Arthur Agatston and My Heart

During my annual physical my beloved doctor pronounced me: "Perfect! Perfect!" But that was before he saw the results of my blood work.

The dreaded high cholesterol count again. This time 234, down a whopping 8 points from the last time. This time both HDL and LDL were not satisfactory. My triglycerides improved but he was not happy.

Since I cannot tolerate statins, he opted for a Coronary Calcium Scan. The scoring system carries the name of Dr. Arthur Agatston, cardiologist and one of the developers of the electron beam tomography scan. Yes, the Dr. Agatston of the South Beach Diet.

When my doctor's office called to ask me when I would be available and which University Hospital facility I preferred, Stacy reluctantly told me that it was not covered by insurance. I braced myself for a fee in the hundreds of dollars. Surprisingly, it cost $99. No, not an even hundred but $99. (A quick check on the Net proved that it was a bargain with most hospitals charging between $300-500.)

Doesn’t it seem that it would behoove insurance companies to cover this? Perhaps early detection of coronary heart disease would save them money in the long run. Not to mention the lives it would save by identifying those patients most at risk for a heart attack.

Before my appointment I did my research. The prep for the scan and the scan itself would take about 15 minutes. It would take me almost 3 times as long to drive down to University Circle, wind my way up to the fifth level of the parking structure in hopes of finding an empty space, wait for the elevator to take me to the walkway to the hospital, find my way through the maze that is University Hospital, and return home.

Electrodes would be attached to my chest. The table would slide me into the doughnut-shaped scanner. At various intervals I would be instructed to take a deep breath and hold it. No pain at all. I’m all for non-invasive medicine.

This morning I whooped for joy when I heard the result. As Stacy said, "You can’t get a better score than zero." My arteries have no plaque.

The good doctor wants to check my cholesterol in a couple months.

Now to exercise more and to cut down on consuming Saint Angel, the French triple cream brie that melts in one’s mouth. That will be the most difficult dietary change.

Million Dollar Quartet

On December 4, 1956, four soon-to-be music icons, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley, happened to gather at Sun Records in Memphis and an impromptu jam session ensued.

Million Dollar Quartet, the award-winning musical, captures that evening and illuminates the history of this small recording studio where rock and roll began. Owner and producer Sam Phillips was the one who brought us Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King to name a few.

And what a musical it is. The touring company we saw this evening were all talented musicians who had to both sound like the singers but also play like them. After listening to the original Broadway cast, I think we had a better Johnny Cash. It was eerie to watch the actor, knowing that he wasn't Cash, but he was so spot on in looks, mannerisms, and voice that he convinced me he was channeling Cash.




And for those of you who read this in your email, here is the link: Million Dollar Quartet

A Guide with a History

When we climbed into the luxurious back seat of the silver Mercedes driven by Darrol Lee, I never suspected that besides being enthralled by beautiful vistas and amazing animals, we would come to know his personal history under apartheid.

His family was one of many who were relocated from their homes and dumped into less desirable areas. The only home he ever knew was razed so that a white family could build a house.

Residents of one such community, located on a beautiful cove, were moved across the mountain many miles away from the bus and train lines. Not only did it take longer to get to work but it cost more since they had to take a taxi or minibus to connect to the rail line into Cape Town. These were mostly poorly-paid unskilled workers.

To make this move more palatable, the new township was called Ocean View although there was none.

Toward the end of our 4.5-hour tour which looped from Cape Town down to the Cape of Good Hope and back, Darrol began talking about the effect of apartheid on his life. He was unable to fulfill his desire to become a teacher.

He was one of the Cape Town youth who marched in solidarity with those of Soweto. It was a peaceful demonstration with no apparent police presence. I felt his fear and anger when he described a large number of police suddenly pouring out of vans and beating the students with batons. He can clearly remember feeling the blows to his back and the colors of the bruises.

But despite all this Darrol says that he is not bitter because that is of no help.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

An Oven? A Blast Furnace?

I don't care what analogy I would use to describe today's heat, it still would not convey how miserable it was to be working outside or inside without air conditioning.

Mike the Contractor called to cancel because he had been working outside on a foundation for an addition and became ill. There was absolutely no shade at that site. My Sweetie promised that he would have the air conditioning on for him tomorrow morning when he comes to do a couple of small inside jobs.

According to The Weather Channel, our highest temperature was 100 with a heat index of 115. The National Weather Service recorded 97 with an index of 108. Does it really make any difference when the heat index is above 100? And here it is 10:00PM and it is still 92 with a heat index of 102.

Just how does the National Weather Service calculate the Heat Index?

Click here for larger image.

I don't remember ever having been under an Excessive Heat Warning.

Click here for larger image.


Friday's forecast is more of the same with a heat index range of 100-104. Oh, for some San Luis Obispo weather.

Do You Have a Glass?

Today brought good news. The result of the biopsy of the spot on my upper arm proved benign.

As we waited for the nurse to call back, we both worried. My Sweetie worried more. But that is just the way we are.

My glass is always more than half full. I remarked that he doesn't even have a glass.

My Sweetie's reply? "No, I have a glass but it is empty and I wonder what the doctor will put in it."

This time it was champagne.

Community Garden Plot: Take Three and Then Some

Why do I think that I can garden all day in the heat and be able to stay up til 11:00?

After last night's storm, which caused flooding south and west of the city, going outside did not feel as if one was walking into a blast furnace. So off I went to tend our community garden plot. It seems as if I had just been there but I see that it was three weeks ago. My Sweetie had been watering and bringing home peas, tomatoes, and basil.

After spending an hour or so cutting back perennials and pulling the few weeds that had made an appearance, my shirt was soaked. So even though it was overcast, it was still warm. To cool off, I put the top down to drive home. Nothing like a breeze through my sweat-soaked hair to make me feel better.

Once home I decided that since I was already on the way to being covered in soil, I might as well begin digging out the ferns by the front of the house in preparation for the new plantings.

While I was at the community garden, My Sweetie had dug a bed for them behind the bird bath. It soon became apparent that we would need a much bigger bed. So he obliged while I planted the ones I had already dug out. Then he dug out the rest of the ferns.

Then one thing led to another until we decided to make a new shade garden. Of course, this necessitated removing the ivy. As he tugged on one of the roots, he commented on the way ivy meanders and intertwines. When we would rip up a piece, it would end up heading in two different directions.

As we sat on the verandah this evening on the verge of nodding off, we decided that tomorrow would be a day with no gardening. We'll see.

Air Conditioning Revisited

Last August I wrote about our portable air conditioner. See The Cost of Staying Cool

It is that time again. One look at our forecast for the week sent My Sweetie to the basement to bring up Pinguino and its compatriot SPT. Last evening he installed the newer SPT in the kitchen. When I got up this morning, Pinguino was cooling the living room and dining room.

This afternoon it was so lovely to come into the coolness after working in the yard. It is amazing how much I got done, knowing that I could take a respite in cool air.

With this as the forecast for the rest of the week, I think that we will be running them for most of it.

GroundWorks Dance Theater Cain Park 2011

This evening we were once again amazed and delighted by the small but mighty dance company, GroundWorks.

The program consisted of three works: the always popular "Boom Boom" set to nine blues tunes, "Kabila (Tribe)" set to 5 songs from "African Voices: Songs of Life", and the world premiere of "Hindsight" set to 6 songs by Chrissie Hynde,an Ohio native.

Here is my older post: Boom Boom. Ditto!

The costuming for "Kabila" was definitely spot on. The yellow-and-black abstract fabric used for the close-fitting pants and halter tops for the women evoked Africa.

But the high spot tonight was "Hindsight". Choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett has another hit on her hands. In 2008, she had excelled at creating "Unpublished Dialogues" about Virginia Woolf and which the company so ably performed with Amy Miller as Woolf.

This is the first time that David Shimotakahara has employed projection of images. The pictures of animals nuzzling for "Love's a Mystery" added more humor to the piece while those of Akron for "My City Was Gone" graphically illustrated lyrics such as this, "The farms of Ohio had been replaced by shopping malls."

Felise Bagley was mesmerizing in "Hymn to Her". At the reception that followed I told her that I keep finding myself watching her even when the rest of the company is on the stage. Damien Highfield and she executed some amazing lifts in "I'll Stand by You."

Watch this to see what I mean:

And for those reading this in an email: Felise and Damien

David, if you are reading this, thank you for still dancing. I do watch you when you are on stage!

Lunch Matters

This morning’s paper reminded me of a mango lassi. No, it wasn’t golden in color and it contained no yogurt. What it did have was a recipe for a raspberry lassi. I am trying to decide whether anyone should want any lassi other than a mango one. It just seems wrong somehow.

I have a general idea of what is in a mango lassi besides the obvious. But if I wanted to make a traditional Indian one, I needed a recipe. Who knew that there were that many variations on a mango lassi.

Cow’s milk or coconut milk? Ice cubes or water? Honey or sugar? Ginger or cardamon?

I decided to take the simple approach: mango, yogurt, cardamon, and ice. Puree the mango and yogurt, add the cardamon, and then add the ice and blend until frothy.

Do they really have to tell people to peel the mango and remove the enormous seed? The image of someone trying to puree the seed is just beyond my comprehension. When I picked up my favorite knife to free the mango pulp from the seed, I remembered a dear friend asking me how you do “peel” a mango after regaling me with her description of her first experience “peeling” a mango. Let’s just say it was fraught with difficulty.

For those you have never handled a mango, here are some tips. My weapon of choice is a boning knife. Place the mango on its end, holding it upright, slice as close to the seed as you can, repeat on the other side of the seed. Then peel (actually) the rind from the seed.

If this went well and there is no blood dripping over the mango, you should have two halves still in the skin. Take your knife and score each half lengthwise and crosswise without cutting through the skin, resulting in cubes still attached to the skin. My favorite tool for removing the cubed mango pieces is a grapefruit spoon. This permits me to free them from the skin and scoop them into a bowl.

Now this is a very important step. Lean over the sink and use your teeth to remove the succulent flesh from the seed. Yes, you could also slice it off but this is the reward for successfully “peeling” a mango.

By the time I decided what variation I was going to make, I was too hungry. Besides if I made a lassi, I would have to clean the blender. So instead I combined the mango pieces with yogurt made by My Sweetie, and seasoned it with cardamon. Yummy!

Next time I might have to try this recipe: Mango Margarita

Our Community Garden Plot: Take 2

I had not been to the community garden for weeks.

My Sweetie takes care of the watering. (Not that there has been much need for that with the monsoons we have been having.) He had also been pulling the few weeds that had the audacity to make an appearance. But I am responsible for deadheading the perennials because his size 10.5 shoes just won't fit into the almost non-existent spaces between the flowers.

Since it was convertible weather, I put the top down, covered the back seat with a blanket, put the weapons of mass destruction on it, and off I went, enjoying what we call "San Luis Obispo weather" - temps in the 70s and blue, blue skies. Too bad it is only two miles to the garden.

There is something innately satisfying in tidying a garden. When I began, the Shasta Daisy seed heads made the garden look like an unmade bed. When I left about an hour later, the sheets were tucked in and the pillows had been fluffed. There was not a wrinkle to be found.

I also pulled the tall weeds hiding among the perennials. There weren't many because I adhere to the "no bare ground" philosophy of flower gardening. No tidy groups of plants separated by mulch for me. Wonder how much money I have saved over the decades by not buying mulch?


Much better

Perennials all deadheaded

Parsons Dance

The last concert of the DanceCleveland season was a winner. The program consisted of two numbers: Caught and Remember Me.

Caught debuted in 1982 and is still David Parsons' signature work. And a tour de force it is. The use of strobe lights gives the illusion that the dancer is continuously in the air. Unfortunately, the video doesn't do it justice. It was magical.

The video clip is that of a much younger David Parsons. Tonight's dancer, Miguel Quinones, was breathtaking.




Here's the link: Caught with David Parsons

After we caught our breath, we settled back to watch the 2009 Remember Me, a narrative set to rock arrangements of arias from ten different operas. Woven together they tell the story of two brothers who fall in love with the same woman with the expected tragic results.



Here's the link: Remember Me

My Sweetie and I stayed for the after-performance Q&A with David Parsons, the dancers, and the two singers. As always we were astounded by the poise, commitment, and energy of these young people.

Time to send in our renewal for next season.

*******

Due to bad weather in Philadelphia Annmarie Milazzo's (the female vocalist) plane was delayed and then canceled. Finally, she was able to get a flight to Akron and arrived at the theater ten minutes before the curtain went up. During the Q&A, Pam Young, Director of DanceCleveland, was asked what would they have done if she hadn't made it. Pam replied that she never entertained the idea.

My Mother

My mother would have been 95 today.

It has been eight years since she died. I still miss her but I guess I always will.

Besides all my memories from my 57 years with her, I have two plants from her house.

For the last eight years her Christmas cactus has bloomed right on schedule.

Mom's Christmas Cactus

And each June this clematis, which she had planted by her back porch, blooms in my garden.

Mom's Clematis

Thanks, Mom, for everything.

Can You Relate?

Yes, I was on the couch again for another taping of Can You Relate? to discuss whether it is possible to forgive and forget.

The show will air on June 20. I'll post the clip once it is available on the website.

Stormy Weather, Take Two

The skies turned black. The wind picked up. Thunder rumbled. Rain poured down.

As of 11:30pm, our rain gauge indicates that we have received 1.04 inches. And it is still raining.

I think there should be a limit to the number of warnings that the National Weather Service can issue at one time.

Our Community Garden Plot

Everything is still alive.

Stormy Weather

After checking The Weather Channel off and on all day to see the unbelievable devastation caused by the tornado in Joplin, Missouri, we were surprised this evening to hear the alert for a tornado here.

We watched WEWS track the storm as it went south of us. As of 11:00PM, there are reports of trees down, some structural damage, and power outages. Fortunately, it was not a repeat of Sunday's deadly tornado.

All the photos are by viewers who posted on WEWS

Playing in the Dirt

Black Pearl


My Sweetie and I spent the day gardening, both at our house and at the community garden.

At the house I planted impatiens in six window boxes and a hanging basket. Two coral geraniums went into a large cobalt blue ceramic pot.

When My Sweetie moved here in 1997, he planted roses for me. Even though I love roses, I did not have the patience to coddle them. Last year he cried uncle. No more hybrid tea roses. Today we planted two Knockout roses which are supposed to be less susceptible to black spot, mildew, and other ills that befall the tea roses. Let's hope they live up to their reputation.

Yesterday we had a yard of bedding soil delivered to the community garden to make our raised beds...well, raised again.

In our plot I planted seven tomatoes (Black Pearl, 2 Caspian Pink, 2 Raspberry Lyanna, Sungold, and a potato leaf one), four Mei Qing choi, two Ichiban eggplant, Siam Queen basil, and Dark Purple Opal basil.

Ichiban eggpant

I also planted lettuce seed (Black Seeded Simpson, Oakleaf, and Salad Bowl), Genovese squash, Golden zucchini, and peas, Oregon Sugar Pod II, to be exact.

My Sweetie watered everything at both locations.

Our division of labor is dictated by our bodies. I can still squat without pain so I plant. He still has superior strength so he loads the wheelbarrow and dumps it where I indicate. It works well for us.

Good Friends and Good Food

Usually we go out to eat with friends before a show of some type, usually dance or live theater.

My Sweetie suggested today that we go out with our dear friends, Susan and Larry, when we don't have to make a curtain.

It was lovely to enjoy our meal without constantly checking our watches. After a leisurely dinner at Trattoria in Little Italy, we ordered pieces of lemon cake and cassatta cake to go. Then it was back to their house to chat.

Susan showed us the neatest app. Penultimate allows one to write on the iPad. There are six colors of ink and three pen widths. Email is supported. Once we were back home My Sweetie purchased the app. So I asked him to email me a note to include in my blog.

My Sweetie's note using Penultimate.

I may have to buy it for my iPad.

Our New Neighbors

Instead of rain, today brought blue skies and new neighbors.

My Sweetie was cleaning out the gutter on the garage. I was holding the ladder. I know that I wouldn't be able to save him if he began to fall but I just feel better steadying the ladder. Suddenly I noticed long grass pieces hanging from one of the maple trees over the driveway.

Now I know where the nest is that the robin was protecting the other day. But why isn't there anyone sitting in it?



But then a few minutes later, I saw a tail.



It just makes me happy to watch Mama on duty.



Then later in the day, Dad gave Mama a chance to get a bite to eat.



I hope they successfully hatch their clutch.

We Were That Close

Today Mike the Contractor and John the Carpenter were scheduled to lay the sandstone walk while Benny was going to rebuild the wonky wing wall. But instead we got almost an inch of rain. Our total for May is now more than 2.7 inches over our normal. Enough!

Hopefully, the forecasters have Friday and Saturday correct.


Be still, my heart. Sunshine, really?

Can You Relate? Valentine's Day and Mother's Day Shows

By popular request, here are the other two shows I have been on.


Valentine's Day Show



For those who receive my blog by email, here is the link: Valentine's Day Relationship Roundup

You may wonder about the hilarious reaction Kathy got when she told us that we were going to play the game WaveLength*. We had talked with the creator in the lobby while we were waiting to go on. He asked if we were the people who were going to play the game. Not us; no way. Guess so!

Game Results

We appear at the 2:30 mark in this clip.



Here is the link: And the winner is...



Mother's Day Show



Here is the link: Mother's Day


* For info on the game, click WaveLength. As always the game is available on Amazon as well as other etailers.

Flora and Fauna in the City

Before the deluge began again, we were fortunate to be outside enjoying the sights and sounds of spring.

In our backyard My Sweetie added two new birds to his non-life list*, White-crowned Sparrow and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Of the two the former was new for me.

This sparrow is an unassuming bird until he turns his head, showing his distinctive black and white stripes.

White-crowned Sparrow taking a bath

White-crowned Sparrow all dry

Rose-breasted Grosbeak


All the usual suspects were here enjoying the fine weather. More than a dozen Goldfinches enjoyed the niger seed. The males are once again bright yellow, having shed their drab winter coats. House Finches joined them. Tufted Titmice, Black-capped Chickadees, and Nuthatches enjoyed a repast of safflower and black oil sunflower seeds. Our suet cakes were visited by several Woodpeckers (Downy, Hairy, Northern Flicker, and Red-bellied).

The Robins were harrying a Blue Jay. Wonder where the nest is?

We heard the Red-winged Blackbirds before they enjoyed a drink at our bird bath. This is a great site to hear their distinctive calls: Cornell Lab of Orinthology.

Red-winged blackbird

Two male cardinals fussed with each other. Maybe one was junior from last year’s clutch. One was finally chased off. Two males coexisted peacefully all winter. But now it is breeding season and a male is very territorial.



Every spring we head to Lake View Cemetery to follow the red arrows to enjoy the flower tour. In the early spring Daffodil Hill is covered with tens of thousands of blooms. This past week it was time for the cherries, crabapples, dogwoods, magnolias, and redbuds to take center stage along with a few late season tulips.

Flowering Crabapple

As we approached Wade Chapel , we spotted a family of Canada Geese. Yep, that is the correct name for this common bird but I grew up calling them Canadian Geese. Mama and Papa were keeping a close eye on their goslings.


Out for a stroll

While My Sweetie was taking their picture, an employee of the cemetery stopped and asked if we had seen the one that lives in an urn. He first explained where to find it. Then said, “Follow me.” It was worth the side trip.


Is that really comfortable?


How close can we get?

As I look out at the gray and the endless rain, I cannot believe that just a few days ago I was looking for my hat to protect my face as we drove through the cemetery.


*That’s what we call our list since we are not birders with a capital B.

*****
Thanks to My Sweetie for all the photos.

The Monsoons Have Returned

Our Soggy Forecast

After the wettest April since 1895, we really, really don't need any more rain.

We are already more than an inch and a quarter over the normal precipitation for the first half of May.

I may start mildewing.

*****
I apologize if you received my January 26th post recently; it must have been a technology glitch.

West Side Story Revival

When this version of West Side Story opened on Broadway in March, 2009, theatergoers were surprised by Arthur Laurents's restaging and the actress playing Maria.

"This show will be radically different from any other production of West Side Story ever done," he wrote in 2008, even before he had cast Maria.

He decided to have the Puerto Ricans use Spanish when they spoke with each other. Even some song verses were in Spanish.

Then he had to find the perfect Maria. Friends in Buenos Aires told him to watch this youtube clip of a young actress whom they thought would be perfect.



Laurents agreed and paid for her to come to New York for an audition. He hired her immediately.












The four of us were disappointed in tonight's performance. Some can be attributed to difficulties with the sound system in the first act.

As one of us said, we are not a tough audience but the play just did not move us. Perhaps we were spoiled by the others in the Broadway Series. Les Miserables is a difficult act to follow.

Can You Relate? May 9, 2011

For those who have requested it, here is one of my appearances on the local TV show, Can You Relate?





My Sweetie informs me that he does not get the video via email but has to go to my blog in order to see it.

Circle Mirror Transformation

Imagine five characters, ranging in age from 16 to middle age, participating in six weeks of acting classes at a small-town community center.

There is Marty, the instructor; her husband James; Shultz, recently divorced; thirty-some Theresa; and 16 year old Lauren.

Through a series of improvisation exercises relationships develop and secrets are exposed. The fall-out is inevitable.

And so another season of Dobama Theatre comes to an end. We have enjoyed some more than others but they are always interesting. I wonder what next season will bring.

Circle Mirror Transformation

An Evening Filled with Laughter

Tonight it was time for #44 on the American Film Institute's Top 100 Films: The Philadelphia Story from 1940.

It has definitely withstood the test of time. Katharine Hepburn is luminous even in black and white; Cary Grant dashing, and James Stewart honorable.

But I had forgotten how laugh-out-loud funny it is. The writing reflects that it was a Broadway play first. The trailer points out that it had Broadway roaring even at the price of $4.40 a seat! (Gasoline was 18 cents a gallon.)

James Stewart won the Oscar for his role. Katharine Hepburn did not.

Never Work with Children or Dogs

Mojo, appearing as Crab in Two Gentlemen of Verona, could have been arrested for stealing...at least, the scenes he was in. Those eyes spoke volumes.

According to the playbill this 150-pound Newfoundland is only 18 months old. He is in training to be a therapy dog and it shows. He did not make a misstep in his time on the stage.

According to his bio, "he is very eager to show off his talents and wants to thank everyone at GLTF for this great opportunity."

He certainly made the best of it.

Mojo at 13 months

Can You Relate? Take Three

What a blast!

My Sweetie and I were filmed for another segment on the local television show, Can You Relate? This is the third time we have appeared.

Kathy Dawson, the show's host, wanted to do a segment fashioned after the scene in When Harry Met Sally in which mature couples talk about how they met.

Of course, we made the five people laugh but we also made Kathy cry. I guess we were a hit.

In case you haven't seen the movie, here is the scene.

To the Barricades

This evening we saw the new staging of Les Miserables. What an amazing production. It did not disappoint the 3 of us who had seen the original version. The consensus was that this one was even more effective than the revolving-stage one we fell in love with 25 years ago.

Using Victor Hugo's paintings and drawings as backdrops is absolute genius.

The use of technology enhances two scenes, in particular, Javert's suicide and Valjean's escape through the sewers. We all expected Javert to jump off the bridge and disappear through a trapdoor. Not so. The bridge disappeared above the stage while Javert seemingly spun through the air and into the river. Valjean ran through the sewers as they were projected around him. I wish I could describe it better. Believe me. It was magical.

My Sweetie now understands why this is my favorite musical.

Enjoy!

These Words Were Music to My Ears

Congratulations! The IRS has accepted your federal tax return. There's nothing else you need to do.

I submitted our 69-page tax return at 3:50 this afternoon. At 9:32 tonight we received the good news.

Thank goodness for e-filing and for being able to import financial information into the tax preparation software. But even with these electronic helpers, there were times that I thought that, perhaps for the first time in 45 years, I might not be able to file our taxes without a CPA.

It certainly does feel good that I triumphed.

Salon and the Holocaust

When my Sweetie and I selected Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay for Salon, we knew that it would be a difficult read emotionally. But what I didn’t expect was to learn about another Holocaust atrocity that neither of us had ever heard about. As it turns out, no one in our group had.

Of course, I had to do some research since the book is fiction. Much to my dismay the author did not embellish the events of the Vél’ d’hiv’ Round-up as it unfolded in Paris on July 16-17, 1942.

In the middle of the night, 4051 children, 5802 women and 3031 men were dragged from their homes and incarcerated. Most were sent to the indoor bicycling racing arena, the Velodrome d'hiver.

The publication of the Mouvement de Libération Nationale, Combat, described it:

“The Vél d’hiv looked like a scene from hell. Eight thousand Jews were camping there, living literally in their excrement, with nothing to eat or drink for three days. Men died. Women gave birth. The clamor raised prevented the neighborhood’s residents from sleeping for three nights.”

All were sent to Auschwitz.

For decades the French ignored this most ignoble part of their World War II history.

Then on July 16, 1995, Jacques Chirac became the first President to speak at the annual commemoration. It was the first time that the complicity of the French state in the persecution of Jews was recognized by a President.

Chirac declared:

“These dark hours will forever soil our history, and are injurious to our past and our traditions. Yes, the criminal insanity of the occupier was seconded by the French, by the French state.
France, home of the Enlightenment and of Human Rights, land of refuge and asylum, France, upon that day, committed an irreparable act. Breaking her word, she delivered her charges to their executioner.”

Before the 1995 commemoration, the Vel d’Hiv Roundup was relatively unknown outside the Jewish community in France.

And, if we hadn’t selected Sarah’s Key, it would still be unknown to our group.

After we chose it, I discovered that it had been made into a movie and was shown at some film festivals here and abroad. At the Toronto festival, The Weinstein Company bought all U.S. rights to the French film, Elle s’appelait Sarah or Sarah's Key as it is called here. Its US release date is July 22, 2011.






*****

Thanks to my brother Richard for bringing this book to my attention.

Signs of Spring

Sunshine,
Crocuses in bloom,
Riding with the top down

Who could ask for anything more?

Two Fridays, Two Plays

What a difference a week makes.

On March 11, my Sweetie and I were enthralled by Dobama Theatre’s A Steady Rain. The two actors, Scott Plate and Jeremy Kendall, superbly portrayed two Chicago cops who have been life-long friends. Passed over repeatedly for promotion to detective, the two react in different ways. Joey takes the sensitivity training offered by the department; however, bigoted Denny, blaming everyone but himself, continues his downward spiral.

The set was stark and reminiscent of a dimly-lit police interrogation room. A gray rectangular metal table with two chairs were the only furniture.

A Steady Rain

It was the first time in a long time that I leapt out of my seat as soon as the actors appeared for their curtain call.

Tonight I enjoyed Shrek: The Musical at the Palace. The magnificent, enormous dragon required at least three puppeteers to flap her wings, curl her barbed tail, and toss her head all while moving about and above the stage singing. Carrie Compere’s amazing voice brought the dragon to life. But Donkey is still my favorite character. Alan Mingo, Jr. made the role his own.

The set was all about bright colors. After all, it is a happy-ever-after fairy tale.

Shrek

The two theaters could not be more different. For about 40 years Dobama was located in a renovated bowling alley in the basement of one of the shops on Coventry. Then the public library purchased the closed YMCA across the street and partnered with Dobama to turn the pool area into a theater. The standing joke goes that now one no longer hears the toilet flush during the play. The theater seats about 200, depending on the staging.

The Palace opened in 1922 and cost $3.2 million. It closed in the late 60s and was rescued by visionaries in the 1970s. It is part of the Playhouse Square complex along with the Allen, the Hanna, the Ohio, and the State. It is the second largest theater district in the country with Lincoln Center being the largest. The theater seats about 2700 and is home to the Broadway Series.

We are so fortunate to have so many options when it comes to live theater.

Screen Gems Was a Gem

Waiting in line at Screen Gems Studio, the largest television and movie studio outside of California, for the 2:00 tour, we strike up a conversation with Keith, a 30-something native of Augusta, Georgia, who has been in Wilmington all week to see if he wants to move here.

He explains that he has lived his entire life in Augusta and feels the need to move away from family and friends. He asks us how we like Wilmington. We extol the virtues of life here.

Then it is off on the tour of Sound Stages 5 and 7 where One Tree Hill has been filmed for eight seasons. Since some of us aren’t the demographic (teenage girls, primarily), our guide gave us a capsule plot summary. Oh, my. Let’s see. Two half-brothers who don’t know the other exists and assorted other teens deal with the trials and tribulations of high school in the first four seasons. Fast forward four years. These characters return to their hometown as a fashion designer, rock musician, published author, and a NBA player, to name a few. How’s that for realism?

Walking through the sound stages and seeing all the tricks to make the rooms look as if they are in a real house was intriguing. My favorite trick was the plywood countertops painted to look like granite. One even had an ogee edge.

Since there is no electricity or plumbing on the set, an extension cord or garden hose has to be run to the kitchen if someone wants to make toast or wash a plate. One Friday someone forgot to unplug the extension that powers the refrigerator light. Picture pop cans exploding.

But on the other hand, there is a patio with a full-sized, heated swimming pool.

We spoke with almost all the tour guides and learned some interesting tidbits. All the original art work is by Wilmington artists. A lot of the furniture is from the Ikea store in Charlotte.

In the Screening Room we watched a trailer with scenes from many of the productions done here such as Firestarter, Muppets from Space, Nights in Rodanthe, and The Secret Lives of Bees.

The tour guide explained how some of the scenes were filmed.

One of the funniest stories dealt with a misplaced stunt man. During a hurricane a branch had to crash through a window. When reviewing the dailies, they discover that the stunt man in his yellow slicker can be seen through the window. Since the set had been struck, they had to rebuild it. The retake still had the guy visible. Yes, they had already struck the set. Third time was a charm.

She also talked about problems with continuity. Some of the time they opt not to re-shoot the scene because of the expense. In one such instance a character in One Tree Hill kept taking her heels off and putting on her sneakers between takes. Then she would forget to change back so sometimes she is dancing in heels and sometimes not.

So why is Wilmington such a hotbed of television and movie production? North Carolina House Bill 1973 and House Bill 713 were signed into law on July 22, 2010. The first provides a 25% tax incentive; the latter eliminates the 6.9% corporate income tax on the incentive taken by a production company. This allows the production company to realize a full 25% of qualifying expenses. These two new laws have brought more projects to Wilmington. According to one tour guide, they were losing projects to Atlanta because of the more favorable tax laws there. Now Wilmington has the upper hand.

Who knew that an hour tour could be so interesting?

Oh, and Keith? We caught up with him at the end of the tour. When I encouraged him to be adventuresome and make the move, he revealed that he had put a deposit down on an apartment today. I think the Friday nightlife downtown closed the deal.

What a Difference 697 Miles Make

Weather Forecast for Wilmington


Weather Forecast for Cleveland

Spring Has Sprung!

Today the first bloom of the season appeared.


First crocus of the season

The parsley wintered over.


Parsley

Ah, the joys of February in North Carolina.

It Was a Lovely Valentine's Day

My Sweetie came home with this lovely bouquet. And the roses are actually fragrant.

My Valentine's Day Bouquet

Then he prepared a delectable dinner with shrimp cocktail and sushi-grade ahi tuna in a delightful butter-herb sauce accompanied by steamed spinach with various colors of small tomatoes that were lightly sauteed and then allowed to steam just enough so they were tender but not split.

And what did I do for this amazing man. I left the heart that we exchange next to his hearing aids, sent him a card with the jazz he likes, sent him this photo, and did the dishes. Maybe I should do more.


Note that they are holding hands.

It Was An Enchanted Evening!

The Lincoln Center Theater production of South Pacific has been in town for almost two weeks. Is there any other musical that has so many well-loved songs? There are six in the first act alone.

But the one that brought the house down was David Pittsinger's "Some Enchanted Evening".

What an amazing voice. Unfortunately, there is not a recording yet. This clip hints at his depth and range. It also didn't hurt that he is easy on the eyes. No wonder Nellie Forbush could not "wash that man right outa my hair".

I Am So Lucky

Yesterday I received an early Valentine's Day present as did both my daughters. My amazing Sweetie gave us each the new iPod Touch.

Now this isn't blog-worthy in itself since we all own 2 or more Apple items already.

But now we three own a piece of technology that we can hold in the palm of one hand and video chat with each other. With Apple's new FaceTime app, we are just a click away from each other. Even Kimberly, a self-described Luddite, finds it amazing.

Wonder how soon FaceTime will allow all three of us to chat at the same time?

Kathy the Relationship Coach

Our local paper ran an interview with Kathy Dawson, the relationship coach that my Sweetie and I met with for 12 sessions this past fall.

Click here for the interview with Kathy

The last sentence to this question, "What are some ways we can inject romance into a typical day, say the first Monday in February?" refers to us.

It is a lovely way to end the day.

GroundWorks Dance Theater

An absolutely delightful evening spent with Jan and Rick.

First, there was dinner at Light Bistro: caramelized scallops with black pepper risotto and tomato jam for me; oven roasted chicken breast with warm potato-mushroom and spinach salad and truffle brown sauce for my Sweetie.

Then it was off to see GroundWorks Dance Theater. There were two world premieres on our dance card this evening.

“The Return”, choreographed by David Shimotakahara, is his take on Our Town. I was amazed at his innovative choreography. Just when I think that it is surely not possible for him to surprise me, he does.

The second premiere was David Parker’s “All I Do” set to “All I Do Is Dream of You” and yet, not. The music begins to set the mood and then shortly disappears. The dancers rise to the occasion with rhythmic slapping of themselves and each other. Their interactions and facial expressions made me laugh out loud.

Then came "Boom Boom", another piece by Shimotakahara, set to the blues. We saw this at Cain Park last year and loved it. It was even better this evening.

And what a treat to see David dance in two of the three pieces.

Watch John Lee Hooker perform Boom Boom and see if you can keep from dancing.

The Storm Wasn't a Beast Here

Yes, it snowed; then there was some ice; then it snowed again but it did not add up to a crippling storm.

Actually the weather provided me with a laugh. My California brother sent me the following email:

I think you should put this in your next blog. Your "favorite" brother does not understand why you and our younger sister live in such cold weather. You are both very, very intelligent with a lot more brains than I have, so why do you live there. Let me tell you about my day yesterday. I started out with a flannel shirt and a vest, but within 30 minutes of pruning our apple tree I had to remove the vest and should have gone in and put a t-shirt on because I was perspiring. By the time I got the trimmings loaded in my truck to take them to the green waste recycling, I was so hot that I had to drink 3 large glasses of water. I'll have to admit the nights are a little nippy, but I did not freeze my ears or have frozen feet from being outside yesterday.

Your weather is awful!

To my favorite brother, could it be that my sister and I are made of stronger stuff?

What a Storm

The Weather Channel loves this storm. One broadcaster dubbed it The Beast. At one time there were 29 states with weather alerts. These ranged from a tornado watch in the south to blizzards in the plains to heavy snow in the Great Lakes region to ice accumulations in many areas.

As of now we are in the wintry mix category. Our forecast calls for an inch of sleet by morning with another 1"-2" on Wednesday.

There have been some outages already in neighboring towns.

Hope we have power when we get up.

WOW

It was another great afternoon with my writing group. There was great food (forget about calorie counting) and much laughter. Lissa surprised me with a cake complete with a candle. It was nice to hear "Happy Birthday" yet again. This momentous birthday just keeps on giving.

We spent some of our time looking at possible sites for our next writing retreat. We all really like the Penfield House except for two negatives: the noise from the interstate and not enough bedrooms.

I just realized that this was the first time that we did not write. Tho Lissa did hand out the writing prompts which were titles from Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Perhaps I can plan "The Perfect Crime" with "Fog Closing In" on a "Wet Saturday". Since I have a "Heart of Gold", I would "Kill with Kindness".

I think it is time to take out "The Glass Eye" and get "A Little Sleep".

January Salon

Sharing good food, laughter, and poetry chased away the gloom and cold of this January night.

Susan and Larry who hosted Salon tonight had asked all of us to submit a poem that speaks to us. This was a departure from our usual book discussion.

What an interesting evening. Some poets were familiar but not the specific poem; others were new to me. Learning about why the poems were selected and what they meant added another layer.

Now what will we do for March?

Les Ballets Trockadero De Monte Carlo

What a hoot!

Besides being great comedy, it was great dance. Their technique is amazing.

At the reception after the performance we spoke with some of the dancers. They loved the audience's reaction this evening. One said that they fed off the energy and danced even better because of it.

Here is their version of the dying swan:

My Birthday Continued

What a lovely day.

I received two cards by snail mail. One was from my daughter Lise and the other from my dear friend Elizabeth. Both had written lovely messages to me.

Then this evening we went out to dinner with our friends, Larry and Susan. It was so nice to be able to linger over dinner. Usually we go out with them before some cultural event. Susan was able to have a second cup of coffee with the beet cake.

Jimmy O'Neill's Tavern is known for its chocolate beet cake. If you order two dinners, you get one piece free. Even I, a non-chocoholic, like this warm cake with oodles of whipped cream. Must be the beets.

Do I dare step on the scale tomorrow morning?

Really?

Check this out. This is a screenshot of the stats for my blog.

All the countries where I have readers.

How cool is that?

Goodbye, 65th Year

What a year it has been.

My family is the most important aspect of my life. Whether it was receiving good news about yet another biopsy, watching Lise graduate and be sworn into the New Hampshire Bar, celebrating Thanksgiving at Kimberly’s, or hanging out with my siblings in Wilmington, I was surrounded by love and laughter.

Old friends and new continue to provide laughter and support. It is so unusual to have made new close friends at this stage of my life. I am so grateful to have met these three women.

Our furry family members added sturm und drang to this past year. Callie’s health issues and accident were upsetting. But now Callie is in good health after radiation and chemo.

Both the house and I received makeovers. Why did I wait so long for both?

The new kitchen has brought such joy to my Sweetie and me. He now has a space which is equal to his culinary skills. When I am sitting on the window seat, I smile when I look toward the sink. From the white subway tile to the vintage stainless steel counter and sink to the white cabinets with the glass front ones on top, there is nothing I would change. The second floor bath is everything I had imagined. We did a great job and without a designer.

My makeover began on July 3 when I listened, with skepticism, to the app, Weight Control. Lise had mentioned it as a possibility she was considering. First, I did not think I could be hypnotized since I am a bit of a control freak. Second, how effective could it be?

Yes, I was and it was very effective. I am now 22 pounds lighter than I was in July. Yep, from a size 12 petite to a 4 or 6 petite.

One other aspect of my life was refreshed. My Sweetie and I met with a relationship coach for 12 sessions. At our last session earlier this month my Sweetie thanked Kathy for making it possible for him to fall in love with me again. I was speechless. I get chills when I think about it.

And so, what will the next year bring? I have been asked if I am going to continue to blog. I can’t imagine not doing it.


*****

How Could I Forget?

I blame it on the foxes that appeared in our neighbors' yard on the 10th.

This is a very belated but very heartfelt, birthday post about my sister.

I was not thrilled when she was born. That was hardly an unexpected response since I was 17 days shy of celebrating my third birthday. What compounded my feelings was the fact that my mother went into the hospital to have her. (Diane is the only one of us to not be born at home.) First, my mother leaves me and then when she comes home, I can't see her.

I really don't know how long it took for me to be thrilled about having a sister.

For the first 9 years of our relationship we lived on a farm. I think that contributed to our closeness since we spent most of our time together without other playmates.

Recently, we were reminiscing about the complicated plots of our imaginative play, usually centering around horses. We had our western period inspired by one of my favorite Saturday morning shows, Fury.

After we moved to town, we changed to English riding, putting on elaborate horse shows, complete with the awarding of ribbons, in our basement rec room. I think I was reading books about debutantes and their horses.

When our brother was still at home, my sister and I shared a room and laughter. There were many nights when our mother would call out, "Girls, settle down. Your father has to go to work tomorrow."

One of my vivid memories of my teenage years is that of my sister hiding behind a doorway and scaring me. I suppose it was very satisfying for her since I was always startled even though I knew she was going to jump out.

During our adulthood, we have lived far apart and together. But either way, it makes no difference. As soon as we are together, we start laughing.

Just ask our husbands about it.


Now if we could only remember what was so funny.



*****

Two days

Almost There

I feel like an expectant mother during that last week before her due date.

It doesn't seem possible that her pregnancy is ending. But at the same time it is taking forever to reach her due date.

It doesn't seem possible that my 65th year is ending. My due date is so close and it is taking forever.

I have been thinking about what I will write on the 27th. Will it be a recap of this past year or a look to the future? Will I be philosophical or humorous?

I won't know until the labor pains begin.


*****

Three days

LBJs

My Sweetie captured this series of photos of LBJs or little brown jobs as a friend labeled the ubiquitous sparrows.

Feeding frenzy

Danger!

Fly away!

*****

Four days