An Ode to the Lonely Tomato

There you are in all your isolated glory.

Alone where it was once crowded.

Budding, growing,

Swelling with life.

First a tiny green ball

Then tinged with orange.

Finally you are reaching

The red of your destiny.

Even while all around you

Finished their journey

And left.

Even while the lush greenery

Turned crisp and brown

In the hot, hot sun.

You persisted.

Is it hard to be the last?
To know that there will be no more?
Do you remember the ones who
Went before you into
The great unknown beyond the door?

Are you lonely?
Do you worry about what will come?
Or are you thankful
That at last your time
In the heat and sun
Is almost over?

I wish you luck in your journey.
I admire your tenacity,
Your struggle to survive.
Your wonderful redness
Your fresh taste on my salad.

Trisha

Voice Update: Well, I finally did some warm ups before walking. Not as much as I should have - of course. It seemed to help out. I still had more "breaks" than I do later in the day. I did realize that it is probably also due, in part, to the fact that I am talking to two people who are usually behind me and when we are surrounded by street noise. Hmmmmm.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho . . .

Hi All!

. . . it's off to work I go! Well, I am working two days this week and today is a working day. Hopefully L will have gotten good news and will be coming back to work soon. That will mean I will be out of work again but - it will be worth it if L is healthy!

I am a bit worried about work. I have been getting these annoying little headaches each evening/afternoon right behind my eyes. No idea why. They are the kind of headaches I had last week when I was sick. That makes me nervous - am I getting sick again?

Last week I was sick when I got home from working. I hope that this week is not a repeat. Especially because I have (okay - I don't HAVE to) work tomorrow also!

I guess I will keep some Tylenol in my purse just in case!

Trisha

Voice Update: Darn it! I just can't get a warm up worked into my "routine" before walking. It might be because I don't have an actual "routine" for before walking to work a warm up into! My voice is still starting off a bit weak and then gaining strength during the walk/talk. It is pretty darn good during the day. Thank God! I am still doing exercises like a good girl but am slacking a bit on my massage. That isn't good!

Shrubs, Cactus, and Rain

Hi All!

Do you remember my "fun" time trimming shrubs earlier this spring? Well, I got to relive that experience in 90+ degree heat last night!

Lucky me!

Yes, the "ugly shrubs" have this really nice way of shooting up long branches about every two to three months no matter the weather (okay - they don't do that in the winter) which means I have to TRIM in all kinds of weather. If I don't trim, I face getting a letter from the "lawn patrol" from the home owners' association.

I might get a letter despite the fact that both of my neighbors refuse to trim their shrubs more than once a year and their yards certainly look a bit shabby. THEY don't get letters but I do - me - the one who trims shrubs multiple times a year! Go figure!

Did I tell you that my mother mailed me a cactus? Yes, I got a package and when I opened it - there was a cactus.

Mom and I had been talking about a cactus that my parents have at their farm. It was blooming and I said that I had always wanted an outside cactus - which I have. Well, now I have an outside cactus! I actually planted it yesterday in a pot out in the middle of the front flowerbed. (Don't worry Mom - there is a lot of room around the cactus for when we trim the shrubs and we can move the pot if we need to.)

That was quite a trick considering I wasn't supposed to actually touch the cactus at all. I did manage with my trusty trowel. Now we just have to see if it will grow! Pictures will come soon!

Rain. It tried to rain this morning. It really did. There was actual drops coming from the sky. However, they didn't last too long - I would say less than five minutes. Rats!

This is the only place I know where people are excited when a hurricane blows into the Gulf of Mexico en route to someplace on the coast of Texas. That way we might get some of the residual rain.

Does that make us bad people?

Trisha

Voice Update: I had good intentions of doing some exercises to warm up my voice before walking this morning. It didn't happen but I meant well! My voice did pretty well though. A bit shaky in the beginning but not as bad as it has been. If only I could figure out how to speak without any unvoiced consonants! Wouldn't that be interesting? I am still working with my buddy the timer to do my exercises and massage. I am being a good girl!

Sunday Starin'

Hi All!

It is Sunday and, I don't know about you, but Sunday is a good day for me to get some serious staring done. It is a weird day where, if you don't have a zillion things planned, you can just sort of zone out and stare.

Hubby isn't much of a starer. In fact, he is busy right now sweeping the entire house. He is a sweeping machine. This isn't something I realized before we built this house and had light carpet installed on which kitty hair is very, very visible.

Anyway. I like staring on Sundays. I normally stare out the kitchen window and look at my "flourishing" new flowerbed. I was going to show you a picture of the flowerbed but it was just too darn hot to go back outside to take the picture! Not to mention the fact that things are not really flourishing unless you count the moon flower vine which is attempting to take over the entire area.

Please note that staring doesn't mean that I really "zone out" in the true sense of the word. My mind never rests - poor thing - and I tend to think of all kinds of weird things (like why the birds like to land on the vines which in no way will support their weight).

Apparently, I am not the only Sunday starer around this house.

Miss Cleo joined me this morning to stare. Of course she was staring at the grackles eating on the lawn. Isn't she cute?

What are you staring at this Sunday?

Trisha

Voice Update: My voice is doing well. I need to jump into my exercises this afternoon after taking the morning off. Does it seem like my life revolves around voice exercises? Yes? It seems that way to me too!

Jersey Boys

Hi All!


Hubby and I are back from the show! Wow! It was quite a show. Even Hubby, a staunch anti-musical man, was on his feet applauding with gusto by the end! Yes, he was actually applauding like he meant it! AND after the show he said that Jersey Boys was his third favorite musical so far after Brooklyn (first only because it was the shortest so far) and Rain (a Beatles tribute). Not bad!

For me, I thought that this was a very, very good musical experience. While I have heard of Frankie Valli (I mean, who hasn't??) and the 4 Seasons, I am not of the correct generation to be a "real" fan. After this musical, however, I am a fan!

While I have seen several other musicals which are considered "jukebox" musicals - musicals showcasing a body of work by a musician or a group of musicians (Ring of Fire, Movin' Out, Mama Mia) - this is my favorite by far. The music of the group seems to effortlessly weave in and out of the story. And the story - it is a REAL story. It tells the history of the group but in a way that lets you in on the emotions of the time not just the facts.

A minimal set design and props enhance the story of the group and the music rather than taking away from it. The musicians who accompany the music are sometimes seen onstage and sometimes play off stage. I wasn't able to determine if the four main characters were actually playing or not but, they did a credible job (usually I can spot a fake a mile away!).

All four main characters - Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi, and Bob Gaudio - take turns giving their version of events leading to the group's stardom and the eventual dissolving of the original group. Each narrator brings a different slant on the story and in turn they each become fleshed out characters who bring you along for their trip down memory lane. I particularly liked Nick Massi's turn as narrator since his character seems to always be discounted by the group.

In all, I think this production was very artfully done. The story and the music share top billing for this "jukebox" musical and the staging is masterful. The ending is especially well done as the group makes an appearance together for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

If you happen to see ads for this musical, I say RUN to the phone or computer and snatch up tickets as fast as you can. I don't think you will be disappointed!

Trisha

Saturday Stuff

Hi All!

Thank you for your get well soon wishes - they seem to have worked. Well, they worked on everything except the headache. So - if you could now focus your good wishes on me getting rid of my headache, I would appreciate it. And if you could do it soon - I have a showing of Jersey Boys to go to this afternoon and a headache wouldn't be too much fun! (I will let you know how the musical was when I get back!). Thanks!

I must say that this illness is sort of freaking me out. My mother had pneumonia a couple of months ago and one of my friends we in the hospital earlier this week with pneumonia. Now I think I have pneumonia. I guess if things are still horrible next week I will have to break down and see Doc Feely. Of course I don't think I would have been able to walk for a hour this morning in the heat if I had pneumonia.

I did get goosebumps and chills while walking though (and it was already 80 something when I left the house). Hmmmmmm.

Anyway . . .

A quick "work" update. L should have found out the results of her full body scans on Thursday. I am working two days next week - even if she is coming back - to make sure she is caught up and not overwhelmed with everything. I won't know how things went with her until I go back to work and hear all of the news but I am keeping my fingers crossed. I am positive it will be good news!

Hey! Did you know the Olympics started last night? I watched most of the opening ceremony (I had a headache and spent a lot of time with my eyes closed listening but I did open my eyes to catch a bit of everything they did) and even Tivoed it so I could see what I missed when Hubby and I went to Wal Mart.

Just for the record - going to Wal Mart on a Friday night when you have a headache - not a good idea! Luckily, Hubby got me a Sonic Blast to make up for it. Fried Ice Cream flavor. Interesting.

The opening ceremony was really neat. I was amazed that they got all those performers to do everything so in "sync" with each other. However, did anyone else notice that they all had ear pieces in? I don't know if they were ear plugs or little speakers but they all had them! Imagine the cost to get everyone an ear piece! Yikes!

I wish all of the athletes good luck and would like to remind them that even though McDonald's is an Olympic sponsor - they probably shouldn't eat there right before their competitions. Maybe when they are all done . . .

Trisha

Voice Update: Well, I did exercises yesterday (when I woke up for the day) and they went rather well. This morning I walked and found my voice had some issues again. Of course, I didn't warm up like my mother suggested (and, by the way, my speech therapist agreed with!) so I will have to get that into my schedule and see if it makes a difference. I am massaging more trying to keep my throat loose.

Finally Friday

Hi All!

I am still not back to my normal self. I slept pretty much all day yesterday (how exciting) and will probably sleep a large portion of today away as well. I don't know what is up with this funk I have! Hubby only had it for one day and now I have it and it won't go away!

Actually, I do feel a bit better today than yesterday. If only I could quit this whole, get hot and then get cold cycle!

I promise to be back in blogging form soon so please be patient. And don't leave me!

Trisha

Voice Update: Okay - I haven't been doing my exercises while I have been sleeping. I did have a dream in which I only talked in inhale "e's" but I don't think that counts. Today I am exercising (my voice) while I am awake. Such fun. At the same time, I am not really using my voice much so . . . it is getting a rest (????).