Um, we can still see them!!!

Dad and I went to NYC today to see Madama Butterfly at the Met. It was a wonderful new production by Anthony Minghella. The experience was bittersweet since Dad had originally purchased the tickets to take Mom. It was one of her favorite operas. So it was a bit of a weepfest for me since every time there was something that moved me or delighted me, I kept thinking how much Mom would have loved it.

So let me say this -- it was visually stunning and the lighting and staging was spectacular. The use of deep color lighting was brilliant and dramatic. This is from the opening (that is an actual person in silhouette!)



Ok, there was a small problem. I've been checking reviews and apparently some people really loved Minghella's use of a puppet or banraku for Butterfly's small son. Um, no. I found the puppet and its two to three human handlers (also known as puppeteers!! wa ha ha!) very distracting. Even though they were dressed in black (which does not render them invisible!), I was very aware of the clump of people involved in these intimate scenes between Butterfly and her son. You can see for yourself.







Dad and I agreed that, even with the puppet, we would still give the performance an 8 or 9 out of 10. I am choosing to forget about the weird puppet (a small child actor could NOT have been any more distracting than a puppet!) and remember the beautiful presentation and music. It was a wonderful day.

OH MY GOD. You must go here Please note the second family. You WON'T be disappointed!

School Photo Day Doesn't Get Any Better...

You've been waiting and they're finally here! Three mighty afros!



Little 'Fro




Rockin' a little red in the back!



Now big brothers do it with a little more subtlety...

A little blue'll do.



Just a jaunty orange cap.



Have a great school year boys! We LOVE you!!!

That's MRS. Disk Warrior to you!

Well, I've been waiting to post because I wanted to include photos from my mighty birthday celebration. So I finally got the pix developed (yes, I don't have a digital camera!), and my new husband, Erik Disk Warrior fixed my computer which unexpectedly went on the fritz on Thursday. But now the scanner seems not to have recovered from whatever was wrong with computer. Sigh. So no birthday pix, yet.

So here is another entertaining photo for you to enjoy...



Could I be more impressed by my talented sister?? Come on! She can stick a balloon to her face! And it just stays there! No hands! I might even let go of my pencil collection (wah???) I'm so distraced.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up in Strings.....

These are a few of my favorite things....
Cugine, check your mail in about three or four days....heee, heeee.....
A little something for the MMNNF, Rodman Ave and downtown Philadelphia!

ELC!

Paraphrasing Quincy Jones - Back on the Blog

Hola Cugine!!

I have missed our RTTB conversations. While the Mighty Momogus Blog is indeed "mighty," I thought perhaps we could get back to this one again as well.

Let's see.....Okay, I watched Beauty Shop this weekend, and I thought the critics were simply mean about it. Why can't a movie just be fun to watch????

I have set out my thistle feeder, my suet block (replaced after a crafty squirrel got it "to go" the first time!), and Miss Gibbs and I have just put in a delightful mix of fruit and nut feed in the original feeder. We'll see what happens. No one is around after a tremendous surprise electrical storm. Miss Gibbs is moving slowly as she traveled to Albany with me this week. She was very busy protecting the entire Holiday Inn!

I must ask - CousinL - how was your first official week? I loved that you and my other little cousin waved to each other twice. How great is that????!!!!! And I was absolutely awed and appropriately frightened by the picture of the scorpion cake. Tell me about your location of the blue sand.

DJ - I am starting a new dog sweater and will let you know how well I do. Max is 15 and has started to feel the cold already.

That's my post to get us back on track again. Join me with a little frommagio and cartolina (post card and cheese - wine doesn't hurt the inspirational spirit either!).

I miss you all,
E.L.C.
(everlovin'cuzin)