Miss Melanie, Reach For The Smellin' Salts! Miss Scarlett Is Back!

Howdy Everybody!

Did y'all miss me? Dang, I have been busier than the Sunbeam Mixer in Paula Deen's Kitchen! I think my last post was.....GULP.....last January! Where does time go?

I guess because I have been so incredibly busy writing other stuff, that I did not even realize I had neglected my blog posts for so long. So, let me start with a genuine, sweet, southern apology! I am sorry Y'all....and I will try to do better!

I have really missed you all....and thought about posting many, many times....I just do not seem to have enough minutes in the day....or the night....it is about 1:30 am as I write this....so take that little tid bit of information as an indication of how bizarre and erratic my schedule has been!

So...how best to catch up? How about a cut and dry recap:

1) LOTS of script writing, directing, and acting going on :) Played one of the Pigeon Sisters in "The Odd Couple" in January, Directing duties for "Peter Pan" in May, Wrote, directed and acted in "Camp Rock @ The Stone" in August, Crewed "The Producers" in September, and currently directing "The Fantasticks" (to open Jan. 15, 2010)! Whew! And that is just stage stuff!

2) Some songwriting projects going on....nothing in the studio yet...mainly ideas, chords and melody lines....but definitely progress! I opened for my dear Friend, Mary Krulikowski, an amazing, Christian Comedienne, on a Royal Caribbean Cruise in September. (Check out her website: www.floridasfunnylady.com ) The event was called "Crusin' with the Girls"...there are already plans for a "Cruisn' with the Girls II" as well as preliminary plans for a "Flyin' with the Girls, NYC" in the works! Check it out!

3) Mark, my wonderful hubby had back surgery: A discetomy, laminectomy, 4 screws, 2 plates, fusion with BMP, with bilateral nerve releases at L5/S1 in March. A HUGE back surgery...he tried all conservative measures for over a year....and finally opted for surgery as it was starting to interfere with most every aspect of his life!! He is such a trooper...doing better everyday...BUT still walking an 18 month road of recovery (that is average for the procedure)...until he should be pain free!

4) Kids: Melody and Rodney will celebrate their 3rd anniversary in a few weeks! They are both happy and wonderful...getting closer to finishing at the university....No grandkids yet...just one fat, adorable grandpuppy named Noodle :) Melody has great, almost perfect, grades, is working in the writing center, is a member of the university school paper, volunteering at FLT, reconnecting with friends and enjoying her time at FMU. Rodney got a new boat for his birthday and has become the master angler of the family!! Josh...well he is doing great as well....wonderful grades...inducted into the leadership/honor fraternity at FMU, also tutoring in the writing center, writing for the school paper, as well as doing shows at FLT and FMU...Not to mention a new lady in his life...the beautiful Kimi (aka Peter Pan)...we love her to pieces!!!

5)Oh, and as of this morning, I have lost 80 pounds :) Walking 5 miles a day as part of Marks surgery rehab has been an incredible catalyst in getting my weight back on track! I am still not as skinny as I have been, but I am where my doctor feels I am healthy and happy, and (per my hubby) hot :) And while it is nice to fit back into some clothes that I thought I would never fit into again, the most rewarding thing for me is that I know I am healthier!

6) Spiritually, God has been holding me close, and patiently waiting on me as I ramble, rush, and regroup. I feel even more called to serve Him by using the Creative Worship tools He has placed in my hands, than ever before! SO many cool opportunities He is providing....How awesome to have multiple options....but how scary to know that it is my responsibility to choose wisely :/

There is more...but why go on...as you can see, I have not been simply ignoring you while I sat on my front porch eating bon bons and drinking sweet tea! Nope....more like I have been walking my bahunkus off (literally), eating lots of salads and drinking more than my fair share of diet Pepsi! That, plus all the other "stuff"!

So, for you dear faithful ones who have waited on me as I have rambled, rushed, and regrouped....I say thank you from the bottom of my pea pickin' heart! I promise to do better....how does once a week sound?

In the mean time...it is after 2am...and I have a very sexy baritone who is patiently waiting on me to hit the jacuzzi with him....think I will take him up on the offer!

Thanks for stopping by! Y'all come back now, ya hear?

Still Frankly,
Miss Scarlett