Have you got an active text life?

So this is the truth.  When Tim is on a show week, Robyn, Alice and I put our heads down and get through it.  They are doing so well learning to work out where he is and what he is doing.  It has fostered in them a love of musical theatre that I am sure wouldn't be there if it wasn't for the fact that they associate their daddy with it.  I am really hoping they don't decide to take to the stage! 

Tim and I make use of facebook, twitter and text during show week. Even more than we normally do.  In fact I bet he reads this tonight when he returns after another show (that he has booked us in to see on Sat matinee).  I do the same.  So it was with curiosity that I read a post from him that suggested that he was feeling the week just as much as we were.  It is hard when you give of yourself in any profession that becomes your vocation or passion, not to become emotionally attached and almost wear your heart on your sleeve.  I know I have been a teacher for 17 years (ish) and I get passionate about subjects and frustrated when others don't get it.  I get Tim.  I get his absorption in his latest project and his need to play me every score he has arranged.  I like making suggestions and pointing out areas where he might have overlooked something!  I like the fact that he takes criticism from me.  I like to be able to support. 

I also get he fact that he likes to keep in touch with friends who have helped him.  I have some very good friends, some from childhood, still in touch on facebook and snail mail.  But I also have friends that have moved on.  My mum once told me that sometimes you have to wave at the boats that pass in the night because they came alongside you for a while but then go on their own path.  If every boat was meant to stay together then we would all end up in the same place.  Extended metaphor aside, we sometimes have friends for a while, some that we bump into time and again like the penny! and some that stay close.  You can't stress about where others are going or who they are going with, just wave when you see them and smile as they go.

I will continue to keep in touch with Tim during show weeks, I ensured that he had a mobile phone sorted after Robyn locked it by playing with the pattern lock too many times.  Just to make sure this week we have had a happy text life.

Last day of the holiday!

It has been a great holiday.  The first time the girls have been away to Nana's and Tim and I got to spend some time together.  When he is on show weeks we nearly always end up communicating with each other via email, twitter or text!  Next week he is doing a week run of 'Into the woods' in Stafordshire and I know we won't see much of him.

We have tidied the house, with thanks to our long-suffering friend, Ann.  She even helped me clean out the fridge!  And I have had time to read up on Greek Myths and Greek theatre ready for a school module on the history of theatre.  Tim and I realised that we have both studied Sophocles' Antignone - me in English and him in Greek.  I knew he would come in handy sooner or later!

Now it is time to get early nights and get ready for early mornings, and work out if my phone still works so I can get back to texting my husband with everything I have forgotten to say the evening before.

How does a professional musician do DIY?

A few years ago, when we had to do up our last house, Tim decided to try his hand at tiling.  He was complimented by the plumber who said he did it very well.  We have had a joke since then that he tiles like a professional musician.

I would say that things have improved but no, if he could only DIY like a professional musician then his timing would be spot on...still I wait and live in hope that everything will be done. 

I also hope, that like the mum of a singing student who came the other day, most people will realise that he is 'artistic' and therefore things will always need to be quirky in order to inspire him and help him to feel unbound and free in his musical pursuits.  I would rather all the DIY was done and we didn't have quite so quirky a house but when you visit for a lesson you will see what I mean!

Freedom

Well, we are about to leave the girls (both of them) with Nana and head off to have my birthday treat.  I am happy that I sort of guessed what we were going to do.  Logic ran thus:  If we were going to see a show then it would be work for Tim.  If he was thinking of a treat for me we would either be going to the theatre to see a play in London or to Stratford upon Avon to see a Shakespeare play.  I was right.  It would take too long to get to London from where my mum lives, so Stratford it is.  We are going to see Twelfth Night.  I haven't seen any reviews and am going purely for entertainment, I don't even need to teach this one!

We are leaving shortly, in the rain, for our few days of freedom.  I have told mum to call if she needs anything, or if her cold gets worse.  Perhaps I will learn to switch off and relax eventually...

I blame my husband!

I was sitting in the waiting room of our local hospital with my 3 and a half year old and 5 and a half year old (the halves are very important I have been informed) and my eldest started recreating a show song she has heard Tim preparing and also seen in a concert recently.  'Bring out yer dead, Bring out yer dead...I am not dead yet, I can laugh and I can sing...' You can imagine my horror as my children struck up a rendition of 'Spamalot' in the waiting room, in front of other patients, who had at first thought my girls were both charming and delightful.  I am happy that my girls have eclectic tastes in music, however, I think I have to explain the theory of 'A time and a place'.