Hi Dolls... Dolls, Dolls, Dolls,

Summer's over, boo hoo. Time to find a job, get back into the rat race. Big boo hoo.  

I had a lovely summer. It is my favorite time of the year. My family and I visited our summer barrier island for a month. I watched my little boy become a fish. He learned how to skimboard, he made a lot of friends, collected sharks teeth, got stung by jellyfish and, he claims, a stingray and then he proceeds to tell me that the stingray is the hammerhead shark's favorite food. Should I look for another vacation spot next year? Ay yay yay....!!!!!   

This is where we have purchased land to build a beach house. It is a barrier island south of Charleston, South Carolina with live oaks and Spanish moss, plantation houses, deep water creeks with lots of crabbing, shrimp boats trawl the Atlantic, fossil beaches where you can find every possible shell and shark tooth. It is a beautiful island with nothing on it. For instance, there was pharmacy last year, it went out of business this year. What a perfect place to decompress... and decompose when the time comes. But I must learn everything possible about this island. I must talk to fishermen who grew up on this island because, on my way to the airport to do "A Little Night Music" at the Ravinia Festival, the limo driver started talking to me about my beautiful island. He vacationed with his family there every summer growing up. He talked about the currents and how dangerous they were. He talked about the "washout" which is located at a point where a river meets the Atlantic and how people drown on sandbars out there. THAT'S WHERE WE BOUGHT OUR LAND! What to do? You learn. And I shall, because I love the water and my son and husband do too.  

We learned how to crab from a very nice man named Michael Locklear. He also taught us how to clean the crabs. There truly is something about catching your dinner. I want to learn how to surfcast. Reel in them ol' hammerheads. I watched a lot of fishermen from our rental house and I watched a lot of humanity on the beach. I also gained ten pounds, I look like a hammerhead whale. Who out there has a diet I can go on? Send it!

Two restaurant recommendations in Charleston. Fish, 442 King Street and Blossom on Market or Broad. Yum, yum, yum.  

My one job this summer was Desiree in "A Little Night Music" with a stellar cast that included the great Zoe Caldwell and my beloved and wonderful George Hearn. Lonny Price directed again brilliantly and this cast would love to stay together for a short run on Broadway or a filmed version like "Sweeney Todd" was. Keep your fingers crossed, this cast deserves to be seen in this musical. I cannot forget to mention Mark Kudisch as Carl Magnus and Hollis Resnik as Charlotte, John McViegh as Henrik. It was a great experience. It was over too quickly. My son made his Ravinia debut as Bertrand, a page. He had one line. And the line was, "The Countess Celimene de Francen de la Tour de Casa."  He announced my entrance. My heart was in my mouth. He'd been on stage in school plays but never in front of 3500 people in a professional situation. If he screwed up would it ruin his life forever? If he screwed up would it ruin my life forever? Well Dolls, the kid's got stage presence. Why just last night he was reading his "Night Music" script and announced that he can't wait for his Broadway debut. No!  

One more thing. I went to the "Hairspray" opening with Joshua, my son. Matt stayed on the island with all the animals. The score and lyrics are written by my dear friends Marc and Scott, and Scott does all of my one woman shows. It's such a success I hope he doesn't retire. I am so thrilled for them, they got what we all want. Pure, joyful, unadulterated success, and it couldn't have happened to two more talented and genuine people. Joshua looked so adorable at the opening. He had on what they call a Charleston tuxedo, khakis, a blue blazer and a bow tie. My boy's growing up.

Ok Dolls, goodbye for now.

Love, Patti

 

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