Sunday, December 30, 2007

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Christmas Wishes

Hi there!

Yes, Christmas has been lovely. Rolf's been lovely. I tell you, a blog where I write just how ugly *both* of us can be has caused him to be more mindful of his behavior. It ain't perfect, but we're getting along very well. And that trip to Italy made me realize that I need to be close to him, or else we fall apart. But the blog was more fun to write when I was writing about his bad behavior. I need some thoughts on my blog. I write if for memories and therapy, but I don't know how it's going.

Anyway, anyway. I didn't make it into *The Secret Garden*. That hurt. I think I may sign up for another class at the Conservatory. It's been a while, and I don't have much else to do anyway. My next class is Improvisation. Once I've completed that I can go on and finish the program. (The Improv. class is remedial training.) And I got a bonus from work this year, hard to believe;that will pay for it.

We've still got the house in Richmond, currently with no kitchen and no bathroom. That was a huge mistake, buying that. But Rolf and Towmy were going to rehab it and sell it in three months - I didn't think I'd be dragged into it. I'm afraid that I may be dragged to bankruptcy if they don't get their shit together. {sigh}

Other than that, things are about the same. It's been a happy time.

How about you? What's up?

With best wishes for a Happy New Year!
Vig

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Monday, December 24, 2007

Another year over, another just begun

So this is Christmas . . .

{sigh}

I'm at work until noon - then rush rush rush to get the presents wrapped, fresh pasta made, pack and get to Woodbridge for Church, Dinner, and present exchange with the folks. I made the pasta sauce yesterday, as well as butternut squash creme brule`, and roasted tomatoes. Now I need to prep the green beans and make fresh pasta for ten. And I still have to wrap the presents! Why am I at work!?

Rolf has been a doll. He finds great humor in my tendency to choke and cry during Christmas. Oh, it's so humiliating. We went to the First Baptist Church of Washington DC yesterday. I try to sing the Chrismas Carols and just choke and fight to breathe and not sob; it is so weird! I made it through and was able to sing most of the songs. The service was wonderful; I call the pastor "Dr. Rev. Hottie". It's a rather Episcopalian service, but they swear they are Baptists.

After church, Rolf and I went to the newly renovated Annie's Paramount Steakhouse for brunch - where I accidentally ordered the 6 inch sirloin and eggs, rather than the 6 ounce sirloin and eggs. And we were sharing a table with another couple we didn't know. Oh my God! It was so funny.

Then we had a fairly futile attempt to finish shopping before we went home so I could get the cooking and wrapping done - which I also didn't finish. Rolf went to NGN's to watch the Redskin's game. He's off today. Hopefully he will get out of bed and have his Christmas shopping done, and wrapped, plus the Apple Pie made; all before I get home at 12:30. But I won't hold my breath.

Now, how can I sneak out of the office to get a kitchen torch for the creme brul'ee?

Happy Christmas to you.

Vig.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

poop

"Hello, Vig?"

"Yes."

"This is Robert, the producer of The Secret Garden." I did not say: "Hi Bob."

"Oh, Hi!"

"We'd like to invite you to come to call-backs to read for the Dreamers."

"No thank you."

"But the director's vision will have the dreamer's strongly featured in the show. They're almost always on stage.

"Okay. No thank you."

"Well, thank you for being honest."

"Bye-bye."

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Well, Mama is feeling better. The broken rib wasn't even mentioned today. Brianna and Shannon had to go back to the hospital after lunch because Brianna has jaundice. Only Shannon was upset. I worry that's she's a prime candidate for post partem depression . . . not to mention that I'm still waiting for bi-poler disorder to reveal itself. Anyway, I went to church today at Triangle Baptist Church . . . that's where Quantico Marine Corp base is. My sister is the music director there now. That was odd odd odd odd. Rolf did not go. Luckily all the people there were kind enough to not stare at me when I was trying to not break into sobs when Russ and Officer Cupcake came out dressed as Mary and Joseph. Mama was working one of her two Sunday church jobs, but Daddy was there. "Did you forget to shave?" I asked. "I shaved", he said . . ." Yeah, there were two clean spots on his cheek, but other wise . . . oh boy. His shoes were . . well he's got this drop foot thing, so he wears hard soled shoes to work in the garden . . these were dress shoes I'd given him ten years ago . . and there was mud on them, and paint, and then his polyester suit . . . have they heard of the dry cleaners ???? He was wearing the suit at lunch at Joy's house. She made a prime rib, and well, my diet has bit the dust. . . we destroyed the roast. After Russ (nephew) and I dug into the remaining ribs, bones and all, Daddy did too. Dropping gravy all over his suit and tie . . .and nobody said a thing.

Rolf is over at his folks now. It's Austin's (the gay 9 year old's birthday. . .) so there was a birthday party, but I didn't make it. . I was supposed to go to work to finish the financial statements . . but I blew it off: thinking I could just get to work at 7 and finish them up before it was too late . . . yeah right. (Another Manhattan; anyone?)

Yeah,
Austin's gay. Gay GAY GAY. Thanksgiving, or Christmas, or Birthday party in 2004, when Austin would have been, what, six? He and his cousin, our other nephew Micheal . . . . NOT GAY! were sitting at a little table with the TV on a stand up over his right shoulder; when, Micheal Phelps was being interviewed . . . and you know how terrible the media is about not showing hot hot men in speedos, (bitches, ) so Michael Phelps and X-Guy-hot-swimmer . . were being interviewed . . . only showing from mid waist up. And Austin, after momentarily transfixion, says: "Look Michael, they're nAkid" and he reached up, and pretended to twist cutie Micheal's right nipple. Then giggled.

Micheal? He was like . . . "dude . . you're gay."

But neither of them has realized it yet.

hmmm.

Manhattan's are calling. . . . and Bailey wants a walk. Even though it's a wind storm . . Hmm . . well. We're off.

All the best,
Vig

That's me!

Thursday, December 13, 2007

My Grandniece, Brianna. 9lbs 7oz, 21 inches long. Born 12/12/07.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Long time ago in Bethlehem, so the Holy Bible say,

I took last Wednesday off from work and sat in my sun-room much of the day watching the snow fall. I managed to get a lot of house work done, organizing our home office, loads of dishes, throwing out bags and bags of magazines and old bills . . . but I enjoyed the most just sitting by the Christmas Tree and listening to Christmas Music while attaching ribbons to ornaments and rehanging them on the tree. That was a real treat. Just a quiet day.
__________
Thursday was my first Victorian Caroler gig of the season. And it was so cold outside I could feel my toes freeze. We had another gig on Friday, where it was not so terribly cold, and afterward Janice and I went out to Vermilion in Old Town Alexandria for Manhattans, roasted olives, pate`, Virginia Rockfish with Chowder Froth and (Chowder Vegetables too.) Oh my. That is a restaurant to go back to often!
_________
Our Saturday began with me telling Rolf to get out of bed because we had to leave for Puck and Memae's, and it was already 10:30 and we were both still snuggled in bed. I don't think Bailey had even gotten up yet. I was all: "You have to get up now or we'll be late" even though I was tucked in tight too. He said: "We don't have to be there until four . . . " "No, we have to be there at noon!" And that got him moving. He hadn't even picked out his recipes yet.

The recipes were for the first annual Get Your Bake-on Christmas Cookie Baking and exchange. Along with Bailey we got over to their place in the Petworth neighborhood of DC at 1:30, and spent the rest of the day making and sampling cookies with Puck and Memae, Puck's Mom, their German / Italian neighbors, Memae's sister and friend, and their former neighbor Jill, with her baby girl. Soon we were joined by Jill's 2 year old son, and the German / Italian Grandparents 2 year old precocious jumping bean of a granddaughter.

There was so much laughter and hustle and bustle as cooks did relay races to the two ovens, that I laughed until I cried. Puck and I took the two year olds downstairs where we rolled out gingerbread men on the coffee table, ending up with two flour covered children who kept saying "I want to help . . ." The end result is that we were all covered with flour, and so was the couch. But it was all in good fun, and we laughed a lot.

Grandpa, upstairs was Italian, his wife was German - but had immigrated to Italy where they met and raised a family. They had just flown in that day to visit their daughter and family who lived next door. They were delightful. It was one of those times that makes Rolf look 20 years younger just from the look of fascination, wonder, and joy that colored his face as he listened to stories and practiced his Italian and told of our trip to Italy last Fall.
___________
Sunday morning we went to Little River United Church of Christ, where I'd been singing for a while. But I haven't been back recently - not at all this year. It was rough. I don't know the name of the particular mental illness I have, that causes my throat to close up as I attempt to hold back from sobbing - usually during singing Christmas Hymns - but it hit me hard right at the beginning of the service. Rolf just laughs. It was doubly bad since it was a Music Sunday Event at the church, and all the chairs were turned around to face the choir. It was so embarrassing, I started crying during the first congregational reading, and I had to laugh just to keep from sobbing. What is that?? Well, I got it under control after a moment - and took deep and steady breaths for the rest of the service.

We were there to hear the Bach Magnificat. The choir was joined by flutists, cellists, timpani, bass, violins, and the organ. It was really lovely. And the power of the music, combined with the feeling of being with old friends was overwhelming and beautiful.
_________
We went home and plated the cookies for delivery to our neighbors. I delivered them to the nice man across the street who typically has my sidewalk and driveway plowed before I get out of bed on any snowy day. He growled at me when he saw me, which was scary - but what he said, referring to the plate of cookies as he walked across his lawn carrying firewood was: "I don't know what that is, but it looks delicious."

After a nap, while Rolf watched football, we went to my nephew's church for Christmas Caroling and a walk through "the town of Bethlehem." Complete with a live nativity, sheep, and a donkey.

And then we made it to Benny and Ronnie's annual Christmas Party where we played with TJ & Shannon, Sherri & Russ, Matt, Sherri, Jeremy, (ah . . Jeremy . . so cute.)

Bennie and Ronnie had hired a pianist to accompany Christmas Carols, and a guitarist and bassist to provide live music down stairs. TJ asked them if they knew "Mary's Boy-child", which they didn't but they riffed on it any way while he did a rap on it. It was just Sherri, Rolf and I paying attention . . . and rolling with laughter.



Saturday, December 08, 2007

T

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Haul out the holly!

This is the tree in our office. Do you think it's ok? I found those gold dusted fruits in a box where they'd been stored after a long ago Chirstmas party. I guess they were used to surround candles on a buffet table. I thought they'd look good on the tree. There's no star on the tree. I think it makes it a little more politically correct. Besides, the star was ugly.

Winter Wonderland

Is it time for an Advent update? I looked to check and found that last November I didn't post anything either. Since The Last Five Years ended, on the same day that Daylight Savings Time ended; I've been struggling with that damn depression again. But life's been going on.

We have our Christmas Tree up already. It went up the weekend of Thanksgiving. By the way, we spent Thanksgiving at Lake Anna with my family. Oh, heck, here's an update:

Mom: She had been doing great! The tumors have stopped growing, and nobody calls it a remission, but that's what it is. So it's really excellent. A minor problem is that she fell off a ladder the week before Thanksgiving while cleaning out the gutters over her sun-room and broke a rib. She's 72, and has been in a lot of pain, and even missed the two church services she was supposed to play for the next day. But now, she's back to playing the organ for two different churches - one at 9:30 and the other at 11 every Sunday. And of course, being the Christmas Season, she has two music rehearsals at each church each week. Plus 25 or so piano students . . . Yet, she is really hurt. My sister, "Joy", and I went down and put up her Christmas trees, raked leaves and cleaned.

Dad: Dad is 76, and has Drop-foot. He falls down all the time. And when he does, he curses at himself calling himself stupid and gets so frustrated and mad. But he can't help it. This drop-foot thing is also called primary lateral sclerosis (PLS). He'll probably live to be a hundred, but it's going to be rough.

Joy: She got married last February. Didn't know her intended had declared bankruptcy and was in collections trouble again. But, she's happy. Oh, and she just got a puppy - a miniature Yorkshire terrier named Holly.

Her ex-husband, who married on Christmas Eve two years ago, has separated from his wife - and his job - and is living in a trailer with his mother and two derelict brothers in the boondocks of Spotslylvania County.

Her children: "Shannon" and her Confederate Flag tattooed husband expect to have a baby girl in the next two weeks. She will be named Briana. "Russ" and Officer Cupcake have joined a Baptist Church that's just down the road from my house, where they serve in the Praise Team Band. They got a great deal on a house - it's a modular home on the grounds of an elementary school. In exchange for taking two daily walks around the school - with their dog Kelso - they got about $200,000 off the mortgage! They are 24 years old and have a four bedroom two bath house, and a $400 a month mortgage! You can't beat that!

I have my first singing gig of the Christmas Season tonight - in Rockville Maryland. We're allowing an hour to get there, but it may take two hours. And I'm not singing with Bette from last year, but with my show business wife, Janice. So that will be great fun . . . except it is outside for two hours and it's only going to be 30 degrees!

Ok, I've got to run.

All the best to you!

And Happy Hollidays!