Ya know, there are just some things America should not import. And, for me, it’s our reality TV. However, it seems we managed to do something good for New Zealand by sending them American Idol. At least, that’s how Lucy sees it.

We wanted to do a video interview with Lucy about the five-part Discovery Channel documentary, “Warrior Women.” She was up for it and suggested we co-ordinate our plans.

I thought I'd do an interview with a latex-covered, 80-year-old hag. Instead, I decided to do one with Lucy Lawless. Oh, my goodness, it's the same person!

“Your assignment, Sharon, should you decide to accept it, is to meet Lucy Lawless in a Starbucks' parking lot in the San Fernando Valley.”

“You're all right, my friend, you’re all right,” I hear Lucy whispering softly. She's a new mom again and seven-week-old Judah Miro Tapert is dropping off to sleep lying next to his mom in bed.

“I've got a cradle set up in the bedroom. I can't believe soon there will be a little baby in there!” Lucy answered the phone in a voice bubbling with excitement.

I keep saying “is.” I think it’s because Kevin has never been part of my daily life; he’s part of my working life. And since we haven’t been working, I haven’t truly come to terms with the fact that he’s gone.

During this interview, Lucy gave me a beginner's course in dump truck video games.

Rob Tapert discusses A Friend In Need.

Lucy gave a whispered “hello” when I answered the phone. She had just put Julius down for a nap and was tiptoeing out of the room.

Would I be the recipient of a Xena sneer? A sympathetic, consoling Lucy promising to see me through this time of obvious brain drain?

Even prepping for this interview with Lucy, the first thing I do when she calls is start reminiscing how terrific it was that Michael Hurst was directing the episode I filmed for the behind-the-scenes video for the next fan club kit.

“Renee's engaged!” I was calling Lucy at seven o'clock in the morning, her time, and I thought this would be a great way to wake up a sleepy Kiwi.

“Speaking of angels,” I said, deftly segueing from newborns to Xena and Gabrielle’s recent time in Heaven and Hell, “how was shooting ‘Fallen Angel’, with those wings?” 

Lucy’s supposed to be filming Xena. How come she's not hard at work, nose to the grindstone, burning the midnight oil? Ah-ha, she's goofing off, loafing, feet up on the sofa!

I opened our conversation with that time-honored question asked of every pregnant woman, every morning, for nine months. “So, how’s it going?

Renee's yellow robe, with an embroidered “G” on the back, reveals nothing but her sandaled feet. I'm glad it's not raining and there’s no mud. A cold, wet bard with muddy feet and a staff sounds like a dangerous combination.

Today, Lucy and I are perched on a couple of chairs on the outskirts of an Amazon village. They're shooting “Endgame.” It's sunny, but windy and just a bit cool. Blue-bathrobed Amazons are doing crossword puzzles.

I didn’t know why Lucy was so happy since the last few months of filming Xena had been particularly stressful - something about the death of Gabrielle and New Zealand deciding it wanted to set the Guinness World Record for “Most Rainy Days When Lucy Lawless Was Filming Outdoors.”

Weddings - they can be an adventure, a warm fuzzy memory to look back on with a soft smile, a time of last minute doubts and frantic scurrying to catch up with a day that is moving much too fast.