Best Of

Hi sisters,

Last things first: my nail tech (salon owner) paraffin-wraps my feet in plastic bags, but not my hands. (Once at a high-end salon in Streeterville, the manicurist used a paraffin hand bath and I recall it felt luxurious). Chris, I have an oblong heating pad filled with buckwheat hulls, which I nuke. I use it all the time for my back (or to put under a blanket or throw when the temp in my den or front room dips below 65F). To keep my hands soft (and save on hand cream) I use the trick my facialist taught me: after I apply creams, lotions, serums, non-tinted sunscreens etc. to my face, instead of washing my hands or wiping my palms I wipe my palms on the backs of my hands & fingers. Last year before I learned that my knuckles were like exfoliators and even made fine knits "pill," and they bled at the slightest provocation. Not now. Big test comes overnight tonight when the mercury dips to near zero.

Chris, your ceaseless work with Tippy has made him more articulate than most human toddlers I know!

Getting a touch of schadenfreude for the game tomorrow, when the wind chills at Soldier Field will be subzero. Although I'm sure the Rams are acclimating themselves today I'm hoping tomorrow comes as a shock to them. But schadenfreude can boomerang, so I'd better temper mine.

Catching up now. The Bar Show was a success. Wednesday we had >100 people willing to pay $35 to see us make mistakes and deal with tech glitches—which were nearly zero. Rested Thurs. because "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" had the theater. Opening night (Fri) we sold out the main floor and half the balcony. Sat. matinee—which in the past had the sparsest audiences—was SRO, even the balcony. We had to extend intermission by 10 minutes because the line to the bar was so long. (Tipsy audience=more laughs). That's because many Sat. night attendees swapped their tickets for the matinee so they could watch the Bears that evening. I had rewritten the line for the guy playing a Bears superfan ("…Pope Leo turned the Lions into lambs") several times—once after the loss to the Lions but again after they got home field advantage, so I mentioned that. He brought the house down Fri. night (when he said "tomorrow night") and again at the matinee (…"tonight"). But Sat. night we had the game on backstage on one of the stagehands' monitors, and there were more audience members sitting watching the game at intermisssion than going for drinks; he said "we're losing 21-3 but at least the bar is open." We still gave it our all and got standing ovations.

Then off to the hotel bar down the street for the cast party, which was also attended by tourists coming in from the snow falling on Michigan Ave. Nobody was interested in the free food: we were all mobbing the bar and watching the multiple TVs. Good thing the show's run was over, because I screamed myself hoarse in the last 5 minutes of the game. Sorry, Chris, but the sweetest thing was something I'd been waiting to do for decades: joining the crowd in chanting "GREEN BAY SUCKS!" Staying in tomorrow to watch the game at 5:30, but we may brave the elements to go to brunch earlier.

The cast member whom I'd understudied at the dress rehesrsals returned Fri. night after her bout with the flu; she flubbed a spoken line 3 times, her voice was somewhat weak, and she didn't "milk" the lyrics or gesticulate. I felt worse for her than any regret I had over my having to cede the role back to her. The director and music director kept taking me aside and telling me how much better & funnier my performance was. Next year, if I'm still in the show (at almost 76 by then that might not be a given), I will be an official "swing:" having to learn all the female vocal and speaking parts as well as any choreography that wouldn't pose a falling risk.

See next post (cont'd)

(part deux):

Meanwhile, beginning to gear up for our long weekend in NOLA for the Folk Alliance Int'l conference next week. I leave Thursday and Bob will join me on Friday. For the first time I won't be bringing an instrument, because I didn't try to book any hotel-room showcases. Still might join an open song circle or two, and borrow a guitar (or a dulcimer if there's a tuned one in the room). I just perused the list of panels and official showcase performers, and realized that this definitely isn't the Folk Alliance I attended even a decade ago: the emphasis is now international, indigenous/ethnic (especially Louisiana), and geared towards minority and LGBTQ+ considerations. But that's okay: I'm 75 (come Friday) and there's a new generation. The definition of "folk music" has become far more fluid, and we "old guard" are aging out and passing the torch. (Some of the "Wisdom of the Elders" panelists are in their early 60s). The "Folk DJ panel," which used to be about how to get airplay, is now about recruiting Gen Xers & millennials to take over the radio shows from septuagenarian DJs (and transitioning to a streaming rather than broadcast model). My regional Midwest conference ('FARM," which my partner attended but I couldn't because of my move-back and Bar Show rehearsal schedule conflicts) is a far better fit—in fact the Southeast Regional one (SERFA) in mid-May (both w/in a day's drive) would also be better.

So we will be treating this as a midwinter vacation—I will attend a few panels (including Ani DiFranco & Tom Paxton) during the day; Bob will hit the casino, gym & pool and we will prowl the Quarter. I will hang out with a few friends (including my favorite local folk DJ) for some meals & coffee. Skipping the official buffet dinner Fri. night to celebrate my 75th at Commander's Palace; Sun. morning we'll do jazz brunch at Court of Two Sisters (Bob's fave), which will keep me away from the beignets at Cafe du Monde, in favor of omelets, all-you-can-eat shrimp & salads. (I haven't tried even a single beignet since our last visit in 2023)! Bob didn't even want me to buy him a day-pass to the conference (even though I bought a Folk Alliance "supporter" membership for him). We may take a tour or two on Sunday afternoon. We fly home Monday. (As for our cats, between Gordy, our BFFs and our HK's neighbor who comes in twice a week for a couple of hours to tidy up, they'll be fine).

The logistical headache will be weather: the day I leave it'll be maybe 30F, but single digits again by the following Monday night. So I will wear UGGs for travel (no longer have to remove shoes) and a packable down coat over my trenchcoat (it'll be low 60s & rainy while we're there). The last time we took a winter trip to a warmer clime I stuffed my down coat/hat/gloves into my suitcase before checking it at the airport and then re-donned them as soon as we got our bags back before hitting the taxicab line. Bob insists on driving this time, so we'll take the shuttle to the parking lot. (I will take a cab or rideshare down on Thursday). I deliberately bought SW's highest-fare ticket so I can get two free checked bags—one of which will be Bob's suitcase.

Also just booked my Bar Association CLE (continuing education) trip to Greece for the end of April (2 days after a gig up in Madison). 3 days in Athens, 3 on Santorini. I've never been. Bob doesn't want to come along, as he wants to save up his days off for a river cruise (Paris-Prague) we plan to book for late summer/early fall. I decided (with Bob's blessing) to fly business class—10 hours in steerage, er, coach, is more than I can handle at my age. I can still do everything short of lifting a rollaboard into the overhead bins, so no more exit row seats for me.

We both decided that this may be the last year both of us are physically capable of international travel—and at this point I'm in better shape despite my stiff upper back. His knees are shot and he has trouble keeping from falling if he bends down too far, so he's starting P.T. in early March to improve his balance and strengthen his quads to take the load off his knees. He refuses to get any gel or steroid shots in his knees, much less take off the 12 weeks he'd need to recover (first rehab and then home/clinic P.T.) after knee replacement. Knowing him, he'd insist on going back to work—assuming he could drive or get rideshares—a week or two after coming home from rehab. For my R knee it was 6 weeks before I could safely drive; after my L, I drove right away, including to the P.T. clinic. I did take a Viking River Cruise (Danube-Main-Rhine) 12 weeks after my R knee replacement—I did okay with just a cane and walking shoes, and taking elevators wherever available. (Wet cobblestone streets were the only true challenge).