Days 98 and 99

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away......oh wait, I am not a Beatles.....yesterday I had a very very long day. I finally got 8 hours of sleep the night before and got up to go to work. I was thrilled when I got there because I discovered I was doing Gil, the lighter puppet. Plus I only had 3 shows on what is normally my 4 show day. After shows I rushed home and ate a delicious Tuna Steak dinner that Karen made and then I was off to a recording session for PartyLite.

From 7:00pm till 2:00am we were there. I was only producing so I did not have to sing but Juan, Jeremy and Mark were awesome. They worked their vocal chords off and were just great. So I got home, went to bed and got up 5 hours later to go to work again.

This morning we had put in's for the new Shark puppets. They are beautiful and challenging at the same time. I think I will love them in a few days. After doing a few runs, I did my shows and then went to a recording session to read books on audio for National Geographic. It was very fun. They are doing books for students that are not traditional National Geographic books. I got to do some character voices and I had a blast. The 2 hours I was in there went by so quickly. The woman who works for National Geographic was actually on the phone listening to my session and giving feed back.

After the session I came home to eat and then spent the rest of the night working on an audition tape that I will tell you about tomorrow because it will require you to go online and vote for me. So now it is bed time so I leave you with this quote:

Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be - George Sheehan

Days 91,92,93,94,95,96,97

Wow, it has been a whole week since I had the chance to sit down and write the blog. I am sure that many of you just gave up on me so now I am writing to ...... no one. I do hope that you will check back in once in a while to catch up.

So the long and short of it is that I have still be going to physical therapy and I will continue to do so until they decide that I should be released. I am doing great but my leg still has pain at times and I still can not jump on it. I do a mini tramp while at PT but after a few minutes, I have to stop. They say that my point and flex are great but it is the side to side motion that is restricted. So I go and they play with my foot until it moves well enough for me to exercise and then I go and exercise.

I worked Thursday and Friday at Nemo and was choreographing when I could for PartyLite. My mother was still here and I was scheduled for the Back Yard BB Q on Thursday, so Mom came and sat with some friends of ours that came to the show as well. It was very fun to do that show again since the last I performed it was last year in November and the last I rehearsed it was the day I left for my ski trip.

Friday I was back at Nemo and then home to work. Saturday was a big day as it was Lexi's recital. She was so excited that so many of her friends and her school teacher and Grandma were going to be there. All of her brothers went as well so she had quite a showing. I MC'd the recital during costume and prop moves. Most of the Dad's help move props, I move my mouth.

Sunday was Karen's birthday and Father's day. Everyone got up early to go to church and then brunch was made by Karen. I was choreographing and recording all day long. I did manage to finish my work, take my Mom to the airport and was home in time for the family to take Karen and I out to dinner. I told them that Mom's birthday trumps Fathers day but we shared it just fine. This has only happened a few times since we have been married so it is no big deal.

Monday I worked and flew to Boston to work at PartyLite on Tuesday. I flew back Tuesday night and was in rehearsal all day today for the Luckow family celebration at Disney. I did okay considering that for the past two nights, I only had 5 hours of sleep each night. So after checking 53 emails, looking at the pictures from my show and realizing how old I really do look, it is time for bed. And so I leave you with this quote:

Forty is the old age of youth, fifty is the youth of old age.

Days 87,88,89 and 90

I have been so bad. Tired from the show, company and work. I am so sorry. I had family arrive on Sunday night and I did not get to bed until 2:00am. Then Monday I woke up at 6:20 and I do every year on my birthday (that was the time I was born) crazy right? Of course Monday was the big show and I did not get to bed until 2:00am and was up early again because of company. Then last night I was up until midnight answering emails that I had neglected for 2 days and today I am so tired but I am writing.

Sunday, I mowed my lawn and noticed that I forgot to plant flowers in the front of my house. So I ran to Lowes to get some and on my way, was in company / show mode and ran a stop sign. I got pulled over. When the officer came to my window, I said," I ran that stop sign didn't I"? He said "Yes you did". So I took out a poster of my show and said, " I am so sorry, that is not like me at all. I turn 50 tomorrow and I am doing a benefit show for the JDRF." Looking totally un impressed, he took my license and registration. He came back 5 minutes later with..... a warning!!! He said, "You turn half a century tomorrow, I don't want to add to your stress level". I looked at his badge and said, "Thank you officer Wood. By the way, would you like to hang a poster for my show in your police base?" He just smiled and walked away. I love officer Wood!!!

Got my flowers planted and lawn mowed and then company came. They ate, went swimming and I worked with my life saver Lin for the next 7 hours in my office making cue sheets for my show.

Monday, woke up and went to the gym. Was home early to get a few things sorted out. Went to pick up my mic stands and the high school I was borrowing from was closed. I called the principal and he thought it was the next night and I was out of luck. My friend Rhonda came through for me and got someone out at Disney to call some one and loan us the stands. Got to the venue at 2:00 and was non stop until the show ended. What a great night. I was so pleased at how everything went. When people were thanking me for letting them be in the show, I was taken back. Everyone did me such a huge favor and here they are thanking me!! Wow. We raised a little over $4000.00 for the JDRF. I was hoping for 5 thousand and it still might get there. Some people were prepared for credit card donations, but there was no way, so they took the business card from the JDRF lady and said they would mail in a donation. After the show, we partied at my house till 2.

Tuesday was picking up spotlights and returning them as well as the mic stands and costumes I had borrowed. Then straight to work. My sisters left but my Mother is staying until Sunday. When I got to my email there were so many and most of them about the show. I was in awe at the notes that people sent. Just an amazing experience.

Wednesday was the gym, taking my mother to the Silver Sneakers class and then off to work. I dropped my mother off in Celebration at a family friends house who is watching her 95 year old uncle. I was hoping for a love connection, but no such luck. They guy is great but he is a Red Sox fan and my mom is a Yankee fan. It would never work. Dang!!!! So now you are all caught up. I am going to bed and leaving you with this quote that I live by:

“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.”

John Wesley quote

Days 85 and 86

Yesterday was Karen and mine's 27th Wedding Anniversary. Busy busy with gym, work, picking up costumes, buying stools, picking up and dropping off spot lights. But when I finally made it home, we got ready and went to dinner. We went to the "Big Fin" out on Sandlake road in that new complex. We had our choice of many restaurants but chose sea food. Did we make the wrong choice. I asked the girl who sat us what the most popular item on the menu was and she said the swordfish. She explained how tasty and moist it was. When our waiter came I asked the same question, he gave the same answer. I was sold. We got an appetizer that sounded great on the menu but it was just okay....too much bread. Our meal came and as soon as I put my fork in the sword fish I knew it was cooked too much. It was dry and really bad. The waiter saw the face I made and came over and said "that was not a good face" I explained how dry it was and he asked me to try the center of the fish. Still dry!!! He took it back, very reluctantly as he said no one has ever sent it back, it is the chefs pride and joy and he could not believe that I thought it was bad.

Not 2 minutes later the owner was at our table asking what was wrong. He too was shocked and again repeated that I was the first to ever send it back. I ordered something else but Karen already had her food and my meal took about 15 minutes to get to me. It was much better but not great. All of the employees would walk by, stare and even point. I was the guy who did not like the swordfish. I hope the chef did not have a nervous breakdown. They offered us free dessert but we declined as nothing really looked good. We got in the car and had every intention of going to a movie. We were both so tired that we headed home. We stopped at Twisty Treat for a fat free sugar free ice cream then went home to bed.

Today I got up early to gym it then do all of my pool maintenance. Pinch a Penny and making my water just perfect. Sheila came over to go through the show and transitions and after she left it was time to get ready for church. I sang the song "I Will Rise" by Chris Tomlinson. Great song and it went well. Then we came home and ate a rubbery pork roast that we got at B.J's. and began cleaning more for our company tomorrow. So now it is after 1, my boys are watching Shutter Island, Karen just went to bed and that is where I am headed. So I have come to the conclusion until tomorrow:

A conclusion is the place where you got tired thinking.
Martin Henry Fischer

Day 84

What a day I had today. I was up at 7:00 am, on my bike at 7:10 riding 12 miles to the car place to pick up the mustang. I was home by 8:30 and started balancing my check book. I still do it with pen and paper and a calculator. I know, that is archaic but that is what I trust the most. I have tried Quicken but failed every time. If it works, don't fix it and my method works.By 9:30, I was off to physical therapy. Today I had Kristie and the first thing she did was work on my heal. I have been having pain in my ankle area but not bone pain, tendon pain. One of the stretches, she had my foot right under her boob. I reminded her of the blog I wrote about Stacy, the PT with whom my foot has been intimate with. She was laughing a Stacy was there and over heard our discussion. So now she knows. We all blushed and laughed very hard.

After PT, I ran to the gym and then over Trudy's house to rehearse blocking for the show. She did great and is feeling much more comfortable with everything. I then ran to Keith's house to practice with the band. THEY ARE AMAZING!!!!! I was so blown away with the talent and perfection of what they were playing. Gina and Kevin both stopped by to rehearse their songs. Just great.

I then ran home, grabbed dinner and was off to pick Lexi up at her dance studio and rehearse with another dancer for the show. On my way home, Paul Rizzo called and needed me to lay down some PartyLite tracks for a video we have to produce. Lexi came with me and counted her silly bands while I was singing. 285 minus the one she gave to Paul, so now 284. Whoever created those is rich and laughing all the way to the bank. A rubber band shaped like something, anything, dogs, cats, Ipods, peace signs, you name it. You wear them as bracelets, trade them or collect them. Genius.

So now it is bed time. Tomorrow is my 27th wedding anniversary. We have been married a long time. How lucky I am to have married someone who puts up with me and is just HOT!!! Like Julie Andrews said in the Sound of Music, I must have done something good!!!

True love stories never have endings. ~Richard Bach

Days 82 and 83

So yesterday was Lexi's 11th birthday and I forgot to blog. For anyone who is still reading, I am so very sorry. What a busy couple of days. We woke up early to start our day on Tuesday. Lexi opened her presents before breakfast. I remember being a kid and wanting nothing more than to open gifts first thing in the morning. She was very excited with everything she got. So many outfits from her favorite store, Justice, and an Ipod Touch. She immediately charged it, synced it to her itunes and started downloading all of the apps that I have on mine. That kept her busy for quite some time. We then took her and some friends to see the movie "Marmaduke". I have to say it was very cute. I really enjoyed it.......if talking animals is your thing, and when you have kids, talking animals becomes your thing. After the movie, they all came back to swim. I had to go to work so that I could pay for the Ipod Touch.

Well all met back home at about 8:00, Lexi from dance and me from work, and I was beat. We did our best to stay awake and make the day really special and Lexi said it was a great birthday. She loved her gifts and her day with her brothers on Sunday and her day with her friends. So it was successful and I passed out.

I got up early today, put my bike in my mustang and drove the the dealership to get my last free tune up. It is free for 100,000 miles and I have 99,989 miles. There was no way I was missing the last free one. Everything was great on the car except I need 4 new tires which will cost $1000.00. So needless to say, the car will be living in my garage for quite some time. They say they are in the danger zone. The reason I took my bike there was I left the car to be tuned up and drove my bike home. About a 12.5 mile ride. When I got home, Karen took me to pick up my truck which was at a place having the air fixed. When it rains it pours. I got my truck and went to the gym and then home to mow and edge and trim bushes. My mother and sisters arrive on Sunday and I want everything to look great.

I took today off from work because I have so much to do with my show. I had to get my hair cut, rehearse with dancers out in Cleremont, then to Disney to rehearse with the Kids of the Kingdom. Wow, what a great reunion it was. Everyone looks great and as soon as the music started, we all just did the choreography like we did the show yesterday. We stumbled a bit at the end but all in all we were done in less than an hour and most of that time was taken up with talking an laughing. What a great group of people. Then the girls from Nemo came by and rehearsed the opening. It is going to be so darn cute. Alex did a great job and Serena and Melanie are so wonderful.

So now I am home to get caught up with life and write this blog. Again I am so thankful to those who are helping with the show and those who are my friends and of course to all of you readers......Until we meet again, I will say goodnight.

I feel a very unusual sensation - if it is not indigestion, I think it must be gratitude. ~Benjamin Disraeli

Day 81

What a day I had today. I actually slept last night for 9 hours. I was so excited when I woke up and saw the clock. We are on later shows at Nemo for the summer so I have an extra hour in the morning. After the gym I went to work and to my surprise I only had to do 2 shows. I was out of there by 2:00 and then off to a recording session for PartyLite. Paul Rizzo was awesome and wrote some music out for me for my show. He is great. After the session I rushed home and the Top of the World cast came over, minus Trudie, and we rehearsed. How I miss that show. I have done many shows at Disney but that by far was my favorite. Great show, great music, great hours and GREAT people!!!! Karen was our comic relief tonight. Jaimie, bless her heart, learned a part she never even did up there and was great. Barbie drove from Sanford for the second time and sounds great and Steve and Tracy, still suffering from their accident, are just amazing.

I never did tell you about the accident. An 18 year old was on his way to graduation practice, talking on the phone and driving, pulled out of his street and hit the back of Steve and Tracy's van. The van spun around a few times and then rolled 2 times and landed up side down. Steve was bleeding from the head and still in his seat belt. They managed to get out of the seat belts and out of the car. A nice stranger gave Steve something to put on his head until the EMT's got there. Tracy suffered many bangs and bruises, you should see his arm....yuck, and Steve has 7 staples in his head and many aches and pains. With all of that, they were at rehearsal the next day and again today. I tell you, I have some pretty amazing friends. So giving.

Karen has been a cleaning maniac all week getting ready for my Mother and my sisters to come. She is certainly a keeper. I am one blessed individual. So here is your daily quote because I have to get to bed. Tomorrow is Lexi's birthday and she has plans.

A friend is one with whom you are comfortable, to whom you are loyal, through whom you are blessed, and for whom you are grateful.”

William Arthur Ward quotes