Quilts, knits, and prints are all on the backburner this month. When my 16 year old diva came home from auditions for "Charlotte's Web" at our community theatre, she pointed her index finger in her dad's face and stated,"Tomorrow YOU are going to audition. You're so much better than everyone who tried out tonight." Then she wheeled around and pointed that finger in my face and said, "And you're going with him!"

Yea, right. The month before Christmas we are not going to rehersing 3 hours a night, we told her.

When she went to bed M and I talked about it. How many 16 year olds want to be seen in public, let alone on stage, with their parents? And how many more opportunities will we be given to to do something like this with her? We caved. From now until the 18th we are Edith & Homer Zuckerman, twice on Saturdays. Call it a perfect example of type casting--the old farmer & his wife! Oh, and I almost forgot, the Diva is Charlotte!

The play includes a cast of 1000's--lots of children who play goslings and sheep and fairgoers. It's fun, and it will be a sell-out (well with such a star-studded cast of course!). Our little community theatre will accually make some money, and that will ensure productions for next year.

Most importantly for me is that I have necessarily unplugged myself from most of the holiday excess and must choose to only do only what is most important. The house is a wreck (carpenters have been tracking thru all week), presents aren't bought, Christmas baking is a distant memory. But I know that the hours spent rehersing entrances and dropped lines are hours spent making Christmas memories that will warm the old farmer and his wife for a long time. And this season spiders & their webs will definitely hold prominent spots throughout our house, at least that's my excuse!