As you can tell from the scrapbook page, it was a busy, busy week. The page also answers a question I'm commonly asked, "Where do TubaChristmas events take place?" The answer is "In all sorts of places."
jebra played in three of them over the weekend, the first was at Oakland University, in Varner Hall. Musically, that was the best event of the three, probably because the conductor teaches Tuba at Oakland and knew how to instruct his performers to get the most out of them. The second concert was Saturday evening, in front of the Howell Carnegie Library. The event was smaller than usual, partly because it was in the evening and partly because the MSU musicians who normally volunteer were playing another gig. Sunday's concert took place Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids. The concert was beautiful both musically and visually. The church itself is a stunning and I was in particular awe of the huge mosaic that adorns the ceiling of the room just outside the Chapel.Anyway, to recap the week, Thursday we went to see Mary Poppins at the Baldwin Theatre, Friday we went to work, then the dentist, then returned to work to finish up the day. That night we went shopping and played Ingress and I did laundry after finishing a cat bed for the shelter. Saturday we got up the normal time (boo hiss), packed the car, and drove over to Oakland U for the first concert. As soon as it was over we got back in the car and drove to Howell. There was no time for a meal between the two and I was feeling decidedly off by the time we arrived.
jebra went to the rehersal and I walked over to the Uptown Coffeehouse for a mocha and a muffin. I felt much more balanced afterwards, so I turned on my hotspot and played Ingress on the way back to the venue. Two of our friends came out to see the band and I spotted them right away. We hugged and talked for a minute, then I continued across the street to capture two more portals. When I returned I saw not only our friends but jebra's uncle and cousin. After the concert we had dinner with the cousin and & his girlfriend and caught up on what's going on with his family. His two boys are both old enough to be driving and interested in living their own lives, which is hard to reconcile with the version of them (as early teens) that still lives in my head. After dinner we returned to our car and drove to Ionia. We arrived at my mom's late, somewhere between 11:00 and midnight I think, and I was amused to see she was watching the Dick Van Dyke Mary Poppins. Sunday morning we got up earlier than I would have liked, but a half hour later than we planned, and joined my mom and her friends for breakfast at one of the local restaurants. Then it was back to the house to get the Euphonium, then to the graveyard to drop off a wreath and flowers at Ziggy's grave (Ziggy being my mom's late husband), then off to Grand Rapids for TubaChristmas. While the band rehearsed, mom and I browsed through the flea market and small antique markets set up elsewhere within the church. I found a piece of art glass I just had to have (I put it back three times before admitting defeat) and my mom found a really neat ceramic frog for one of her Sorority sisters (who collects such things). The concert itself seemed short but it was manned by an enthusiastic group. There were a handful of twelve-year-olds playing, one guy who was 72, and people of all ages in between. After the concert mom took us out to eat at a nice restaurant then we drove back to her place, gathered up our stuff, and returned to our car. Our next stop was Grand Ledge, where we visited with
jebra's sister and her husband for an hour. Once again we arrived somewhere between 11:00 and midnight. The cats looked relieved to see us and wanted plenty of petting while we unpacked and prepared for Monday.Monday was work and FCB Band Rehearsal for
jebra while I attempted casting on a moebius scarf. I gave up after determining the second cable needle I tried was also too short.Tuesday was work again, of course, then
jebra went off to record something for the high school while I stayed home and tried casting on a different project. It went just as horribly as the Monday's experience and I frogged every bit of knitting I'd done. I'd planned to improvise a manly scarf pattern but what I ended up with was a lumpy mess I didn't like. The yarn is still in good shape so I put it back in its container and will think of some other way to use it.
Scrapbook papers & elements from the kit The Best Is Yet To Come.
For more information about the designers and their work, see
http://mrs-sweetpeach.dreamwidth.org/766331.html.
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