Dick Van Dyke, I do love you.

I saw him once, you know. It was four or five years ago, maybe more... we were at a ballet of Mary Poppins. During "Chim Chiminey" there was a ripple of whispers through the crowd and someone was pointing near the foot of the stage (about six rows in front of us) saying, "That's Dick Van Dyke." It assuredly was, too. Black suit, white hair, big smile. There was this wonderful little moment where everything paused and Ballet Bert looked off and saw the Real Bert, standing at the edge of the stage grinning up at him. Then everything went back to normal pace and the man sat somewhere in the crowd. People have said "no way!" so many times when I tell that story that I'm starting to doubt whether that's the way it went. But that's how I remember it.

Anyway. This is all because I've got "Hushabye Mountain" from Chitty stuck in my head. What a beautiful song.

We had our first full-on practice for 1776 today. 8 hours... 8:15 to 4:30. Ridiculous, too, because that meant I had to wake up at 6:15 since it's quite a drive... which I was pretty unhappy about. Morning's shouldn't exist. People who have sense don't like mornings. I don't like mornings.... not that I'm claiming to have sense, but I speak for the others, at any rate. And I think God knew that morning's were a horrible thing - that's why he gave us this beautiful thing called "sleeping in." I miss it. It's SUMMER, damnation, and I don't get to sleep in. Something is wrong here.

At any rate, practice was fun. Even though this morning feels like ages ago. (Earlier today I remarked that "this morning feels like it was hours ago"... which was not a high point of my intelligence.) It's not the most exciting play in the world... not at all, actually. But we're having fun. I have to say, I think your favorite part, Beth, will be the stage kiss between Jefferson and Mrs. Jefferson (the latter being the role of your brunette kid-sister). I figured I'd give you fair warning now, so that when you come to see the play, you don't gasp and get all scandalized at me.

Anyway. I really want to go to bed. But I feel like, since I'm home now, I should be staying up late doing whatever I darn well please. Somehow I don't have the energy to be alive right now though... or the COFFEE, damnation. Dad needs to buy some.

I've also learned that I get really grumpy when I don't have enough sleep for a few days. So pardon.

Also, haggis sounds like the most horrible thing ever. Why it was even invented is beyond me. I thought Scottish people were cool...