April 25, 2009

10:32 a.m.

Spring has Sproinged

I feel like Maria Von Trapp, twirling on the hillside. Well, I don't exactly feel like that, because I'm sitting in my kitchen not getting any running sort of exercise, and there's a major muscle twitch in the crook of my left elbow. It's... it's almost as though I've been on Facebook too long, using the mousepad on my laptop to navigate through all the egg-hunting. But I know that can't be it, so I guess I just slept funny.

Anyway, back to Maria. I actually played Maria once, in 1982. It was great fun, even though I was working for a compulsively lying pedophile and evil minion from Hell. We didn't all know that yet, so we were just having fun doing shows. The reason she comes to mind today is that this is the first day I'm having windows open in a major way. Lift those storm windows! Suck in that breeze! It is an unarguably gorgeous day in New England. Let's hope all the cold nights are behind us.

The wedding rehearsal gig was fun. We played after a luncheon at a coffeeshop which the bride and groom have often frequented. The groom's mother set it up, completely in secret, when it turned out we weren't available to play the actual wedding. She kept it so completely under wraps that even her husband didn't know about it. We had a good laugh over that. Everyone wondered... what other secrets is she hiding from the rest of us, if she's that good?

Anyway, we snuck around not being seen until it was time for us to actually show up. We'd set up our stuff, house concert style (no PA), but tucked our instruments behind the counter so no one would know there was going to be a concert. We thought we'd just stroll into the coffee shop one at a time and order something at the counter, and see how long it took someone to recognize us. What we didn't count on was the big sign outside that said the shop was CLOSED until 3pm because of a Private Party. So we were actually very much noticed when Carol and I strolled in. Later the groom said he was miffed that outsiders had come in despite the obvious sign, and he was going to ask the proprietress to ask us to leave. A silence grew in the room, with an undercurrent of mumbling. Then Carol turned sideways -- she has this unmistakable profile -- and somebody in the party said very loudly, "Holy CRAP!" Then there was a big laugh as Chris entered with guitars. It was a perfect surprise! Later we thought we should have just come in with Groucho noses & glasses and made it obvious. But we didn't know they'd officially close the place and we thought we could blend in for a couple of minutes. Oh, well. It was a success, and the bride and groom were thoroughly adorable.

Interesting -- we got this gig, in PA, because the father of the bride presented us at a theatre in Missouri a few years ago. We didn't even put that all together until he introduced himself to us. Just amazing how things lead to more things.

Because the gigs are winding down, and especially Carol has had a lot on her plate with her Feldenkrais practice, nobody had practiced much. Well, to be more specific, I'd practiced a wee bit, and C&C hadn't at all. Chris does pretty well when he lays off practicing. Carol, like me, gets train wrecked sometimes. The very first song, she got spooked and forgot a lot of lyrics. I don't know how many people noticed. She has this cover-up tactic where, when the words start to go, she turns to me and steps towards me a little, like we're just "connecting" onstage. Meanwhile, mumbling various things in time to the music. I smile and nod like I'm really into it. Eventually some line comes back and we're on track again, but meanwhile Chris and I are the only ones who can see the vacant look, underscored by mild panic, on her face. We've all been there.

It probably didn't help that half the people there had cameras and were filming and photographing us. Usually we say something about flashes, but we knew this was a unique and beloved occasion for the couple and their friends, so we toughed out the sparklies.

We were out of there by 3:30. One stop to the post office to send off a postcard gig mailing later, we were on the road. It was probably 5 hours to their house, plus a dinner stop, and then the one more hour to my place. Good, as always, to get home. I have about five hours before I have to leave for tonight's gig. Looks like Eagle will be able to make it, though possibly a bit late.

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The night sweats have spread. Now my body's not content to sweat around my head, neck and upper back. Now it wants to sweat head to toe. Sheesh. Anyway I think it's time to put a lighter blankie on the bed. I switched to black cohosh again because I thought the evening primrose oil was losing its efficacy. So far the cohosh has helped exactly not at all.

Beautiful day, though; beautiful, beautiful day. Oh, how I would love to be gardening at my House already!