Once more, unto the breach....

I really think this blog is buggered for me. This is try number 3 of writing. I don't like participants in the process of writing - reading after is fine, just don't read over my shoulder, ok?

Because of the last 2-3 weeks, I feel my outlook has been altered for the better. Life tends to do that...theatre as well.

Back on February 29, Stratford had a big ticket deal - $29 for any show playing on the 29th of the month. I bought 2 tickets for the intention of bringing Braeden for a late birthday present. I had no idea it was the closing night (thanks for the heads up, Lisa!).

In the past month, the twitter club also had tickets for Cymbeline, closing night. That was the show I knew Braeden had to see. He had already seen Henry this season, so I gave the ticket to Dakota.

The 29th of September was a busy day for me/us. It was the Breastfeeding Challenge which Lisa Dietrich and I planned for 2 months. It is a day to celebbrate breastfeeding, and take part in a friendly 'challenge' to see how many women can nurse their babies at the same time, 11:00 sharp.  We had a magician, Mr Fantastic, booked, my favourite Toronto musician (and great human being) Brian MacMillan play - plus, he brought his wife's cookies (www.newmoonkitchen.com). We had a diaper derby, food, cake...it was to be a full day of speeches about the importance of breastfeeding.

Five minutes before we started, I was told a well-respected, honoured and beloved elder on our reserve died during the night. She was like a grandmother to me - to many of us. She never questioned me if I 'belonged' for which I will always love her. I lost all train of thought, and any itinerary we had kind of went out the window. The magic, music, and breastfeeding were great, but my mind just couldn't keep track of things. While it was a success, I'd say, the end result wasn't what I envisioned. We did have a lively group of 11 moms/babies happily nurse away at 11 sharp. We even had a mom travel from London to take part (her husband said he'd clean house while she and baby were gone - what a great guy!).

We packed up early, so the family and I came home to change and get ready for the rest of the day in Stratford.

Dakota and  I arrived nice and early for the show. He forgot his coat, and it was a chilly, drizzly day, so we stuck to the Festival Theatre, which was fine because there was a craft fair going on. We learned about where to buy chain mail for Braeden from a woman who made beautiful glass and gold jewellry.

We bought a sample pack of perfumes made by Claire Lautier - she is so talented, gorgeous, and giving. (www.grasseroots.com) Her perfumes are 100% natural and botanical perfumes. They smell divine, and don't lead to headaches due to scent irritation. So far, Geisha is my favourite, but she has one that smells like chocolate, too. And, she can custom make a perfume for you or your loved one, or as a wedding present (that's what the midwives and I are doing for a 4th year midwifery student who is getting married in December).

While speaking with Claire at her booth, Sean Arbuckle stopped by to say hi to her. I had no idea they went to Julliard and Duke together. I'm glad I didn't say or do anything stupid before I knew that (roll eyes). He really does have such lovely blue eyes, though...

After talking with Claire, we spoke for a long time with a local Stratford photographer, whose husband does the IT for Stratfest. I can't locate her card right now. I hope Dakota still has it. She sold beautiful wildlife photos. They were so lifelike. We all spoke about Dakota being the photographer for his high school football team, and that he was thinking about taking journalism and photography in post-secondary.

While we were sharing stories, the most incredible sites came into view...

Have you ever seen the exact end of a rainbow, of a double rainbow? There was no gold at the end. It was the Stratford Festival Theatre. Good enough for me.

Walking up to the lounge, and past the box office, I took a quick double look and stopped in my tracks. I couldn't believe who I was seeing. After a year or so of emailing with questions from the kids and I, Dakota and I finally met the gorgeous Dion Johnstone. It was like finally meeting a penpal for me. But for Dakota, he was excited to meet Dion because he was on Stargate. Dak now has some celebrity status (again) at school for this picture:

Dakota's eyes, like Braeden's in a previous post, just pop - especially with that shirt. What a picture of two beautiful men.  Dakota actually got a text, a post, and an email from a girl that said over and over, "I hate you." She was slightly jealous. Teenage girls...

One last time to Henry V ... and it was fabulous. It's funny that I could see staging changes in the show (I liked it best when Nell and Pistol said good-bye in the aisle).

Permit me this joke, once more - a breach means something very different to a midwife...

This was the first time I had seen a Stratfest play 4 times. Reading and tweeting the funny Reid Vanier (distant relative to THE Vanier's - look up the Vanier Institute) made the show (and the Olympics) enjoyable throughout the season. But, there was something more about this play. Something which I still haven't been able to explain why or what.

During intermission, we ran into Ken James Stewart again. He is so sweet. I thanked him again for being so nice to Braeden on his birthday, with regards to the programme.  I gave him the prize Kevin Yee won (naming the musical where "I enjoy being a girl" is from - Flower Drum Song). Kevin was at the show, but I didn't feel like stalking anyone.

The prize, which I regret not taking a picture of, was a single ceramic tile which I painted yellow and black, like Charlie Brown's shirt. The first time we saw Charlie Brown was way back in May, while I was working as part of a traditional teaching about puberty camp, held at a Tim Horton's Camp. Painting the tiles was an activity we did on Saturday, after I got back from seeing Charlie Brown with the kids. I knew I was going to give it away when I made it, I just didn't know to whom until a few days before we saw Henry. It seemed like a perfect gift for Kevin. I'm glad he liked it.

Our seats for Henry were 4th row, very stage left. It was a new perspective of the show, to say the least. We missed Falstaff in bed. Dak missed Pistol's (Swooney Rooney) finger pointing at Fluellen - a very funny spot in the show. Explaining it to Dakota took the funny out of it. And, as a mom, our seat location meant he did not see any of the naked Kate (a fact his girlfriend was quite happy for, as well).

I'll miss the gorgeous flags...

Sitting there, we also heard the roof of the Festival Theatre make strange new noises. It turned out to be crew members moving up there, getting the rigging ready for Bardolph's hanging (which is a site I won't be missing).

Leaving the theatre that night, I felt odd, out of sorts.  I realized that I was missing the play. Missing the play like I missed a friend who moved away. The play will be back at some point, I'm sure, but it won't be the same.

I still miss it.  I miss Ben Carlson's Fluellan - he spoke in such an accent, at such speed, that I had to look up his lines at home. I now find it increasingly difficult to read any Shakespeare and not hear Ben C speak. I miss Claire's Queen Isobel of France. Dang, Claire can play a witch really well. It's such the opposite to the woman I spoke with. I really miss the love between Pistol and Nell, the broken French/English between Kate and Henry.

I saw Lucy Peacock after Pirates yesterday and told her my feelings. I really am going to miss Nell. Lucy played a great Nell.

I know I'll see Henry V at some point in the future. An honest question: what will I have to do to watch a new production and not compare it to this one? I'm at a loss. May it be years and years away...

Day 23

I'm trying hard to keep this post about the book, but it has been such a dream come true day, I think I may just write what is on my mind tonight.

To get the full story, we need to go back a few years....

When I was in grades 11 & 12, my mom and I had seasons tickets to the Windsor Spitfires (just a few years ago). It was the Habs winning the Cup in 86 that got me into hockey. We weren't really a hockey family. I didn't know who Peter Puck was. I was behind, but quickly caught up, thanks to Ken Dryden's books.

The Spitfires went to my high school. Adam Graves, Peter Ing, Darryl and Darren Shannon, Glen Featherstone...They won the OHL championship in 88 and just missed winning the CHL. Brilliant team.  My favourite team they played was the Peterborough Petes (Corey Stillman still my favourite defenseman who played for them).

I went to Trent U in Peterborough. My treat to myself was seasons tickets to the Petes. Great players on those teams, too - Jassen Cullimore (about a foot taller compared to Corey Stillman), Chris Pronger.

My birthday treats during my 4 years there were game worn jerseys of Stillman (#3) and Cullimore (#22). My prized possessions.

During my years in Peterborough, I went Trent with a few players (one also hit me with a puck at a game - thanks, Jamie). I also developed my own stat sheet to keep me busy during the games. I was not a 'puck bunny'. I was competely a fan of the game. My stat sheet kept track of not just the usual goals and penalties, but also lines and face-offs (everything except how many times Pronger touched his helmet, as my seat neighbours said). I wish I could remember what it looked like. I could have made a fortune.

I also auditioned to sing the US National Anthem at a game. I won. You see, I wanted to prove myself at that game against the Detroit jr team. I knew the coaches - Paul Maurice and Pete Deboer. I went to school with them. Pete was a great guy. Paul was, too, but I just knew Pete better.

My mom booked time off to come and see me sing. I bought her ticket. The day before, I called the Pete's head office and was told that they forgot about me and gave the game to someone else. I was brokenhearted. They gave my mom tickets to another game (I ended up singing 2X that year), but not for Pete and Paul. But, I did sing the game Cullimore came back from the World Juniors one year - a year they didn't place. A real tragedy for Canadian hockey fans that year.

I loved hockey with a passion then. When I wasn't doing school work, I was reading about hockey (my final paper for a 4th year history class was how the '72 series helped to heal the relations in our country and helped us to be united). I could name starting line ups for NHL teams, including naming what junior team they played for). Then I got married and had children. I didn't have time or money to put into hockey anymore. But I had my jerseys.

My jerseys stayed with me always. They were the most treasured items I owned. I wore them in all pregnancies. I wore them out and about. I guess because of my love for the Petes, and the years I lived in Peterborough, these jerseys became my comfort items.

I didn't realize until I started writing this blog that I lost Stillman's jersey when I lost Cullimore's in the house fire. Honestly, they are the only items I miss that I lost. It still makes my heart sad.

There's the background which makes today seem so surreal.

I asked for and was given the assignment by SNAP Haldimand-Norfolk to photograph the Stanley Cup celebrations in Simcoe (John Stevens, assistant coach) and Nelson Emerson (player development) both of the LA Kings. The Waterford event was awesome, in the true sense of the word. In Simcoe - I was Press and got into a press conference - one of the first few to see the beloved Stanley Cup on our hometurf.

Jassen Cullimore was there (he won a Cup with Tampa a while back - and dang, he is TALL without his skates). I finally introduced myself after all these years. Who would have thought that my love of hockey, my love of the Petes, would have culminated in ME covering a press conference with the Stanley Cup? Rob Blake was also there, and the formidable Red Kelly who won 8 Cups, including 4 with the Red Wings. He told a story of how his newborn child left a load in the Cup when he had it! Hilarious.

I introduced myself to Nelson Emerson by apologizing for burning his old house down. Yep - the house we lost, we were told, he used to live in. He said no, but it belonged to his sister. I asked him to send my apologies to her then (but I did it myself when I arrived in Waterford - beautiful sisters he has). I didn't have the heart to tell anyone about Stillman or Cullimore's jerseys.

Waterford had things so well arranged, so well prepared and had a fantastic turnout - more than Simcoe did, actually. The looks in those kids eyes were beautiful. I took some great pictures...better pictures than I did in Simcoe, actually. The camera was acting up there (it wasn't me, I swear). But Waterford was where the real action was, anyway.

I did get my picture with the Cup. We got our family pictures with the puck - we could TOUCH it! It felt sacreligious, almost.

Maybe it's because I'm older now, maybe it's because of my lookout on life because of our past year, but I can't say that what I did today was a 'dream come true'. It was incredible, amazing, something I couldn't have EVER dreamed would happen to me...but maybe the fact that I never did dream it, I can't say it's a dream come true. Who would have thought I'd become a photographer, anyway?

The question is now, how to relate it to Mr. Plummer's book. I think it is more of a dream come true that I get to attend Stratford, that I've been backstage at 2 of their theatres. My kids are in a promo video for them. I'm in a promo video for them (to be released). I've met Mr. Plummer, seen him on stage. I've met other actors/actresses - my favourite males and females (except one who shall remain my secret). I love this town!

Did my dreams just change? My love of theatre has always been there, since I was a wee girl. My mom raised me telling me about Stratford stories, sharing our love for Mercutio...

Nelson Emerson is the first player to play in the NHL from Waterford (coincidentally, he played jr B in Stratford - go figure). Then he received a scholarship to Bowling Green, from where he was drafted. No OHL experience. As his sister told him, it is every Canadian's dream to bring the Cup home. The pics of these hockey children (and their parents) were of total bliss. The local supermarket gave out free hotdogs and drinks. Breyers ice cream gave out free ice cream (as Breyers did in Simcoe's festivities).

He brought it home. I told one of my kids that it was like Paul Nolan, from a little town off 500 in Saskatchewan (if I remember correctly) and starred in a Tony-nominated musical. Who would have thought? I do think starring in a show equals winning the Cut, by the way - if you have to win by ballot, getting nominated IS like winning the Cup.

And what about Mr. Plummer? He won his Oscar (finally). A boy from a Montreal (ok, not such a small town), a principal actor at Stratford (small town) - he brought his Oscar home (well, maybe his Florida or Connecticut home). But, he will always be Oscar winning actor in his bio.

What did I learn tonight? Photojournalism is cut-throat. Jeepers.I got pushed aside by other photographers who completely ignored me. I must needs becomre more aggressive.  The volunteers in Simcoe, and especially Waterford, were open and kind (and pointed out great shots to me). I can't live with tunnel vision. I probably missed at least a couple of shots because I refused to stand in someone's way. In the end - it was the pictures of the kids waiting, looking, and touching the Cup that I wanted to capture. In that, I was a success. When they are posted on-line, I'll post the link. Two pictures in particular stands out above the rest. The light in their eyes - their hockey dreams in their eyes....it was an honour to be able to save those moments.

I was with the family from 1130-7:00 tonight taking pictures and hanging out.

It was a great day. No complaints (except the other journalists). I just wish I could have worn my Cullimore jersey (it even had a skate cut mark on it...and fighting straps...sigh).

But who would have thought that my love of the Petes from Windsor days, prepared me for the Cup today? It IS surreal. I wouln't have belived it if someone told me 20 years ago.

Nya:weh for my paths in life meeting up today. I even met someone who was in Stratford over the weekend (a teacher from Brantford). It's becoming that Stratford people are finding me as much as I'm finding pregnant or breastfeeding or midwifery women. You attract what you love in life, I suppose.

And I still love hockey - and miss my jerseys...c'est la vie.