Thursday, February 15, 2007

The Monolgues

Tonight is our second dress rehearsal, and I must say that it went extremely well last night, although I won't be telling the girls that! We actually were home by 10:15, although I think tonight might be different. Tomorrow night is the show. Oh, the hard work that has gone into this production...I just can't be sure about the attendance, but this I know, whoever comes will have one heck of a show!

The stage is so magical...I love sharing it with these talented women. It is such a nice change from the storytelling stage of which I own alone.

The women have been brilliant. I owe them all so much for coming on board. The excitement continues to build as we are doing two shows this year. So, here's to breaking a leg, or two?????

Lou Ann

Lou Ann Homan-Saylor lives in Angola, Indiana which is nestled in the hills of Northern Indiana. When she is home at the White Picket Gardens you can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, a teacher, a writer, an actress and a collector of front porch stories.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

And still the wind blows...

After a foot of snow and 40 miles an hour winds...we woke to piercingly blue skies. Drifts are piled everywhere as if whipping cream heaped in a bowl...It is still below zero if you consider wind chill and a chance of 3-5 more inches tonight, but for a few calm hours, I think I will go help out with the shoveling a bit.

Everything in my small town is closed...the courts...the library...boy scout meetings. Last night Aaron and Karen brought the boys out into the weather for an old fashioned turkey dinner with Valentine heart cookies for dessert. I let the boys decorate them. Matthew had a great time, although Jonah did not know quite what to do with the icing!

So, to all, Happy Valentine's Day, Happy Blizzard, Happy First Dress Rehearsal for the Monologues (if anyone can get there!!)

Lou Ann

Lou Ann Homan-Saylor lives in Angola, Indiana which is nestled in the hills of Northern Indiana. When she is home at the White Picket Gardens you can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, a teacher, a writer, an actress and a collector of front porch stories.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

The Blizzard

We all knew it would come...just when was the question. Ahhh, that has now been answered, today. The forecasters were predicting this serious storm, but did not put such magnitude on it until yesterday...winter blizzard. The word 'blizzard' conjures up such thoughts...hot chocolate..climbing out of upstairs windows...tying a clothesline to the back porch and to the barn for chores...cows stranded for days. Well, maybe not quite that far (except for the hot chocolate), but nonetheless, it is here and with a vengence. No School!! Oh, sorry, I am one of the teachers. (Who said snow days were for the kids?)

My house is cozy this blizzard..lots of food in the cupboards, my guitar resting on the couch...books flung open to pages of interest...old fashioned sugar cookies cooling on the counter..nice warm heat...no frozen pipes!!

It is a wonderful feeling to have everything closed, I mean, even the library! To know that we are all in homes cozied up. I have a turkey in the oven as Aaron and Karen and the boys were trudge over at 5 for a shared dinner. The boys will play, we will talk about the blizzard, that is what one does. Who knows, we might still be talking about it tomorrow??? I'll let you know.

Lou Ann

Lou Ann Homan-Saylor lives in Angola, Indiana which is nestled in the hills of Northern Indiana. When she is home at the White Picket Gardens you can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, a teacher, a writer, an actress and a collector of front porch stories.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Frozen Pipes, the flu and other trauma...

The flu went rampant through the Vagina Monologue cast. It started (we think) at a pot luck at Jamie's house...but nobody is blaming her. (It was her husband, Andy, who had been sick!) Alright, no one is to blame..except it hit hard and fast. I happened to me at the mall in Fort Wayne, not my usual hang out...but I needed a few things for the Monologues and had to go into THE CITY. I was so sick that I could not find my car..I went to Customer Service. I told the woman I couldn't find my car...she said well, did I remember the number in the parking lot? I said, no, you don't understand, I can't find the parking lot. They found my car. I drove home. I do not know how. I was so sick I forgot it was cold. My downstairs drains froze up.
With all of that we moved the practice to Karen's house. I am cured. The drains thawed. Life is good. Snow is even expected..a large storm. Tonight I will go bring in provisions and nestle down inside the House at White Picket Gardens.

Lou Ann

Lou Ann Homan-Saylor lives in Angola, Indiana which is nestled in the hills of Northern Indiana. When she is home at the White Picket Gardens you can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, a teacher, a writer, an actress and a collector of front porch stories.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Another night below zero...

My house is old and creaky in the winter...especially when the temp drops below zero. Since Saturday we have not even seen zero and the wind chills have gone as low as 30 below. My night times have been reminiscent of early motherhood..waking up in the night to check on the baby...the baby being the pipes and water. I pull myself out of bed a couple of times a night to run water and flush toilets. Ahhh, but no frozen pipes for me. (yet!) The temps are to get into the double digits within the next couple of days. Yes, spring is definitely on the way. In the meantime, I will continue to heat up my 'corn boy' and take him to bed with me. (Smile)

Lou Ann

Lou Ann Homan-Saylor lives in Angola, Indiana which is nestled in the hills of Northern Indiana. When she is home at the White Picket Gardens you can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, a teacher, a writer, an actress and a collector of front porch stories.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Starry, starry night...

Every Monday night for months I have met with my V-Day board getting ready for the show which will be next week! We have our meetings at Rachaels in downtown (I say that loosely!) in Angola. We have our own table and we spread out our notes and lattes and work for a couple of hours. The group of women on this board is stunning, hard working, and energetic. After we wrapped up our meeting last night, I stepped into the early dusk night. I caught my breath as the deepening blue sky held the Mound captive. Venus was the only visible brightness in the sky, but she shone as a solitude being. I stood and gazed for a few minutes before driving the old Jeep home to the House at the White Picket Fence.

Lou Ann

Lou Ann Homan-Saylor lives in Angola, Indiana which is nestled in the hills of Northern Indiana. When she is home at the White Picket Gardens you can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, a teacher, a writer, an actress and a collector of front porch stories.

Monday, February 05, 2007

Winter Blues...oh yes, and the Colts..

It is no secret that the Midwest is under the deep freeze warning. All across the Great Lakes we are under the spell of the cold. Here in Angola the wind chill temperature was clocked at 29 below zero. I have had to wake up several times in the night to run water to make sure pipes do not freeze!

The truth is? It is quite beautiful, and I am loving this. The beauty is spectacular...the color of the sky is pale winter. I like knowing folks are sitting by fires, playing Scrabble, popping corn..listening to the wind blow. As for me..I read several books, did lots of paper work...spent time really LISTENING to NPR and making chicken soup. My neighbor girls came over for a tea party yesterday braving the cold to just walk across the street. We had chocolate and brownies and read poetry.

And, of course, most of us ventured out to watch the Colts in good company. I went with Aaron and Karen and the boys to a friend's house...we ate (what happened to my great diet?) hollered and had a very nice time. Most of the folks were dressed in their Colts jerseys for the event. Way to go Colts. You make us proud here in Indiana.

So here is to Winter's beauty and the humbleness of the Colts team!

Lou Ann Homan-Saylor lives in Angola, Indiana which is nestled in the hills of Northern Indiana. When she is home at the White Picket Gardens you can find her gardening or writing late into the night under the light of her frayed scarlet lamp. She is a storyteller, a teacher, a writer, an actress and a collector of front porch stories.

Spring break in St. Pete...

  Adam and his pups! The late-night flight is full. Everyone is heading out for spring break. Students and teachers, moms and dads, kids and...