Back but Busy....

I got back from Minnesota on Wednesday. I left the previous Wednesday with my Mom, Oliver and Gibson and we took just over 2 days to get to Duluth. The driving went well. The boys were good for the majority of the time with sporadic flare-ups when they got tired or bored. We tried to minimize these by finding lunch spots with Play lands and when that was not available we played 'run around the car'. There were two main purposes for the trip. First, I wanted to see my Grandma Strand. She is 91 this August and I wanted to take the time to see her and to take the boys to see her now that they would be able to remember the visit. When we are dealing with 90+ there are no guarantees. I also wanted them to see her while she was still in good health. They were great with her and with my Aunt Sharon, Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Tom. Lots of hugs, easily doled out, card games and dice games in the evening. We would go out in the afternoon so that Grandma could have a rest. The second purpose was to show the boys Minnesota and Beaver Bay. We drove up Saturday to BB and we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house (now Uncle Bob's and Aunt Janet's). We walked down the hill. The intention was to go to the Rock Shop but a newly installed play park sidetracked us. After playing it was too hot to go on to the Rock shop. Just as well, that would have cost me. We also visited the Split Rock Lighthouse and took a trip to Grandpa's grave site. We were only in Minnesota for about 3 1/2 days. We headed back on Monday, leaving at about 11 AM. We arrived home at 3 PM on Wednesday. When I have time I shall post photos.

Upon return I did laundry and settled in. Then Thursday I was off to rehearsal for Cinderella - still bone tired from the trip but rising to the challenge. Tonight I am off to Dramaworks for the beginning of a weekend workshop. Maybe I will rest next week....

Cinderella Update!

I finally know our schedule and location for the 2008 Fringe Festival! I hope you all can come and out see this fantastic production of Cinderella. So far we have gotten a chunk of it blocked and off-book (about a 1/3 I think). The cast is gelling as we get to know one another and get comfortable with each other. We got the PCL (yay!) and the times are good. If you have a wee bairn or are a child at heart - check it out! If you want to help Mark with my kids, let me know and I will tell him and you can help with the wrangling. Just so you know, Oliver is hilarious to go with... especially when audience participation is required.

Who: Scott Brooks, Merran Carr-Wiggin, Michael Davidson, Kimberley Miller, Martin Kapusta, Gil Miciak, Chris Scott, Linette Smith, and myself (Kristen Finlay - if you are reading this blog you should know this!).
What: The Fringe runs August 14 - 24
Where: You can see our show at the PCL Studio Theatre in the Transalta Barns (10330 84 Ave)When:Friday, August 15 - 11:00 am
Saturday, August 16 - 6:45 pm
Sunday, August 17 - 12:45 pm
Monday, August 18 - 4:15 pm
Wednesday, August 20 - 1:15 pm
Thursday, August 21 - 2:30 pm
Friday, August 22 - 11:00 am
Saturday, August 23 - 2:45 pm

Let me know if you have any questions. I'd love to see you you there!

My Beautiful, Silly, Colour Co-ordinated Family!

This week ALL of my immediate family was in town for a period of about 48 hours and we planned ahead and got family pictures done. A bit of co-ordination was involved because we wanted some amount of colour matching without it looking too cheesy. It came together nicely.

We also did smaller groups and 'personality shots' like the one of just my family. I think that shot captures a lot! Between the expression on my and Mark's faces and Oliver's silliness and Gibson's earnestness I think you get it all.

We will now be going through the process of spending a lot of money since there were so many nice pictures. I am a real sucker for nice photos of my family.

10 years ago...

Magnolia did this and I have stolen the questions from her....

What were you doing 10 years ago?
1998 - This would have been 2 years into my marriage so Mark and I were trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant. It was before I started teaching drama so I was teaching Math and Science and I was Student's Council Advisor (busy, busy, busy). I was also playing the White Witch in Narnia. Since it was before children I was still able to do quite a bit of Keyano. Likely there was a British Smisles show in there and I think that might also have been the year Mark and I did Damn Yankees.

What are 5 things on my to-do list?
1. Get rid of the junk I have accumulated over the years (sort and throw out).
2. Lose weight and get in better shape.
3. My writing - my 3+ plays on the go and the novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo.
4. Coordinate childcare and documentation so that I can take the drama course I want to at the U of A in the Fall.
5. Learn my lines for Cinderella.

Where have I lived?
Two Harbours, Minnesota - can't remember the house
Levack, Ontario - We lived in a couple of places - I remember the house where all us kids were in the same room - fun, fun, fun!
Princeton, B.C. - I remember how excited the neighborhood kids were to learn that a family with 5 kids was moving in.
Fort McMurray, AB - the house on Silvanus
Edmonton - a variety of apartments, and residences during University. I lived in Lister (Mac), Garneau and HUB, as well as some off campus apartments.
Fort McMurray - 3 or 4 places before Mark and I married. Then we bought the house on Ross Street (with my blue room)
Edmonton - Up here in Castledowns in our nice big house that still needs work, but we plan to be here for a while.

What would I do if I was a billionaire?

Pay off my mortgage and business loan on the store. Put a bunch in the bank. Give endowments to Keyano theatre and Walterdale. Produce my own plays or work that I could direct or be in. Maybe AM and I would start that theatre company. Hey I could build me own theatre! Cool! Hire a nanny (who would likely be paid very well for very little work). Raise the wages of everyone at the store. Set up education funds for my nieces and nephews. Give Paul some money so he wouldn't bug me (ha ha ha). Travel. Hire a personal trainer and a house cleaner. Get everything done to the house that I want done (like a new kitchen and get the basement re-done and all that). Sit down and make a list of the charities I want to support and then give them money, anonymously.

Oh yes, and go shoe shopping.... Ahhhhh....

Who would I like to know more about? I don't know. Maybe myself. Whenever I do a part in a play I tend to research the topic, but there isn't anyone in particular...

Nice Words... Nice to Hear...

Wednesday night I went to Opening Night for Trading Stages at Walterdale Theatre. I Assistant Directed one of the shows that opening Thursday, but I went both nights to support the casts. After Wednesday's show there was the typical Opening Night Reception. Mark and I went up to eat some veggies and dip and fruit and other finger foods. While there I was approached by Frank Glenfield. Frank is one of the original Walterdale Members and he and his wife are sort of Walterdale Royalty. In any case, he came up to compliment me on Crimes of the Heart. He said he had seen the show 4 times (Shadow Theatre, U of A and the original Walterdale production) and he and his wife had even debated going at all, but decided to go. He said that of the 4 shows mine was the best production. He complimented the 3 sisters in particular, but the show as a whole. Nice to hear.

Keeping it all Organized...

When I get busy like this, it is often hard to make sure everything is looked after. Too often there are more things I want to do than I can do. I am also trying to sort out what I want to do and prioritize a bit so I don't make another large commitment mistake like the last one. And I feel bad about it, because other people may have been perfectly happy with the experience I had. It is not to belittle those that might have liked doing it, it was just my time might have been spent better somewhere else. In any case, I have had a lot of discussions with AM and others about my role in theatre in Edmonton and surrounding area. I have to find a way to work into the current system, but I hate playing social games. I like being upfront and really, at 40, I feel like I am too old to jump through hoops. Blah, blah, blah....

And now for something completely different. We got the yard landscaped this past week. Totally gutted and re-sodded. The old yucky garden/weed patch was dug out and sodded over, giving us a lovely big backyard far more suited to us and the children. The landscapers also removed the debris left behind from last year's new patio construction so the 'white trash' appearance of our backyard has completely disappeared. Yay! Now we just have to keep it watered over the next three weeks and we should be good.

Next, please!

Baby is done. I can move on to the next thing, and I am doing so tonight. Tonight we have a Q2Q for the One Act (Cellar Doors, Secret Gardens) at Walterdale's Trading Stages. I am dead tired, but I do not think I will have a tonne to do there. Mostly just sitting and getting through it.