THE YARD MAN AND I,

we've been here before.















And today's visit reassures us...

...there will always be tulips.
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CALIFORNIA FOOTNOTES

Operatic notes, these are. Surely you will recall, Dear Reader, my most lovely California vacation, and the lovely California weather, and the lovely California friends, and the lovely chance meeting in the church auxiliary hall...  (Oh, wait.  Perhaps I didn't mention this brief little chat with a friend of our gracious hostess.

  "You live in Pennsylvania?!" Marilyn had exclaimed with excitement, after Irmgard had made the introductions.  "My husband and I are going there in just a few weeks to hear our son sing!  He's going to be performing at the Fulton Opera House!"  [It turns out, Dear Reader, The Yard Man and I, we already had tickets to the event!])

Marilyn and I exchanged all the necessary data to contact one another.  We'd see each other again at the opera!  We said goodbye as friends. 

Now you must leap, Reader Dear, from West Coast to East.  From the beautiful old church to the elegant old opera house.  (You must even leap across a few weeks of time!)

I had not heard a thing from my ready-made friend.  Nor had she heard from me. I'd lost even her name! How handy, then, to scan the program--only two male opera singers--and one of them had a name that rang a bell!  (As we found out shortly, he also has a tenor voice that rang out beautifully!)


The program was about to begin,
but I scurried down a few of  the darkened aisles and searched for my California friend, (I had not met her husband), going so far as to ask one woman (on the end of an aisle, and with a similar look), "Are you from California?"*
No luck!

The Yard Man and I thoroughly enjoyed the first part of the performance.  At intermission, we went eagerly into the foyer. And...well, right there she stood!  She was intently studying her phone.

 "I couldn't remember your name!" she exclaimed as we threw our arms around each other.
"But I knew you were in here somewhere!" 
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The Yard Man and I got to meet her husband, Roger.  After the opera, we were introduced to Todd--the Tenor, the son.
Dear Reader, what a friendly guy!
"Come to the after-party with us!" he offered.

All of our newly-found friends encouraged us.   The Yard Man and I, we happily accepted.   (Pondering the benefits of instant friendship!)






And that is how, Dear Reader, The Yard Man and I, we had a jolly time hobnobbing with the opera singers, some of the symphony orchestra musicians, the concert master, and the maestro himself--the conductor!

 We had such a fine time, in fact, that we went to the very same opera the very next evening!  This time, we got to sit with our long-time**friends, Roger and Marilyn!




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*"No," she said.  "But I do have good friends in California!"

**Well, you know, compared to last night. 

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HISTORICAL EVENTS

 Fourth birthday of The Small Actor.







News alert:
The Small Actor is less small with every passing birthday!




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Easter.
Breakfast served at church:

Easter flowers:

Easter Family Dinner. All-the-fixin's, eat-in-the-garage feast, and then hide eggs:

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A BLOGGER

walked into my blog a few weeks ago, brought both parents, the handsome husband, and four kiddos to spend the night.  Wow, what a lively time ensued!
There was a marvelous whirlwind of activity!  This bunch is curious, boundlessly energetic (er, speaking of the younger half), and everyone talks at once!  Those youngsters  thoroughly investigated the stash of games and books, tried out the toys, and got acquainted with all of the animals. They clamored for The Yard Man to let them assist with the feeding and grooming of the horses! (What a coup for that equine-loving man!*)

 

 

When they had gone, life seemed slightly boring, and a little too quiet!
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*(My extra stroke of good fortune was a big chunk of all-to-myself time with Mom-of-Blogger!  When I dropped her off at the train station two days later, that's when I truly had to ease back into the hum-drum aspect of daily living!)

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AH, DEAR READER DEAR

I think I left my bloggity-blogging, tell-you-all-about-it, picture-posting, sort-of-self behind me when I left California!   I've got to let her know that now we've got balmy days and blossoms and birdsong here at this location, too!

She's sure to show up shortly!*
*That's my hope!

SAYING GOODBYE

 to the Sofa.

"Free" said the sign I had quickly hand-lettered.
We chose this piece of furniture forty years ago, The Yard Man and I.  It was at The Bagby Furniture Company in Baltimore, Maryland.  (We've still got the receipt).  It was not a practical choice.  It wasn't very comfy, either.  But it was our sofa.  You see, Reader Dear, it had been our sofa for a long, long time.
Now, it was sitting forlornly by the side of the road, and it was going to go to just any old stranger who happened to drive by.

But, then...it rained!  And it wasn't just a sprinkling, either.
"No one is going to take it now!" I wailed to The Yard Man.
I was quickly re-thinking my aspirations for the dear old sofa.  Envisioning the couch on a dump heap somewhere, well...any old stranger would now be a hero to the rescue!










Happy ending: 
The rain stopped.
The couch sat by the road overnight.
The next day, I happened to glance out the window at just the right moment, and, lo and behold, there I saw a real live hero loading up that sofa!
(I scrambled for my camera, got back to the window to see him driving away ["Goodbye, goodbye," I whispered (to the sofa)].)
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