Pics, updates and domesticity

Sorry it's taken me awhile to post these.

I hate posting pics with my computer, as it takes FOREVER. I started this on 4/1, as you can see, but didn't get back to it til today. Oh well, it is worth it I guess. Thanks for your patience. I was Jack's Mother, and a bit of a nag--that is why I have my hands on my hips so much. I was either berating Jack for something (he was a little dim-witted), or nagging and/or patronizing other characters in the show. In the last pic I am yelling at the giant right before I get beaned in the head with the steward's staff and die. Good times.

It really was a fun show and I don't miss it a bit. So glad to have my life back and ever thankful for the experience of working with the other very talented cast members, director and staff.

Good news: have heard from Orlando!! I don't have to attend the open call (cattle call) audition on 4/18 for Voices of Liberty. I'd been checking online to see when they'd post the info about this audition, as this is the show the folks in CA told me I'd be good for. Orlando posted 2 dates: 4/18 and 4/24--a call back date. So I contacted my CA contact and asked if he was still willing to put in a good word for me and send my recording. He was quite accommodating, and said that he'd send the dvd asap, and had ALREADY called to let them know about me. yippee.
On Monday, as I was having an already good day at Jan's hanging out with all my friends to celebrate Kim's b'day; my phone rang and I looked down to check the number. I saw it was a 407 area code and immediately knew who it was...haha. (I don't know if y'all remember those old Disney commercials about booking a vacation there where they posted the number as 407-wdisney.)

I answered and the lady identified herself as part of the casting department, who wanted to let me know that they'd received my info from CA and were letting me know that this was my callback and I could attend the 4/24 audition. "And please learn the second soprano of the music we are emailing to you and here's your appointment time of 10:45 sharp." Sah-weet. She just saved me an extra trip to FL, as I'd originally planned to go down there for both dates if needed. But had really hoped that my CA contact could get me through the first round. It was so fun getting that call that day at Jan's --we had a little celebration right there. Jan said I shoulda held out for a plane ticket. Hahaha. Naw...I want the job too bad. So they emailed the music and it is "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess. It is a cool arrangement--check it out on youtube here.

Not the Fantasia Barrino version, but definitely right up my alley.

So, Frank and I are leaving the kids with grandparents and are going to head down there for 3 days. If the audition goes well, we will check out living info. We are also going to catch a baseball game, so that should be fun. I'll keep you posted.

On another note entirely, I love domesticity--to be at home as much as possible. I don't know what it is about spring, but I get in the cleaning mood and have completely purged our home. I got rid probably about 20 garbage bags and boxes full of stuff. It was so bad, I got rid of stuff we shoulda gotten rid of before we moved to CA. It is so nice to have an organized place. Free of clutter and looking more and more like home every day.

Another love of mine just recently discovered is making my own bread. I caught up with a good friend, Karen, about a month ago, who told me at our next get-together, she was bringing "bread". okay. So Karen's bringing bread. LOL! I had no idea what kind of BREAD she was bringing. Anyway, she brought quite possibly the best bread I'd ever tasted--whole wheat and completely home-made. Hand-kneaded even. I was hooked and she told me how she buys her own wheat and has a grinder and everything. I learned that wheat in its whole form retains all its nutrients, but once ground, it loses 90% of its nutrients within 72 hours due to oxidation. So, it's safe to assume that the bread you buy at the store probably does not have all the nutrients of a loaf of bread made from FRESH ground wheat. So, Frank let me get a mill and a bucket of wheat (my mom went in with me on the cost), and now I make all our bread too! It is SO good and good for you. I will never go back. I am a believer. It's really not that much work either. You mix the bread ingredients, knead it for 10 minutes, let it rise 2-3 hours, and bake it. Basically you just have to be at home for 3 1/2 hours or so. Also, the wheat is too dense to use a regular bread machine to knead it, so must either buy an industrial mixer or do it by hand. Which is actually quite a work-out; I think I am building upper body strength. haha.

Anway, to help off-set the cost of the mill, and if you want to try to homemade bread, I am selling it by the loaf for $1.50. So let me know if you're interested.

Pics from the show