It's Over!!!!!!!!

Yesterday afternoon I went to see my very talented husband and adorable daughter in the Wizard of Oz.  Yes, it was my turn to see it, finally!  I went with my brother Michael while my Mum (who was here again for the weekend, hooray!) looked after the boys.  It was SUCH a treat to be there, just Michael and I, and oh so strange to be in the audience and not on the stage with them!  But wonderful.  Stuart was a delight- so clever and funny and loveable, and I'm very proud of him.  And Saraya was positively gorgeous as a munchkin- even when she kept nervously chewing her nails between dance bits. :)  I'm a very proud Mamma.

It's been a massive journey, a very successful production, and I think we're all in the post-euphoric state that comes at the end of a show.  I wonder what the theatre will do next year???

I've had an extremely emotional few weeks, with lots of deep thoughts running through my head about all sorts of things.  I'm sure I'll be sharing some of them in the coming days..........  

Happy Sunday everyone!

A few notes...

Well, this week is plodding along.  It's raining constantly, very very wet, cool and windy with Cyclone Hamish hovering off the coastline.  Seems to be heading north again now though, and I think the forecast is for more hot sunny days next week.

Opening night was a roaring (pardon the pun) success.  No major difficulties other than the main stage curtain getting caught on a light and tearing up the top.  About $3000 worth of damagae apparently, but nothing noticable to the audience.  Woops!  Stu received loads of compliments and is feeling suitably pleased with himself :).  Saraya has had a couple of days home after getting in at just before midnight with Stu on Wednesday night!  A very big week for her.  We've had lots of family visiting too, with cousins to play with so all very social on the home front.  Lots of fun for the children, they have enjoyed our visitors.

I'm hanging in there, feeling quite blue still this week, but okay.  It's not just Stu's physical absence that's hurting lately, it's that his headspace isn't really "here" with us.  Not sure when it will come back either.  This whole theatre experience has been amazingly wonderful for him, and on top of work, there's not much room left in there for me and the kids.  This may sound harsh, but I think he'd agree that it's true.  So yeah, I'm lonely and a bit sad in general :(.  I know men and women are wired differently and I'm trying to remember that. :)  There are so many things going on with the children at the moment, and with me, so many thoughts, emotions, difficulties, joys, growth, etc. and I so desperately want to share them with Stuart.   I'm hanging in there with the hope of that happening one day soon.

A few highlights of my week have come from beautiful friends!!  Yesterday I received a belated Christmas parcel from my high-school friend in Brisbane, Jen.  What brilliant timing, and such special gifts and a wonderful letter!

An organic gardening resource guide, some organic broccoli, bean and capsicum seeds for the garden (yay!), a long letter which I loved, and this hat.

It's warm and Autumnal and perfect.  Since playing Eponine in Les Mis years ago, and wearing a hat this style, I have always wanted one of my own. Thanks SO much Jen!!

My beautiful friend Cathy delivered a basket of baking the other day which we (and our visitors) have all enjoyed very much!  She even made little homemade tags.  Thankyou Cathy!

Aside from a few niggly moments with Saraya today, it's been a delight having her home this week. :)  With the cool rainy weather the children enjoyed warm milos this morning.  And a big long drawing session.

Inspired by watching the film yesterday. :)  

Opening Night......

It is SO strange being here at home, "hanging out" with William while Elijah sleeps and Stuart and Saraya are down at the theatre performing away!  The show opened 35 minutes ago, and I so desperately want to be there!!  All I can do is sit and pray and wonder how it's going, which bit they are up to, if all the special effects work, if "Toto" is behaving himself, etc.! I'm going to go to bed as soon as WIlliam does so I can wake up and hear all about how it went when they get home later. :) 

Being Saraya's first show (of many, I can only imagine!) we wanted to give her a special keepsake. Stuart searched around online and found these gorgeous handmade in Russia 'Wizard of Oz' Babushka dolls.....

How cute are they?  They only arrived this morning, just in time for opening night!

Go lion!!!  You are going to be so great!!  Hope the florist delivered your orange gerbera backstage for you...... and Saraya's rose too........ ;)

It's been a very challenging few months for me, holding down the fort here and just doing all the mundane stuff on my own while my husband is away working or at the theatre having a blast.  BUT as I keep perspective I know it's only for a short season, and I'm blessed that he'll be back so soon now!  And he's had such a great time.  And grown as a performer.  And it's my turn next year. ;)

Thankyou Cathy for the beautiful basket of baked goodies to help feed all the visiting family this week (and the cherry ripes for me, yummy!)........... you are such a special friend; I can never tell you how much you mean to me!

Our weekend in pictures

Thanks SO much Mum and Ray for coming and giving me a much-needed "lift" in spirits, not to mention enormously wonderful practical help!!

Now, only 1 more sleep 'till opening night........ 

Early morning promo at the markets

Every Thursday in Maryborough is Market day.  Generally I head in early, before Stuart goes to work, to buy fresh local fruit and vegetables at a much better price than Woolworths charges.  Today however, our whole family headed in at 7am for a slightly different reason..... to promote Wizard of Oz!  Stu, Alex (Dorothy), Gavin (Scarecrow) and Amy (Glinda, no costume though) walked the streets handing out brochures, with the kids and I in tow. :)  They were very in character and it was quite hilarious watching them with the crowd- good old street theatre!

Here are some pics of our morning........

Yay! Free popcorn! Good thing cos we didn't have time for breakfast :)

The stall holders were great and seemed to enjoy the show :)

Gavin's great idea! A shame Tinman wasn't available this morning...

Free lolly tastings!

We got a little tired of walking.... the children loved sitting and looking at these statues for awhile

We found Mary Heritage (an icon here) doing the "welcome to Maryborough" announcements for the morning, and got her to read aloud the brochure through the sound system!  Good advertising. Aren't we a theatrical bunch in this town?!

Stuart just commented that he wants to go next Thursday and do it all again.  I'm not sure about that, but it was a fun way to start the day!!  

Dress Rehearsal Weekend

Well, aside from 2 hours at church this morning, and a few here and there at home, we have spent the entire weekend at the theatre for dress rehearsals.  10 days until opening night, wow!  Costumes are still being touched up (and makeup too; in many of these pictures it's incomplete), but here is a *glimpse* of what we were seeing backstage today!

So after all this time at the theatre, do you think we're getting tired of it?  Well, these faces really say it all............

......... and yes, this is Stuart's residual eyeliner!  Have a great week everyone!!