Don't F*%$ With the Pancreas--The Maine Edition (Blogisode Three)

This blogisode is brought to you by tech week at The Weston Playhouse. For our non-theater readers, let me explain a bit about technical rehearsals. For the couple of days before the first performance, the show "moves in" to the theater (we rehearse in a different space) and we add all the technical elements like the set, props, lights, costumes, wigs, microphones, the orchestra, etc. These rehearsals are called ten out of twelves because we rehearse from noon-midnight with a two hour break--so it is ten hours out of a twelve hour span. Here at The Weston Playhouse we do two days of ten out of twelves and then we have a rehearsal afternoon and a preview performance that night. What is a preview performance? Previews are simply the shows that happen before the show has an "official" opening night. Usually the tickets are a slightly cheaper and the show might still feel bumpy. To be honest, the first preview performance feels like the opening night because it is the first time you get to see where the audience laughs and all that good stuff you've been working for.

Me and David Benoit acting dumb backstage. Check out my majorly padded boobs.

Currently they are rehearsing Act One of Forum and I have a role that is predominantly in the second act. In fact, I do the opening number, a short scene, and then am off for the REST of act one! Since I need a hobby to keep my busy and out of the way, I am taking this opportunity to blog. I will try to get permission to post a couple of pictures of tech, but there are a lot of union restrictions that might prevent it (really). Let me see what I can do that won't get me in trouble.

But first I must interrupt myself and tell you what just happened--we were halfway through the opening number in dress rehearsal when the fire alarm went off in the theater. Weston Playhouse has a sensitive smoke detector, and rightly so, a long time ago the original playhouse burned to the ground. I think someone burned toast in the kitchen, so everyone in the playhouse had to vacate. Imagine all of us in our costumes--actually you don't have to imagine--here is a picture taken by my friend Abbey Boone.

Now back to our story, which will be shorter due to burned toast circumstances beyond our control.

I'm glad yesterday's blog is done. I always find it hard to get through explanations without boring you to tears--it's information you need, a lot of it--and I posted pictures to spice it up. But NOW we get into the fun stuff and what exactly happened in Maine.

We left off with Charlotte, Beatrix and me driving to Maine after packing the car for the summer, cleaning the apartment for our sublettors, and (in Charlotte's case) finishing seventh grade. Remember the insomnia from the New York Edition? I was still having some serious trouble sleeping. In fact, I'd worked myself up into such a frenzy of anxiety that the night before we left that I never slept at all. Finally, at 5:15am, I got the girls out of bed and we departed for Maine, four hours before our anticipated departure time and with me driving on zero sleep. The thing was, I knew adrenaline would get me to Maine, because I was excited for two important things.

1) Rob, who was swearing he was fully recovered, would be there to be Daddy--alleviating me of the Single Mom stress I'd been under for so long.

2) The arrival in Maine meant summer had OFFICIALLY begun. And not a moment too soon, as far as I was concerned after a cold and snowy winter full of illness. Bring on the warm weather and relaxed schedule!

Also, let's face it, after everything I told you yesterday about Quisisana, you now know it's a pretty fantastic place to vacation. No cooking, no dishes, no cleaning, Rob healthy, shows every night, great babysitters, friends.....why not get to Quisisana asap?

As you can imagine, I arrived at Quisisana completely trashed. Rob, who was still very thin but otherwise fine, sent me directly to bed for a nap and he took over. It was wonderful.

Rob and Beaz play a game of chess in the Lodge. Immediately after taking this picture I took my second nap of the day.

The next six days proceeded blissfully. Rob and I napped, the kids played, we ate delicious food, and the great summer relaxation began. We became friends with our waitress, Danielle Frimer, who became accustomed to Rob's low fat ordering and recovery. The only thing that seemed a little odd was Rob--who was still a little short tempered (sorry Rob) and needing a lot more sleep than usual. I asked him about it and he said he'd working hard--that was all. I knew the real recovery came from the pancreatitis more than the gall bladder surgery, so I chalked it up to that.

On Thursday morning, we woke up and went to breakfast as usual. Afterwards Beatrix and I headed to Quisiworks--a boutique run by Marshall (the artistic director) full of trinkets and toys. Beatrix (and everyone) loves the store, so every year Beatrix gets to pick out a toy. We'd decided the night before this was her day, so she literally tried to drag me there as soon as she'd eaten 4 strawberries and 3 bites of pancake. I ran into the lodge for a cup of coffee and was intercepted by Rob who told me he was going back to the cabin. "I'm having stomach pains" was the exact quote. I was concerned, but I also had a begging three year old, so a trip to Quisiworks won out. Okay, to be totally honest, I thought he probably had gas and....no body needs to be around for that. Right?

Beatrix and I perused Quisiworks for a while, picked out a toy, and started to walk back to the cabin because I suddenly had a jolt that I should check on Rob.

Before I could get there I see Charlotte running up the pine path, her face as white as a sheet.

To read the next blogisode, go here.