Not the fabric I meant to buy

The Chief and I took a day trip to Amish country on the way to a birthday party last weekend.  He wanted to look at furniture, I wanted to look for fabric for that cloak pattern I bought.  I did find some Christmas-red wool, but at $21 a yard, I decided to keep looking.  I wasn't really surprised to find that, this being quilt country, 99.99% of the fabric on offer was quilt fabric.  In one such shop, the Chief ran into Irene, a Mennonite quilt saleswoman par excellence.  She had him helping her peel back quilt after quilt in a big stack, told us the name of each pattern, pointed out all the features (different types of work, "every stitch sewn by hand") that made them special.  Funniest was that she kept warning us that if we didn't buy this or that quilt, someone else would.  She got to the Chief; we walked out of there with not just one but two quilts, when we weren't planning to buy any!  However, he did show his own shopping skills by asking if we could get a discount, since we were buying two quilts.  We didn't get the markdown he asked for, but we did get one.

We stopped at one last fabric store on our way to our hotel, where the Chief picked out some flannel for another pair of flannel lounge pants.  I also bought some lavender dotted cotton to use for the mock-up for my first Regency dress.  I figure if my maiden effort goes together reasonably well, I'll end up with two dresses - the practice model and the "real" one. :)

Getting a little ahead of myself

I'm already starting to costume myself for a Christmas caroling group I haven't even auditioned for yet, and which only asks women to provide a "Victorian" blouse.  I checked their website, decided they're going for a vaguely Dickensian look, and the hunt was on.

The first pattern I ordered, which arrived yesterday, was Folkwear #205, the Gibson Girl blouse:





I also ordered Butterick 5266, for the cloak.  I may or may not ever get around to making it, but if I want a mid-19th-century cloak, I've now got a pattern that will suit admirably.  (However, I'd probably change the closure to something a little less labor-intensive than all those tabs.)

 

But the purchase I'm most excited about is the one no one will see.  It's a corded petticoat (worn in the 1830s-50s, before the invention of the hoop, to make skirts stand out and achieve more of a bell shape), much of which is handsewn!  It just arrived today.  I'll need to add a small extender to the waist but that's a trivial adjustment, and MUCH quicker & easier than sewing one of these from scratch! Because it's used and has a couple of tiny spots near the waistband, the price was eminently reasonable.


Now all I have to do is come up with an audition recording to submit and hope my voice is what they're looking for.  If so, I'm already half dressed! :D

Amusing recipe instruction

The Chief sent me a link to a lamb dish that I plan to try sometime soon.  The recipe happens to includes prunes among its ingredients.  In reading over the directions (I'm learning to do that before diving in, to avoid starting something that's going to take a lot more time than I have), I saw this instruction:  "assess your prunes"!  They want you to see if they look a bit dried out, but the wording makes me chuckle, as if they're undergoing some sort of medical or other inspection.

Don't remind me!

The Chief happened to mention today that I should be hearing in the next 2 or 3 weeks whether the university accepted me.  I really could have done without the reminder, as it just makes the waiting that much harder. :(

"Bad singing day", but productive voice lesson

We worked on both my audition pieces today.  "Mandoline" was challenging because, despite warming up, the voice was working hard to do what I wanted.  Even putting it down a whole step didn't help.  "Vouchsafe, O Lord", which sits a little lower, wasn't quite as bad but still an effort.

However, I still managed to make some technical progress:  I suddenly consciously realized the difference in "feel" between the way I've been breathing and taking a proper breath, using my sides & back; and I actually felt how activating the zygomatic arch frees up my sound.  My teacher was pleased with what we accomplished technically, even if I was having what she called a "bad singing day".  It's always a good sign when your teacher lights up; means you're actually achieving what she's trying to get you to do. :)

Good for my ego

Got a Facebook message this afternoon from one of the women in the first production for which I did hair & make-up, nearly 2 years ago.  She's producing a play that'll run this fall and wanted to know if I'd design hair & make-up for it, or even audition for it (nine roles for women 40+!).  It's quite far - probably 25+ miles one way - but more importantly, it opens a week after Mattress does, so no way.  When I offered to send her names of other hair & make-up people, she said she was looking for an excuse to work with me again. Given that I didn't really work with the cast that much - came to a couple of rehearsals, then worked with them during Tech Week through Opening Night, then didn't show up again until strike - it is very good for my ego to realize that I managed to make such a good impression on at least one cast member. :)

A few notes on last Friday's concert

Last Friday I sang in a benefit concert that R organized.  Six women (5 singers and our VERY gifted accompanist), so R had all of us wear black dresses.  I had a great little vintage number, which I took to the run-through to get some opinions on which jewelry to wear with it.  Unfortunately, the zipper broke when I went to put it on.  I mean really broke - a few zipper teeth broke off.  Vintage, remember, and this was obviously the original zipper.  Yike!  I ran out and made an emergency purchase of a back-up LBD, in case the local dry cleaner's tailor couldn't replace the zipper in time.  Fortunately, the tailor came through for me (and replaced the silver zipper with a black one - even better!) so I could wear my smashing little vintage number.  Good thing, as my Plan B dress was the very same one R was wearing!

We had fun singing, the program had a good variety, and the audience seemed to enjoy it.  I was even sounded out afterward by someone prospecting for potential Ms. Senior (neighboring state) contestants!  I had a good chuckle over that - I NEVER considered entering a beauty contest!!!  The Chief thinks I should consider looking into our state's program once I hit 60 (the minimum eligible age).

Waiting...

Still waiting to hear about my university application.  The closer it gets to when I can first hope to hear, the harder it gets to wait.  In the meantime, I've already drafted a class schedule for Fall 2015 at the community college, just in case.  Eager, much? ;)

I'm also waiting for a choral acquaintance to get back from vacation.  He's got a recording studio in his basement and is willing to help me make my audition video.  Once he gets home, recovers from jetlag, and gets a chance to check his calendar, he'll give me some dates for a recording session.  Then I can work on lining up an audition accompanist.

So many things to juggle to make this happen!  I need to find out how long he needs to refine the video after the recording session - don't want to rush him to meet the application deadline!  I may want to schedule my rehearsal(s) with my accompanist fairly close to the recording date, to maximize the time I have to learn and polish my audition pieces, or maybe I should have two rehearsals, spaced a week or more apart, so I can work on any suggestions in at least one lesson before the 2nd rehearsal.  The timing of all these will determine how much time I really have to work on these pieces.  Gonna be a busy summer!

Tomatoes! Zucchini?

The Chief made sure I noticed last night that our 2 little cherry tomato plants have tiny little green tomatoes on them!  Fingers crossed that they'll produce like crazy!

The surviving zucchini plant is doing well, too.  I just hope I don't find out, oh, this fall that zucchini are supposed to be planted in pairs so they pollinate.  (Sister3 learned that last month when she bought blueberry plants at the farmers' market.)

Benefit concert

A theater friend has organized a small concert with silent auction as a fundraiser for a local charity.  She's invited me and a few other women she's performed with to sing and has lined up a wonderful accompanist as well.  She has asked all of us to wear black dresses so she can call this an LBD benefit.

We've had individual rehearsals with the accompanist, and we had a run-through yesterday with all of us.  The program has a very interesting assortment - broadway, opera, G&S, cabaret - lots of variety, well presented.  I just hope people come!  (I'm nervous about that only because I live far enough away from the church hosting the concert that none of my church choir, for example, would want to go.)

I'm a little sad about the line-up, only because my pieces (1 solo, 1 duet (from G&S' Patience), 1 trio ("Three Little Maids from School") are all in the first half.  Then no more singing for me!  However, there's plenty of great music to listen to; that'll have to console me. :)

I took my dress with me yesterday because I wanted some input on which jewelry to wear with it.  As I was putting it on, though, the zipper broke.  I mean, really broke, as in broken teeth!  (It's a lovely vintage dress and this is the original zipper.)  I plan to take it to the cleaner's tomorrow to see if their alterations person can replace the zipper by Friday.  The dress' bodice has a lot of shirring and a waist seam, though, so this would be even more problematic than a "normal" zipper replacement.  Yesterday I went out and bought a back-up dress.  Managed to find a Jones New York dress for just $20!  Not fancy, but it'll look great with pearls, so if I can't wear my first choice, I have a good back-up.

My husband, friend to turtles

The Chief & I were out at the cabin last week.  One day, as we were heading out to run some errands, we spotted something in the road.  Turned out to be a box turtle with its head stretched out toward the side of the road.  The Chief stopped and we waited while our reptilian friend made its way to the vegetation on the side of the road (more quickly than we expected).  Traffic coming the other way slowed to see why we were stopped.  One driver gave the Chief a thumbs-up when she realized why he was stopped.

We still wonder how that turtle is faring, hoping it hasn't encountered a less patient driver.

Free plants!

The newest addition to the garden - some hen-and-chicks.  The Chief & I set out for a walk - stopped at the post office to mail a few things, got coffee at the local "roasterie", and wandered about the neighborhood admiring people's gardens.  As we were a couple of blocks from home, we passed a woman pulling grass out of her rock garden.  She was also thinning the hen-and-chicks she'd planted there and offered us some.  We didn't have a bag, so I cupped my hands together and she filled 'em up.  I got them planted and am hoping they'll fill up some holes in the bed along the sidewalk so the weeds don't try to take over again.

Excellent judge of character?

... or too trusting for her mother's cardiac health?  The Chief and I sat across from a woman and her 2 little ones on the rental car shuttle on our way to the family graduations.  The 4-year-old, all curls & big eyes, was very chatty, which of course the Chief loved.  He didn't get to chat with her long, though, as it's only about a 5-minute ride.  Saturday afternoon, as I was waiting in line to board and the Chief was off searching for a restroom,  I spotted a familiar family.  Little Miss Curly-locks obviously recognized me, as she lit up and ran at me full tilt with her arms open wide for a hug!  Naturally, I couldn't disappoint the dear thing, though I quickly released her, not wanting to make her mother nervous.  The poor woman smiled a bit sheepishly and said "She's very friendly!"  I commented that the girl obviously recognized me from the rental car shuttle the week before, hoping to reassure Mom a little that I wasn't a complete stranger to her little girl.  That's a tough balancing act - you don't want your kids to be afraid to talk to people, but you don't want them to be too trusting, either.

That's this year's batch of family graduations

Three nephews are now graduated - congratulations, gentlemen!  V, I hope your freshman year will be a relatively smooth transition.  J, best of luck on your job hunt.  S, may your roll continue at your new institution in the fall.

First college graduation in the family

Today my godson received his B.A. (Classical languages), making him the first of that generation of our family to earn a college degree.  Beautiful day for it, despite a wind that sometimes had hats, gowns, etc., blowing wildly.  The keynote speaker gave an excellent commencement address, the transcript for which I hope will be available on line for future reference.  The ceremony closed with the singing of the alma mater, the cheer, and the fight song.  Great fun!

It was interesting to see what was the same as my graduation from the same institution, and what had changed (e.g., the fancy-schmancy electronic scoreboard, on which we saw J and his friend as they started into the procession).  I also couldn't help wondering what the commencement festivities are like at the institution where I hope to be enrolling this fall. :)

Had another nephew graduate from high school Thursday night.  He'll be attending his dad's alma mater in the fall - the other state university.  As I teased both him and his dad, I suppose someone needed to try to balance the distribution in the family. :D

The sparrows have figured it out!

A week after the Chief & I brought home the new bird feeder, the sparrows not only have it figured out, but seem to have claimed it as their own.  They're certainly the most frequent, and greediest, visitors.  The cardinals have stopped by to check out the feeder, but don't seem to stay long at all.  And the bird feeder seems to be making good on its claim to be squirrel-proof - the squirrels I've seen have contented themselves with eating what the birds drop on the ground.  Or maybe the sparrows have been "discouraging" the squirrels from poaching on the sparrows' territory... :)

The feeder holds 3 or 4 lbs. of birdseed.  The level wasn't moving much at all until last night; it's dropped quite a bit since then.  I wonder how long it would take the sparrows to empty it completely - if we go on vacation for a week, will the greedy little things empty the bird feeder long before we get back?

I was amused to see that a black bird in the raven/crow family had a different feeding technique than the sparrows, which park on one of the 4 perches and chow down.  This black bird would perch, take a piece, hop to the adjacent fence, and eat its morsel.  Then it would go back to the perch, take another piece, and go back to the fence to eat it.  It's taller than the sparrows, so the feeding hole is not at its beak level; maybe it's too awkward or uncomfortable to sit on the perch and eat.

Scenes from a busy day

Had a good day Wednesday, saw some interesting things:

• City employees planting coleus and begonies in beds at the foot of some city trees.  I was so busy examining the plants that I walked right past my destination, had to double back.
• On public transit 3 times; each time I saw more law enforcement personnel in mostly casual clothing (e.g., T-shirts or polo shirts with the logo of their unit) wearing badges with a black band.  Turned out there was a memorial service downtown for National Police Week.
• The usual array of characters - folks in T-shirts and shorts, or business suits, parents with kids of various ages, and the crazy lady (me!) juggling a tote bag (purse, book & water bottle), shopping bag, and bakery box with the results of my cooking class.  Yes, the baked goods arrived safely home. :)

Had a heckuva time figuring out how to get from the subway to my cooking class because the street exit dumped me two blocks away from where I thought it would.  It took me at least half an hour to find my way through and around the intervening mall (which was undergoing a lot of construction, which shut down at least one of the main exits) and the adjacent parking garage.

The pie class was so much fun!  Only 6 of us, and everyone had good questions so I learned a lot.  We also learned from seeing how the chef-instructor finessed an "oops" (the crust & ganache for the black-bottom banana cream pie took a header out of the freezer).  The resulting black-bottom banana pudding was delicious!  I like people-watching at that store - they get yuppies, military types, younger people, retirees (like me!), people who know exactly what they want, don't have a clue, or just want to browse the "toy store".

I got my hair cut quite short - a "summer cut".  It's the shortest I've worn it since, I think, my senior year in high school, short enough that it'll take a little getting used to, but I love it - so easy to take care of, and so cool!

The "Mattress" read-through was fun.  Only had about half the cast, but we got thru most of the dialogue & music to get a feel for the show.  This is gonna be fun!

This year's garden

I went off to the nursery on Mother's Day and came home with

• a red begonia and assorted portulaca for the "mailbox bed";
• 2 varieties of lavender for the corner of the house where the squash failed;
• coreopsis, rudbeckia and a "blanket flower" (gaillardia) for the now-sunny patch out front;
• a red geranium, white petunia & blue lobelia for the single railing planter;
• dianthus, lantana and phlox for the double railing planter (in reds, pinks & whites - it already looks like a valentine!);
• rosemary, basil and parsley; and
• two varieties of cherry tomato and a zucchini plant (fingers crossed that no squash borers find it!).

Yesterday the Chief & I went back to the nursery so he could pick out what he wants for the shed.  We got a dutchman's pipe for the trellis (nurseryman: "if you're really lucky, it'll attract pipevine swallowtails") and begonias and new guinea impatiens for the windowboxes.

I got most of these in the ground (or planter) today, and came into the house filthy from head to toe.  As I was getting ready for my post-garden shower, I had to laugh - I had a big smudge on my forehead that made it look as though I'd just been to church to get ashes! :D 

I got a lot done, but had to quit before I got the tomatoes, squash, and 4 of the 6 phlox plants in the ground.  Won't have time for that tomorrow (see earlier post), so that'll be Thursday's gardening project.  Gonna be fun!

A busy day in the life of a retiree

Taking advantage of having my weekdays open, I may have overdone things just a bit.  Tomorrow I have a haircut appointment at 11, a pastry class in a different part of town (accessible by public transit, fortunately!) from 2:30-4:30, and the first read-through for Once Upon a Mattress at 7:30.  I'm looking forward to all of these, and they aren't scheduled so close together that I'll be lucky not to be late, but they're sufficiently scattered geographically that I know I'll be oh, so happy to get out of my car for good when I get home after the read-through.

Happy 10th anniversary to me (a bit late)

I've now had my blog for 10 years as of last month - April 11th, 2005, saw my first-ever blog post.  I don't cover certain topics (I try to avoid politics, for example) but if you're interested in theater, gardening, or cooking, I hope you've been at least mildly entertained.

Since playing Pitti-Sing, my first lead, I've done 2 more G&S leads (Ruth in Pirates of Penzance and Dame Carruthers in The Yeomen of the Guard) and nice, meaty roles in several plays (biggest were Sara Lee Turnover in Daddy's Dyin', Who's Got the Will? and Veta Louise Simmons in Harvey).  I'm still taking voice lessons and working on my technique, and am now looking to become a Theater major this fall and a Voice major next fall.

The Chief and I still have the cabin and are looking forward to longer, mid-week trips there now that I'm retired.  I also have spent a larger percentage of time in the kitchen trying new recipes.  My issues of Cook's Country will now get a closer reading. :)  Today I spent well over 3 hours out in the garden planting most of the flowers we bought yesterday and Sunday.  So lovely to have the whole week for that, not just Saturdays & Sundays!

Grocery shopping a deux

Tomorrow the Chief & I are going grocery shopping together.  This will be interesting; this has been primarily his purview since he retired over 6 years ago, though I retained primary responsibility for drawing up the grocery list.  He has proposed dividing the list, taking opposite sides of the commissary, so we can get outta there that much sooner.  All well and good, but I suspect he'll finish first, being more familiar with the commissary's layout.  I'm not really worried, though; we came to an understanding about packing suitcases, we'll work this one out too. :)

My next show - "Once Upon a Mattress"

This audition round was a tough one - I went into it Monday night with a touch of laryngitis (thank you so much, tree pollen!), started my monologue and drew a blank just 1 or 2 lines into it.  But I managed to sing decently, and pulled off my monologue when I restarted.  The dance combo was a short, very easy one - just 3 sets of 8.  I obviously didn't do badly, as I was called back the next night.  I was one of seven candidates for Queen Aggravain, and I know at least 2 of the "competition" are strong performers, so I wasn't exactly surprised when I didn't get the role.  I didn't get cast as any of the named ladies in waiting, either, presumably because those went to young women.  'S OK; I'll have fun in the ensemble, and I've already offered my assistance to the costumer.

"So long, it's been good to know ya"

That's it - I'm now retired!  ID handed in, IT with instructions to turn off my accounts tonight, and done!  I was all smiles right up to the second I dropped my badge in the box on the way out and blew the building a goodbye kiss; suddenly I got all teary - quite surprised me!  I suppose it shouldn't have, given that I've worked there since graduating from college, and I do tend to get sentimental.  I just wonder how long it'll take for it to sink in that I'm not just on vacation, that I'm actually retired and not going back.

My immediate plans are pretty basic - I really need to dig into the library/sewing room/music room/junk room and try to make some order out of chaos.  I'll start that next week.  I've reached out to a couple of organizations to volunteer, and of course I plan to start back to school in late August.  I'll probably start with a light schedule, just 12 hours, while I learn a new way to study.  Oh, and I've got an audition Monday night - wish me luck! :)

My last week!

Hard to believe that tomorrow starts my LAST week of work!  And it won't be a terribly productive one.  A coworker is also retiring at the end of the week, so the office has planned a luncheon for him on Tuesday, one for me on Wednesday, and an open house for both of us on Thursday.  Friday I'll have an exit interview, take one last pass thru the office to say my farewells, stop by the "corporate massage" vendor to have a few knots untied, then leave my ID at the door on the way out.

It's been a good ride.  Not without its bumps, of course, but on the whole, a good trip.  Will I miss it?  Sure - I had fun.  But boy, am I looking forward to going back to school and turning myself loose in the candy store they call the Performing Arts Center! :D

Sometimes the waiting is easy; sometimes it isn't

I've been busy enough at work (this will be my LAST week!) that I haven't had time to think about waiting to hear about my school admission.  Tonight, though, the Chief & I had dinner at a favorite place on the edge of campus.  Naturally, that reminded me.  I won't hear about my admission until July and the School of Music won't take applications for Fall '16 until August, so I've got a few months of waiting ahead of me.  I'm really hoping I get cast in the show I'm auditioning for next week, if only because learning music & lines (if I get Queen Aggravain) will keep me plenty busy well into the summer.

Voice is better, but definitely still feeling the pollen

Church this morning wasn't quite as bad as last week.  I had another chance at the responsorial I was supposed to lead last week.  Then, I could tell by the 2nd note that my voice was too far gone; today I got all the way to the verse before I realized I'd have to have someone else take it.  Still no power, and my lower register is unpredictable.  The passaggio notes are mostly still shot, and there's a band of notes on either side that are "cats", not "dogs" - in other words, they come and go as they please, instead of doing what I tell them to do.  And it doesn't take much talking for me to feel my voice going hoarse and my throat getting achey.

My voice teacher told me to let her know tomorrow evening how I'm doing; that would determine whether I have to cancel this week's lesson.

Just signed up for my first daytime thing!

One of the obvious perks of retirement is being able to do fun stuff during a weekday, not just evenings and weekends.  I just signed up for an afternoon pie class.  I'll get to spend a couple of hours playing in the cookware store's teaching kitchen and be home in plenty of time for dinner.  Gotta love it!

We have candidates.

At last week's lesson we finally selected three pieces for my School of Music auditions.  Two are 17th century pieces, one each in English (Purcell) and Italian (Cesti).  The other is a 19th-century French chanson by Faure.  Current plan, which is very much subject to change, is to do the Purcell and Faure for the recorded audition, then swap the Cesti for the Purcell for the live audition.  Now the work begins in earnest - memorization, learning to pronounce the Italian, mastering the timing in the Purcell, making sure I understand the French & Italian texts, and working all of it into the voice.  That's a lot to do, so it's a good thing the audition recording isn't due until Nov. 1st.

And there goes the voice...

My annual pollen-induced laryngitis started today.  I was fine until I walked out the front door this morning and made the mistake of breathing.  Warming up in the shower was no worse than it ever is first thing in the morning, but on the way to church I could tell I was in trouble.  We went over a couple of things that are usually fun but today were a lot of work, and my passagio was a mess.  I was supposed to lead the responsorial, but just one measure into it I could tell that wasn't gonna happen, so someone else had to take it.  Good thing we're blessed with so many good singers, across all voice parts; we all have at least one person who can cover for us in a pinch, even if not in the same octave.

My poor vocal cords are so swollen I broke down and took some ibuprofen for them.  Which helped, but I still sound like I have a lower respiratory infection.  (Which I suppose I do, in a way.) I've already canceled this week's voice lesson, since tree pollen season lasts rather longer than a day.  I just hope it ends SOON - I hate having to cancel a voice lesson with a theater audition coming up in a couple of weeks and School of Music audition pieces to learn and work up.  I'm also supposed to be the national anthem soloist at a retirement ceremony at work in about 10 days - I really need to be able to sing by then!

April fool!

Mother Nature had her little April fool's joke on us yesterday.  We all had to scrape ice off our windshields before going to work.

Voice lesson in which all I did was talk

I came down w/ a cold over the weekend so a voice lesson seemed a bit pointless today.  However, given that I want to start preparing soonest for my School of Music audition, I didn't want to lose a week, so my teacher & I ended up doing a Skype lesson.  Saved me an extended drive in rush-hour traffic, and she didn't have to be exposed to my germs in the run-up to Easter.  I told her what I'd learned about the Music program yesterday, and we discussed possible audition pieces.  She gave me the name of a studio where I can get my audition recorded so I can call about pricing, and also the names of two recent students who used the same accompanist for their auditions.  I'm hoping one or both will respond shortly with contact info so I can find out what he charges and get a rough idea of when he'd be available. (My own availability will depend on my class schedule this fall, which I obviously won't know until late August.)

Current goals for the audition:
- learn and polish 4 audition pieces: 2 for the video audition, and 2 to have available for the live audition;
- between now and fall, work on 2 or 3 songs from the 26 Italian Art Songs book to add to the "significant solo repertoire" list I'm supposed to submit with my SOM application
- keep reminding myself that the other applicants are high school students, who haven't been taking voice or performing as long as I have. Heck, they weren't even alive when I started this stuff! :D

Wow. Just, wow.

After touring the music & theater departments and seeing the spectacular performing arts facility they have access to, I was ready to start classes right that red-hot second!  However, I restrained myself and waited until tonight to submit my application.  Now to sit back, cross my fingers, and wait for the emails to go out sometime in early July.

Back-to-school update

Tomorrow I'm going to school instead of work - I have appointments with people in the Music & Theater depts.  I'm finishing up my list of major questions, and I'm sure I'll think of more as I talk to them.  I just hope the predicted rain ends before I finish my first appointment so I'm not schlepping across campus in the rain.

Last night I sent out the first draft of my essay to family & friends who've recently had kids go through that ritual.  Waiting to hear what typos they catch for me and whether they have any editorial suggestions.  Most of them are church musicians, so Palm Sunday is a busy day for them.  Maybe I'll start getting responses tomorrow...

Winter's going down fighting

This winter flatly refuses to yield easily to spring.  Yesterday's highs were only in the high 30s, and we even had a lot of snow flurries.  This morning it's only 29 degrees - brrr!  So much for wearing a skirt to church for Palm Sunday.

Tryng to get the Regency project back on track

Someone on Facebook posted a link to a blog post giving a checklist for a complete Regency outfit.  I commented on FB that I'd love to put such an outfit together but needed a set of long stays.  The costumer for Daddy's Dyin' sawmy comment and shot her hand up, saying she'd love to try it.  She admits she's never made stays but if I'm willing to "tolerate [her] learning curve", she'll be happy to have a go.  Tomorrow I'll probably go over to her house w/ my pattern & busk and let her take a first batch of measurements.  I have no clue how long this will take - she wants to make a first draft in muslin while she learns the techniques - but maybe I'll have stays that actually fit me by Christmas.  I can finish the chemise while J is making the stays.  Once I have the stays, I'll be able to start on the dress.

This project is taking a whole lot longer than anticipated, but finding someone willing to make those stays was probably my biggest hurdle.  Done!

I don't feel like a high school senior and yet...

I'm taking Monday off work so I can go to campus and get Music and Theater tours and visits.  Between the two appointments, I'll probably stop into the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for a little chat, then see what lunch options are available at the student union.  Tonight I started working on a first draft of my college essay.  Funny, I don't feel like a high school senior, yet here I am with essays, applications and campus visits.

Slow, incremental progress on the college application front

Today I got an email from the U School of Music (SoM) responding to all my questions about the audition pieces.  That  information and a few music books (one each of arias, oratorios and chansons) will go with me to tomorrow's music lesson.  We might not get a lot of singing done, but identifying audition candidates is every bit as important right now.  Once we have the finalists, then we can start working them into shape for my audition recording.

I left a voice mail asking about scheduling a SoM visit and also put it in my response to the SoM's email about audition selections.  I noted I'd like to schedule something soon and listed several dates, starting this Thursday.  Me, eager?  Whatever gave you that impression?!? :D

Ideally, I'll be able to schedule the Music and Theater visits for the same day so I'll only have to take one day off work.  (I can't bear to wait until after my May 1st retirement date.)

I just sent off requests for letters of recommendation:  one to a favorite director, for the Undergraduate Admissions folks; the other to K,  a former voice teacher and another favorite director, for the SoM.  K responded immediately with an "Absolutely!"  I'll ask my current voice teacher, C, to write the second SoM letter; C and K would be my "dream team", as one can give the current state of vocal affairs, while the other can address how I've grown vocally in the 15+ years since I first started taking with her.

The one thing tempering my enthusiasm is the language used to describe the application requirements.  It sounds a bit intimidating:

All undergraduate applicants should submit a repertoire list, showing the most significant solo repertoire you have studied for your primary instrument or voice. Please include technical studies where appropriate (Include both title and composer.)  From memory: Two contrasting songs chosen from solo vocal literature (songs or arias of composers such as Gluck, Handel, Purcell, Mozart, Schubert, Faure, Barber, or Rorem). Musical theater songs or self-accompanied “pop” songs are not acceptable for the prescreen recording or a live audition.

Bouncing with excitement - now if only the SoM would reopen the online application for Fall 2016 so I can get started... :D

Seeking mezzo role models

After finding that Stephanie Blythe youtube video, I've decided to start a "mezzo file".  Doesn't have to be opera - e.g., Karen Carpenter moved effortlessly & seamlessly between her head & chest voices, and I've loved Annie Lennox' voice from the first time I heard it.  Denyce Graves is gonna be on that list, Joyce Didonato, at least one local diva - I'm on the hunt! :)

This week's plan

I learned last week that, because I already have a B.A., U considers me a transfer student and the application deadline for transfer students isn't until June 1st., so I still have a chance at getting in for this fall.  I still have to apply, of course, and hope there are slots left, but that gives me time to write a 300-word essay designed to convince them they want me as a student, submit my application, and have my first U send a transcript.  I'm not required to submit a letter of recommendation but may have someone write one anyway, and I will definitely send them a copy of my community theater resume.  I hope to get at least a first draft of the essay written by the end of the week, then polish it over the weekend, add it to my application, and submit it.  One thing they want for the application may not apply to me, given the passage of time:  do they really need my high school GPA, which is decades old?

This week I plan to contact the Music and Theater depts. to schedule tours and a chat with someone in each program.  Among the list of questions I'm compiling is what my Plan B should be if I don't get accepted for the fall semester - what I could take at the community college level that would transfer.

Going back to SCHOOL!!!!

I'm getting really excited about this fall.  I've missed the application deadline for the university, so I've already applied to the community college.  This week, the plan is to do my first year at CC (cheaper, and I don't have to wait until next year), then transfer to "uni", as they call it in the UK.  

I want to double-major in Music and Theater.  U's School of Music application deadline is Nov. 1st.  That gives me a good 6 months to choose and polish two audition pieces, record them, and send in my pre-screen audition recording with the rest of my application materials.  I should find out in December whether they'll let me do a live audition in January.  It won't be until February or March of next year that I find out whether U will support my double-major plan, or make me settle for a BA in Theater and an AA in Music.

U is on spring break this week, so I have to wait until Monday before I can call them to schedule a tour and a meeting with an advisor from the Music School.  I'm hoping to be able to schedule something similar with the Theater Dept. the same day.  This weekend I want to figure out CC's in-house email system so I can arrange to see an advisor about the Fall and my grand plan.  

Oh, and I have to figure out how to open the transcript my first U sent me.  Right now it's just sitting there, saying "Your Adobe reader isn't good enough for something as important as I am."  I'm not too worried yet; CC has already waived all the gen.ed. requirements for me, so I can get straight to meaty stuff like Intro to Stage Make-Up and Movement for Actors.  (This CC's Music offerings aren't nearly as enticing as those in the Theater Dept.)

This is so exciting - I'm really looking forward to sinking my teeth into things like Costume Construction, class piano, and Stage Rigging!  I'll even have access to real practice rooms, instead of my library cum sewing room cum storage room cum practice room.

Just imagine - after all these years of theatrical OJT, I'll finally get some actual training! :D

A chest/head mastery to emulate

I just came across this video embedded in a silly FB meme.  Not particularly interested in the meme, but this video I'm definitely going to watch a few more times.  Stephanie Blythe's got a facile, seamless shift between head and chest voice, and every note sounds wonderful and seems effortless.  I gotta start collecting some mezzo divas as research - Stephanie Blythe, Joyce Didonato, Denyce Graves...

My first roasted squash

Today I roasted butternut squash for the first time, instead of baking it as I always have.  Can't decide whether to use it for soup and see how it compares with the baked/pureed version, or just dive in with a fork!

Not how I planned to learn more about the neighbor

I used up some chicken and made a pot of soup that turned out to make a LOT more than the two of us can eat before it goes bad, so last night I decanted some of it into containers to give away.  Turns out one of our new neighbors is vegetarian - oops!  Guess it'll have to wait in the freezer until his wife comes home from a trip.

Snow day agenda

As I was hoping, we've got a snow day today.  (Hard to fathom that the SAME storm extends from Texas all the way to the mid-Atlantic!)  I've got plenty to fill the time: repair the fur coat Veta Louise Simmons wears in much of Harvey, review my script a few more times (tonight's line run is cancelled), do closing-night thank you notes for cast and crew - and that's just the Harvey-related list.

Dodged a bullet!

Today was the first day of a 2-day conference about 30 miles from home.  I opted to drive myself rather than go into work (in the opposite direction) and drive to the conference with colleagues, which would have added at least 90 minutes to the day's commute.  The forecast for this afternoon was ominous - the dreaded "wintry mix" of some combination of sleet and freezing rain.  The last time I did this sorta thing, I ended up spending the night at a nearby hotel rather than risk sliding into a ditch or another vehicle.  With that in mind, I took an overnight bag with me when I set out this morning.  To my great relief, it was barely raining on the way home tonight.  It was a long drive (nearly 2 hours, vs. 1 hour to get there this morning), but I made it home without incident and got to dine with my theater widower on homemade turkey soup.

"I'm forever blowing bubbles..."

My voice teacher trotted out a new exercise this week.  She had me take a cup with a little water in it, along with a straw, and blow bubbles while humming up and down a fifth.  The point is to try to keep the air pressure consistent instead of letting it ebb and flow.  Not quite as easy as it sounds, but it sure does make you realize whether you're sustaining an even, level air flow.

That's one recipe we *won't* be using again.

Tried a recipe for Chicken Tangier from my new slow-cooker cookbook.  Made a half batch at the full time, which resulted in rather dried-out chicken.  That's not a deal-breaker, but the ingredients (olives, prunes, capers, et al.) combined to give the whole a flavor neither one of us much cared for.  Good thing it was only a half batch. That recipe's getting a "don't make this one again" note. :(

I called it!

As I predicted last May, the costumer for The Arabian Nights was one of 5 nominees for Outstanding Costume Design in a Play.  Hurray!  I knew the adjudicators would recognize her expertise.  I mean really - don't they look wonderful?

As a result of the halo effect, I was nominated for both hair (5 nominees) and make-up design (6 nominees) for the same show.  Thanks, L!  Now I only wish I'd gotten close-ups of reach of "my" actors in their glory.

Really enjoying this rehearsal process so far.

Enjoying Harvey rehearsals so far.  One entertaining bit is the 10-month-old offspring of the couple playing Dr. Sanderson & Nurse Kelly.  First because said child is adorable and tolerates rehearsals amazingly well, possibly because Daddy is a high school drama teacher and Mommy techs so she's used to it.  She has also been a good sport about playing Harvey once or twice, perched on Daddy's shoulders to get the height correct.

We've got some great talent in the cast - our Elwood is very endearing.  (And already starting to get off book, darn it; I'm still stuck w/ my nose in my script. )  Even the people in the 3 or 4 cameo roles are stand-outs - I'll really have to bring my best game not to be shown up!

I'm loving this director's process.  She stops repeatedly, coaching the actors on posture, vocal levels, or phrasing to punch up the comedy or point up a relationship. She also asks us to try things, acknowledging that "I may not like it, but I want to see how it works."  Last night she gave me a very different way to deliver one small speech, changing the emphasis and adding some physicality. The first way was good, but the new way is even funnier so she's keeping it.  Now I just need to drill my vocal levels and where I step up as I build through that speech. Fun stuff!

Tried *four* new recipes yesterday!

Yesterday I made a tiny dent in my enormous backlog of recipes I want to try.

1. For breakfast I made eggs in portabella mushroom caps.  "Oil & broil" the caps for 5-10 mins (best to remove the stems first).  Then crack an egg into each mushroom, season if you like, sprinkle a little parmagiana or other cheese on top if you're so inclined.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, and you're set!  If you go for the shorter cooking time, might want to have some bread or something handy to soak up the egg yolk and mushroom juice.
2. I made a "Yankee pot roast & vegetables" recipe from a cookbook I picked up last week of slimmed-down slow cooker recipes.  That'll be dinner tonight.
3. We tried rabbit again, this time using a recipe from the Chief's old Doubleday cookbook.  It wasn't bad, but it wasn't worth the work.  And with rabbit costing $6.59/lb, we won't make it again.
4. As a side dish, I fixed a Loaded Cauliflower Mash Bake.  I will definitely be making this again!  You boil a head of cauliflower and a few cloves of garlic until the cauliflower is pretty much mush.  Drain it, then puree.  Add 1/3 c. of  buttermilk (I substituted non-fat plain Greek yogurt, which I'm far more likely to use), 1 Tbsp of butter, salt & pepper to taste.  Pour into an 8"x8" baking dish, top with 1/4 c. shredded cheddar and 4 strips of crisp bacon, crumbled, and bake at 350 degrees F for 5 or 10 minutes (enough to melt the cheese).  I tasted this while I was pureeing it and think it would be just as good without the cheese or bacon because the yogurt gave it such a good zing - think sour cream.  If you think cauliflower is boring, you gotta try this!

More experiments in the kitchen

Tonight I finally roasted the duck that would have been dinner a few days ago if the Chief hadn't been sick.  I'd forgotten how very much fat there is on a waterfowl, which means not a lot of meat and a very high fat-to-drippings ratio.  A 5-lb duck fed 3 people with enough meat for one more.  However, we decided to leave the remaining meat on the carcass, which is now duck soup.  I'll skim the fat off tomorrow and see how we like the results.

I also tried my hand at roasting beets, after having a wonderful "harvest salad" for lunch last week that had roasted beets and butternut squash on it.  (It also had "baby kale", a very nice soft goat cheese and grilled chicken.  It was SO good!)  The beets took a lot longer to cook than I'd expected - well over an hour, so they didn't make it onto the dinner menu as I'd planned. Between cooking and peeling them, they ended up going into the fridge, where they'll wait until dinner tomorrow night.  That's when I'll learn how they turned out.

When I retire, I'll have to find a soup kitchen or some such place that wants cooks - there are so many recipes and things I want to make, and just two of us at home to eat all my experiments.  The Chief and I were watching the Great British Baking Show tonight - dangerous, because it gives me so many more things I want to try in the kitchen.

I've done rather a lot of feeding people the past week or so - made three different "meals on wheels" runs to ailing friends down with one thing and another.  It reminded that I miss cooking for more than two.  Yep, I completely see myself feeding people once I retire.  :)

Change of New Year's Day brunch menu

The Chief's stomach started rumbling a bit last night night and he woke up this morning with a stomach bug, poor thing.  We had planned to have a nice, hot brunch to start the new year.  Instead, he's "feasting" on tea and plain bread.  (Turns out the grocery store had a "take and bake" loaf that's actually pretty good.)

Oh well; if he starts the year sick, it's gotta get better, right?

February show

Turns out I'll be doing Harvey.  I get to play Veta Louise Simmons, sister to Elwood P. Dowd (played by Jimmy Stewart in the movie version).  I get to play ditzy, with dashes of hysteria and steel thrown in for spice - this is gonna be fun!

Goodbye, 2014

2014 has hardly been the worst year of my life - I finally sang a principal role with a company I'd worked in the ensemble with for years.  (Now if only I'd been more ready for that opportunity...)  I also got to spend the year laying a good, solid vocal foundation with my new voice teacher.  Designing hair and make-up for The Arabian Nights was a blast - very talented cast, who were willing to go where I pushed them, and the crew were equally talented.  The new neighbors who bought our late, lamented neighbor's house bid fair to become friends, which is always good news.  We learned at Christmas that two nephews will be receiving degrees in May, and that there's other good news due in late summer or early fall.

We also buried a neighbor, a church friend, and a former stage-manager friend, and Dad's health continues to decline.  I know I should focus on the good, but losing loved ones, or watching them hurt, definitely casts a pall on things.

C'mon, 2015 - you can do better than 2014.

How on earth did I manage that?!

Yesterday I got home from a week spent with family.  The Chief and I stayed in a hotel, which meant eating out a lot.  (We did have a supply of cereal, milk and bananas in the room, so at least breakfast was reasonably healthy.)  And of course we ate the usual holiday fare, though perhaps not quite as much as usual because the food was at Sister3's house and we were at that hotel.  Still, I ate nearly all my WW points and was very sedentary.  Despite all that, I actually managed to lose weight!  The last time that happened, I had two wisdom teeth extracted a few days before Christmas and couldn't chew much of the holiday food.

Big year ahead

When I go back to work next week, I'll contact my HR rep and start talking seriously about starting my retirement paperwork!  I'm actually looking at setting a last day at work; currently May 1st.  I've been working for the same company (though in many different capacities) for over 35 years -  I can't believe this "retirement" thing is soon to become something more than an abstraction, a "someday, when I retire..."

The Chief has already started teasing me about accompanying him when he drives out to the Midwest for family functions.  "We can bond in the car, and sing camp songs!"  He didn't object or protest when I responded "And I can teach you some G&S so we can sing duets!" (he insists he can't sing; he can, he just doesn't wanna), so I'm not sure how serious he is about those camp songs. :D

My list of "when I retire" things is very ambitious, as it includes:

• taking piano lessons (I don't play a note, but would like to learn at least enough to plunk out new songs I want to learn);
• taking music classes, maybe even getting a degree - voice lessons haven't taught me music theory, for instance;
• volunteering - SO many desperately deserving causes!
• auditioning for a local community theater company which has a very heavy performance schedule - up to 6 nights a week!

I'll also continue to do community theater, in addition to the odd costuming, hair & make-up assistance, for which I may have more time (if I'm not practicing scales or serving food at a soup kitchen or traveling with the Chief). 

The Chief is looking forward to my retirement because I'll then be able to take back grocery-shopping duty, which he took over when he retired 6 years ago.  I tease him that he'll miss out on seeing all the babies shopping with their parents; apparently that's a sacrifice he's willing to make. :)

Crazy vocalist tricks

I sometimes tease my voice teacher about the tricks and exercises she has me do in order to achieve

various goals - releasing tension, improving breath control, changing voice placement or what-have-you.  Some that come to mind off the top of my head:

- sticking my tongue out as I sing vocal exercises (vocalises);

- singing vocalises while holding a drinking straw crosswise under my tongue;

- singing vocalises while holding the straw in my teeth but in front of my tongue;

- dancing around "like a ballerina" while singing whatever piece we're working on at the time;

- draping myself, stomach down, over an exercise ball and rocking on it while singing vocalises;

- thumping myself on the chest while singing vocalises.

Pretty wacky stuff sometimes, but we have fun with the silliness.  Better, it's working - I'm releasing vocal tension, improving my sound, boosting my breath support, and generally singing better than ever.  Still much room for improvement, of course, but I'm feeling a lot better about how I'm singing.

One more crack at a February show

I learned last night that the group I did "Guys and Dolls" with a couple of years ago is holding auditions for "Harvey" this coming week.  Gotta do a little homework and see if it has any roles for middle-aged women.  It's not a musical, of course, but it is a chance to be on stage, and it should be fun.

Sewing again

A local chorus is doing a Messiah sing-along this Sunday as a benefit. They're using our church as the venue so they've invited our choristers to join them and I'm one of those who are taking them up on the offer.  I managed to get to their last rehearsal Monday night (SO much fun singing those choruses!), where it was announced that dress code for the women is a full-length black skirt and long-sleeved red blouse.  No blouses of any color in my closet, but it seems my red turtleneck will do.  The "wardrobe mistress" (the woman making the dress code announcement) looked pained when I told her my longest black skirt is only boot-length but gave her grudging approval.  

I used that as an excuse to swing by the fabric store after work this afternoon (yes, I braved a mall on Black Friday and lived!) and buy a simple skirt pattern and some fabric.  I went with a black short-nap velour.  The panne velvet was a bit flashier than I really wanted for a "uniform", and the woven solids were either too shiny/sparkly or too dull-looking.  Well, there was that one floral jacquard, but it wasn't one of the sale fabrics.

I cut everything out tonight - easy when it's only 3 pieces.  I plan to put it together tomorrow and see if I can dragoon, er, beg someone to pin the hem for me.  It suddenly occurs to me that I should have cut it so I can add pockets - argh!  Maybe I can fudge the seam allowance a little...

"Break-through moment"

That's what my voice teacher called it.  We'd been working on the Schubert "Ave Maria" and she gave me a visualization trick to try.  I noticed the difference immediately - I could feel the sound acquire "spin" or resonance, and it wasn't as much work to produce it.  I've been taking voice lessons for years but there's still so much to master!

Yes, this singing stuff can be hard work: supporting the breath fully instead of "under-singing"; sustaining that support all the way through a phrase, then an entire piece; enunciating properly; focusing the sound and keeping it forward in the mouth (mine keeps wanting to head for the back of my throat); conveying the message and emotion of the piece; and not frowning in concentration while I try to keep all that going!  Seemingly little things like that visualization trick can mean a lot when you feel you've just bumped up a level - encourages you to keep at it.  Now if I could just get someone to hire me to sing at their wedding or something... :)

Sad duty

A friend's mom called last Sunday to let us know that she'd died the week before.  R asked me to pass the word to other members of the theater company for which P had been stage manager for so many years.  I spent a few hours on the phone over the next couple of nights calling people and reminiscing, as well as on line with strangers (to me) who'd gone to school with her.  It seemed odd to be the one to tell these people what little I knew, though at least I was able to let them know they hadn't missed the funeral.  Yesterday R called me, upset because the church's music director hasn't gotten back to her yet and she wanted to be able to do the funeral program. I offered to help, though I turned out my services weren't required; the music director called R last night.  The music director apparently planned to call me, though I haven't heard from her yet.  Doesn't help that I left my phone at home when I left for the theater this evening. :(

No audition after all

Turns out the group I was going to audition for this week is an employee club, and they only take "guests" if they can't cast the show from within.  At least I learned this before I headed out.  I was just as glad to stay home that night; I hadn't slept much the night before and was exhausted.

The house smells delicious!

A colleague and I were talking food yesterday and he told me about the chicken stew he'd made the night before.  It sounded so good that I got some details, added the necessary items to the grocery list, and today I put together my own batch.  Chicken thighs (minus skin and most of the fat), half a pound of baby bellas, onion, garlic, a sweet potato, a coupla little red potatoes, some fresh oregano and parsley from our yard, a little vegetable broth and a few sprinkles of poultry seasoning.  Eight hours in the crockpot could be torture - that wait seems like forever when the house smells so wonderful!  At least we have a wonderful dinner to look forward to tomorrow, or maybe lunch.  Or even breakfast...

One more chance

I just learned of another company holding auditions next week, this time for a musical.  Only one mezzo role, and I don't know how large their ensemble will be, but hope springs eternal.  I've already alerted my voice teacher that I want to work on audition pieces again this week, especially as this group wants to hear two short, contrasting pieces.  Tomorrow I'll have to dig through audition pieces I've known and loved and pick some candidates to take to my lesson.  

I've missed my lesson the past two weeks thanks to rehearsals, so that's all the more reason to look forward to it.  My choir sang a funeral this morning and one of the pieces the family requested was the Schubert "Ave Maria".  Not only did it prompt me to think a bit about the music I want for my own funeral, but it also reminded me that I need to memorize the Ave Maria so I'll be ready should someone ask me for it on short notice.

0 for 3

Turns out I wasn't cast in the show I auditioned for Monday, so I'm 0 for 3 in auditioning for February shows.  I offered to tech for this one; we'll see if they take me up on the offer.  Now to see what shows will be playing later in the spring that have roles I might be considered for.

Busy coupla theater weeks!

Last week I had rehearsals Monday thru Thursday.  Friday TW and I went to opening night for the production of Addams Family that I'd been called back for.  Saturday I took apart my Act I dress so I could move up the skirt and take the dress in at the waist.  Saturday night - rehearsal.  Yesterday I reassembled the dress, then had an audition that night.  Tonight - another audition, then came home and hemmed the dress.  (Now it just needs a self belt, but that can wait.). Tomorrow and Wednesday are our final rehearsals for "Death Takes a Holiday", and we open this Friday!  Whew!

Now that's prompt!

I had an audition last night; tonight was the second night of auditions.  I got an email at 10 tonight letting me know I wasn't cast.  That has to be a record for notifying people!  They must be working from Rose Maybud's etiquette book - "Leave no one in undue suspense."

1930s sewing project

I'm in rehearsal for a play that takes place in the early 1930s.  In a fit of over-optimistic ambition, I told the producer I'd make my own Act I dress.  I bought pattern T3412 (costumedeeva, on eBay), started a muslin work-up, and found that the pattern is, of course, not nearly as busty as I am. :(  Last night I sent out an SOS to a pair of costume goddesses it's been my privilege to work for on one show and another.  To my delight, the goddess coming to my rescue is the one who has her own pattern line for one of the Big4!  I'll be heading over to her place Saturday morning, dragging my muslin and pattern, and the only payment she'll accept is to allow her to blog about the fitting process.  I'm excited - not only will I be guaranteed a good fit, but I get to provide material for her bog, which I've enjoyed since she started it.

Bought my dress fabric this afternoon; I hope A will approve of my choice. :)

Maybe I should play the lottery...

This afternoon I went shopping for a few cold-weather tops for a "go bag".  Went in, picked 3 to try on, bought all 3 .  I *never* get that lucky with fit and colors!  Spent a little more than I'd hoped, but I checked a box and got outta there in no time at all.