fourteen yellow rosebuds

are just beginning to unfurl in the vase in our dining room. Fourteen delicate, multi-lipped mouths, sipping the air.

My director, Kim, brought them for me yesterday, when we began work at 12 noon, for the show at 7.30pm at the Oakland Museum. She didn't know I have a thing for yellow flowers. Or that yellow roses are my favourite of all yellow flowers. The happy serendipity of her choice lit up the stage, where we put them while we ran cues and tech. Consoled me during the inevitable minor meltdown of show-day overwhelm. Warmed me from the table in the Green Room just before I went backstage for the show.