The SpongeBob Musical

Sunday, August 2nd, Frank and I and Alex went to see The SpongeBob Musical at our local Bankhead Theatre in Livermore. The oceanic backdrop in the lobby helped to get us in the undersea mood. The stage was illuminated in the blues and greens you would expect for an underwater habitat.

We were sitting right behind the rail and there was a Pirate warming up the audience. He claimed to be SpongeBob's #1 fan. I was also bemused that the child in a lower row was wearing a yellow sponge costume.

Alex got comfortable  in his seat and settled in with his program. Frank had to climb over him to get to his adjacent seat.

I knew very little about SpongeBob SquarePants... other than that he "lives in a pineapple under the sea". I studied briefly (very briefly) the night before on Wikipedia. It is amazing how little I know about a series that is in its 17th season and has been renewed for an 18th and a 19th season. SpongeBob SquarePants is the longest-running American children's animated series. Only one song was vaguely familiar to me, the theme song. Lest you forget, (or maybe never knew) you can here it at this YouTube link to refresh your memory. Another quick scan of the musical summary on Wikipedia revealed that the plot is of a "save the world" intensity. An erupting volcano threatens to obliterate the neighborhood of Bikini Bottom but can SpongeBob SquarePants and his friends save the day? 

How was the show? The costumes were super colorful, creative, funny, tongue-in-cheek, and widely varied. The action was non-stop, hectic, acrobatic, and chaotic in a sea of splashes and crashes of extremely clever sound effects amid boisterous singing. The sardines was a half dozen kids in shocking neon pink moving in perfect unison, crammed together. What a crack-up! The science was awesome; only a brilliant scientific mind could invent an eruptor interrupter. There were many musical numbers, both melodious and cantankerous. The only problem was that Frank and I understood only about 10% of the lyrics at best. Alex laughed and clapped his enjoyment throughout; he could not have cared less about the absence of diction. His reaction made our going a complete success. Here is the list of songs. I suppose I could research them but why? I get the gist from the titles alone.

Once out in the lobby after the show we looked at two posters of cast photos. I was looking to capture a good picture of the squid character, but I could not succeed from either of the posters. I offer these images I pulled off the internet instead. The way the performer danced and cavorted around on his four legs tentacles was a hoot! 

Before we left, I had Alex and Frank pose for an under the sea photo. If you look near the bottom by Frank's knee you can see SpongeBub SquarePants' pineapple home. We did not know what to expect from this show but it did not disappoint. Successful outing accomplished!

John and Marita Visit

Our previously local friends moved to southern California a couple years ago and they came up north for a visit June 18-23. We had a great time. John and Marita arrived Thursday 6/18 evening and we saw them again on Friday 6/19, Sunday 6/21 and Monday 6/22. We kept the food and the activities low key, relaxing and enjoying our time spent together.

Costco to the rescue for our meals. We had Chicken al Fresco one night, Stuffed Bell Peppers the next night, and, on a third night we ate leftovers from each of those other dinners calling it "a night to remember". I only needed to add rice, or a salad, or fruit, to round out the meals.

We had planned a local Chinese restaurant, the Yin Yin for our Monday night meal, only to learn they were closed on Monday's. Oh well, that was poor planning on my part. But we recovered on the fly with plan B, not as elegant but satisfying, fast, and easy. Marita and I hopped in the car and drove out to get an assortment from Panda Express.

Snacks were not at all overlooked — Costco to the rescue again. Some snacks were even healthy! All the peaches from the flat were delicious, the best I have had the past several seasons. Often times grocery store peaches are the right color and soft enough but they rot rather than ripen fully. These were awesome, sweet and just the right texture.

We watched some television. John and Marita recommended the movie Holiday in the Wild. They had already seen it but were willing to watch again with us. They urged us to find it and turn it on via Netflix (where it was free, by the way). The Africa and elephant scenes were amazing and well worth the time invested watching. I recommend it.

Frank and John had a lunch date on Monday with their colleagues from the lab, aka The Beam Boys, where they watched the classic movie Dr. Strangelove. The six guys ordered in pizza and there was a popcorn cook off for the connoisseurs comparing different recipes and techniques. The popcorn cooked in avocado oil and drenched in butter won.

John and Frank also bonded over watching YouTube. As evidenced in the photo, both employed their habitual watching techniques. There is companionship even in slumber. Marita and I finished off a 500 piece jigsaw puzzles while the guys "took a break" and "relaxed".

We assembled several puzzles during their visit: one with 500 pieces and two with 300 pieces each.  All were Ravensburger and large-pieces format that went together like a dream.

We played a few round, of Rummikub, some just with Marita and me (while the guys "watched" YouTube), and other rounds with all four of us. We modify the game to include a 3-D version. Our set is a Target exclusive that has four different wild card jokers: regular joker, double joker, mirror joker, and color change joker. Per the rules, the player who gets rid of all his tiles first is the winner. We play that when someone becomes tile-less, we all work together to see if now, with what is on the table, we can all go out. We all agree this final skirmish is the most fun and challenging part of the game.

We spent  most of the time talking and enjoying being together. John and Frank are the same age and Marita and I are within one year of each other so we all have a lot in common and share the challenges of the "golden years". We tried to repeatedly steer the topic away from the "Organ Recital" (health issue discussions) common among the elderly. We were moderately successful. We were never short on topics of mutual interest, and we laughed a lot. Here is a cute poem about the "golden years".

I cannot see, I can not pee.

I cannot chew, I cannot screw.

My memory shrinks, my hearing stinks.

No sense of smell, I look like hell.

The golden years are here at last.

The golden years can kiss my ass.

And one final joke to end this blog post:

A senior citizen was talking to his friend about getting married. "Yep!" he said, "I finally found someone." His friend asked, "Is she a good cook?" The man replied, "Naw, she can't cook." "Well, is she wealthy?" "Nope, poor as a mouse." Exasperated, his friend asked, "Then why on earth are you marrying her?" The man beamed, "Because she can still drive!"

Wizard Of Oz On Ice

On Sunday, April 12th, Frank and I took Alex to see The Wizard of Oz on Ice playing at our local Bankhead theater. On ice... really? Would the Bankhead risk having some sort of container for the frozen water on their hardwood stage? Our decision to go was based largely on curiosity. The only way to learn was to attend. Other questions: would the show be like an Ice Capades, like the original Wizard of Oz movie, like the recent movie Wicked, or like the musical The Wiz? Answers? Yes, a blend of all four. Read on.

We had seats near the top but, being next to the the angled aisle, we had a clear, unobstructed view. Our distance from the stage was great for getting an overview of the show.

I included a photo of Alex and Frank at Row H on their way climbing their way up to our seats at Row N. Once seated, Alex loved paging through his program. That is something he looks forward to at any show.

There were few to no three-dimensional props on the "ice" surface where the performers would be skating; I assume this arrangement was to give them unhampered gliding movement. The performers really were ice skating on blades, not roller skating on wheels. They did jumps (Axel, Lutz, Salchow), spins (Camel, Sit, Layback), and flips as seen in the Olympics. I was curious about the "frozen water" onstage which I learned was synthetic ice. The skating surface was installed on the wooden stage in abutted 70 lb panels of a solid high-density polyethylene or other polymer. Synthetic ice gives a gliding surface to skaters, but requires about 10% more effort, thus providing a more intense workout such as running in sand or jogging along the wave waterline at a beach would do. The joy of an effortless glide is somewhat reduced; hockey players reportedly like the extra strengthening workout they gain.

How did the Wizard of Oz on Ice compare to other productions of the same theme?

• The show was somewhat like the Ice Capades because of the skating and a loose impossible-to-follow background story played over speakers. Conversations were lip synched by the actors.
• It was like the original Wizard of Oz movie in that it started out in Kansas, but at the end there was no tieback to the farmhands in a their roles at Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow.
• It had some resemblance to the modern movie Wicked in some of the flamboyant colors of costuming, even a blacklight lit sequence in neon colored outfits. 
• The songs were completely unfamiliar and the lyrics undecipherable similar to what Frank and I found when we saw the musical The Wiz. Ease on Down the Road from The Wiz was an exception but this song was not in The Wizard of Oz on Ice. 
• I am used to actors facing each other and taking a certain pose during conversational exchanges. Skaters had to keep moving in constant motion which sat awkwardly with me during dialog exchanges.
• Any concept of a set was portrayed by an image or set of images projected on a screen at the back of the stage. The enjoyment of marveling at set creativity or being fascinated with rapid changes in set was absent; however, the projected depiction of a tornado was very well done.
• There was no singing of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. The music for the show was more upbeat and not as solemn as a ballad would be. I still missed it though. The final curtain did give tribute to a rainbow however.

Put all these lack luster traits together, and you have an equivalent of an enjoyable B movie. The novelty was worth the effort and it was inexpensive. I do not regret at all going. Alex stayed engaged and even clapped a bit during the peppy parts. I think his favorite part was his program. We paused for a few pictures afterward in the lobby. With his program... of course.

Easter 2026 in Livermore

Easter Pasts
I remember spending hours making coordinated clothes for the kids and even a matching matching dress for myself. I was very active in the church choir, spending evenings and afternoons in the numerous rehearsals for Holy Week, not to mention the special, lengthy, ceremonies themselves on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Frank and I would write clues for treasure hunts for the kids to locate hidden gifts. Wherever did I find the time and the energy? This Easter was much more laid back. Maybe it was not as religious but isn't Sunday supposed to be a day of rest?

Easter Present
Frank and I usually spend our Sundays with Alex, so I am trying to arrange for us to do something fun, just the two of us, on Saturdays. I signed us up to take a class at our local Alden Lane Nursery on the Saturday before Easter. The original sign up link advertised the class as 2-4 pm. I prepped us beforehand, making sure we both had water bottles and gloves and a hat for shade, anticipating two hours, sweating away outdoors. 

First the class was indoors at tables. Second the mini-pots were 2" in size, a data point in the ad I had overlooked. I can't find the original ad so it is even possible the 2" detail qualifying the "mini" was not there.  Frank and I had a good laugh. I think the entire creation took us 20 minutes or less. We glued the pom pom on his butt and glued his feet on the butt below the tail. We were provided paint brushes and pink paint to dot on for soles and toes. My bunny feet sported four toes each paw, just like the instructions. We put the plant in the pot, added dirt and moss, then topped it off with the bunny butt and chocolate eggs. I finished mine before Frank finished his. 

Upon researching when reaching home, I learned four toes is the realistic print for real bunnies but that Easter bunny paw prints have three toes. Do not take this observation too seriously. I found this ad on Amazon with a glaring — well, somewhat glaring — opposing discrepancy.

Frank worked meticulously and even added his own creative details, like cotton balls growing in the tree. Frank's bunny had five toes in his paw print. Does that make for a faster getaway?

I had decorated the hearth with bunnies from Alex's room but had not fetched my other decorations from the attic. On the couch was Alex's bunny quilt, a gift from Robin and Jeremy in Oklahoma.

The dining table had a bunny tablecloth. Yes, it is round and the table is rectangular but I could not pass up such a cute print. A closeup of two ceramic items are worthy of note. The Easter egg was painted by my sister Maxine in 1972. It holds Hershey Kisses or Jelly Beans every year. The lamb on the right is the florist's container that held a bouquet of flowers congratulating us on Robin's birth in 1980. It also comes out every Easter.

On Easter Sunday we spent a quiet day at home with Alex doing jigsaw puzzles, Connect Four, watching Disney VHS tapes and overdosing on chocolate. We had a ham and pierogi dinner. Alex enjoyed his new Connect Four, puzzles, and his iPad movies concurrent with his VHS Disney tapes. He chowed down on the ham and pierogis, too!

To top off the day was a FaceTime call from Robin, Jeremy, Autumn, and Isaiah. They are holding four bunnies I had custom embroidered for each family member on a bunnies ear. I'd sent a custom-embroidered bunny clan of six to Dan and his Colorado family as well. Wow — ten in one year! Bunnies really do multiply!

New Livermore "Hot" Spot

Livermore has a new place to chill outdoors and enjoy a tall, soft-serve ice cream cone. The nostalgic part about this announcement is that the location is in what used to be the Bank of the West building on the corner of Second Street and South Livermore Avenue. Frank and I had banked here since our arrival in Livermore in 1976. The building, which is diagonally across from the Livermore Post Office, is now the site of the Meadowlark Dairy - Livermore.

Friday afternoon, April 3rd, after a visit to our tax service to complete that annual ritual, we stopped to get a soft-serve cone and check out the Meadowlark Dairy. A silhouette of a cow wearing shades greeted us at the entrance. Frank ordered a large coffee cone and I ordered a medium chocolate cone. Both were very generously sized. I struggled, but managed to finish all of mine, but Frank had to forgo the last bit of his. Next time we will wisely order a medium and a small. There will be a next time. The ice cream was very good and the prices quite reasonable.

To the left as you enter are freezer cases with an extensive array of grocery goods for purchase. While waiting in the serpentine line in front of the glass refrigerator doors, we enjoyed the murals on the far right wall.

Here is Frank gazing through the exit door just before our departure. Our outing (after the taxes... groan) made for a fun informal date. We sat a a small table on the side as we licked our cones and watched the local folk of Livermore pass by. Loard's is still our favorite place for sundaes with its indoor pink and white decor, but Meadowlark Dairy certainly merits a return visit for taste and ambience and al fresco dining pleasure.