The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

It's Performance time!!  Theater completely sold out, Arie did a wonderful job as Cindy Lou Who. It was a great production and she just belted out her lines and song as the perfect Cindy Lou. She stole our hearts. I actually cried when she melted the Grinch's heart.

I wanted to take pictures and videos SO bad but of course strickty forbidden so had to rely on pics from Instagram. Can you find her? Costumes were a hoot, straight out of Dr Suess book.

Aeri in real life!

Ended the day with another celebration. Since we were all together we decided to surprise Doug with a slightly early birthday party. He is turning the big 5 - 0!!

Statue of Elvis in city park!

Memphis

Checked into our AirBnB, connected with Doug and Aeri who are already here in hotel provided by the traveling company for the  Grinch show.  We brought Thanksgiving dinner so all gathered here for an untraditional Thanksgiving feast of Pizza. But not just any pizza. This was special recipie crust of Stephanie's that turned out really well. She is our family Gorman's cook!

Friday was spent being tourists in downtown Memphis. National Civil Rights Museum. . .

Sun Records, The birthplace of Rock and Roll and where Elvis got his first start along with great like Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and many more.

While in Memphis must have BBQ at Rendezvous Restaurant.

The Parks came to Memphis also to see Aeri and join the family for holiday.

Lia and her "other" grandparents!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We spent the day on the road! Up (sorta) early and 6 of us piled into a rented mini van for the 7 hour drive to Memphis. In the rain, I might add, most all the way.

  We are meeting up with Doug and Aeri who are already here, and spend a few days together checking out what to do in Memphis. . .but mainly to see Aeri on stage. She is traveling with a Broadway show, "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.". She is Cindy Lou Who.

  We will see her performance on Saturday!

Lia and Stephanie cooking. Taking food along to Memphis.

We are in Bloomington!

Flew into Indianapolis this afternoon, rented a car and made our way to Bloomington to spend Thanksgiving week. Wondered how the holiday would affect the travel but we had no problems--flights on time, no long lines that we experienced plus good weather. Hope it continues because our holiday plans have a lot of moving parts and needs to stay on track to get us all together. Tammy and Lia arriving tomorrow. More to come.

Tour de Tucson

Nice day for the 39th annual Tour de Tucson. This year  7500 riders signed up for the event. All ages catagories, a a variety of milages to choose from. 100 mile route, 65 mile ( that's what Will did) all the way down to under 30 miles--even a mile ride for the really young, some with training wheels. Great family event.

Will felt pretty good about his "stats". He's been "training" for weeks and had a good ride.  Walked a little slow tonight and bedtime was early, however!

I dropped him off downtown this morning. I spent the day at Tucson Museum of Art at their annual artisans market going on all weekend.

start of ride 

Finished and showing his medalian

New stuff. . . and with Will

Hand painted bowls that I will donate to the "Empty Bowls" event.

.            Tea set

Will and I have been collaborating. I sculpted the bird and he did the stained glass. He is going to join me at an upcoming show/sale on Dec 3 and 4.

Also hanging planters. . .one side clay tile and other two sides glass. Planted with artificial greens

He made a few smaller items for Christmas. . .or whatever. He likes to incorporate sliced agates into his window hangers. 

Bird Show at the Desert Museum

The Desert Museum is one of our favorite places in Tucson, we have a membership and often go out there on the spur of the moment just to walk around the grounds or see what's in bloom, or what's new in the gallery. The daily birds-of-prey free flight show is very popular and just started up again for the season.  Up close to Harris Hawk

Raku

Went to a Raku firing last. My pottery buddy, Glenda hosts one in her back yard every second Friday of the month and invites anyone in clay community who wants to fire thier work. Fun to meet friends old and new and see what everyone is up to.

A peek inside the kiln as it makes its way up to 1850 degrees. Then kiln opened quickly, piece is picked out of kiln and immediately put into a trashcan with some combustible mate

rial--which immediately bursts into flames when the scorching hot clay hits it. Lid immediately slammed down to snuff out the flame and trap the carbon which burns into clay surface and causes the iconic black finish of Raku.

Joanne's finished piece--a lamp base.My less successful hummingbird tiles.  Just might refire them to try to make them a bit more interesting.

All Soul's Procession

Tonight was Tucson's heart of Dia de las Muertos ( Day of the Dead) Mexican heritage festival-- the annual All Soul's Procession.  We have lived here 20 years and have never gone before this year. It's a big deal here so don't really know why we didn't check it out.  Probably because it just didn't fit into our cultural consciousness.  But the more we learned about it and began to "get it" we came to really appreciate why it's so important and hugely popular. Hundreds of people dressed in costume--or not--honoring the loved ones who have died. People carrying all manner of signs, pictures, memorabilia to honor grief and memories and the lives they lived.  Costumes, masks and face painting conjuring up ghostly or death images are not negative as they are in American culture--in fact, they are honoring the dead. We both found it moving.

This person spouting a long run on "being saved" was not so much appreciated. 

Another National Tour!

(Screen shot of Tammy's Instagram Page)

There it is. Another DeBoer on the road!! This time it's Aeri, on a national tour for "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas." She is in rehearsal now and opening night is November 12 in Lafayette, La. Then Midland Michigan, Memphis. . .and more, total of 7 cities ending December 24 in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Aeri is "Cindy Lou Who!!"

Go to this website to see schedule and the promotion --

www.grinchmusicsl.com

We are going to Bloomington over Thanksgiving so plan to join Reynard and Steph and drive to Memphis to see her performance. More details to follow!