Yalta Bear...

Ah...a new year! Happy 2006 all...yes, a little on the LATE side on my part.
New Year's eve was a quiet one for us this year - and frankly, I think I prefer it that way! No loud, let down of a party with drunken strangers, no over-hyped performance for drunken strangers...no anti-climax! We had a "Naked New Year"! Bruce took a bath at 5pm and simply refused to get dressed afterwards. Instead, he put on his comfy new robe and lounged around the house drinking red wine. I joined him in my kimono. Yes - I will admit that our state of undress caused the THREE friends who showed up through out the night to feel...what...a bit uncomfortable, like perhaps they had interrupted 'something' - but let it NOT be said that we didn't offer towels to our guests and invite them to get NAKED for the New Year with us!

NOW - I am in Stratford and rehearsing for The Bear and The Yalta Game (two Chekhovian one acts adapted by Irish playwrite, Brian Friel - go figure!). As usual, at the start of any new contract...I feel like the amature in the room! I'm joined by two Stratford actors, Thom Marriott and Brian Tree - and both VERY good actors. I am also staying at the home of our director, Doug Beattie. I'm really digging the routine - SO different from TV land! We did THREE days of table work before even getting up on our feet. What a dream!

Bruce is out in Calgary rehearsing for the High Performance Rodeo at One Yellow Rabbit - so, as usual, our relationship unfolds in a series of emails and phone messages. I won't see him again until mid-March..an odd way to be heading into our nuptials. Old fashioned almost!

While I'm away I'm dipping my toe into the waters of Macrobiotics (look it up, my hands are too sore from typing at the moment). All I will say is that for over a WEEK now I've eaten nothing but grains and vegetables that I have cooked myself for EVERY meal. Alright - this may not seem particularily novel to most of you...but I'm an Alberta girl who both likes her meat and likes to eat out! This is all in an effort to bring my body into BALANCE and get healing. I've also been doing ACUPUNCTURE on MYSELF! Yes! Sticking myself with needles every night! (I don't let my billets see me doing this - it's just a bit too weird). My acupuncturist in Toronto showed me some basics. So far, so good...

That's all the news for now. Nothing wild...but then, how wild does life really get on a daily basis?