What Can I Say

http://www.oregonlive.com/weather/index.ssf/2014/02/portland_snow_traffic_fails_se.html

No one apparently believes the weatherman here, too many calls of ‘wolf’. But today he got his comeuppance.  Went out this a.m. to meet my niece Stephanie at my alma mater – a building new to me, with pictures of the past graduates lining the hall.  She wanted me to see the picture which one of her sons is proud to note is his [god-forbid] ‘great aunt’.  Now that was fun.  At her insistence, parked my car right in front of the main entrance door.  When I was Jr I drove a pick-up truck to school.  By my Sr year, I had graduated to a Corvair [blue, a picture of it is in the HS year book].  No one but me was there to note the chronology of what it had become!  But I enjoyed the moment.   The presentation of the school is very good.  It is a different place than I attended.  Can not say I was enamored with the interior, felt flat and boring, but the fields, as one approaches, are impressive. We were meeting there to take a ‘last drive’ before I have to turn my ‘precious’ over to the new owner.  The car runs like butter, and driving is only and all a pleasure.  But the farther East we travelled, the more the snow was swirling.  We opted to turn around and have ‘coffee’ in the some ‘district’ [not the 9th] and went to the Grand Central Baking Company.  Excellent baguettes.  We discussed running an errand and left to do so.  By this time, the snow was getting serious.  The end result:  No errand, show cancelled for this evening and the snow is coming down, blowing, twisting and turning and still piling up. True blizzard.  Perfect for method acting, as the Mousetrap begins with all the guests, trudging  to Monkswell Manor Guest House in a snow storm.  Being out in it, is perfect sensory prep.

Portland!

The downtown place: Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and all those tree-named streets and alphabetically named streets [on the ‘other side’ of Burnside]. During the weekdays, it is a city. There are pedestrians, who wait for ‘walk’ and stop at ‘talk to the hand’. There is a ‘rapid transit- trolley’ system and a bus system, one way streets, bicycle lanes and everything that gives the impression of vibrance. But I have been making regular trips to this area in the off hours.  After the theatre, for instance.  It is dead. I was on Broadway! on Friday night and was for all intents and purposes, alone.  How can you cruise alone? No, I wasn’t there to cruise, but I do remember well doing it at 16!  And the populous I do see at these after hours time is the ‘tribe’ one sees in Phoenix, AZ. Not the rich and famous by any means, but rather lots of young adults panhandling, sitting on various and sundry pieces of real estate looking – or not looking, but rather giving the vibe of  being displaced. Their ‘hanging out’ feels temporary, and economically challenged and they look to be either ‘in transit’ or stuck.  And the curbs at west end of the Burnside Bridge are more populated with persons in tents and blankets and sleeping equipment and other street accouterments than it was decades ago, while in the meantime, the blocks all around have gone ‘upscale’.  I don’t know quite what to make of it. [And I’m there because I am dropping off a cast member who parks their bike down there!]

Fam & Flowers

It was a surreal event; to look out at the audience as the applause is happening and there they are!  My favorite people: nephews and nieces and their young adult children.  It was a special moment for me.  Brian & Jami, Clark & Faun, Tori, Jordan, Emma, Nathan!  To see their “Aunt” on the Boards.  And then afterward, with bouquets of flowers!  Thank you for taking the time, making the effort to come.  I was thrilled to have you there.  Thank you!

Generous

It is absolutely touching and heart warming when friends come to The Mousetrap.  Last evening: Ann and Tommie and Kathleen and Gordon.  Thank you so very much.  I know you had a long, long drive over the mountains to get here and I am so very appreciative of the time and expense to come to the performance.  The Mouse is running  full houses, so it is an exciting time for the ensemble and I love for my friends to see it!

Give Credit.

Where credit is due.  It has been 5 days with sunshine in the day!  It is wonderful.  This is a different place when you can see the landscape illuminated!  Delights my soul.  And not only is Mount Hood just right there, but a bit farther off is the expired volcano, Mount Saint Helens, which blew its top in 1980.  My childhood memories: it had a point.  Now it is like a boiled egg that has had the top sliced off.  A magnificent view these mountains!!

Go to this link for fascinating information about post volcanic action.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/mountsthelens