I’ve been absent all week! To be fair, it was one of the busiest weeks of my year, as a lot of things always culminate to make the middle of December an especially tricky time each year no matter how I try to prepare for it: Christmas concert preparation, piano students getting ready to play at assisted living centers, school projects that need attention, cookies that need to be baked since I promised to bring them places, Christmas cards that need to get mailed, etc.
To top it off, a nasty virus hit our house last week, and while all kidlets involved seemed to bounce back quickly, I did not. Thankfully Dr. Peds was not working and took over so I could spend large quantities of time in bed. It was such a relief not to have to manage things while I was feverish and dizzy and miserable.
This weekend the Arrowhead Chorale presented the annual Christmas dinner at the Depot, where we sing in between the courses of a meal for the audience. It’s a fancy affair, and this year it was set in the year 1540, which meant that I got to wear a medieval peasant costume. I was not so excited about the costume. I was excited about singing some beautiful music, two pieces in particular, and I’m really grateful that although I was so sick and almost fainted during dress rehearsal, that my singing voice held out all through the concerts between my coughing spells that I somehow managed to keep fairly under control. It would have really been rotten to do all the rehearsal and then miss getting to perform the music.
I’m even more grateful that my singing voice held out for my very favorite Christmas activity: caroling at nursing homes and rehab centers. I LOVE doing this every year, and last night was the night. I woke up in the morning frustrated, knowing that I would be singing with Sunday School kids in the morning and all afternoon at my concerts and suspecting that my voice would give out at some point and I wouldn’t be able to sing at all. However, it didn’t! And I got to do it all. The very best part came at the end, seeing the truly happy faces of the people in rehab listen to our crazy group of kids and grown ups singing. And then, after the very last carol was sung, I spoke to someone and noticed my voice sounded a little weird when I was talking. Not an HOUR later, my voice was completely gone. COMPLETELY. I’m considering it nothing short of miraculous and a huge gift that I had no trouble singing all day.
The other day Mr. TOF slobbered all over YaYa. She said to him, “You know, you might be little and irresistibly cute, but sometimes you are just utterly disgusting.” Pretty accurate.
Mr. TOF is, however, a talented hand-shaker. He loves to shake hands with people. An elderly gentleman at church taught him to do this, and every Sunday morning he zips in the door and looks for a really old man named Ken who sits in a chair next to the door to greet people every Sunday morning. Ken has done this for years and years and years, always giving people a big smile and welcoming them. Mr. TOF runs up to Ken and gives him a great big handshake every week. This hand shaking talent comes in very handy at nursing homes and rehab centers, too it turns out. He was ALL about shaking old people’s hands, and they were quite delighted and charmed, not to mention amused that he insisted on holding sheet music like everyone else, but held it upside down while pretending to sing.
Last week the ever social Banana invited some really nice kids that live kiddy corner from our house over to play in the snow in our front yard. We’ve always lived kiddy corner from these kids and they’ve always shared our bus stop, but for some reason our lives just didn’t really intersect very much. However, for two days straight, all of the kids were out playing in the front yard from the time they got out of school until the sun went down and they all had such a good time! Since it was early release on Friday, that meant that they were actually out there for four and a half hours straight! I loved watching bits and snatches through the window. I loved that I didn’t have to initiate anything, and that they were playing so great together and having such a good time! It felt just like it should, kids playing together on their own in a safe neighborhood. In these days of over structured kids activities and playdates that are heavily supervised by parents, it was just really a neat experience that hasn’t actually happened for my kids: inviting someone over on their own and then having a really great time together. So simple and good.
I am so incredibly behind on laundry that it is shocking even for me.
Mr. SP’s pronunciation of Voldemort in Harry Potter: “Vomitnorf.” Kind of fitting, I think. Plus, it really makes me smile whenever I think about it.
I am so sorry that the bug hit your house. It sure is making the rounds around here too. Joe’s whole family has been working through it too. Isn’t that something that your voice held out so you could sing. You always had trouble with it this time of year. I used to get that too when you kids were little, mine was usually at Easter, best of times for your Dad! Love to all of you
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One Comment
Robin
I am so sorry that the bug hit your house. It sure is making the rounds around here too. Joe’s whole family has been working through it too. Isn’t that something that your voice held out so you could sing. You always had trouble with it this time of year. I used to get that too when you kids were little, mine was usually at Easter, best of times for your Dad! Love to all of you