This is a screen shot of an Instagram page introducing our Lia as a member of the cast of a National touring company production of "South Pacific." Yes, she is officially an actress--she auditioned for and got an (albeit small) part in a remaking of an old Broadway play. She will be playing the child of the protagonist "Frenchman."

This is a big commitment for her--and her family. She will be on the road for 5 months beginning in January--one or other of her parents will be accompanying her on the road. 

She will be in Indianapolis in February, Phoenix in April, Sioux City and Ames in Feb--among a total of something like 42 cities.

I will keep you posted. 

Now. . .she is 10 years old, that professional picture is quite something!

Happy Birthday Daddy

The girls decorated a cake and made some presents for Doug's birthday. Every year he has to share his birthday with Christmas Eve.

We went to Dicky's for his birthday lunch and ate a ton of Texas BBQ!

And then sadly we had to drop them all off Christmas morning at the airport to fly back home to New Jersey. Their first flight got cancelled because of Christmas and Covid rush but they were able to catch an earlier flight to get home. . .where Tammy is waiting for more Christmas!  

Miss them already. Will be in a funk for days!!

We are doing it all!!

An evening at the Nutcracker Ballet, playing games, eating a lot of Mexican food!! 

Looking for the Elf-on-the-Shelf

Ostrich Farm

We took the girls to Rooster Cogborn Ostrich Farm near Picacho Peak.  Was a hoot. We drive by this roadside attraction frequently but have never stopped to check it out. There are hundreds of Ostriches plus you can feed all kinds of animals, a Lorakeet feeding, and a stingray pool. The kids had a ball. They found out that Ostrich bites hurt when they feed them wrong, and bunnies are the softest thing ever!!  And stingrays feel like silk!

Look Who's Here!!

Doug brought the Grandkiddos to Tucson for a week for an early Christmas!  We are busy doing it all!! Aeri wanted to "go to the top of a mountain" so we drove up Mt Lemon and hiked around, went horseback riding, picked lemons off our tree, made a lemon pie, decorated a gingerbread house, watched the quail and hummingbird feeders. . . to start with.

Love having them all here.

Cooked a traditional Christmas turkey dinner, with cranberries and pumpkin pie. We'll eat left overs all week.

Complete with Christmas "Crackers"

Verna's Memorial

Made a weekend trip to Seattle to attend memorial service for dear, departed Verna DeBoer. Beautiful, bittersweet remembrance of a very dear woman. The gift of funerals is the chance for family gatherings and this was so great. 

"The Cousins!" Steph and Doug on each end with Aaron, Rebecca and Andrew. Verna's legacy.

Will and sister, Helene and her hubby, Les with D. and S.

Combined families getting to know each other over breakfast at Denny's.

Ready for Christmas

Christmas lights in the sunset!

Will worked outside putting up the lights and I worked inside to put up the tree. I put on a Manheim Steamroller Christmas CD and hummed along as I worked. 

Art in the Garden

Will and I both did my friend's Art Fair again this year. 2 days with 35 other local artists set up on the grounds of  a fantastic garden home.  

First time that Will actively marketed his stained glass. He did really well, his stuff was well received and think he actually enjoyed it. We both had a good show and sale.  And it was just fun doing it together.

Lots of people, was crowded at times.  People are so ready for art fairs

Las Cruces to home by noon!

Getting warmer every mile. And getting closer and closer to those southwest mountains.

A stop at the rest stop at Texas Canyon in Arizona is always a treat. The geology here is such an abrupt change from the flat playa surrounding it. I know we aren't far from Tucson.

Home by noon. Plenty of time to unpack, do a few loads of laundry, --unpacking a car is much less annoying then unloading an RV!!

Filled the bird feeders, turned on the fountain and still plenty of time to enjoy another inspiring Arizona sunset.

National Western Heritage Museum in Oaklahoma City

Stayed last night at a nice Drury Inn in Joplin, Mo. then drive a couple hours to Oaklahona City and stopped the the Cowboy Museum. "End of the Trail" is the iconic statue that is housed here and it is truly awesome. This is actually the original that was done by a California artist in early 1900's to commemorate the demise of the American Indian culture. Bronze was not available during first World War so was completed in artist plaster. This museum rescued it from deterioration, brought it to Oklahoma and restored it and then made an exact copy--in bronze--that now resides at the original location (I think at Point Reise in California.) It is a familiar image that we have all seen somewhere over the years but it speaks volumes!! 

Best of western art, in fact it's collection chronicals the history of American art by showing the progression/representation of art in the West from 1880's to present.

Tribute to "Wild Bill Cody" and his legacy--good and bad.

This year's addition to permanent collection.

The grounds

Cowboy Christmas tree

Actually, good smooth driving-- mostly-- we ran into this major slow down near St Louis. Luckily our side of freeway was clear. We dodged the bullet this time.