Percy and Harry visit Sherwood Forest

Our dear friend, Dizzy Dandelion, was in a wonderful production of Robin Hood: Legend of the Sherwood Bandit with Clearfield Community Theater. We loaded up the car (okay, we grabbed some jackets to ensure it wouldn't rain or be cold) and headed out into the wilderness (okay, so it's only about 25 miles from our house). And we remembered to bring Percy and Harry along.

The show was just so much fun. It's an original script, and the opening song tells us that this is "the absolutely true and not made up story of Robin Hood." How can you go wrong with a show that includes a song with that lyric? Seriously.

You could tell that the cast was having a blast, which really helps to pull in the audience. The playwright also played Sir Guy Gisbourne, and he seemed to really relish playing a baddie. Dizzy Dandelion's character was conflicted, and we weren't sure which side she would end the show on until almost the very end (good job!).

Sadly, last night was the last night of the production. It was really our only chance to see the show (Mr. Perfect is in rehearsals for West Jordan Sugar Factory Playhouse's production of South Pacific right now, and last night was a rare night-off), and we are so glad we did. It's great fun to support friends, but it's also a bonus when the show is worth both the drive and the price of admission.

Preview of things to come

It might take me a bit of time to get everything together for a post of our trip to northern Arizona for the M Family Reunion, but hopefully not too long. In the meantime, here's a teaser of things to come.

Oh and look, we actually remembered to take Percy and Harry. Score one for the Travel Mascot Parents.

Percy and Harry meet Rossini

We had to opportunity to see the Utah Opera Company's production of The Barber of Seville this month. And we actually made it. We bought tickets for their production of The Magic Flute, and showed up at the theater the evening after our tickets were for. You see, when I purchased the tickets online, I picked the second to last performance (the last performance was Sunday afternoon), so I assumed that we'd be seeing it on Saturday evening. Silly me. I just didn't realize that UOC doesn't do Saturday evening performances both weekends of a run.

With Barber, I was much more careful. And we were good travel mascot owners and brought the boys. Here they are waiting to go in:

And here they are waiting for the show to begin:

As you can see, we had really good seats (thanks to a good friend and good connections). Of course, we didn't take any pictures during the performance. That's not only tacky, but it's illegal.

I was delighted to discover that an old friend from college was singing the role of Rosina (the female lead). Celena Shafer has one of the most amazingly clear, articulate, and beautiful voices in opera today, and she's just the sweetest person ever. The whole show was fun and fabulous, but she was especially great.

Next year, Utah Opera is doing Turandot. Not my favorite show, but Mr. Perfect does need to hear "Nessum dorma" sung live at least once in his lifetime. And we will not be missing the Mozart offering this time around (it's the comical Abduction from the Seraglio, which is almost more musical theater than opera).

Percy & Harry see Steel Magnolias

Mr. Perfect and I were very anxious to make it to the theatre this weekend. Our own Sweet Cecily was starring (with five other amazing women) in a wonderful production of Steel Magnolias. She played Shelby, a part she has been dreaming of playing almost her entire life. And she was amazing. The whole production was well done, from the set and costumes to all of the women cast. We laughed a lot, and many people in the audience cried (even Mr. Perfect a little). Game Boy and his girlfriend, Champion Debater, came with us and enjoyed it, too.

We sat with another wonderful friend, Dizzy Dandylion, who is another amazing actress. We love going to her shows, too. She was more than happy to pose with Percy & Harry during intermission.

They also got a tour of the women's dressing room, courtesy of Sweet Cecily.

As usual, they enjoyed some time on the set. They're such hams.

I would recommend that everyone see it, but Saturday was closing night. Maybe next time we'll get to the show in time to send everyone else to see it, too.

Because it's Christmastime

(And yes, Percy and Harry have made a come-back. More of their adventures to come!)

Percy and Harry make it to Little Lyman Lake

We finally took the boys fishing at our favorite fishing hole. They enjoyed a day out of the house, as they always do. Life on the piano can be extremely boring for them.

But the lake...ah, the lake...we love the lake. And the fish. The best part was grilling fresh fish. No refrigeration. No freezing. The meat just falls off the bones.

Sorry to anyone who doesn't eat meat and thinks this is inhumane, but I love cooking and eating fish. Here are the pretty little fishies all in a row and ready for grilling.

Yummm!!!!

Harry and Percy miss the Utah Shakespeare Festival

We forgot to grab them on our way out. I feel like a horrible travel mascot owner.

They'll have to wait until we head back for the Fall shows.

If we remember them...we're bad owners.

Percy and Harry see the Bees

Most Happy Girl's office had discount Salt Lake Bees tickets, and we decided to make a date night of it. But we also knew that it would be a great experience for the Boys. Even though the Bees lost (we left at the end of the 8th inning to avoid traffic), we had a great time.

I highly recommend the gourmet nachos, not the ones with melted Velveta and a handful of jalapenos thrown on top, but the "meal for eight in a tin" nachos.

Yeah, we all had a great time.

Harry and Percy complete their grand Coyote Gulch Adventure

When last we left our intrepid adventurers, they had just bedded down for the first night of their Coyote Gulch Adventure. The next morning, after packing up camp, we headed up the tributary and on to more amazing scenery during the 6-mile trek from camp #1 to camp #2. Along the way, we saw beautiful falls, Natural Bridge, Jacob Hamlin Arch, and the Amphitheater. Be prepared for another photo dump, but that's what cameras and blogs are for, right?

As we started our final day hiking out of the Gulch, Percy and Harry were prepared for two miles of canyon and 3-4 miles of desert. The switch to desert was gradual, which made it easier to traverse.

Harry and Percy were happy to land at the end of the adventure with Thing One and Thing Two (also known as the BC Twins).

On Hole in the Rock road back to Escalante, we blew out a tire and had to figure out how to drop the spare on Dexter (something we hadn't done before). Percy and Harry were great help to Mr. Perfect in fixing the car. Fortunately, it was a full-sized spare, and we made it back to Salt Lake without further incident.

Percy and Harry in Coyote Gulch, part deux

Okay, okay, I know that it's taken me some time to get back to the adventures of Percy and Harry, but life has been a little crazy around the Kite Strings' abode. Hopefully, more blogs about that come soon...

A word of warning: This post is a HUGE picture dump. But they are worth the scrolling.

Once we had emerged from the Crack in the Wall, we made our way down to the Escalante River tributary that runs through the Gulch. It was beautiful. We stowed our packs and headed down the mile or so to where it meets up with the Escalante.

 

 

There was only one really scary spot of slick rock, but we all made it safely and had a blast playing in the water.

After we had all filled our need to splash about, it was time to head back to the packs and make our way to where we would be camping that night.  Mr. Perfect and Women Are Jealous of that Hair Boy decided to hike up to Steven's Arch. Percy and Harry decided to make the trip as well. As you can see, the pictures were worth the time.

 

Most Happy Girl headed back with the others, and now comes the knee story. You remember the slick rock I mentioned earlier? It was about 20 feet above the tributary, and I was making my way across when I felt my right foot slip. It is slick rock, after all. I put my left knee down to stop myself, slid about another 6 inches, and was pulled to safety by the person ahead of me. (I have to admit that my knee is aching right now, thinking about it -- and it's been completely healed for a good month.)

When we reached the packs, everyone was so helpful cleaning up the wound and making it as safe as possible for me to continue through the water to where we were planned on stopping. We reached the camp site in about 90 minutes. It was under a bit of overhang and across the water from a clean spring. It's one of the most beautiful places I have ever slept in my life.

Mr. Perfect and Hair Boy (sorry about the shortened name, but seriously, it's a lot to type) were only about 40 minutes behind.

What grand adventures we have.

Part III coming soon...