not be yours to pick up but, either A) you took it out and therefore need to place it where it belongs, or B) I’m trying to get this other thing done and we need your help in other areas (it’s called contributing to help the family, now get off the couch!),” argument. But, yesterday, he gave me a hug for my birthday and, you know, that’s all I ever really wanted.
Changing the subject drastically, you know, I just haven’t been able to connect with God much this year. It’s not like I’m losing faith. No, I just haven’t had time to talk with Him like I should, or reflect on how He’s blessed me in the past year. I do believe He’s been taking care of us. But, I have trouble noticing those “small miracles” in life. I do need put more focus on God in the new year.
I guess that’s one of the things I’ve been struggling with: Do we ever reach a point where we don’t have to run as hard to keep up with God? Where our day-to-day actions with and for God come more naturally… I’m getting tired of going to bed thinking, “Crap, I didn’t get a chance to read the Bible or really sit down with God for a spell.” I don’t know…
Anyway, here’s hoping for an outstanding 2009! It’s gotta be better than 2008. I mean, the bar is pretty low…
Also, I know I'm not blogging much anymore. I don't have much interest in this anymore. I'm not saying I'm closing the shop, but just don't expect it to be open all the time. When the passion strikes me, I'll tap the keys. But, I posted 20 times (including this post) this year. 20% of that were updates on Tricia's back that were emailed to people anyway. I don't know when the next post will be or if there will be a next post. If there's a way to easily archive all of this, I might end up taking it down. I really don't know. I'm typing whatever comes out of my fingers right now, so I might just be talking... Stay tuned... Or don't... Or do...
In the meantime, here's a picture of Nikita sleeping under the Christmas tree:
Monday, August 04, 2008
Little Nikita
This is Nikita. Other names include, Kiki, Little Nikki, Darling Nikki, and of course, Emma Sucker.Emma Sucker, as in I AM A SUCKER!
The count is cats 4, people 3, dogs 1.
Let's see if I can figure out how this happened. We start with the cats, and add the dog. The other day, my son calls home and said he "rescued" a kitten and he's bringing it home to take care off. While he's walking home, the wife and I decide... well, *I* decide that we can give the kitten a temporary home while we look for a home. No giving the kitten a name. It's not allowed.
Speaking of finding the kitten a home...
FREE 4mo. FEMALE KITTEN TO GOOD HOME. Up to date shots. Will release to good owner after she's been spayed. Send application of adoption to ML via the interwebs. Please include a letter of recommendation from 3 sources, and a 5 page essay on why you think you would be a great owner for this kitten.
There, I tried.
So, we set the other cats up in another room in order to keep them away from this kitten while she's here. This is so they don't contract any diseases the stray might have. And, so we can slowly introduce the kitten to them.
Turns out, the kitten has fleas. Immediate flea bath. 2 of them, and the wife and I are picking and killing fleas off the kitten until 1am. I couldn't sleep that night because I was being attacked by fleas and itched the whole night. That's not true. I wasn't bitten at all, but the though entered by brain and stuck. I still feel itchy today.
The next day, I buy more flea treatment stuff - a spray for bedding that kills 'em and flea collars for the cats. They are indoor cats and we don't do any regular flea treatment because of that.
I get home from work and the kid is apparently calling it "Kiki." *grumble* Don't get me wrong, "Kiki" is cute and purry and all. And, she's been working all her angles in hopes of staying. She's already got the wife and kid. She's been working me over by cuddling with me when I sleep and being all cute and purry and all.
Trying to be responsible, I take her to the Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic for tests and shots. They give her good flea treatment that kills'em all. And she's tested negative for Feline leukemia and FIV. Since she's healthy, we've allowed the other cats to meet her. The office assistants asked me what to put down for a name. Steadfastly, I said, "Just put 'Kitty,'" explaining the situation. Temporary home and all. They teased, "You should just name it. You've got 3. What's another?" HA HA HA.
Not funny.
Hannah has been all hissy with "Kiki." Misfit has been all hissy with everyone after meeting "Kiki." Jack didn't care and Scooby (the dog) was fine with "Kiki." I was hoping to play the angle "We can't keep it because the other cats don't get along with it." Unfortunately, "Kiki" has suckered the other hissy cats. They have been spotted playing together. By playing, I mean pawing and running around each other without the hissing.
If you ask me, she looks Russian. So, I thought, "Nikita," would be a proper name. And, there's the problem. I broke my own rule. It started going downhill from there.The thing I'm trying to focus on is that this kitten has sparked a greater interest in an idea I've had. For some time, I have been thinking about starting a non-profit no-kill shelter for strays and injured cats. I've never mentioned it because it was just a thought in the back of my brain. And it wasn't something I would have thought to actually do before retirement. I don't know. It just a thought.
But, I'll keep that thought in the back of my mind for now because I'm realizing Nikita already has found a home. And that's enough.
Friday, December 28, 2007
2 months and what?
Wow. So, I pretty much haven't blogged in about 2 months. A lot of that is time, rather lack there of. A huge chunk of that is waning interest. If I were more interested, I'd probably make more time to do this. Alas. I've been thinking about closing shop. But who the heck knows what I'll end up doing... I'm posting this, ain't I?
Yeah, we ended up adopting the dog. His name is now Rufus, though he responds to Scooby. He's a great dog and we love him. My parents are in town right now and mom has a pet/fur phobia. But, he's doing a good job of not freaking her out too much. I think his previous owners fed him a lot of human food, or at least allowed him to eat table scraps. That's likely why he's overweight. Plus, we cannot walk into the kitchen for any reason without him trying to follow us. It's difficult to eat dinner with a snout sniffing your plate, too. So, we're hoping to change that behavior. It's slow-going. We do allow him to eat cottage cheese with his regular food. It's supposed to help with the dander and shine on his coat. It's funny because he'll jump like a bunny rabbit when he sees he's getting cottage cheese.
I don't have a lot to report. I'm in "Assassins" and that closes this weekend. After which, I'll be taking a long, much needed break from theatre. Don't know how long, but I need time with my family, I need to make more time for God. This hasn't been the best year for keeping my connection with God. I don't mean I'm losing faith. I'm just not talking to him like I used to, which I believe is a direct result of not making time for God.
Speaking of God, I've moved on to a new church. Maybe that's part of my disconnect from God. Not the new church, but the feelings and reasons for leaving the old church. In truth, I just haven't felt connected to any of the people at The Crux. I haven't been there since September. And a few events have solidified for me that I made the right decision in moving on to a new place. For instance, not a single person from the Crux has tried to contact me to see what I've been up to or anything. A smallish church - under 300 people in the congregation - that I was an active participant of (small groups and service teams) and not one email or phone call... other than mass emails like prayer requests, etc. I've run into someone who was in my small group twice. During that second run-in, he told me that he was talking to the small group leader the other day and that we ran into each other. The small group leader apparently couldn't recall what I looked like... Now, I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he was teasing me because I haven't been to that church in a while. Like, since my face hasn't been around in a while, it was fading from their memory and that I should go back so they remember me... I'd give him that he was making a joke... It still left a bad taste in my mouth...
So, I'm at a mega church... which probably goes against everything I thought I was looking for in a small church. You see, I liked the small intimateness of knowing everybody, at least in name, at the Crux. This church I'm at now has near around 5,000 members and 4 services. I haven't really had a chance to meet people and socialize there yet. In the coming weeks, there is a "Meet and Greet" for new members that I'm hoping to attend with my wife. And then after that, we'll see. I have completely enjoyed the services and the message so far.
Tangent... Sometimes, I wonder if I'm an asshole or just really shy and quirky. I'm not going to explain that right now, but I'll probably address that at some point... Huh... Guess I'm not giving the bloggin' thing up yet.
Yeah, we ended up adopting the dog. His name is now Rufus, though he responds to Scooby. He's a great dog and we love him. My parents are in town right now and mom has a pet/fur phobia. But, he's doing a good job of not freaking her out too much. I think his previous owners fed him a lot of human food, or at least allowed him to eat table scraps. That's likely why he's overweight. Plus, we cannot walk into the kitchen for any reason without him trying to follow us. It's difficult to eat dinner with a snout sniffing your plate, too. So, we're hoping to change that behavior. It's slow-going. We do allow him to eat cottage cheese with his regular food. It's supposed to help with the dander and shine on his coat. It's funny because he'll jump like a bunny rabbit when he sees he's getting cottage cheese.
I don't have a lot to report. I'm in "Assassins" and that closes this weekend. After which, I'll be taking a long, much needed break from theatre. Don't know how long, but I need time with my family, I need to make more time for God. This hasn't been the best year for keeping my connection with God. I don't mean I'm losing faith. I'm just not talking to him like I used to, which I believe is a direct result of not making time for God.
Speaking of God, I've moved on to a new church. Maybe that's part of my disconnect from God. Not the new church, but the feelings and reasons for leaving the old church. In truth, I just haven't felt connected to any of the people at The Crux. I haven't been there since September. And a few events have solidified for me that I made the right decision in moving on to a new place. For instance, not a single person from the Crux has tried to contact me to see what I've been up to or anything. A smallish church - under 300 people in the congregation - that I was an active participant of (small groups and service teams) and not one email or phone call... other than mass emails like prayer requests, etc. I've run into someone who was in my small group twice. During that second run-in, he told me that he was talking to the small group leader the other day and that we ran into each other. The small group leader apparently couldn't recall what I looked like... Now, I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he was teasing me because I haven't been to that church in a while. Like, since my face hasn't been around in a while, it was fading from their memory and that I should go back so they remember me... I'd give him that he was making a joke... It still left a bad taste in my mouth...
So, I'm at a mega church... which probably goes against everything I thought I was looking for in a small church. You see, I liked the small intimateness of knowing everybody, at least in name, at the Crux. This church I'm at now has near around 5,000 members and 4 services. I haven't really had a chance to meet people and socialize there yet. In the coming weeks, there is a "Meet and Greet" for new members that I'm hoping to attend with my wife. And then after that, we'll see. I have completely enjoyed the services and the message so far.
Tangent... Sometimes, I wonder if I'm an asshole or just really shy and quirky. I'm not going to explain that right now, but I'll probably address that at some point... Huh... Guess I'm not giving the bloggin' thing up yet.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
In The Beginning...
Pardon the lack of posts for the past month. We went on vacation for two weeks visiting friends and family back in good ol' Louisiana. Nothing majorly eventful happened that I needs to be talked about other than we spent some great quality time with people we love and we did nothing else. It was quite nice to do nothing for two weeks. If you have the means, I highly recommend it. We did listen to Harry Potter and The Deadly Hallows and I won't spoil it for anyone. We stayed up extra late when we got home to finish the book. Good stuff.
Immediately after getting home, I auditioned for Children of Eden at Footlite Musicals. And, I'm quite happy to tell you that I have been cast as one of the Storytellers. I'll give you all the pertain info as the show gets nearer. Children of Eden is freely based on Genesis 1 - 9. That is, it's the story of the creation, Adam and Eve, the Fall, Cain and Abel all the way up to the flood and Noak's Ark. But, really, it's about father's and their relationship with their children.
I'm going to let you in on a little secret - My biggest fear is that I am a bad dad. As my son gets older and in his teen years, I am beginning to worry more and more about what our relationship will be like when in 20 years. Am I teaching him the right things? Is he learning good habits from me? Will he learn responsibility? Is he picking up my bad habits? Is it too late to help him change certain habits? Time will only tell, I guess. Doesn't make me worry less that I'm not screwing up.
My dad, I see now and that's important, is a saint and I love him dearly. But, when I was growing up, I never saw his wisdom, I guess. His love for me, sure. But, I never understood why, for example, in one biddy basketball game my father the coach didn't put me into the game until midway through the third quarter and we had a good lead. You'd think coach's son would get some playing time. And, it kinda hurt that coach wouldn't put me in the game sooner. It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized his wisdom - I suck at basketball. I think he was maybe just sparing me the pain of realizing I suck at such a young age. In fact, he was probably encouraging me more by letting me play when the situation was easier for me to handle, letting me get my confidence up.
There is no doubt my father is a kind and gentle soul. I'm sure there were times when he wanted to throttle me. I know there are times (especially now that I have a teenager) that I want to throttle my son. But, he never did. I think he spanked me maybe once or twice when I was a tot. I can't remember if he ever raised his voice in anger to me.
This is the kind of father my dad is. It's my favorite "being a father" story and it's not really about me. I was in high school and was awoken late one night by banging on my window. It was my sister's friend, Danny. He was trying to get me to help him with my sister who was drunk and violently puking out of his hatchback. She's 5 years older than me so was close to legal drinking age, if not over 21, at the time. Danny and I got her to the bathroom and in all the commotion, my dad woke up. He send me to bed and thanked Danny. He stayed up at least an hour or two taking care of my sister, putting her to bed and cleaning all the puke up. Around 7 o'clock in the morning, he bangs on her door and yells her name. He walks into her room with a skillet full of eggs and greasy bacon and his trademark twinkle in his eye. He wakes her up, putting the skillet in her face, asking her if she's ready for a nice, healthy breakfast. As memory serves, she bolted for the toilet and puked again. But, I honestly don't think she's been drunk ever since. He took care of her that night, and taught her a lesson about drinking too much. And, he did it without becoming unglued or angry, even though, he probably was upset that she was as drunk as she was.
That is the type of father I hope to be. More than I care to admit, I don't think that I am. I want my children to know I love them, but I also want them to understand there are evils in this world it is my duty to protect them from. This fatherhood thing is pretty tricky and I'm very worried about what happens to our relationship when the kid turns 18.
So, the read-through rehearsal last night was the first time I was able to sit down and absorb the words of this show. And good gravy, I'm glad I was sitting in the back corner because more than a few times I had to stop, take a breath, sniffle, and wipe a dot of moisture from my eye.
Early in the show, Father is telling Adam and Eve not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. They ask why and he responds (in song, natch):
***I don't think this is a show spoiler since the events are pretty much in Genesis, but I'll give you a SPOILER ALERT here just in case.***
In the end, after the flood, Father sings to his children (Noah & Family),
This journey into Eden I hope will be a time of great growth and learning for me. Not just a time to figure out how to be a better father, but build on established relationships and to love more than I think I do. Afterall, I believe the reason God created us was because he was lonely. And, he put that loniless into us so that we, too, would search for love and build our own relationships. Not just with him, but with others.
Immediately after getting home, I auditioned for Children of Eden at Footlite Musicals. And, I'm quite happy to tell you that I have been cast as one of the Storytellers. I'll give you all the pertain info as the show gets nearer. Children of Eden is freely based on Genesis 1 - 9. That is, it's the story of the creation, Adam and Eve, the Fall, Cain and Abel all the way up to the flood and Noak's Ark. But, really, it's about father's and their relationship with their children.
I'm going to let you in on a little secret - My biggest fear is that I am a bad dad. As my son gets older and in his teen years, I am beginning to worry more and more about what our relationship will be like when in 20 years. Am I teaching him the right things? Is he learning good habits from me? Will he learn responsibility? Is he picking up my bad habits? Is it too late to help him change certain habits? Time will only tell, I guess. Doesn't make me worry less that I'm not screwing up.
My dad, I see now and that's important, is a saint and I love him dearly. But, when I was growing up, I never saw his wisdom, I guess. His love for me, sure. But, I never understood why, for example, in one biddy basketball game my father the coach didn't put me into the game until midway through the third quarter and we had a good lead. You'd think coach's son would get some playing time. And, it kinda hurt that coach wouldn't put me in the game sooner. It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized his wisdom - I suck at basketball. I think he was maybe just sparing me the pain of realizing I suck at such a young age. In fact, he was probably encouraging me more by letting me play when the situation was easier for me to handle, letting me get my confidence up.
There is no doubt my father is a kind and gentle soul. I'm sure there were times when he wanted to throttle me. I know there are times (especially now that I have a teenager) that I want to throttle my son. But, he never did. I think he spanked me maybe once or twice when I was a tot. I can't remember if he ever raised his voice in anger to me.
This is the kind of father my dad is. It's my favorite "being a father" story and it's not really about me. I was in high school and was awoken late one night by banging on my window. It was my sister's friend, Danny. He was trying to get me to help him with my sister who was drunk and violently puking out of his hatchback. She's 5 years older than me so was close to legal drinking age, if not over 21, at the time. Danny and I got her to the bathroom and in all the commotion, my dad woke up. He send me to bed and thanked Danny. He stayed up at least an hour or two taking care of my sister, putting her to bed and cleaning all the puke up. Around 7 o'clock in the morning, he bangs on her door and yells her name. He walks into her room with a skillet full of eggs and greasy bacon and his trademark twinkle in his eye. He wakes her up, putting the skillet in her face, asking her if she's ready for a nice, healthy breakfast. As memory serves, she bolted for the toilet and puked again. But, I honestly don't think she's been drunk ever since. He took care of her that night, and taught her a lesson about drinking too much. And, he did it without becoming unglued or angry, even though, he probably was upset that she was as drunk as she was.
That is the type of father I hope to be. More than I care to admit, I don't think that I am. I want my children to know I love them, but I also want them to understand there are evils in this world it is my duty to protect them from. This fatherhood thing is pretty tricky and I'm very worried about what happens to our relationship when the kid turns 18.
So, the read-through rehearsal last night was the first time I was able to sit down and absorb the words of this show. And good gravy, I'm glad I was sitting in the back corner because more than a few times I had to stop, take a breath, sniffle, and wipe a dot of moisture from my eye.
Early in the show, Father is telling Adam and Eve not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. They ask why and he responds (in song, natch):
"There are things a father knowsAnd therein lies the problem. Kids never understand until they are adults that their parents have been there, done that, and love them so much they don't want their kids to make the same mistakes. My problem is trying to figure when to stop him from making the mistakes I have make and when to let him learn from his own mistakes. And that's the my struggle. Too often, I think, I disallow him from making his mistakes, preventing him from learning from them.
a child cannot.
I think you would agree
You're newer here than me
Have faith I have my reasons
You cannot see,
In your best interest...
So no more questions about that tree.
***I don't think this is a show spoiler since the events are pretty much in Genesis, but I'll give you a SPOILER ALERT here just in case.***
In the end, after the flood, Father sings to his children (Noah & Family),
"Now, I know I cannot hold youIf you see the show, I promise a teardrop by this point. And, ain't that the truth? The more we try to hold our children, the more they struggle to get free. I'm learning that to hold him close to my heart I have to let him go.
Till at last I let you be free."
This journey into Eden I hope will be a time of great growth and learning for me. Not just a time to figure out how to be a better father, but build on established relationships and to love more than I think I do. Afterall, I believe the reason God created us was because he was lonely. And, he put that loniless into us so that we, too, would search for love and build our own relationships. Not just with him, but with others.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
This Day Has To Get Better
6:10am - Alarm goes off. Strangely, I'm awake enough to turn it off and get up and not hit the snooze button. Usually, I'm snoozing from 5:30 until 6:30am.
6:45am - Showered, dressed and out the door.
6:57am - Flat tire on I-465 Loop.
6:58am - Get out jack and necessary tools. My spare tire is underneath my truck bed and I have to lower it with a special tool.
6:59:30am - Remember about the 1st time I changed a flat on my truck and how it took me over an hour to get the spare tire down. Of course, that was at 4am in the morning and I was completely hammered then.
7:01am - Got the spare down
7:02am - Jack the car up.
7:03am - Remembered the easiest technique to getting the lug nuts off. Loosen them while the tire is down on the ground, then jack the car up. Use the nut-thingy (I'm blanking on the tool's name, it's the crowbar thingy with the nut-thingy on one end) on the lug nut and spin the tire instead of turning the tool. Let the tire do the work.
7:03:30am - Lower the car.
7:04am - Attempt to loosen the first lug nut. Not even budging. I think, "Righty Tighty - Lefty Loosey" and confirm I'm pushing the right way.
7:08am - No lug nut even budges.
7:08:15am - Curse.
7:15am - Position the tool-thingy on a lug nut and step on tool. Massive gerth allows for successful loosening of lug nuts.
7:17am - Lug nugs off.
7:20am - Flat tire off and in truck bed.
7:21am - Spare tire on.
7:22am - Lug nuts tightened.
7:24am - All tools back in car.
7:24:30am - Start to pull away and hear chain clanging noise.
7:24:45am - Realize I need to raise the chain that holds the spare tire up.
7:25am - Raising the chain.
7:26am - Realize I'm a dirty, sweaty mess as I pull off.
7:30am - Stop at McDonalds to clean up.
7:31am - McDonald's soap sucks and the faucet is automatic.
7:37am - Give up cleaning hands. They were as clean as they could get.
7:39am - Stop at gas station to give extra air to space
7:39:30am - Notice Out of Order Sign on Air Machine
7:41am - Ask store clerk if they know of another air machine nearby since there's isn't worked. They said it was and they'd turn it on if I took the Out of Order sign off.
7:43am - Hey! It does work. Oh, the connecting piece broke off when I touched it.
7:43:30am - Fuck it! Plow through.
7:46am - Tire inflated.
7:47am - Decide to stop at the Target behind gas station for a change of clothes.
7:48am - Target opens at 8am.
7:49am - Call home to tell Wife about flat.
7:58am - Call work to say I'll be late.
8:00:02am - Enter Target.
8:10am - Procure 2 undershirts, a new polo shirt and pair of jeans.
8:11am - Check out and head to bathroom to clean up.
8:12am - Enter stall and change into new clothes.
8:20am - Exit stall and wash up. Target's bathrooms at least had manual faucets.
8:22am - Leave Target and head to work.
8:30am - Arrive at work where there's not a lot to do.
So that was my morning so far. I've got stuff to install on our Avids. At least the day ends with seeing "High School Musical" on stage with some good friends. That should wash away my morning... until I get the bill for a new tire...
6:45am - Showered, dressed and out the door.
6:57am - Flat tire on I-465 Loop.
6:58am - Get out jack and necessary tools. My spare tire is underneath my truck bed and I have to lower it with a special tool.
6:59:30am - Remember about the 1st time I changed a flat on my truck and how it took me over an hour to get the spare tire down. Of course, that was at 4am in the morning and I was completely hammered then.
7:01am - Got the spare down
7:02am - Jack the car up.
7:03am - Remembered the easiest technique to getting the lug nuts off. Loosen them while the tire is down on the ground, then jack the car up. Use the nut-thingy (I'm blanking on the tool's name, it's the crowbar thingy with the nut-thingy on one end) on the lug nut and spin the tire instead of turning the tool. Let the tire do the work.
7:03:30am - Lower the car.
7:04am - Attempt to loosen the first lug nut. Not even budging. I think, "Righty Tighty - Lefty Loosey" and confirm I'm pushing the right way.
7:08am - No lug nut even budges.
7:08:15am - Curse.
7:15am - Position the tool-thingy on a lug nut and step on tool. Massive gerth allows for successful loosening of lug nuts.
7:17am - Lug nugs off.
7:20am - Flat tire off and in truck bed.
7:21am - Spare tire on.
7:22am - Lug nuts tightened.
7:24am - All tools back in car.
7:24:30am - Start to pull away and hear chain clanging noise.
7:24:45am - Realize I need to raise the chain that holds the spare tire up.
7:25am - Raising the chain.
7:26am - Realize I'm a dirty, sweaty mess as I pull off.
7:30am - Stop at McDonalds to clean up.
7:31am - McDonald's soap sucks and the faucet is automatic.
7:37am - Give up cleaning hands. They were as clean as they could get.
7:39am - Stop at gas station to give extra air to space
7:39:30am - Notice Out of Order Sign on Air Machine
7:41am - Ask store clerk if they know of another air machine nearby since there's isn't worked. They said it was and they'd turn it on if I took the Out of Order sign off.
7:43am - Hey! It does work. Oh, the connecting piece broke off when I touched it.
7:43:30am - Fuck it! Plow through.
7:46am - Tire inflated.
7:47am - Decide to stop at the Target behind gas station for a change of clothes.
7:48am - Target opens at 8am.
7:49am - Call home to tell Wife about flat.
7:58am - Call work to say I'll be late.
8:00:02am - Enter Target.
8:10am - Procure 2 undershirts, a new polo shirt and pair of jeans.
8:11am - Check out and head to bathroom to clean up.
8:12am - Enter stall and change into new clothes.
8:20am - Exit stall and wash up. Target's bathrooms at least had manual faucets.
8:22am - Leave Target and head to work.
8:30am - Arrive at work where there's not a lot to do.
So that was my morning so far. I've got stuff to install on our Avids. At least the day ends with seeing "High School Musical" on stage with some good friends. That should wash away my morning... until I get the bill for a new tire...
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
More P in the House
Cap'n Jack is just about a year old now and he's massive. He's not fat, he's just thick and heavier than he looks. He was 13lbs. when I brought him to the Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic (Very cheap compared to Vets, highly recommended) to get fixed. Which leads me to the reason we finally got him fixed. There's more pussy(cats) in the house.
We wanted to get another cat to keep Jack company while we were away for the day. So, we wound up at PetSmart one Friday evening. There were four kittens that were oh-so adorable waiting to be adopted. The two orange and white tabby brothers were tiny, and about 2-3 months old. Neither had been fixed, but with another male in the house, more kittens wasn't going to happen. There were also two grey striped sisters around 4 or 5 months old. They had been spayed, so no worries about more kitties there either. They all were rescued from a kill shelter. We asked to play with them all and my wife and I took turned holding, petting and playing.
The PetSmart people told us to adopt one of them we'd have to fill out adoption forms and that the From The Heart Rescue people would be there the next day if we wanted to come back. Well, the next day, it snowed and the shelter people cancelled. We were told they'd be back in two weeks. "Oh, well," I thought, "Guess we're not getting another cat right now. Those will probably be gone in two weeks."
Well, that Sunday, we were eating lunch in the area and decided to go show the kid the cats we were looking at so he could have some input about which cat to adopt. Turns out, the shelter people were there. After playing with the cats some more, we decided to adopt the two sisters. I didn't have the heart to split them up, so now we have three cats... Jack, Hannah and Misfit. Now, we each have our own cat. Hannah is my baby. Misfit is the kid's and Jack is, and will always be, my wife's.
I want to stop for a minute and tell you if you are thinking about getting a pet, look up From The Heart Rescue. They charge a $90/$125 adoption fee for cats and dogs. But, they also keep their pets up-to-date on shots and spay/neuters. If you're getting a pet from the "free puppies" or "free kittens" ad, that's fine, but bear in mind that you'll end up paying more at the vet for shots and alterations. Why pay more when you can pay less for a pet that's up-to-date on shots and has been altered?
Anyway, Blogger's being a bitch and I can't upload a picture of the new cats. I'll get a picture up here eventually. Maybe, I'll even start posting weekly kitty porn picts, once I figure out the best way to do that. But, here's some links to pictures the shelter took for their records: Hannah (previously known as Silky - blah) and Misfit (previously known as Minnie - blah too).
So, how are these cats getting along? Well, pretty well actually. Jack's a stud and his quite happy to have two playmates (and I mean that in every sense of the word) in the house. Hannah has settled in as the resident purr monster. Just touch her and her engine is off. Misfit... well, Misfit is definitely aptly named. She's a jumper and has been frequently been shooed out of the kitchen sink.
Jack and Misfit still fight... a lot. There are tons of cat howls and growls as they fight. But, it doesn't look like they are hurting each other. It looks more like kitty courtship. I think it's taking Jack a while to get him some because the other two are so small and he's so big. And, in a tiny cat way, neither of them are ready for cat sex. But, oh, how they tease Jack.
Misfit will start all of the fights with Jack. He, being the gentle giant, will play along not clawing or biting just bopping. The instant he gets the upper hand, Misfit starts yelling. "Won't someone save this fair maiden from this beast," she seems to cry. I swear they fight like they are a redneck couple and we are the cops called in to investigate domestic abuse. We'll break them apart and Misfit complains, "Don't take him away, I love him. I don't want you to arrest him. We were just playing." And, the next minute they are cuddle up together, licking each other. Hannah just lies down and purrs.
Misfit is a jealous bitch, too. She and Hannah were sleeping on our bed when Jack jumped up there. He went over to Hannah and started licking her clean. Misfit woke up, saw Jack licking her sister and proceeded to get between them. She was successful because Jack started licking her instead. Hannah got up and moved. Jack and Misfit were laying together lick each other. It looked like two teenage cats on the couch. That's when I noticed Hannah. Her nose was up Jack's butt and she was licking his balls. That's right - Kitty Orgy on our bed. Like I said, he's a stud.
We wanted to get another cat to keep Jack company while we were away for the day. So, we wound up at PetSmart one Friday evening. There were four kittens that were oh-so adorable waiting to be adopted. The two orange and white tabby brothers were tiny, and about 2-3 months old. Neither had been fixed, but with another male in the house, more kittens wasn't going to happen. There were also two grey striped sisters around 4 or 5 months old. They had been spayed, so no worries about more kitties there either. They all were rescued from a kill shelter. We asked to play with them all and my wife and I took turned holding, petting and playing.
The PetSmart people told us to adopt one of them we'd have to fill out adoption forms and that the From The Heart Rescue people would be there the next day if we wanted to come back. Well, the next day, it snowed and the shelter people cancelled. We were told they'd be back in two weeks. "Oh, well," I thought, "Guess we're not getting another cat right now. Those will probably be gone in two weeks."
Well, that Sunday, we were eating lunch in the area and decided to go show the kid the cats we were looking at so he could have some input about which cat to adopt. Turns out, the shelter people were there. After playing with the cats some more, we decided to adopt the two sisters. I didn't have the heart to split them up, so now we have three cats... Jack, Hannah and Misfit. Now, we each have our own cat. Hannah is my baby. Misfit is the kid's and Jack is, and will always be, my wife's.
I want to stop for a minute and tell you if you are thinking about getting a pet, look up From The Heart Rescue. They charge a $90/$125 adoption fee for cats and dogs. But, they also keep their pets up-to-date on shots and spay/neuters. If you're getting a pet from the "free puppies" or "free kittens" ad, that's fine, but bear in mind that you'll end up paying more at the vet for shots and alterations. Why pay more when you can pay less for a pet that's up-to-date on shots and has been altered?
Anyway, Blogger's being a bitch and I can't upload a picture of the new cats. I'll get a picture up here eventually. Maybe, I'll even start posting weekly kitty porn picts, once I figure out the best way to do that. But, here's some links to pictures the shelter took for their records: Hannah (previously known as Silky - blah) and Misfit (previously known as Minnie - blah too).
So, how are these cats getting along? Well, pretty well actually. Jack's a stud and his quite happy to have two playmates (and I mean that in every sense of the word) in the house. Hannah has settled in as the resident purr monster. Just touch her and her engine is off. Misfit... well, Misfit is definitely aptly named. She's a jumper and has been frequently been shooed out of the kitchen sink.
Jack and Misfit still fight... a lot. There are tons of cat howls and growls as they fight. But, it doesn't look like they are hurting each other. It looks more like kitty courtship. I think it's taking Jack a while to get him some because the other two are so small and he's so big. And, in a tiny cat way, neither of them are ready for cat sex. But, oh, how they tease Jack.
Misfit will start all of the fights with Jack. He, being the gentle giant, will play along not clawing or biting just bopping. The instant he gets the upper hand, Misfit starts yelling. "Won't someone save this fair maiden from this beast," she seems to cry. I swear they fight like they are a redneck couple and we are the cops called in to investigate domestic abuse. We'll break them apart and Misfit complains, "Don't take him away, I love him. I don't want you to arrest him. We were just playing." And, the next minute they are cuddle up together, licking each other. Hannah just lies down and purrs.
Misfit is a jealous bitch, too. She and Hannah were sleeping on our bed when Jack jumped up there. He went over to Hannah and started licking her clean. Misfit woke up, saw Jack licking her sister and proceeded to get between them. She was successful because Jack started licking her instead. Hannah got up and moved. Jack and Misfit were laying together lick each other. It looked like two teenage cats on the couch. That's when I noticed Hannah. Her nose was up Jack's butt and she was licking his balls. That's right - Kitty Orgy on our bed. Like I said, he's a stud.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Christmas Post
I know, I know, this post is a little late, but as you'll see it's with good reason. First of all, I hope you had a Merry Christmas.
We've had a pretty good year, I must say. We finally bought a house and a new computer too. I'm honestly not sure which was more important... The computer was THAT bad. We did a whole bunch of theatre and pretty much decided we needed a long break from it. I performed in "Into the Woods" and helped produce "Cinderella" and a show called "Nuts." The wife did costumes for close to a bajillion shows and was nominated for two Encore awards (local community theatre awards). She even was onstage in "Nuts" playing a court reporter. Sounds small, but she's onstage the whole time typing. It wasn't easy on her body. All the sewing she does has started taking a toll on her body. She's got constant shoulder, back and neck pains that the doctor basically said is caused by the sewing. So, we're taking a rest from theatre 'cuz we really need the rest.
The Kid... well... he's tall... 5' 4" and is close to passing his mother. He's pretty much decided what he wants to be when he grows up... a professional wrestler. Which as much as I love pro-wresting, I'm not sure if I'm OK with. But, he's 13, so I think we have plenty of time to talk him out of it.
Speaking of the Kid, his surgery was yesterday... It couldn't have gone better. He's fine, at home, not in pain and is relaxing as much as a bored 13 year old can.
Here's the back story on the surgery since many of you don't know: Back in early September, he was experiencing pain in his right hip to the point where it was difficult to walk. We saw a bruise and a knot the size of an egg under it. So, we took him to the doctor and she wasn't sure what it was and sent us to have it x-rayed. She told us that the x-ray showed there was a 5mm long metal foreign object in his hip.
Huh? Wha? was exactly how we responded. We had no idea how or when he was punctured by some metal foreign object. It's still a bit of a mystery. She referred us to a Orthopedist and upon closer examination of the x-rays, we determined the metal object was a sewing needle. You can clearly see the eye and the point in the x-ray. They give him medicine to clear up the infection - that's what was causing the pain. After the meds, he was pain free. The needle didn't bother him at all. In fact, the Orthopedist said it's likely he could leave it in for life and it wouldn't bother him at all. Of course, that's not the best idea, so yesterday, we had him remove it.
The doctor informed us that getting the needle out would literally be like finding a needle in a haystack. He wouldn't know how difficult it would be until he was inside. It was possible he'd have to make an incision in the Kid's leg muscle to find it and that would have meant physical therapy. The Kid was prepped and was in surgery for 11am. They gave him a local and put him under, too. The doctor was finished by 11:45am. He was able to get the needle out without cutting any muscles, just by moving them around. We were home by 1:30pm.
My son has a very high tolerance for pain. The doctor gave him a prescription for vicodin and he has stated numerous time he doesn't need it. He is in no pain. Yeah, a three inch incision on the hip he sleeps on and no pain. I'm somewhat afraid that his high-pain tolerance is actually a good trait for a professional wrestler to have...
We have the needle now. The Kid wanted to keep it. Upon further examination, Tricia has determined that the needle is a smocking needle. Just when you thought the needle-in-the-hip story couldn't get weirder... Wifey hasn't smocked since we've lived in New Orleans... That's five years. It's possible that this needle was in there at least that long... Here's a picture of the needle to give you an idea of the size...
So, that's been our year... Now, we're waiting on the service guy to give us hot water. The water heater died on Christnas Eve evening. Who ya gonna call on a Sunday, much less Christmas?? He came yesterday and replaced the heating element, but it's still not working. They're coming back tomorrow. It's been below freezing here in the mornings and not much warmer during the day. Sponge baths are still quite unpleasant. We're very close to bathing in the hot tub.
Anyway, despite the trauma of chilly sponge baths, we have a lot to be thankful for and feel truly blessed to have what we do. Here's to the new year, may we all continue to be blessed!
We've had a pretty good year, I must say. We finally bought a house and a new computer too. I'm honestly not sure which was more important... The computer was THAT bad. We did a whole bunch of theatre and pretty much decided we needed a long break from it. I performed in "Into the Woods" and helped produce "Cinderella" and a show called "Nuts." The wife did costumes for close to a bajillion shows and was nominated for two Encore awards (local community theatre awards). She even was onstage in "Nuts" playing a court reporter. Sounds small, but she's onstage the whole time typing. It wasn't easy on her body. All the sewing she does has started taking a toll on her body. She's got constant shoulder, back and neck pains that the doctor basically said is caused by the sewing. So, we're taking a rest from theatre 'cuz we really need the rest.
The Kid... well... he's tall... 5' 4" and is close to passing his mother. He's pretty much decided what he wants to be when he grows up... a professional wrestler. Which as much as I love pro-wresting, I'm not sure if I'm OK with. But, he's 13, so I think we have plenty of time to talk him out of it.
Speaking of the Kid, his surgery was yesterday... It couldn't have gone better. He's fine, at home, not in pain and is relaxing as much as a bored 13 year old can.
Here's the back story on the surgery since many of you don't know: Back in early September, he was experiencing pain in his right hip to the point where it was difficult to walk. We saw a bruise and a knot the size of an egg under it. So, we took him to the doctor and she wasn't sure what it was and sent us to have it x-rayed. She told us that the x-ray showed there was a 5mm long metal foreign object in his hip.
Huh? Wha? was exactly how we responded. We had no idea how or when he was punctured by some metal foreign object. It's still a bit of a mystery. She referred us to a Orthopedist and upon closer examination of the x-rays, we determined the metal object was a sewing needle. You can clearly see the eye and the point in the x-ray. They give him medicine to clear up the infection - that's what was causing the pain. After the meds, he was pain free. The needle didn't bother him at all. In fact, the Orthopedist said it's likely he could leave it in for life and it wouldn't bother him at all. Of course, that's not the best idea, so yesterday, we had him remove it.
The doctor informed us that getting the needle out would literally be like finding a needle in a haystack. He wouldn't know how difficult it would be until he was inside. It was possible he'd have to make an incision in the Kid's leg muscle to find it and that would have meant physical therapy. The Kid was prepped and was in surgery for 11am. They gave him a local and put him under, too. The doctor was finished by 11:45am. He was able to get the needle out without cutting any muscles, just by moving them around. We were home by 1:30pm.
My son has a very high tolerance for pain. The doctor gave him a prescription for vicodin and he has stated numerous time he doesn't need it. He is in no pain. Yeah, a three inch incision on the hip he sleeps on and no pain. I'm somewhat afraid that his high-pain tolerance is actually a good trait for a professional wrestler to have...
We have the needle now. The Kid wanted to keep it. Upon further examination, Tricia has determined that the needle is a smocking needle. Just when you thought the needle-in-the-hip story couldn't get weirder... Wifey hasn't smocked since we've lived in New Orleans... That's five years. It's possible that this needle was in there at least that long... Here's a picture of the needle to give you an idea of the size...
So, that's been our year... Now, we're waiting on the service guy to give us hot water. The water heater died on Christnas Eve evening. Who ya gonna call on a Sunday, much less Christmas?? He came yesterday and replaced the heating element, but it's still not working. They're coming back tomorrow. It's been below freezing here in the mornings and not much warmer during the day. Sponge baths are still quite unpleasant. We're very close to bathing in the hot tub.
Anyway, despite the trauma of chilly sponge baths, we have a lot to be thankful for and feel truly blessed to have what we do. Here's to the new year, may we all continue to be blessed!
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