“You wanna do what now?” – Codee at The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – August 10th, 2021
We have been getting out and about in the morning, but mostly in the car to run errands. Like everywhere else, it’s pretty warm outside no matter the time of day and Codee gets in most of his steps in the evening. I did a bit of container gardening after we got home and he took a little nap. Luckily, I have an eastern facing balcony, so by 12:30, we have some shade. He really likes to break up the early afternoon by going in and out. This way he can check out any neighbors passing by and then cool off on the air conditioned, hardwood floor. Not a bad gig, if you can get it.
Honey Nut Squash, Tom Thumb Peas, and Arugula Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – August 10, 2021The Carrot Patch Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 10, 2021
Parks and Recreation:
An Unusually Empty Day, Atlantic Beach Dog Park Atlantic Beach, FL – August 10, 2021Howell Park Atlantic Beach, FL – August 10, 2021
On The Streets Where I Live:
There are all kinds of unexpected joys kicking around Atlantic Beach. Finding hidden bits helps keep me motivated….and not just because it means I can stop in this heat to take a photo. 😉 I find I have just a little burst of energy after I smile.
“Nothing to see here, folks.” – Tree Man, 11th Street Atlantic Beach, FL – August 10, 2021Sunshine in Rock Form, Beach Ave Atlantic Beach, FL – August 11, 2021Mammoth Sunflowers, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – August 10, 2021Happy Little Clouds Atlantic Beach, FL – August 10, 2021
Sweating It Out:
A return to the streets!!! It was great, but it was a walk/run/limp combo, to be completely honest. My left hip HATED me at the end of this. I stretched it out a bunch and used my roller ball, but this is a great reminder to do what I say…or not…and not what I do. I am a negligent stretcher/flexibility training buddy. Heed the warning, please.
Podcast of The Day:
This section should be retitled, “My Schoolgirl Crushes”… Today, it’s back to my boys and their guest, Tony Hawk. I was never cool enough to be a skater, but I think the first time I saw him was in the movie “Gleaming The Cube”…Could that be accurate?
On The Plates:
The old standard… Guitar Case Greens, Roasted Lola Chicken, Roasted Shaved Beets, Grapefruit, Sautéed Onion, and English Cucumber with a Grapefruit Vinaigrette
Since we’re being honest…this is how it played out behind the scenes….
How I Really Eat My Salads, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – August 10, 2021
Cronometer:
Garmin Says:
That step count is a little more in line with what I like to see.
110 Days Until Load In!!…Stay safe and moving, y’all!!!
Happy August! This morning, I unsurprisingly thought, “I can’t believe it’s August.” And then, I looked at the countdown clock this afternoon… 119 days 17 hours!!! Just a teeny tiny bit under four months until the scheduled first day of load in for the return of the first national tour of Dear Evan Hansen. Four months! I remember when that used to feel like a long time, but I know better now. Especially when you consider the fact that our last day of work was 504 days ago! Do you know how much you can forget in 16 and a half months?… Anywho, there are a lot of things that need to be scheduled and accomplished in the next four months to get ready to return to life on the road. As if touring a Broadway musical and maintaining a clean eating lifestyle weren’t tricky enough, this time, I am adding a dog, a car, and a LOT of driving. I’m certainly not the first person to attempt it, but it can be kind of tricky. Some of the planning is logistics, but a lot of the planning is training. For me and for my dog, Codee. This is him a few days after I adopted him.
Codee – October 24th, 2020
A few months ago, Codee woke up unable to open his mouth which led us down a path of the vet saying “wait and see” to x-rays to CT Scans to a biopsy…and somewhere along the way, a jar of nut butter…or 12…This is where the slope got slippery. Told that Codee had cancer, I decided it was okay to binge on the couch together and watch TV. I quickly returned to my old ways of using food as a means of comfort and numbing. The outlook was a little bleak, for sure, and what I started was a pattern that became a habit that became a ritual. Then we received some encouraging, albeit confusing, biopsy results, so we saw a specialist. Codee was diagnosed with a disease called masticatory muscle myositis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masticatory_muscle_myositis). Great news!!! Not cancer, but how do we get his mouth open again? You can see that he has always been pretty into snacks…
Codee, Atlantic Beach, FL – November 2, 2020 Highly food motivated even in his very young days…
Masticatory muscle myositis is an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the muscles of mastication and the muscle fibers are then replaced with scar tissue ultimately leading to irreversible restriction of the jaw. Not good, but it seems we caught it in time. The treatment for masticatory muscle myositis is a high dose of the steroid prednisone which suppresses the immune system. The potential side effects include lethargy, increased appetite, weight gain, increased thirst, increased panting, increased urination. Not to be considered an underachiever, Codee really leaned into having all of them. Add the Florida summer heat and a road trip and “suddenly” we are both 15-20lbs. heavier than is comfortable for either one of us!
Codee, Atlantic Beach, FL – July 30th, 2021
You’ll notice I’m only showing pictures of Codee even though I’m the one, largely, in charge of our access to food. I say “largely” because you cannot imagine how good this dude is at finding snacks (read:trash and gross dead things) on our walks, but the point is that I am responsible for both of us and it’s time to swing the pendulum back to tour ready.
I have been missing my daily updates, so one of my goals is to get back in the habit of sharing things that make me smile, quick plates that I think are tasty, and to use this as a platform for accountability. Of course, it’s not just about the number on the scale. I think that a lot of things will be different this go around on Dear Evan Hansen, but I can almost certainly guarantee that neither of those things will be the weight limit for actor trunks, which I lift, or the number of steps I need to take on the daily. I need to be in excellent physical condition to tour comfortably, so it’s time to get prepared.
Codee gazing longingly at some French fries he found on the street after being told he couldn’t eat them… Atlantic Beach, FL – July 30th, 2021
Tomorrow, will be all about structure and intentional choice, so today I am sharing a little indulgence with my Toasted Coconut Cashew Butter recipe. I will admit that I consume more peanut butter (yes, the organic natural variety) and it’s a bigger trigger these days, but it’s more cost effective to buy peanut butter. On the other hand, Toasted Coconut Cashew is my absolute favorites for a splurge and it’s super easy to make. Equally delicious on ice cream, fruit, or a spoon, it’s also a great base for trying other flavors. Toasting the cashews and coconut really helps add flavor and the fats from the cashews and coconut make it super creamy. Be sure to let them COOL COMPLETELY before blending or the consistency will be off. Feel free to use a food processor or a blender, but know that I prefer to use both. The volume in my recipe is just a bit too much for my size VitaMix straight out of the gate, so I let the food processor take care of the bulk of the work and then I run it through the VitaMix to ensure a smooth and consistent finish.
Toasted Coconut Cashew on the sheet tray, The Blend in the food processor. Atlantic Beach, FL – December 2020
I use 7oz of raw cashews and 2oz of shredded, unsweetened coconut. I toast it all on a half sheet pan at 250 degrees until is all about the same latte color…let it cool completely and then whirl it all up. Tasty the day it’s made, but even better the next day. I keep mine in the fridge, which solidifies it because of the coconut oil. I like to think this slows my consumption ever so slightly. Enjoy!
Clockwise from Top Left – Pina Colada, The Blend, Blueberry Cashew, Toasted Coconut Cashew
We had an automation fault yesterday during the show. It doesn’t happen often at Dear Evan Hansen, but this time it was on the stage left disc track. When the piece faults, it stops. Immediately. You know how we wear seatbelts so we’re not thrown from the car? Props do not always wear “seatbelts” onstage, so as you can imagine, some items were thrown from the disc.
Cinncinati, OH, May 8, 2019
This sort of stop wasn’t the worst sort of stop, but we don’t like any show stop. It has taken millions of dollars and thousands of hours of work to be at a point where we can make you pay good money to suspend your disbelief for two hours and forty five minutes while we tell you a story. We, the stage hands, don’t want to be seen.. We really, really don’t want to be seen. Alas, sometimes it is unavoidable and we take to the stage. It’s ALWAYS awkward…we’re trying to pretend that nothing happened, like we’re invisible, or worse, like the clean up is somehow choreographed. The audience has no idea what to do, but there’s always that one person, probably a former aspiring actor, who decides to be “nice” and start applause for the stage hands. That’s sweet, it really is. However, it also makes my nervous response of laughter set in…More on that later…
When the prop team (Carlos, our IATSE Local 11 Partners Jackie and Tommy, and me) walked onstage last night to pick up the pieces of the Evan bedside table and lamp, the audience clapped and I smiled. It doesn’t feel as awkward anymore, I noticed. Everyone moved with observant efficiency and while the chaos created by the unexpected fault was around for a moment, we moved through it with experienced efficiency. Team Props cleared the pieces and then the carpenters reset and rechecked automation. Jackie and the house head carpenter Chris repaired the broken lamp, stage management, lighting and the conductor wrangled the cast and figured out the plan for restarting. The show was actually stopped for seven minutes, but it always feels like a lifetime for me. I guessed twenty and was surprised when I read the show report later. We restarted and the audience came along for the ride, buckled in to feel. It was a great show and the brown gaff tape lamp held up, bless its heart. If we can get the audience back, performances that stop are some of the best…once they get going again. Maybe because in the chaos, the audience is reminded that anything can happen.
Photo Credit: Carlos E Wauman Jr Dear Evan Hansen, Peace Center, Greenville, SC June 30, 2019
And anything is possible, but challenges come up everyday. When your performance stops for a bit, it’s important to remember:
Know when to go for and/or accept help.
Teamwork really does make the dreamwork.
You have to pick up the broken pieces before you can move forward.
Being prepared makes the unexpected mishaps of life a piece of cake….or in my case, zucchini bread.
