Thankful Friday

I’m taking a cue from Elephant Soap and doing a Thankful Friday entry this week.

Because I oh soooo am, Oh SOOO Thankful.

The first part of this year has been spent at a kind of madcap pace, hospitals and major surgeries for Dad, funerals and grief, Listen To Your Mother, and two events on the work front. There were moments in the last three weeks where I couldn’t breathe. It was gurgling up in my throat, this overwhelming To Do List and it was choking me.

The production value that I expect and demand from the things I’m involved in…is high. And this past month I felt like I was arriving for opening night having never seen the script or been fitted for a costume.

THAT level of panic and stress.

Deep breathing and ambien got me through to today.

There are major things on the horizon, sure.

Mark’s big project Summer Breeze concert series opens Sunday.

Mark’s uncle and his family arrive at our house next week for a visit. They’re visiting the whole family of course but will be staying with us. That was unexpected, and while I was crossing my fingers good and tight to take the teardrop out for our first weekend with no concerts or Girl Scout functions for Memorial Day…family is family.

So the cleaning will commence, the middle room will finally get unpacked, we’ll drag the extra bed up from the basement. So much work to do before they get here. Sigh.

But I’m thankful for family. I miss mine so much, and would give anything if they lived here as Mark’s does. These out of state contingents are welcome here and I’m looking forward to meeting them.

This weekend also brings Trisha back into my breathing space. They’re here house hunting for a few days, and on Sunday night she and I will kick back on the lawn of the park, open a cool beverage and be transported into the magic of the Giving Tree Band on the stage. I’m sooo thankful for that.

Listen To Your Mother is wrapping up, post show tasks are getting checked off the list and that’s good. Just a few more bits, some banking and we close the book for another year. Heather, Julie and I are already talking about next year, about what we want to change and why and that in itself makes me giddy. I’m so thankful for this production team both local and national. There’s no way I would do this gig if it brought drama and grief.

This week brought finalization on the NYC trip. Our Hedwig tickets were purchased, my flight is booked. This is a “whorecation” (remember Taos?) and I’m giddy. As with most trips and a group of 13 people, not everyone can go, but Elizabeth will finally get to meet these friends that we’ve had for 4 years and it’s been almost 4 since I’ve been to NYC and soaked up the love. I’m beyond thankful to get back to the City, to be with friends, to see faces that I’ve missed.

It’s been a good week. Mostly in that we in this house have survived to see it. I’m thankful for all the good we’ve seen, the milestones and benchmarks we’ve achieved and for the fun weekend ahead.

Happy Friday, THUNDER UP and this: