Seven ducks preening and drying off in the sun.
Nine ducks.
Ten ducks.
Eleven ducks.
Nap time.
After a second allergy-ridden day, I left rehearsal a bit early. I felt yucky. After a couple of hours in the apartment, I strolled across the street to the park, camera in hand, and quickly became entranced by the ducks. They glided upon the water and one by one, they stopped, looked at their friends who had decided to spend some time out of the water, swam to the edge of the pond, checked out which opening in the line-up was best and jumped up and out of the water. I took these photos from across the pond because I didn’t want to scare them or upset their routine.
After all ducks have to rest, you know. They can’t swim endlessly. Who am I to intrude on their downtime?
Still feeling stuffy and eye-itchy. Still trying to figure out when I can make a short visit home. Every time the stage manager and I figure out a possible window of opportunity, the director changes his mind about the schedule. Since he’s directing both plays, it is surely his right to do that. But it keeps throwing a spanner in the works of my need to get home….just for a couple of days, really, that’s not asking too much, is it? The best opportunity would have been over last weekend, but we all know what happened then.
Yet another of my former students is in town. She’s acting in a play in a small theater that is literally a half block from my apartment. She’s one of my favorites, though I know I’m not supposed to have favorites. When I moved to San Diego to teach in the graduate program there, my boss and I traveled to NYC, Chicago and San Francisco to audition students for the program. The San Francisco auditions were our last stop on the tour and after two long days of interviews, we waited for our last candidate. She didn’t show up. We knew she was flying down from Seattle, so we waited. And waited. Finally, I took the elevator down to the building lobby thinking she might have been confused as to which floor we were on. Then I tried another floor. As the elevator doors opened, a completely harried redhead stepped into the elevator, a panicked look in her eyes. I’d seen her headshot, so I knew who she was. “Erika?” I said. She made eye contact with me and practically shouted, “Yes!” in relief. I introduced myself and said I’d been looking for her, which prompted a long, breathless explanation of a delayed flight, a long cab ride, of having no way to contact us, though she tried and tried to call our offices (it was a weekend) and absolute fear that she had missed her opportunity to audition for us. I hugged her, told her everything was okay, and instructed her to go off by herself, take some deep breaths and when she felt ready to audition, we’d be there.
Her audition blew us away. She’s incredibly talented. Thank goodness we waited. We knew immediately that she would be in our program. In the 17 years since she graduated, she has worked consistently in the theater, always getting high praise for her acting.
So: the other day, one of the younger actors in Macbeth was telling me that he wanted to see the new play opening at TheaterWorks and he mentioned the title. That night I was on Facebook and saw that Erika had written a status update saying that her current show, with the same title, was having its first preview that night. She didn’t mention where this was taking place, but I thought this was too coincidental not to investigate. Yep. Sure enough, she’s here. We haven’t seen each other yet because we’re awfully busy and on different schedules, but we will.
Hartford seems to be the place to meet up with my former students. Who knew?
Happy Friday.
An interesting progress with the ducks and clever of you to use the photos in a row, too. Great that you will meet up with an old friend and I hope you get to visit home soon.
Hopefully, tomorrow!
Could the allergy attack be from the flowers in your apartment? I love cut flowers too, but can no longer have them in the house. Both my husband and I get all the classic allergy symptoms whenever there are blooms in our rooms.:)
No. It’s from the pollen outside. I don’t get attacks from cut flowers, thank goodness! Several of us are having allergy problems right now.
So sorry to hear about your allergies. They are so exhausting, not sure why but they drain you. I had them terrible as a kid but once my Dad quit smoking all my allergy troubles were gone:) How exciting to see a former student in action. That sounds like a great time.
They are really tiring, that’s for sure.
Hopefully you’ll get to visit Erika soon, your allergies will magically disappear & the schedule will allow for a visit home. Fingers crossed for everything to fall in to place!
Love the duck pics. Thanks for sharing the sweetness. :)
I love ducks!
Good morning, Claudia! I hope you woke up feeling better–my whole family woke up this morning with itchy, watery eyes and stuffy noses…so much for sleeping with the windows open for the lovely night air! I love your duck pictures, how charming. And the park looks beautiful! Don’t you love reconnecting with former students? One of my husband ‘s former violin students came for dinner the other night, and it was so wonderful to see him. Most of our students become ‘extended family’. Once a teacher, always a teacher! Have a great day, and I hope you start to feel better soon AND are able to figure out a way to get back home for a couple of days. xxoo, Martha
My former students are like extended family, too. And I even get to coach them professionally at times!
You are still one of my most favorite blogs. I love the pics of the ducks. I am for sure going to have to start taking my camera with me every where I go. Some where during each day, with tea cup in hand, I look forward to visiting you on your blog. Last week I was at a thrift store and there, looking right at me was a turquoise bird similar (smaller) to the ones you have on your piano. I had to have it. Now when I see it setting in my apartment I wonder how many people have similar birds because of your blog. If I could figure out how to do it, I’d have everyone with a cousin to your birds to take a pic and send it to you. I can just see it – you can print them, and put them all in a big frame by your piano. A family photo – sort of. Okay, I’ve had fun with my visit today, and my tea cup is empty, so I have to get busy. Catch ya again tomorrow. Linda
That’s a really neat idea, Linda. All the birds in a big old frame, that would be lovely!
Sweet Claudia, hope you’re feeling better by now…………..counting ducks helped perhaps, haha!
Sounds like you’re staying very busy in Hartford – do hope that window opens just enough to get home for a visit very soon! They must be waiting with bated breath by now………………….
Hugs – Mary
I’m extremely busy here, which is a good thing, Mary.
Hi Claudia!! Sorry to hear you are feeling under the weather with the allergies… I love all the ducks in a row and it was certainly a lovely place to pass the time. I hope you are able to make it home to see your family soon. You have really made the best of being away from home by cozying your apartment, but I know there is no place like home. How nice to see your former student right where you are! Hope you have a good visit!! Enjoy the weekend! Francine
I need to get about 48 hours with my husband and my Scout!
My three wishes for you today…that you may make a visit home, cause there’s no place like home! That you may get over this allergy $&@#! And lastly that you get to reconnect with Erika! ;)
I think I will get to go home tomorrow afternoon, after the morning rehearsal, Donna. Have to be back Monday night, but I’ll take it!
Fantastic!
I say pack up a snack and some cool drinks and sit in that park for a little respite from all your hard work!
I hope you have a wonderful time reconnecting with Erika and are on the road home very soon.
XO,
Jane
The park is awfully pretty and I’m lucky that it’s right across the street from the apartment.
You are so funny. Love the ducks! Beginning to think all these allergies are a conspiracy to take over our country when no one is left who can see and breath. Of course with the Communist threat almost gone who would gain from this. Must investigate. Feeling your discomfort having same symtoms and I am a thousand miles away. As always love and enjoy your blog.
Aw, thank you very much, Susan!
I;m sure that gives you such a sense of pride to run into old acquaintances whom you helped get started! That’s a beautiful park. Nice that it’s so close. Hope you get to feeling better and that you get to go home for a couple of days.
Judy
It does. It feels very nice to have helped them along the way, to have recognized their talent and to have helped nurture it.
Lovely park..Allergies are no fun..Mollie and I both can Attest to that..Sorry for you..Hope you have a home visit soon…
Allergies are the bane of my existence, Missy!
You know I counted each duck picture to make sure you got it right, don’t you? Just a tad OCD here, methinks!
What wonderful news about your former student being there. Gotta love a talented redhead! Blessings to you- I hope you can get home soon- xo Diana
I recounted them twice, just to make sure I was right!