Back to the blog!

Time to sneak in a blog post before March of 2009 vanishes completely. I am happy to share with you that the spring musical was worth all the effort poured into it -- the show was a huge success with our audiences and the young cast and crew members all managed to get healthy enough to make it through all four performances.

I don't know if this is just in Ohio or is happening elsewhere -- you tell me. We've had the most obnoxious germs and viruses showing up at school this year, far more than I can ever remember. Kids and adults have been out for days at a time, suffering from lingering fevers or nausea, wracking coughs and even bouts of dizziness that some have labeled the "vertigo disease." It wasn't simply one disease manifesting itself in different ways. Some had influenza B, a very contagious virus, and then went on to catch the next nasty bug going around. It took a dreadful toll on our cast members, particularly those who resided in the castle. The villagers were pretty much spared. It reminded me of Poe's Mask of the Red Death, as one by one the actors playing castle characters caught "the plague" and vanished for days on end. Opening night was the first time in weeks we had everybody there and in a relatively healthy state!

So no more long weeks of rehearsals after school. It was a thrill to leave at a normal time today and to see the sun shining and feel the earth basking in its glow. I was happy to take a walk around the garden this afternoon and note all the signs of spring. Forsythia blooming already and the tulips sending forth tall leaves. The lilac bush is noticeably active and already there are weeds trying to take over beds. The chives are a brilliant shade green in the herb bed. I bought some peas and spinach seeds to put in the garden. They need to be planted now while the ground is still cool and the temperatures are just right.

Spring break is almost upon us. I'm going to take a nice long trip in my smart car, traveling to upstate NY to visit friends and then down to the city for a few days of intense theatre-going. Will take the laptop along for blogging updates.

Until then, it is spring cleaning time here at the Village Green. Sweeping out the debris of winter and letting in the fresh air of spring!