'Tis the season for ... The Nutcracker!

For those that are on Facebook, sorry for the double-dip with this photo. Yesterday, my youngest son James and I went to see The Nutcracker at the Bardavon 1869 Opera House in downtown Poughkeepsie. It was a "field trip" for James and his second-grade class, and I was more than happy to chaperone. It made me 3-for-3 in the chaperone-to-The Nutcracker department, as I was fortunate enough to do the same for Joey and Natalie when they had similar field trips.

The field trips usually happen around final exam time or beyond, times when we have a little more flexibility with the schedule. I was late for 11 a.m. practice on Thursday, and I stunned the team by showing up in the green flannel shirt you see in this photo. They are so used to me being in Marist Track gear that it was startling indeed.

The show was great; I did not fall asleep during the performance, a sure barometer that it was short enough and entertaining enough for me, and for 8-year-olds. James and his second-grade friends had a lot of fun. Happy Holidays.