Oh Blech.

So, here we are, 6 days before the big Handel and Bach concert with Chamber Choir... and I am sick. I think that I would best characterize it as a cold, with the unfortuante side effect of a lost voice. The voice is not completely gone, and I'm hoping that it doesn't get any worse. I'm taking all measures I can think of to make this go away: Cold FX, Vitamin C, Hot Water, Ricola, Robitussin (gag), and vocal rest.

I think that I should be good to sing by the orchestra rehearsal on Friday, and I'm trying not to think about the possibility that I won't be. All positive energies are being focused on getting better!! Also on keeping WH healthy between now and then.

We did manage this weekend, amidst the sick and the Lent 1 Morning Prayer service and the local Lutheran hymn festival yesterday afternoon (for which WH played the organ), to get our house cleaned, which feels so good. It's so nice to start a concert week with a minimum of clutter and mess and dust about the place. It sets me up nicely to do some more organizing in our office space in my week off - next week already! HUZZAH!

And so the week begins!

A Long Week

It's so lovely to see this long week come, finally, to an end. I've been more tired this week than normal, and more cranky, so it's a pleasant thought to look ahead to renewed positive energy next week.

And next week is going to be a GREAT WEEK because at the end of it comes the Bach and Handel concert into which we've been putting so much work. I'm so excited for Chamber Choir and for WH as we bring this massive project to a close.

Sunday morning, we celebrate Lent 1 with our once-a-year service of Morning Prayer, complete with sung Litany and Procession. It is such a beautiful liturgical celebration, and there is A TON to be sung! We start with the Preces (precented by me!), then chant the Venite and the Psalm, then we get a break for a reading. Then we do the Benedicite (a beautiful arrangement by Godfrey Hewitt) and the Benedictus, and then the Litany, led by WH, during which we process around the church, an act that so beautifully represents wrapping the church in prayer. And then we finish it all up with an Anthem! It's not a very long service, but a choir member definitely feels as though she has acquired her daily vocal workout, that's for sure!

Oh Lord, open Thou our lips;
And our mouths shall show forth Thy praise.

Oh God, make speed to save us;
Oh Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Praise ye the Lord!
The Lord's name be praised!

Being the Choir Wyf, Part 1

Singing in choirs conducted by my husband is a wonderful gift, one for which I am thankful everyday. I would not trade sharing these unique musical experiences with him for ANYTHING.

At the same time, there are challenges. Note that these are not challenges in my relationship with him, but rather, challenges that... um... how shall I put this? Well, let's just say that I am sometimes challenged not to get up and smack other people in the choir in the mouth when they act like dingbats. That is my challenge.

This is a particularly great challenge because I know, and fully appreciate, that my chief contribution to our choral communities is to smile, and participate in a positive manner, and be a totally cheerful soul. To be anything else in these circumstances is unforgivable, chiefly because it would make WH's job so much harder. And really, being that positive influence is pretty easy 95% of the time. I'm a naturally positive person, I LOVE singing, and there are some terrific people with whom I am blessed to sing.

So I am working hard this Lent to acknowledge the behaviour that gets under my skin and to find a more positive way to deal with it. So, to the woman who interrupted WH's rehearsal last night to say something like, "I have absolutely no business saying this, but [insert patronizing and stupid criticism of WH's rehearsal style here]," I would like to say that I am impressed by your dedication to this choir and your clear passion for the quality of our work. Thank you so much for your comment. I am amazed at how much confidence it must have taken to speak out in that blatantly condescending and insulting tone of voice, to make a comment that was both rude and incorrect. You are a dingbat. [smack]

Oh. I seem to have gotten derailed there. Good thing there are 40 days in Lent.

Elections

There is an election upcoming and today is a very important day in that election.

What? Oh no, not THAT election.

I am talking about an election in the province of Canada in which I live. I'll call it Prairie Province. And to give you a sense of one (OF MANY) of the differences between our wee election and THAT election, our election was called yesterday, and the vote will be held on March 3rd. A little less than a month, start to finish.

The big issues are health care, affordable housing, the environment, etc.

We have been a Conservative province for many many years, and despite a recent change in the leadership of that party that many perceive to have been a mistake, I believe that we will continue to be a Conservative province in a month's time. Our Conservative voters have not been inclined in recent years to waffling back and forth. For the record, I am not a Conservative, and I have been embarassed in recent years by our province's neglect of the environment and vehement opposition to same-sex marriage, especially.

But the thing that bothers me most of all about our provincial politics is that we have lots and lots of money. LOTS of money. We are a debt-free province, and in the last few years, we have budgeted surpluses in the billions of dollars. BILLIONS of dollars.

(Do you remember the scene in the Simpsons where the reporter asks the actor, "How do you sleep at night?" And the actor says, "On top of a big pile of money, with many beautiful women." It's sort of feels like that...)

Now, I am not so naive as to think that there are easy solutions to societal issues like homelessness and health care shortages - I know that you can't just throw money at the problems and hope they'll go away - but I'd like to think that billions of dollars of extra money each year would, at least, lead to SOME solutions? Even little ones? Three weeks ago, a homeless man froze to death in a back alley in a city suburb. I want to know why, with our billions of dollars, he had no place warm to go to spend a freezing cold night. Our homeless shelters are full. Our emergency rooms are full. Our nurses are few. Our poor are many.

Why, with the health of our economy, does this never seem to change?

Oh what fun...

Well, for anybody who cheers for the underdog every time, yesterday was a pretty good day, eh?! Despite three slooooooooow quarters of football, the fourth sure made watching the whole game worthwhile! And I confess to enjoying every single time that Tom Brady wound up on his back on the grass, with a member of the Giants defense plastered all over him.

Speaking of Mr. Brady, he said something in his post-game interview that I thought was funny. Something like, "Well, losing this game doesn't make the other 18 wins any less meaningful." Um.... actually, yeah it does, Tom. That's pretty much exactly what it does.

The Giants' win makes me wonder what dinner at the Manning household will be like next Sunday. I bet there will be lots of grinning.

Frumps Begone!

Well, I had my hair appointment, and the result is really fun! He ended up cutting off about 10 inches of hair; it's amazing how good it feels. Very fresh and new. It looks a little bit like the picture here, but it's shorter and more choppy in the front, and a little bit shorter in the back. I love it. WH loves it. Life is good.

We are going to Colourful University tonight to watch varsity volleyball. I've always enjoyed volleyball, and never thought that it gets as much attention as it deserves, so I'm looking forward to tonight's games. The weather is downright mild compared to what it's been, so it's a nice evening to be out and about.

And then the Super Bowl tomorrow, for which we are going to visit some dear friends and their absolutely adorable little boy.

I'd like to thank the Academy...

Earlier this week, Episcopollyana was kind enough to nominate me for the Excellent Blog Award. Thank you!!

The rules: By accepting this Excellent Blog Award, you have to award it to 10 more people whose blogs you find Excellent Award worthy. You can give it to as many people as you want but please award at least 10. You deserve this! Feel free to award people who have already been awarded…

Thanks so much to the following (who are a few among many) for giving me lots to think and laugh about every day!

Podium Speak

Crazy Cat Woman

Snickollet

Towanda's Window

Identity Mixed

Crimson Rambler

The Clutter Museum

The Ice Floe

Set Free

Yeah, but Houdini Didn't Have These Hips

Have a good weekend everybody!