THE O P E R A

The Opera??? screeching women, foriegn language, men in tights wearing cattle horns and women the size of wrestlers??? *(NOPE) *(WRONG)... Anna and I had the unique opportunity to meet her brother Marc today, (sunday) in Syracuse, The morning started with the long drive to syracuse where we met Marc at his Hotel Suite and went to *(Brunch) even wore my best sunday suit an tie!!!!!.

We arrived after the hour and a half drive an went to a nice restaurant, looked at a menu that had words I could not understand, much less say BUT I ended up with fresh sugar cured bacon and cheese wrapped in an egg omlet with a side sause, real home fried potatoes with onions and crispy, fresh strawberries, home-made bread toast, jams and jellies and a delicious coffee an the wife had a delicious dish called eggs florentine, with fruit, excellent meal!! Thats me, Anna, Michael and Marc waiting fer grub!!!!!

Michael works for "WALT DISNEY" and sets up productions of Walt Disney shows and preformances like "Beauty & the Beast, Mickey on Ice, Ice-Capades and also travels all over the country.

After Brunch we walked around a bit and headed for the Syracuse Opera House with tickets in hand. No waiting in line for us!!!!!

This is Anna Mae and her brother Marc on our way to the Opera House!!

Anna Maes brother Marc is an "Opera Director", he worked, struggled and went to the best schools in Boston and New York City and now lives in New York and travels around the country directing Opera's. As he was going to be only a short distance from us we were invited to attend his show, free tickets and after some talking to, pleading, and coaxing by Honey I agreed to "go to an Opera"!! HEY, there's a first time for everything.

Marc has done many Opera's, TOSCA at the Virginia Opera, SAMPSON & DELIHA in St. Louis, HANSEL & GRETEL in Nevada, and RINALDO at Central City Opera in Colorado, LE NOZZE di FIGARO at the NY Metropolitian Opera, MACBETH at the Granite State Opera and traveled around the states doing many many more too numerous to mention.

WELL!! we walk into the Opera House with me in my sunday finest, pass the line getting tickets as Marc had special seats for us, we were escorted to DOWN FRONT & CENTER!! Best seats in the house.

We watched an excellent performance of "ROMEO & JULIETT. As a matter of fact we met the lead Soprano, Juliett, *(AMANDA PABYAN) at the Hotel Brunch, she has also traveled all over the country doing leads in Opera's and other shows, very nice young lady.

If my Brother-in Law, Marc was going to do another OPERA near-by I think I would go again, I was surprized at myself as I actually enjoyed the show!!!!! As a matter of fact, there were about 2500 people in the Opera House, at the final curtain call after the show there was a "Standing Ovation" by the audience and even ME, hundreds of shouts of "Bravo", whatever that means?

Wonder how I understood what they were singing in this foriegn language? The words were put up in english on large side monitor so you could easily read them without distracting from the show, "Great-Day!!

On the ride home we say some great signs of "SPRING", the fields had deer out browsing, counted about 24 of them, saw lots of dead skunks on the interstate, saw a couple of road killed racoons and 3 dead deer, 1 coopers hawk and 1 porcupine and as we neared carthage we saw litterly HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of "Honking" Geese in huge flocks landing around in the open corn fields!!!

Hope your week starts out great!!!!!

Lets never forget our Veterans!!!!!!!!!!!!!