1. On Saturday mornings, Sparky (Judy), Mitch Hider, and others meet for coffee, most often at the South Willamette Market of Choice. Judy invited me to join them today and it was a blast. We yakked about theater, libraries, Shakespeare, my good fortune that I'm alive -- actually, all of our fortune is really good this way! -- and other topics that came and went.
We had chocolates and pastries for treats.
It was a jolly coffee klatch and I was beaming, so happy that Judy invited me to join in.
2. This joyous start to my day never let up.
Back in 1991, AnnMarie M. enrolled in the Wednesday night Shakespeare course I was teaching for the first time at LCC and we became longtime friends. She was the first person to act in what would become the Shakespeare Showcase. We and other friends and students travelled often to Portland to watch Shakespeare plays performed by the Tygre's Heart Shakespeare Company -- with dinner to follow, often, at the Spaghetti Factory, a fun tradition.
AnnMarie became very active in the Eugene world of theater as a terrific actor and a superb costumer and in other ways.
AnnMarie also owns Footloose Massage Center in downtown Eugene. Recently, on December 2, she held an open house at Footloose. Judy missed it and I wasn't in town yet, so Judy called AnnMarie to see if we could visit her at Footloose and it worked out.
I got to see AnnMarie!
Judy and I visited her handsomely appointed massage center and sat for a while in the foot massage area and had a wonderful visit. AnnMarie has recently done some awesome traveling, I learned how her son and daughter are doing, we talked about cats, and we looked back at some of the shows AnnMarie has costumed and appeared in.
As we sat comfortably and yakked away, I saw some of my best times in Eugene pass before my memory's eye: the first time I saw the movie Much Ado About Nothing, on opening night at the Bijou, was with AnnMarie's family; I saw how much AnnMarie contributed to helping the Shakespeare Showcase grow into the splendid and fun event it became; I remembered how AnnMarie recommended to the director, Denise LaCroix, when she needed a replacement actor for Polonius in Rosencrtantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, that she invite me to join the cast (which I did).
I was present in the moment during our reunion, but, at the same time, I was enjoying the many nourishing waters that passed under the bridge AnnMarie and I shared for many years, especially in the 1990s.
I hadn't expected this reunion and I'm immeasurably grateful to Judy for making it happen.
3. Judy's car was parked at Market of Choice and after I drove Judy back to her car, I dropped in at Great Harvest (Yes! GREAT HARVEST! It's been in Eugene for centuries!). I ordered a superb Chimichurri Roast Beef sandwich on Dakota bread and brought it back to the studio I'm renting and went straight to heaven thanks to this delicious meal.
I got caught up on my blog.
I took a nap.
I rested some more.
I got cleaned up.
I then headed to Herb and Francoise's house for a scintillating evening visit, replete with superb and boisterous conversation about everything from the joy of having Misty in our life in Kellogg to the current state of the USA and our country's uncertain future.
Our electric conversation was enhanced by the chicken noodle soup, Caesar salad, and fresh bread and Swiss cheese Francoise served for dinner. I also enjoyed a non-alcohol Black Butte Porter, my first NA beer ever. I couldn't believe my good fortune!
Herb and Francoise's sons, Miles and Bryce, were both home. Both were students of Debbie's at Charlemagne French Immersion School here in Eugene.
Francoise wanted Debbie to see how splendid Miles and Bryce look and thought it would be fun to include me in a picture.
So, here we are, from left to right: Bryce, me, and Miles.
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