The Hazard Chronicles

Last week I made mention of my back hurting. I finally went into the doctor for it because it kept getting worse, and he thinks I may have a slightly herniated disk. I'm in physical therapy two days a week now, and if progress isn't seen then we're looking at surgery. So....that's my exciting news.

Yesterday I got a call from Rachel saying she was at the doctor with Jack. Apparently he was playing a game with his friends at school called "tornado" and he ended up running smack into a metal pole. He hit it hard enough to make him lose any memory of the event, They thought at first that his nose might be broken, but it turns out it wasn't. It did look awfully swollen later that evening, and it was very tender. After the doctor's visit school was almost over and he could have just gone home, but he asked to go back so he didn't miss the after-school science program he is in. That guy is tougher than he seems sometimes.

Here's Rach and Jackson getting ice cream before going back to school. Jackson's nose swelled up quite a bit more as the day went on, but I guess it's going to be fine. FYI: Kids don't like it if you call them "Elmo" when their nose is swollen up.

On Saturday, we all went into Spokane. I took the older kids to the science museum, and Rach took the youngers to the children's museum. Everyone had a fun time. On the way out of town, we drove past a small playhouse that we didn't know about. Curious, we booked tickets for the show that night and were actually pretty impressed with the quality of the acting and the venue. The show was "Disgraced," which I guess won the Pulitzer when it came out on Broadway in 2013. The show was poignant and thought-provoking, and Rachel and I had fun. We'll probably be back to see most of the performances this place has to offer. It's always fun to discover something new around your area.

Speaking of Broadway, Rachel had her big audition this week. If you want to watch the video, I have embedded it below. She interpreted the main theme from Phantom of the Opera, and even as a guy that doesn't have a clue what she is doing, I think it looks cool. If you watch it, be aware that the first few seconds are silent as she introduces herself and the piece she will perform.

This is just a still-shot, because I can't put a movie in a book when I compile this thing into a hard-copy.

Anyway, Rach was super nervous after sending it in. She has been wanting to do this for a long time, and she finally felt qualified.

We weren't sure how long we'd have to wait for a verdict, but two days later she got an email asking if she could do a show in the future. She made it! I am so proud of her.

Have a good week!