Monday, March 20, 2006

Adventures in Housesitting

Adventures in Housesitting

Adventure may be too strong of a word to use. I primarily alternate between browsing on the internet, watching reruns of sitcoms, and reading. Jake and I went for a junk food break this afternoon. I bought some tostidos and salsa con queso, a few candy items, and a pint of Half Baked. It's funny. Now that I've quit my job I've started sleeping again on my own without the sleeping pills, and I'm gaining on average of a pound a day. Funny what three square meals and time off can do for a girl.

I have an audition this weekend for Leavenworth. I have mixed feelings about it. I've always said I would do their program someday. And this season they're doing Sound of Music, The Music Man, and Showboat. A truly stellar lineup for my voicetype. And I just make the cutoff for Maria (19-25) and Marian (25-35). For a day or two I've thought that I should put this off until next year. I have a new job that I love, and I've just moved, and getting into Leavenworth means moving again in three months, and again three months after that. That would take this year to an all new moving total of 5 times in 15 months. Mom and Dad convinced me to audition anyway just to see what happens, and then decide what to do from there. Plus, I'm really out of practice. We'll see what I can whip together this week. My audition is Sunday.

Seattle is in bloom. Last weekend as I flew back from Orange County, I noticed all of the fruit trees blooming on the descent. Today there are banks of daffodils. Purple hyacinth sprigs pop up out of nowhere. And tress that were bare four weeks ago are budding and some have leafed out. The birch trees are still holding out for warmer weather. The sun was out most of the afternoon. The perfect day to pull and adirondack chair into the sun and take Emma with me.

Pam called me this evening, another member of my "Blessed Company of all Faithful People." I haven't heard from them in a while, and with all the stress of the past few weeks, I haven't written a real letter in quite some time. They're living at the B&B while remodeling their house. They now have stained glass windows in the bedroom of their log cabin. Teri! It's the Blue Castle! (I'm so glad you liked that book, by the way. I found it at a library once, and it changed my life. Especially when she started making pithy cracks at her family during dinner. And, of course, Barney).

Tomorrow I drive back to Yakima with enough time to change clothes to teach. Mother did an in-service today at St. Pauls, so I anticipate some feedback. I'm going to wear out some more classes with the extra-athletic choreography to "Once an Austrian Went Yodelling." And I have the rest of a We Sing video to keep my kindergarteners occupied on Wednesday. I love video days. I'm thinking about starting Newsies with all my classes. That would give me about four weeks worth of lessons right there. Two weeks until spring break!

I'm still living at the folks' house for the time being. The house on Lincoln isn't ready. All my stuff is there in storage. At this rate, if I do get into Leavenworth, it almost doesn't seem worth it to get all moved in and have to pack again in mid-june. Oh well, one step at a time. And there's still the big decision of how long to stay in Yakima now that my reason for being here is null and void. I could go anywhere, but it's been lovely to be home for a little while. Nearer to family. Able to be at all holidays. And I'm not sick of Yakima yet. Pepsi and fry sauce. What's not to like.

This is kind of a rambly post. I feel like I should abound with some pithy observations about something, but I'm in kind of a post-stress lull. I did have a few drunk snowmobilers singing Roxanne with my name substituted in. It feels good to be cocktailing again. This type of bar is such a relaxing place to work - even when it's hectic. Last thursday was live music night, and everyone ate buffet and then sat around enjoying themselves. People who condemn bars for the sake of the debauchery clearly haven't been to enough of them to see the different types. Sure, Jackson's on a kareoke night, fairly rowdy. I've heard of a fight, and watched someone set off the alarms as they dragged him out through an emergency exit only door because he was too intoxicated to walk. But this place is lovely. Mostly tourists and locals, coming in for a beer or two to sit and pass a winters evening with friends. I'd imagine the pub that the Inklings met in had a similar atmosphere, although probably better lighting. I can't imagine reading anything in there. The mood lighting is really dark, but they have a lovely big fireplace with an antlered head above it.

And I'm off to bed.

This looks interesting

This looks interesting...