Happy Birthday , Robert!

I could not resist putting up this adorable picture of my son-in-law when he was a little boy.   He still loves pizza and just celebrated a big Bday last Wednesday on the West Coast.

Pics from 1968 Camp Ann Bailey CIT unit

Early Spring 2013

After returning from my trip to Florida, I was immediately into the final week of rehearsals for the Pirates of Penzance.  I was again in the Royal Chorus but this year we had two weekends of performances rather than one.  Many friends came to see the show and all loved it.  ML and Robert came the final weekend.  It was great to have them here with Georgia even if it was only for 2 nights.  After the run, Holy Week was upon me (which is always busy).   I helped my friend, Sim, prepare his Seder by making kugel and an unleavened cake for Passover.  On Easter, I went to a lovely brunch at the Carolina Club with my friend, Joyce.  I seemed to pass the anniversary of Moody's death without difficulty but it was nice to have ML and R here on that day. 

Springtime finally rolled in with April and it went from right chilly to damn hot in a 24-hr period.  The pollen came up with Bill and Melva who visited on their way back to MD from a month in FL.  Below are some pics.

Irina, Veronique, and me - ladies of the Pirates of Penzance ensemble

Sim's Seder

Weeping cherry in bloom in first week of April

Carolina jasmine in bloom in my courtyard.

What I don't have pics from was the debut of my old timey band at an open mic on April 10th.  Pam on banjo, Phyllis on guitar, Mike on fiddle, and me on fiddle and vocal-- performed 4 songs at the Pittsboro Roadhouse.  We had a nice crowd because it was Sim's birthday and many of his friends came for dinner and to hear our string band.  The next day was ML's 30th Bday.  I was sorry not to be in Baltimore with her for that celebration.

Meanwhile..... I still have my tennis elbow.  I was able to get through a tennis clinic last week but I didn't have to play all the time.  I am now seeing my chiropractor for the elbow, but it still hurts.

Florida trip

I had a very nice time on my winter vacation to southern Florida.  I met Cathy Dippo who was in the midst of a 3-month progress throughout FL.  She picked me up in Ft. Lauderdale and we drove to Key West.  The weather was quite cold and wet.  Even though it was a pretty bad day for it, my favorite part was our ferry ride out to Ft. Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas.  It is an old military fortress used to protect the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico that during the Civil War housed Union prisoners (e.g., deserters & other army infractions).  But the most famous prisoners included Dr. Mudd and 3 other convicted "conspirators" in Lincoln's assassination.

After several days in the Keys we then drove up to just south of Miami and enjoyed the Zoo, a botanical garden with at least 500 varieties of palm trees, and Viscuya.  The sun shone brightly but it was still quite cool and breezy. The last night in FL I spent with John-Mac, Lani, and little McConihay.  John-Mac gave me a copy of his singing and guitar CD and it is fabulous! Below are some pics.

Cathy at our first night of margaritas and Key Lime pie

The roosters run wild and cockledoodledoo at all hours of day and night.

Dr. Mudd's cell with the channel he made with his spoon to try to catch the rain water.

Hemmingway's writing studio

Little Key deer (a bit bigger than a dog)

Glass bottom boat ride

Orchids at Viscuya

Viscuya

Flamingos at the Miami Zoo

The Terry family

Proud great Auntie with McConihay (age 2)

Piroshki

So why do I call this "Piroshki"?  Because it's my latest "go to" food.  Having finished all of Ester's empanadas I have to do my own little pies.  I like these because the dough is bread as opposed to a short dough like a Cornish Pastie (lots of butter).  I love the pork/chorizo burgers that we had at ML & R's a few years ago, so I just make the filling like the pork burgers except I add carrots, potatoes, onions, sauerkraut, and dill pickles.  Very tasty.  I bake them then freeze them and pull out what I need and heat up.  They are really nice for taking to the movies or a hike in the woods. 

I had my last acupuncture session last week.  I cannot take it anymore- too painful for me.  I also had a cortisone injection in my elbow but don't really think that helps much either.  Guess I'm destined for a bad right arm.

I highly recommend the movie "Side Effects" - about depression and pharmacotherapy.  Also saw "Quartet" with Maggie Smith and Pauline Collins.  It was about a retirement home for musicians and ex-opera singers.   I cut my roses back for the Spring and hope I did it correctly. My neighbor, Ed, helped me throw out my dead palms that I left out for the winter freeze to kill.  I just couldn't stand to bring them in one more time.  My Camellia bush had lots of blossoms all on the bottom.  Guess the trimming got rid of the buds on the top. I must remember that for next year.  I'm ready for Spring now.  I'm off to Florida next week, then when I return I have the Pirates of Penzance for 2 weeks. So, I'll be pretty busy.

Who'd a thunk!

I may not be my mother's daughter (e.g., can't play classical piano) but I must be my brother's sister because for dinner tonight I had Velveeta cheese between 2 slices of my homemade oatmeal bread!

Ravens...

It was great to see the Ravens win the AFC conference title.  I'm looking forward to the Super Bowl Game on Feb 4.  Georgia is on board to be the biggest Raven fan.

My arm feels a bit better due to last week's acupuncture session so I will go back next week.  I had one night with no sleeping pill which is a step in the right direction.  I woke up a few times but then went back to sleep.  Voices rehearsal start up tonight so I'll get to see what I have to sing in the Mozart Missa Brevis. Concert will be June 1.

Went to several movies this week including Zero Dark Thirty and Hyde Park.  Going to see Broken City on Saturday.