I have been a bad blogger, but it's been a little frantic around here as we have one boy in exams, one man in high work stress, and one trip to Paris (this Thursday) to prep for. The trip doesn't really feel real, I was remarking to Z last night. We were in Rome barely three months ago, and Paris was booked very quickly due to my mother-in-law's health issues. Because we will want to spend a lot of time with her, we're not doing our usual planning for day-trips and excursions. We're just heading over there with our bags and our prayers. Alex and I will return after eight days as he starts his summer camp job later this month. Michael will stay on with his father for another week and do some touring, likely St. Malo/Mont St. Michel and then the chateaux de la Loire. One of his cousins may join them, and a convertible Golf has been offered up, do it should be a fun road trip for the guys.
Last week was busy. We saw the Eagles with Dixie Chicks Tuesday night and it was a great concert. I was surprised to see Natalie Maines with a very short haircut. They did some of their hits, some less familiar music, and a cover of Train's "Hey Soul Sister". The Eagles played a long set, packed with hits and a very 70s vibe to the staging/video. We were in a corporate box, so quite far from the stage in the Rogers Centre, but it was a great show that had everyone in the house singing along.
On Friday, I headed to Stratford with some gals from the choir to see The Tempest. We had a picnic by the lake with napping swans and ducks around our feet, saw the show and then dined at The Church before heading back to Toronto. It was the first public performance of the Tempest, which has it's media opening in a couple of weeks, and it was a stunner. Apart from a few sound issues (we had trouble hearing some of the actors when their backs were to us), it was stacked with talent and was received with an instantaneous ovation. It was lovely getting to know these ladies a little better, and it was a farewell to one of the long-standing members of the alto section who is moving to Stittsville.
The Parish choir is winding down for the year....two more Sundays of singing (of which I'll miss next week while we're away) and then we close for the summer. So we've been pulling out some familiar music. This Sunday, we sang Brahms' Lass dich nur nichts nicht dauren (pdf) and John Sheppard's sublime The Lord's Supper (pdf).
I've joined another choir for the summer and we rehearse on Monday nights. I'll miss the next two rehearsals, one while I'm in Paris. On June 28th I have tickets to the National Theatre's live broadcast of the play London Assurance which I purchased months ago, before I joined the choir.
Before we leave, I need to finish up one of my genealogy courses, complete a CWL newsletter for our parish bulletin, get the house in order, pay some bills and do all the laundry before we pack. I've done all the newspaper cancellation/dog boarding stuff so it's really the last minute things that are on my mind now. Plus supervise study time for Michael. He writes his last exam on Thursday morning, and we leave that evening.
I may not be back before we leave, but I'll try to post some photos while we're away.
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