Can you picture? You gotta see it in your mind!

Loki is shedding.

Websters dictionary defines shedding as "To cast off or let fall".  In the Paylor household, the new definition of shedding is "Indoor snowfall created by the departure of fur from the residing canine, resulting in hardwood floors being swept 3, sometimes 4 times a day to protect residents from possible avalanches or drifting."

So, Sarah got a furminator

This

Not this.

and over the past month has been patiently brushing Loki sometimes twice a day to cut down on the precipitation inside the house. Which resulted in a hilariously lumpy dog for a few weeks because she's only shedding in certain places at certain times. Last night we pinned her down with brute force and cat treats and brushed what we hope is one of the last big wads out of her. Let me show you the result of the average brushing.

 
Now multiply by a month. Thats 30 unhappy Michael's worth of fur.

But, now we have a very pretty, very sleek husky.


Where have I been?

Enjoying all of this!!!!!

You gotta admit, thats just funny. 

Well, to be honest friends and family, I bit off more than I could chew with a full time job and a full time show. But, Noisy Mime has made some awesome new friends, and after lots and lots of hard work, we finally opened "URINETOWN, the Musical!" 

to generous praise and approval from the community. We were even asked to do an encore performance of some of the music at the local music festival, based on word of mouth alone. Behold, PICTURES!!!

To be clear, I do a lot of menacing people with a toilet brush in this show. I'm the one on the right. 

Our dear Jessie, performing the "Fainting Goat Evasive Manouver" 

Are we the romantic leads singing romantically? Yes we are!

Jay singing his heart out!

Best part of the show. Cam kisses a man.  He will never live it down. 

That is Sarah Kauffman. She is AWESOME. Also, Jessie and I made the flag with the anatomically correct heart on it. Piles of cool. 

Bad boys lookin good. 

Musical theatre parenting 101

Happy family!

The incredible Jan Campbell- and a brownish lump in the back that is most likely me. 

The two narrators of our show. 

The organized chaos of theatre. 

 Also, I have provided links to the reviews. =)

http://www.cowichannewsleader.com/entertainment/211991371.html

http://www.cowichannewsleader.com/entertainment/211283381.html

http://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com/urinetown-marked-impressive-debuts-1.334395

 Also also, I finally got to really perform with Michael onstage. It may sound strange, but in 7 years, we've only ever done it one other time and we had no dialogue together. So this was quite the thrill for me.

What else?

Sarah's mother Clare came for a visit, as did my grandparents, and we all had a lovely time. Pictures of that as soon as Pat sends them to me. I'm in the process of cleaning my sewing room, which is going a lot better than it otherwise may have. I have help!  Her name is Jessie- she's mah buddy. She is a brand new mimer whom we all agree is "A ball of sunshine". We're going to make sexy going-out-dancing dresses together, and try to put together a line of clothing and crafts to sell at the farmer's markets! Yay entreprenuership!

Speaking of which, how could I forget THE BIGGEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THIS ENTIRE TWO MONTH SPAN?!?! Especially when I'm sitting in the basement!?

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the latest venture of Paylor household talent (plus the incomparable gentleman John Davis)

PENTEX COMPUTERS!



Thats right, we opened a store! Well, its Michael's store, but we all help. Sarah is working as the Media/Marketing manager, Cam writes a blog for the shop, Michael is the boss boss, Morgan is the pretty that will be on our advertising, and I am the go-out-and-make-people-like-us person. Business liason? I like that title better. Also, I made these!

Just a quick note- we build and ship all over North America, so if you want something or need something repaired, we can do it!!!

Right now I'm working on getting us into some retirement homes so we can help the elderly learn to use their technology, by offering some free workshops. Social responsibility for the win! Also so that when their computers break they will hopefully call us. Oooh, I also write a DIY Geekchic Decor blog for the shop. The website for the shop is www.pentexcomputers.com, it'll be easy to find everyone's blog there.

In other news, some random jerk ran over Michael's 1,400 dollar computer with his van. Details on the Pentex blog.

How did my teaching job go? I loved it. I want badly to be re-hired for next year...but I haven't heard anything yet. Deep and abiding disappointment. But, look! I played soccer! And I did really well! And it only hurt a lot! But I kicked the ball to the right people three times, and away from the wrong people four times!

Also, they said I was fast. I don't think I've been so happy... since someone said I was a very tall personality.


Little more to tell at the moment, but I will keep everyone posted as much as I can about the events of summer!

Love,

Leigh

Moment of Zen

Aurora Borealis, shining down in Dallas, can you picture that?

WHAT HAPPENED IN MARCH?!?!?!

The SAGA OF THE FRIDGE AND FLOOR!

So... in January, the fridge that was older than we were finally died. So we went to the landlords and asked for a new one. Which they got...but they decided to go with a low quality $400 fridge. Which after two weeks, promptly died. So Michael went back to Future Shop, and wheeled and dealed, and got us....

Loooookkkkaaatttthhheeeeshhiiiinnnnyyy....

But, the floor was still a massive mess, and we were all incredibly sick of it, so we finally went to the landlords and said "its been a year, its time." So in come the tear out the floor guys!

Out it came, and in came the new. It's linoleum, its brown, and its not my favorite, but at least it isn't cutting up people's feet. Ignore the woman in white, observe the floor. 

What else happened?

Spring sprang, grass rose, and Loki insisted on her favorite toy, the doggie pool, being pulled out of storage and into the lawn. 

What else?

Work work work work work, and then...AWESOMENESS!

General recovery from Fools took a little while. In fact, I still have to put some costumes and props away, and clean up the costume room, and get my sewing room back in order, and I feel exhausted just thinking about it. On the flip side, when we started auditions and rehearsals for our upcoming production of Urinetown; the Musical, Cam stepped up and cleaned the whole downstairs until it shone, which was wonderful!

Soon after, Easter came along. Sarah went home to see her family, so I set up an Easter Egg hunt for the boys and made Easter dinner for some of our friends.

Sometimes its fun to be the only estrogen in the room. 

But, the estrogen is now outweighing the testosterone in this house! Morgan just moved in with us, and she is a lovely addition to the family. She's learning to bake and cook and sew with me, and we all have a blast together. 

Whats the rest of the good news?

I GOT A NEW JOB!!

I'm now working as a teaching assistant at an international school, and I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am. I'm doing work that I love, I'm getting paid way more for it, and I am feeling so much better because of all of it. I even have my own little teaching room, want to see?

 Things are looking up for everyone. And mid-may, I will have an exciting announcement for everyone. No, I am NOT pregnant, quit asking mom!!

Sad and happy news- our cruiser finally pooped out and died, so today we got a new car! Everyone, say hello to the Loki Limo!

Its a '98 Ford Escort, which means practically indestructible. Love having a car that runs again! Oh and Papa? I bartered her down to $600, Fryling style!

Michael decided (and rightly, he's been working really hard all spring) that he wanted some friends on his computer desk. So when Sarah's work at Petsmart had a sale, we got a fish tank! And let it be known, this is the kick-ass techno fish tank. The photos won't load though, so you'll have to wait for the next post to see the fabulous. What is fabulous though, is that my hammock is up.

New job, new car, new roomate, and this afternoon a new phone- so much new in March and April! Whats the next thing on the horizon? No idea, but I'm so excited for all the good things to come, and the awesome surprise I will post about as soon as I can! WOOHOO friends!Meanwhile, here is your moment of Zen. 

PS