LEND ME A TENOR

Young and old theatre fans will enjoy Lend Me A Tenor, which plays at the Black Bart Playhouse in Murphys  two more times, tonight at 8 p.m. and on Sunday, a matinee. If you call the box office at 209-728-8422, you can reserve seats. I didn't take pictures because I was so captivated by the play, I didn't even think about getting my camera out. Until later. The cast of eight provided a delightful romantic comedy, a delicious romp! Fast action with a terrific set for this energetic play. Get thee to Murphys, go, go,go.
I have to mention that the director Terri Wilson did a magnificent job, as did a talented and flawless cast of this relatively young play company, Murphys Creek Theatre.

I attended the play with my neighbor, Karen, (left) whom I've known for three years. We met friends, Tami and David Chestnut there, whom we have both known for approximately 30 years, yet we did not know we had  friends in common. Karen and Tami attended each others weddings, and have many other mutual friends as well.

David Chestnut stood in front of the 1930's set, which made me realize I hadn't taken any photos of the cast. They flitted off stage quickly after a thundering, "Noises Off" type ending, and I couldn't go back stage because everyone was getting undressed.
Besides, it was happy old home week for Karen, and I got to take pictures of shoes in the lobby for my daughter Kristanne.

I love this series of paintings by the same artist, (whose name I could not read, Vern something,) because they tell a story. The paintings make you speculate at what is going on above the feet. A kiss maybe?

Maybe sharing that experience with a girlfriend over a glass of wine.

Or maybe the evening ended on a different note, personal reflection? Or something else?

Did he never call again?  Fun!

ROADSERVICE

After our big event, the clean-up crew sweeps through, but inevitably, something gets left behind. A pair of sunglasses, one stray sock, a pair of small size cut-offs hanging on the fence to dry, and a sleeping bag. Not bad considering the number of people and the chaotic nature of a "yard and flume bash".
I spent the day after finding things the kitchen crew put away in places foreign to me, washing towels and linens, eating wonderful leftovers and sorting through an overstuffed refrigerator. Two weeks home doesn't give me much time to catch up.

Brother bill and sister Dawn came yesterday to look over Bill's pictures from a 39 day road trip from here to New York, Upper Michigan and back by way of Sedona, AZ. Bill, above, carving pineapple, was one time an avid road warrior.

 My youngest grandsons came to spend a couple days while their parents get fully moved into their new house. But, before we could go anywhere, we had an untimely flat tire to repair.

It was fixed in about 10 minutes after a two hour wait.

  Then, within fifteen minutes after the service left, the front tire went flat. We've determined that "tire monitors", basically valve stem caps that detect when a tire is losing air, are at fault. The technician checked all of the tires while he was here to make sure they were all filled to 36 pounds. So, this makes my third flat with the monitors on them. A very expensive device. No more! Jim and I can't remember the name of the  company we bought them from. I'm sure there are good devices, but ours wasn't one of them.

  So, Grandson Theo got a haircut before going to play in Murphys Creek for the afternoon.

ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT-YA GOTTA BE KIDDIN'

I moved from Escanaba, Michigan in 1954. During the last fifty plus years in California I’ve seen references to Escanaba three times. One reference is a sign-post on the MASH television series; another was Jimmy Stewart’s speech for the United States Bicentennial Celebration in 1976 in which he eloquently recited the names of gobs of cities from every state in the union. Escanaba was one of them. The third came from my political science teacher at Ohlone Jr. College in Fremont who described Escanaba as “…the Appalachia of Michigan…
What are the odds that a little known town sitting on Little Bay de Noc in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan would be the subject of a play in the small town of Murphys, California?
Oh, for crumps sake, I hadda go see it, doncha know. I ain’t givin’ the story away, now, or anyting. Ya wanna see it, aye? Its darn funny.
UP-ers are a bit covetous of being from the Upper part of the state. They don’t have much in common with the big city folk in Detroit and like it that way. Beer and whiskey drinkers, hunters and fishermen, they would not have identified with the Wine Club that enjoyed a fine repast in the lobby of the Black Bart Playhouse to see Escanaba In Da Moonlight. The play, written by Jeff Daniels while he was filming “Dumb and Dumber” is performed by the Murphys Creek Theatre Company at the Playhouse in Murphys, Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday matinees through March 8th. It’s worth a trip to the motherlode. Its a hoot!!