It worked!

 I'm glad to report that yesterday's exercise worked well.  At rehearsal this evening I sailed through the 'admirable' line.  Now I need to focus on "the matter of the medal.."  This is a bit of a tongue twister for me.  Perhaps a stiff drink would help.  Just coincidentally today is 'National Hot Mulled Cider Day."  It's also "National Mud Pack Day" but I prefer to focus on the drink.  Hot cider is one of the joys of autumn.  Cheers everyone.  

What's that word?

 For many days now I have been working on memorizing my lines for the play I will be in at the end of October.  I have 46 speeches, or lines, in two scenes.  Some are lengthy and some are quite short but I have managed to memorize them all - except for one elusive word.  The line is "But that was admirable too, for she was merely being loyal to a playmate." Easy right?  Except for the word 'admirable.'  I don't know why but each time I say that line, I get as far as "But that was...." and that's it.  Just a blank, nothing more comes.  So I am going to type the word admirable here twenty times in hopes that it will stick.  If not, prepare for an unintended laugh during the play.  ADMIRABLE  ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE  ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE  ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE ADMIRABLE

ask me anything

 Today is "Ask a Stupid Question Day" and also "National Good Neighbor Day."  I think being a good neighbor might include not asking certain questions like "When are you going to mow your grass?" or "When is your son going to get a new muffler for his car?"  However, if being a good neighbor isn't a concern there are all kind of stupid question you can ask.  Like "Why should I get the vaccination?" "Why should my child wear a mask to school?" "Why should I bother to wear a seat belt?" "Why aren't my rights more important than anyone else's?"  Maybe we need to focus more on being a good neighbor?

travel woes

 I went to my cousin's funeral in Woodburn this morning.  The service itself was very nice and it was a sad but good chance to reconnect with some family members I don't see often.  I was even pleasantly surprised when I was greeted like a long lost friend by one of the funeral directors.  He had been surprised yesterday when he saw my name on the flowers I sent, and was watching for me when I arrived.  He's a full time funeral director and part time play-write and I was in one of his plays before the pandemic shut everything down.  I played the church lady who accidentally got dragged off to Hell (but that's a different story).  The funeral was fine, as I said, but getting there was not half the fun.  I grew up in Woodburn, and while I don't get out that way very often, I do still remember the way.  At least I thought I did.  I took what I thought would be the most direct way, and it probably would have been, without the lengthy detour through New Haven (come on people, New Haven isn't that big) and a few wrong turns.  50 minutes later, I completed what should have been a half hour drive.  It's good that I left early.  

It's mine now.

 The final performance at First Presbyterian Theater of "The Wolves" was a matinee held this afternoon.  Including all of the dress rehearsals through today, I was there for eleven performances, working the sound board.  Pushing the GO button on the computer to start the music at each cue and then pushing the FADE button when it was time for the music to end.  It was a little more complicated than that, but not too much.  I also blew the referee's whistle seven times during the play, and if I do say so, I blew it very well.  In fact several people (all friends or relatives) told me that I blew it very well.  It's the only musical instrument I can play.  The really good news is that, as a souvenir, I was allowed to bring the whistle home with me.  What a lovely memento, but I probably shouldn't blow it inside.  These apartments are very well soundproofed but still.  In fact, right now I can't think of any good place to blow my whistle.  Maybe I'll keep it with me and blow it at the next crazy scooter rider I almost hit downtown. I'm not sure why they don't think traffic laws apply to them.  

more murals

 Over the last few years Fort Wayne has slowly been becoming decorated with murals.  Murals on buildings, on fronts and in alley ways.  They are fun to come upon as you walk around the city.  One of my favorites is the long, bright mural on the wall supporting an elevated stretch of railroad across the parking lot from my apartment building.  It's so much more appealing than the drab gray expanse that it was before.  Now, according to a recent news report, the city is trying something new.  Murals painted around drain covers.  They showed a few examples and they were cute.  Pictures and messages reminding people that these drains are for run off water (rain water) not garbage.  I questioned if these creations should be called murals because they're not on walls but Google has reassured me that murals can be painted directly on a wall, ceiling, or other permanent surface. The next time you take a walk downtown, look around but also look down.

leaky roof?

 I was a homeowner for many years so I am familiar with leaky roofs.  However, now I live in a tenth floor apartment with four more floors above me so I was not expecting leaks in my ceiling.  Actually, about four years ago I did have a ceiling leak but that was in my bathroom and caused by a plumbing problem in the bathroom above mine.  Happily everything was fixed, good as new.  This week, however, on Wednesday when we had lots of wind and rain, I discovered a leak in my bedroom ceiling.  The water trail started at the angle between exterior wall and ceiling and extended for about two feet into the room.  Since it was late at night and not what I would consider an emergency, I put a couple of waste baskets under the leak and put a towel over them so I wouldn't hear the annoying drip drip all night.  In the morning the towel was quite soggy but the rain had stopped and nothing was dripping any more.  I called the office to report the problem and a maintenance man came by today to have a look.  When he saw where the problem was (the young lady I had reported it to had told him it was a leaky window) he told me that they had received several reports of similar leaks since Wednesday.  I didn't find this particularly reassuring.  Is the whole side of the building going to start leaking like a sieve?  But he reassured me.  A company has already been hired to reseal all of the ledges and other places where water could get in on the north side of the building.  This should be interesting to watch.  Stay tuned.