A few weeks ago AB was a woodland fairy in A Midsummer Nights Dream at school. I volunteered to help “backstage” which was a random room with a sink, a few clothes racks and chairs. The director asked me and another mom to stay backstage and keep an eye on the teenagers. I didn’t think they’d listen to me because in my brain I’m still 18, thin, and full of vim and vigor. Then I remembered I’m more than twice the age of some of the teenagers and I got out my new walker with tennis balls on the bottom.

Back in ye olden days I was a stage manager for two large musicals. I loved it and often bring it up to remind people (ie myself) that once upon a time I did something grand. I got in that room and instantly all my stage manager instincts came back. I tied sashes, helped a boy put on a wig and sent the fairies out to the stage on time.

I also knocked over a large tree on the side of the stage and the audience saw it fall down.

I am NOT a Shakespear far and to be honest, I understood very little of what was happening or being said. I think Shakespear is a snoozefest. He takes an eternity to say anything.”I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again: Mine ear is much enamour’d of thy note; and thy fair beauty’s force perforce doth move me on the first view to say I love thee.”

Dude. All you need to say is, “You sing beautifully and it’s love at first sight for me.” Wrap it up, Willie. We don’t have all day. The Royal Shakespeare Company has me on speed dial to promote all their performances.

Please enjoy this fantastic photo of Annabelle worthy of winning the Pulitzer photography prize.

We went to Texas for Thanksgiving/early Christmas. I was able to walk on my own for all those travels. When we flew to Texas a few weeks after my surgery I had to use a wheelchair in the airport. All that walking would have done me in and I might have ended up back in America’s worst hospital. Christopher pushed the wheelchair part of the time and it has been confirmed that he is as bad at steering a wheelchair as he is at steering his car out on the open road. Apologies to the poor woman who undoubtedly ended up with a large bruise on her ankle from the chair crashing into her. For this trip we flew out the day before Thanksgiving so we budgeted in several extra hours for traffic, ticket lines, and security. We stood in nary a line. It took longer for us to find a parking spot and get our four bags, car seat and slowpoke child from the car to curbside check-in than it did for us to get through security. It was very similar on the way back. Fingers crossed we have the same experience when we fly home for Christmas. Our flying good luck is bound to run out soon.

A highlight of the trip for Sesame was riding on the Polar Express. She’s been asking to go on a train for months so it was a dream come true. They gave us hot chocolate in cute little cups and I asked AB if she was going to keep it. She raised her eyebrows a little and said, “Mom. Why would I do that? It’s just a cup.” She keeps rocks from random parking lots and straw wrappers from Sonic. Excuse me for assuming she’d want a cup from her first train ride.

Sesame brought her emotional support stuffed dog Ian Major Clark on the train. Disaster struck when we got back to Oma’s house and realized we’d left IMC behind. A few weeks ago the airline lost our luggage and AB’s precious Memere Blankie that she’s had from birth ended up in Louisiana. We got the blanket back after bugging the airline for days. I was prepared to hound Santa, the elves and all employees of the Polar Express until we got the dog back. AB had a lot of emotions about the missing emotional support dog that she had to deal with without the support of the emotional support dog. There was much rejoicing when he returned. We need to leave all precious cargo behind next time we fly.

Even though it’s approaching Christmas, it’s been a warm 70* in our neck of the woods. We’ve been doing schoolwork outside and enjoying not sweating like pigs. AB usually wears shorts but I’ve been wearing pants on principle because it’s December. I’d love to be dressing for snow but in no world is that realistic. We’ll be in flipflops until kingdom come. The leaves have finally changed and we have enough to play in. AB made a leaf face which she then posed next to while doing a “yoga pose.” “Mama, I love yoga and I’m pretty good at it.”

When life hands you leaves instead of snow, you make leaf faces instead of snow angels.