It's not raining, it's not pouring

And thanks to some judicious elbows-to-the-ribs work, last night at the play the Old Man was not snoring.

me-ander asked how the play was. The nice thing about Shuli Rand is you know what you're getting. If you liked Yahrzeit and Ushpizin, you'll like Mayim Achronim. If you didn't, you won't. He had some wonderful lines in the play, which I won't repeat here because my Israeli readers might want to go (and should).

I do wish, though, he'd get a professional director instead of his wife. It's so clear she is a neophyte. Shuli plays everything to the back row--of the Yad Eliezer stadium. Zero Mostel did a lot of the same types of schtick, but he knew how to do subtlety. Actors need to be held back or they'll explode on stage, and Michal just didn't restrain him. Oh, and I know they invested a lot of money on the smoke machine, but note to the Rands: make it pay off over the course of two or three plays. At the rate you're using it in this play, it'll burn out before the year is over.

Everyone enjoying the storm? 54 degrees F and sunny. Note to TV news producers: Danny Rupe is not worth his salary if this is what you get.

And if we're on the subject of Israeli entertainment: Am I the only one who watches The Ambassador? Obviously not, since The View From Here does a TV Without Pity thing on the show, but he's a few weeks behind. Note to Rona: Yes, you are Yael's poodle. Deal.

Purchasing power: While we were at the play last night S had 3 unanswered calls from a number she didn't know. The person called back as we left the theater; it was her co-counselor AD calling from "her family's other phone line. They have 3 phone lines in their house," said S, somewhat in awe. I reminded her that we have 4. "But only 3 at home." (One is in B's office down the block.) "OK, but we have another phone line in the States," said I, desperate (why?) to impress. "And 5 cell phones." Well, today was find-a-US-cellphone day. We'll probably go with Cingular prepaid, unless someone comments me with horror stories. A monthly plan doesn't work for us--I'm only in the States 2-3 months a year and B is there 5-6, and most of our calls are to or from the kids, so our Israeli cellphones will still get a workout. Probable phone line total as of the end of the day: 7 cell phones, 5 land lines, 1 voice mail number, and 3 net fax numbers. Reach out and touch us!

In other news: I spun a full bobbin of S's wool yesterday while trying to Zen out from the ticket mess and plied it. She should have it dried and ready before she goes away for the weekend. I'm totally unenthusiastic about the colors of acrylic I have for the Fry-Up bag and hat; I may buy something today while I'm in Tel Aviv. I ripped the megillah cover again; it's just too fiddly to deal with as knitting. I re-crocheted it back up to about where I had it re-knit, and to keep up with the Fix-a-thon, I ripped the green Romney socks. (4 cables on each needle? Get over yourself, Moze. Socks are my popcorn--12 cable patterns are not mindless knitting.) I've re-ribbed and will start on the pattern later today--the Cable Fabric stitch (April 7) from the 365 Knitting Stitches a Year perpetual calendar.

And oh, the best news--it looks like I AM going to be going to see Betty Buckley at the Carlyle, and with my hero and inspiration, CN. I swear, everyone should have a tape of her laughter; it's just so real you can't help but laugh along. She's had a rogh time of things lately and has come through with her usual style and grace. I'm privileged to call her my friend. I want to be just like her when I grow up.