Mid-week hilarity ensued

My dear friend Donald and his lovely wife Meredith were over for a day and an evening this week.

Somehow, my girls picked this visit to go a little nuts with the singing, dancing, performing, and general clowning around. ("I see they're about as shy as you, Deb," Don said a few minutes after meeting them.) Fortunately, this was ok, as both Don and Meredith are used to being around artsy actor-types (Meredith has been a producer and Don has acted in community theater in L.A. for a number of years). Maybe the girls picked up on the vibe. And, as those who know Don know, he is the fastest punster in the West and also a tease, so he got along great with the girls. Madison said to me afterward, "I see what you mean about Don, Mom. I think I picked up some tips."

So, unless Don and Meredith are superb actors themselves, which of course they may be, I think they actually enjoyed my girls' theatrics. I saw no subtle wincing or teeth-gritting as you so often do with people who enjoy neither kids nor their antics. Neither looked like they wanted to escape. I was grateful. And, of course, my kids were encouraged by the applause and foisted as much entertainment as they could on our poor guests. Madison capped off their visit this morning with a rousing version of Tom Lehrer's "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park."

Update: Don just wrote me and said, "Rarely have I heard trout extolled in song and verse to the accompaniment of improvised ballet." That just about sums it up.