PLAY TIME

    Last night we went to see "Blythe Spirit", the Noel Coward play set in England around 1900.   The Sun City Grand Drama Club put on a great production.   The acting was excellent.   I am always amazed at the talented people that live here in Grand.
     This was the first play we've attended here, but it won't be the last.   It was a great performance.   They price the tickets low enough ($12.00 each) that we retirees can afford to go often. 
     We had great seats, too.  SCG had recently bought a tiered seating system that can be taken up and down for these performances.   We were seated in the third row in the left hand tier because all of the floor seats were sold out when I bought our tickets.     Since the tiers are new, I didn't know how well we would be able to see and hear.   But no problem--our seats were fine.   
       The audience was great, too.   No talking or ringing cell phones at all during the play.   To me that shows a lot about the people at Grand.  Polite and attentive.   It's so rude when people talk during a play or a presentation.   It totally destroys my ability to lose myself in the story.          
     
       Speaking of story....earlier in day I attended the Valley of the Sun Romance Writers workshop.  I've been looking forward to this seminar for months and months.  In fact, I joined the group a few weeks ago just so I could attend this workshop.  It was free, but only open to members.
       Four speakers, all multi-published members of the group, spoke about their process.  Two focused on character and two on plotting.   Their methods were all different and all very good.   A few of the things they talked about are things I already do.  So that was reassuring.  But  I hope to try out a couple of new things soon.    Two things were obvious--they all were very talented, and they all write a lot more than I do.  I may not be able to change the first, but I can do better about the second thing, starting November 1.
      One of the members asked me what my publishing goal was for my book that I'm working on.   Since I've been working on it for a LOOOOONG time, I told her my goal was simply to finish the *>I* thing.     She laughed and understood.
      Romance writers are wonderfully supportive and generously share their thoughts, experiences, and expertise.    I was a member of the Cincinnati group for a few years when I lived in Ohio.   They were a great group, and I was very pleased to see that this West Valley chapter is equally committed to helping one another succeed.  


      

Countdown to Retirement

     I plan to be seeing a lot more of my backyard soon.  

     Yesterday  I turned in my retirement papers.  Beginning November 1, I'll be retired. 
     I've been making plans for this for quite a while, and my boss has known for over a month.    But now that  the paperwork is in, it seems real.   Like it might actually happen.

     In anticipation, I've been making a list of things I want to do, like beading, writing, traveling, etc.   I rejoined the Romance Writers of America a few weeks ago, and yesterday I mailed off my membership application to the local Valley of the Sun chapter.    They have a writer's seminar coming up that I'd like to attend.   
       The Sun City Grand beading group has a class I want to take in early November, too.  I'll be trying to join them next week because the classes fill up quickly.  I can't wait until I'm officially retired or I might get closed out.
       Whew--I'm not even retired yet and I'm already busy. 

       This morning I had breakfast on the back porch, something I look forward to doing more often.  While I was there, I practiced taking pictures with my "new" camera.    The pix shown here are the first two keepers.   The hummingbird blends in with the foilage, I realize, so I'll have to try to catch him on a different perch.

     When my husband retired a few years ago, he wanted a Cannon Digital Rebel camera for his present.   He's taken some great photos in the last few years, but he moved onto a newer camera recently.    So I asked him for the Rebel as my retirement gift.   Or should I say re-gift?

      My older Cannon PowerShot is still a very good camera.  It's small, lightweight and easy to handle.    I may end up continuing to use it, especially for video.    But at 12.20 megapixals, the Rebel is much more powerful, plus it has two telephoto lens.  I'm looking forward to learning to use it.

      Most of all, I'm looking forward to being retired.