The roar of the greasepaint...

Dear Reader,

It's that time again when I enjoy immersing myself in the turbulent waters of stage & singing until only my nostrils remain visible above the surface and my children start to invert their usual behavior patterns by pushing past me to ask Mr Life After Law to fulfil their every despotic whim.

Yes: SHOW TIME! Which means I have been imagining that I am actually in the Biz for real by swanning about during the day "resting" (ie ignoring the -to me- unacceptable level of misfiling of kitchen utensils and bedroom floor clothes hanging) so that I have all my faculties about me each evening when I transport myself to another time and place and wear an improbably large wig while singing about love interests swapped at birth.....I am, however, assured by Actual Proper Singers that the swanning about all day is not a luxury available to those who do earn their crust by singing for their suppers!

Mr Life After Law is now officially and permanently to be known as World's Best Husband for parental fortitude above and beyond the call of duty.  Due to a slightly longer than usual commute to the theatre, WBH has been engaging the enemy (Operation Bedtime) on land, sea and in the air - battle-weary yet triumphant he and the children have emerged into the pale light of a new entente cordiale in which I promise not to go off singing at bedtime for a little bit.

Usually the end of show week is marked by a terrible case of post-show blues, which in its most severe manifestation led, recently, to the creation of Random Opera Company by friend and fellow blogger baritone, Richard Jones - I may have egged him on every so slightly.

However, this year, thanks to the promise/threat of future engagements and the learning of repertoire required,  I'm not feeling too much like the fun is all over.  Time to banish the old from my brain and embrace the new, which thanks to the ready availability of recordings I can start in the length of time it takes to say "one click ordering"......so here we go.Handel, and Mozart and Bizet, Oh My!

Christmas spirit...

I LOVE Christmas!! I would coat myself in gingerbread syrup and roll in tinsel if I could! Fa la la la la, la la la la!! I grew up with wonderful festive feel good traditions - thanks to my I-just-don't-know-how-she-did-it-without-falling-down-from-exhaustion mum.

All through my childhood Christmas has been all about family, amazing food, and loving one another, and being too competetive at board games.

I love to hear about other people's Christmas traditions.  Like, does ANYONE else have lemon jelly to serve with their Christmas pudding? And does anyone else find that Boxing Day must include a baked ham?

I was lucky enough to be introduced to another family's Christmas traditions when I first met World's Best Husband's family - or as I shall them here, the Wonderful In-laws.  Wonderful-father-in-law being a vicar Christmas is all about celebrating the good news together with your Church family (and, admittedly, sherry).

So whatever your personal beliefs or traditions, I hope that this winter festival/celebration is a time when you can reflect on happy memories, and create some new ones.