Space Available; Inquire Within

This will serve as my official last post here on blogger. It's been good to me, getting me started in this crazy writing adventure I've grown to love so much. But the shiny Typepad blogs made me want more, and so:

http://heyyall.typepad.com/hey_yall/

I have moved. Join me over there for Comfort Food Saturday, won't you

If you've got this blog bookmarked (thank you!), please don't forget to change it to the new address.

Well what are you waiting for? Let's go! See ya there.

If anyone needs me, I'll be over here in the Haz Mat suit

Marcus is sick with what can only be described as "The Crud." Apparently that is a medical term here in Alabama. It's what the urgent care doctor told me I had last time I was sick. The Crud. And one of our co-workers thinks she has the shingles. Half our students have pneumonia or some version of the dreaded Crud. Welcome to February in Alabama! 70 degrees one minute 21 the next. And how 'bout those 50 mph winds and tornadoes? Good times, I say, good times.

I'm currently obsessed with the idea of keeping myself and Dean healthy. I chugged a big glass of juice today and shoved countless Zicam swabs up my nose. I even gave Dean two servings of juice water. (All "the stuff" I've read about juice and obesity and aaaaaaaaah, evil suuuuuuuuuugaaaaaaaaaarrrr has sufficiently freaked me out, so I give Dean 1 part juice to 2 parts water. It's just how I roll. Yet I let him eat Gerber baby fruit roll ups. Go figure.) Anyway, we are all up on our vitamin C now.

I knew Marcus was really sick when he asked me to call in and let the secretary know he wouldn't be teaching class OR having rehearsal today. Usually he'll just try to push through. Not so much today. He got up long enough to eat some Fruity Pebbles and sit with Dean while I showered and got ready for work. When I came downstairs, they were watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Well, watching is a generous way to describe it. Dean doesn't really watch it per se, he mostly just plays til the Hot Dog Dance comes on, then goes nuts. Marcus was conked out on the couch and Dean had his little hand on his Daddy's knee. It was kind of the cutest thing I've ever seen. As I got closer, I understood just how clogged Marcus's nose must be because MY GOD the poop. I quickly took Dean up for fresh pants and dragged Marcus back to bed. Once he was settled, I closed our bedroom door and sealed it with Lysol. Oh, yes, I did.

I do not want to get sick. I will not get sick. (knocks frantically on wooden tray table) I deny the existence of The Crud. And now I go to stick another Zicam swab up my nose and chug one more glass of juice before I settle in for the night. In our guest room.

Rehearsal widow

Last night I began my latest stint as a rehearsal widow. This means Marcus is starting rehearsal for a new show and I'm at home. It's been the other way around in our home a lot, where Marcus was abandoned while I worked on a show. But this time? I was reminded of one of the many reasons why living here in Alabama has improved our family's definition of quality time.

Marcus's commute from our apartment in NYC to his rehearsals: 2 hours ONE WAY
Marcus's commute from our house in Alabama to his rehearsals: 15 minutes ROUND TRIP

God bless Alabama.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

We had a great day. I started my herb garden, FINALLY took a moment to paint my toenails, then we went exploring at a state park nearby. There were also slushies from Sonic at some point in there. We finished off our evening with a great dinner cooked on our brand-spankin' new grill, which was part of my birthday/Valentine's day gift.

DISCLAIMER: Readers living in colder areas of the globe may ending up cussing and hating me after seeing these pictures. Should you choose to continue, you will know why Marcus and I wanted to move back to the south. (we don't like snow much) Behold the 70 degree February day:

Planting herbs. Anybody need chives? Because I should have a TRUCKLOAD soon. That starter greenhouse thingy I'm planting? One of four!

And now, the 2 most beautiful parts of my weekend:

Dean was just happy he got to eat his YoBaby outside.

Moooooooom, what's an herb? (or a herb if you pronounce the h...)

My new favorite picture of my son.

My son who discovered pine cones today.

A perfect day.

Comfort Food Saturday--Red Velvet Cake

In honor of Valentine's Day, I give you my favorite dessert recipe. Enjoy!


RED VELVET CAKE
1 ½ cups flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ cup milk
1 bottle (1 oz.) Red food coloring
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Heat oven to 350. Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix sour cream, milk, food coloring and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed just until blended. Spoon batter into cake pan or muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting!

VANILLA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 box (16 oz.) confectioners’ sugar
Beat softened cream cheese, softened butter, sour cream and vanilla extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until smooth.


TIP!! If you like pecans, you can stir some chopped ones into your frosting once it's made and then spread it on the cake, OR sprinkle them on top of the cake once it's frosted. YUM!

32

I turn 32 today.

This many

I thought I'd do a little list. 32 Things on my 32nd. Here goes nothing.

1. This is an anti-climactic age.

2. On the eve of my 30th birthday, I had a small identity crisis. I called my friend Eileen and asked her if I was supposed to feel older and wiser. She said no. That made me feel better.

3. CVS just called to refill my prescription. How very nice of them.

4. I'm having lunch today with Auntie M and Loretta.

5. Dean's pretty jazzed about it.

6. Marcus, Dean and I had dinner at Cajun Steamers last night, courtesy of my parents.

7. Dean had his first kid's meal.

8. Dean likes Cajun fries.

9. I wore flip-flops. In February.

10. My favorite color is purple. Did you know? Now you do.

11. I bought my first pair of Clark's shoes this year.

12. They are the greatest pair of shoes I have ever owned. Also the most expensive.

13. I think it's cool when my birthday falls on Friday the 13th.

14. I kind of hate Valentine's day.

15. I especially hate it when people wrap my birthday gifts in Valentine gift wrap.

16. Dean keeps finding my cell phone and programming new numbers into it. This is annoying.

17. The plumber we hired to fix our leaky pipe was great. We will not have to sell anything on eBay to pay the bill.

18. Home ownership kinda sucks sometimes. (see above comment about leaky pipe)

19. Dean peed on me twice this morning. Happy birthday, mommy. ;)

20. My perfect "Fat Breakfast" would be Dunkin' Donuts Hazelnut coffee, Krispy Kreme donuts and hashbrowns from McDonald's, with a soy latte from Starbuck's for dessert.

21. I could eat pasta every single day. So could my son.

22. I don't remember going from the OR to the recovery room after my c-section. This kind of bothers me.

23. In college, we once had a 4-way joint birthday party for a bunch of us who were born between Feb. 10-13.

24. My family's new favorite word is "boon." (balloon)

25. My class brought in their assignment for next Thursday yesterday. Everyone did. So we did those presentations. Better early than late, huh?

26. I really hope Marcus gets me York Peppermint Patties for Valentine's Day. I enjoy them chilled.

27. I always cry when filling out holiday cards to Dean. Last year when he was a wee little tot, Marcus and I had to try 5 times before we could read him his Valentine. I'm sure his 6 week old self really cared about having it read aloud, but it was important to us.

28. I have never used a lawnmower. I have no intention of starting any time soon. (Marcus is getting ready to mow our yard.)

29. My secret dream is to receive an entire bag of trial-sized items for my birthday or Christmas.

30. I once had a pet crab named Charlie. I fed him bologna. He died.

31. Dean calls me "Nah Nah." I love it.

32. Wanna know what Marcus gave me for my birthday? I'M MOVING MY BLOG TO TYPEPAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to do the online tutorial and get everything set up, but within two weeks, you will be able to visit me at my new and improved site.

Now go have a cupcake and think of me. :)

Nothing out of the ordinary

We have had a very ordinary week here in Lane Land. I can't believe it's only Wednesday. I'm kind of tired and ready for the weekend already. I'm also amazed at how anti-climactic the week leading up to my birthday has been. I usually get much more excited. I guess 32 is kind of an anti-climactic age--no new privileges, no new decade, no double numbers, just a 3 and a 2. On Friday (the actual day of birth--love it when it's Friday the 13th!), my Auntie M and our friend Loretta (or Roletta) are taking me to lunch. Marcus, Dean and I are going out to dinner that night, then coming home to chill out and watch a movie, probably LOVE ACTUALLY so we can quote it as we watch. (after Dean goes to bed, of course) Marcus has scholarship auditions on Saturday, so Dean and I will surely find something to fill our time while he's gone.

Dean's 4th tooth popped through yesterday. It terrified our manny, BJ, who thought something was terribly wrong. Dean always runs a very low-grade fever when he's cutting a tooth and acts really lethargic and cranky. Poor BJ was sure he was sick and that he would shrivel up and blow away because he didn't want much lunch. Once we inspected his gums, we gave him a little Tylenol and a cold chew toy and he was good to go. He did wake up FREAKING OUT twice during the night, though. Poor little guy. I'm going to make him a grilled cheese for lunch. Toast feels good to baby gums, I hear.

There's a new art gallery in Montevallo! It's called the Blue Phrog. We met the owner last night at Eclipse, our coffee and book store. I'm hoping to get in touch with him this week to ask about bringing my class to the gallery for a field trip. It would be nice for them to talk to a manager of an arts organization that isn't performance-based.

In other news, I really need to get cracking on the workshops I'll be presenting next month at the Southeastern Theatre Conference. Last year, Marcus, our friend Scott and I did one on moving to NYC. It was so well received that this year we've broken it into two different workshops, one on moving to NYC, the other on networking in NYC, and added a fourth panelist. I think this will be the last year we present this one, since we've been gone from the city for close to a year and are already losing touch with the way things are there. I'm also presenting a workshop on stage managing outdoor drama. Should be fun. I'm looking forward to the conference. It's always fun to see old friends and make new connections. Since I'm not job-hunting or hiring this year, I'll be spending my days presenting or attending workshops, going to meetings for my new position with Alabama Conference of Theatres and finding other opportunities to get involved. There is an interest group for people who would like to write for Southern Theatre, our quarterly magazine. I'm going to attend that and pitch an idea: I think we should start a Southern Theatre blog. It's an idea I've been playing around with for a while and I think it would be a great informational and networking tool for our region. I would happily serve as "blogmaster" and be responsible for finding content to post 2-3 times a week. I'd like to do one interview with someone working in professional theatre each week, then a feature about new products, new plays, new programs, etc. I'm reading Blogging for Dummies right now to teach myself a little more about the wonderful, mysterious blogosphere.

How's YOUR week going?

PS:

I am TOTALLY a rockstar!