A FINE, FUN CONCERT

Last year during the Christmas season Jim and I were watching some of the excellent concerts available on t.v. at that time of the year.  For about a week you can find some wonderful, inspiring viewing.  But it made me sad: I thought, "That part of my life is over.  There are no more opportunities for me to play in a good string group, enjoying the unique high of making beautiful music together."  The possibilities in our small, rural town had simply "dried up."

Yesterday I was privileged to play in a fine, fun concert.  The Sun City Women's Choir, the Sun Cities Chamber Orchestra and Joan Monk, a piano soloist, performed in a very fine concert.  It was dedicated to Mardelle, whom we wished to honor for her life and her contributions.  I was especially grateful to Mardelle because it was she who invited me to play in that orchestra.

The program was mixed, beginning with the Star Spangled Banner, including The Stars and Stripes Forever, highlighting Joan playing the first movement of the Grieg A Minor Piano Concerto, accompanied by the orchestra and concluding with several numbers by the Women's Choir (a very accomplished group of singers.)  Some of the choir numbers were winter/Christmas songs, some were spirituals/Broadway hits.  Sometimes the orchestra accompanied the choir, once a single flute did the honours, and once just the cello section.  Both the orchestra and the choir are composed of mostly grey/silver haired members.  But did we ever make music!

It was just a thrill for me to be in the middle of all that wonderful sound!

A Tribute to Mardelle

I met Mardelle Driscoll last April at the Art Show here in the village.  She was the art teacher, a vibrant, interesting woman.  Mardelle told me about the orchestra she belonged to, a fairly large group of retired men and women who met on Wednesday mornings to rehearse for the occasional concert.  She was happy to learn that I am able to play viola and would love to be part of an orchestra.

When we returned in the fall I signed up to take art lessons from Mardelle.  She was able to teach in a variety of media, and I asked for watercolour lessons.  We also talked about the orchestra and she said, "You'd better get out there!  We've already had three rehearsals."  So that Wednesday I showed up at the rehearsal and was warmly welcomed.

After the rehearsal Mardelle asked me if I would like her to accompany me to the Art Supply store, an offer I gratefully accepted.  We had fun!  She guided me in the choice of several tubes of paint and other supplies.

The following Wednesday we did that again!  We both thought it would be nice to have lunch together, but that day I needed to go home.  I told her I'd make arrangements to go the following week.

That next Wednesday the orchestra rehearsal was somewhat shorter than usual.  Mardelle and I went to a small Mexican restaurant she knew of, but found we were about 40 minutes too early.  We spent that time at a ladies' clothing store and had some more fun!  We both found something we needed at a good price, and then we had taco salads at the restaurant.

I said to Mardelle, Tell me about your children.  Well, that started her on quite a story, all about her son and daughter and the life that she had led.  It was a sad story, with lots of suffering, but a happy ending.  Mardelle had found Jack, her third and current husband, through Match.com and she was very happy with him.  Indeed, Mardelle was a person who laughed a lot.

When we left the restaurant she said, I don't tell many people all that much about myself.  I don't have many good friends, but I feel like I have a new friend in you.  I embraced her and said, I took to you right away!  We were both happy to have an interesting new friend, and looked forward to spending time together.

This past Monday I received an email from Jack saying that the art class was cancelled because Mardelle was in the hospital.  I wrote her an email, wishing her a speedy recovery from whatever problems she was experiencing.  I hoped to see her at orchestra rehearsal today.

I was stunned when I learned there that she had died of an aortic aneurism on Monday around noon.  I feel a deep sense of loss.  The world is a lesser place without that dynamic, inspiring woman.  The concert this coming Sunday will be dedicated to her memory.  Sometime in the future when Jack is able to handle it, there will be a memorial service.

Mardelle was a very talented, warm hearted person, an inspiring art teacher, an encourager.  I will miss her.  You can see her work at http://mardelle.com.

AKA

The sewing room, which I really enjoy now that it's set up, has another use.  With the sewing machine stashed under the shelf, the table with the Ott light (full spectrum) makes a nifty "Painting Studio."

I spent some time today working on a watercolour that I started a week or two ago in painting class.  It proved to be a comfortable working area.  I'm delighted that such a small space can function so well!

Launching the Sewing "Room"

This weekend the sewing "room" got its first use.  Even though it's only 5' x 6' it was reasonably comfortable.  The limited space means that I can roll my chair back from the machine just far enough to stand up.  If I want to move around to cut out squares and press seams I need to put the chair out into the "t.v. room" aka the second bedroom.  That didn't seem to be a real big deal.  The pressing board is a small padded square on the desk just outside the sewing "room."

A shelf at the back of the room holds a small cutting board.  That works just fine for cutting 6 1/2" squares or 4" squares.  I tacked up a bit of the batting that is used in hot pads--I always forget what it's called--the kind that has a metallic side.  It doesn't hold the fabric as well as regular batting.  I'll have to pick up a good sized piece of regular to make a "design wall."

I made a dozen 6 1/2" blocks and 24, 3 1/2" blocks from the extras that were cut off when the 4" squares were trimmed and folded over.  This represents 1/4 of all the blocks for a new lap quilt, very similar to one I made in June.  There are several arrangements possible for these blocks.  I'll play around with them to find an arrangement that I like.

The little fan clamped to the sewing table is a real bonus.  It keeps me comfortable in a room with no air circulation.  I'm so glad I found it at the Swap Meet.

Funny First Loaf

Or maybe I should say, failed first loaf!

Yesterday I baked a loaf of bread for the first time here.  I used the new (second-hand from the swap meet) bread maker to make the dough.  It seemed fine, had good "elasticity."  I treated the dough as usual, rolling it out to a long narrow piece of dough, and then rolling that up into a loaf.

I oiled it a bit and put it in a parchment lined loaf pan.  So far so good.

Then we decided to go out, Jim to the library, and myself to pay a bill and do a little shopping.  If I left the loaf to rise, it would be too high by the time I got back, so I put it in the fridge to "stall" it.

Well, it stalled good and proper.  I took it out when I got home at five and set it in a warm place to rise.  It didn't cooperate.  I turned on the oven and put it on top of the stove, a very warm place.  Still no go.

I oiled it a bit, because the crust looked kind of dry.  No rising resulted.  Finally I oiled it again, and in response this time, the top sank in a little way.

Oh well, I might as well just bake it as it was 9 p.m. by this time.  I took the picture when it came out of the oven--no higher than when it went in!  We've had just a few slices from it, with a bit of cheese.  It's extremely dense, but edible.  Better luck next time!
 

In our walks around the village we are treated to lots of lush foliage and blooms.  This is a spectacular tree just loaded with very pretty white blossoms.  I don't know what kind of tree this is, but it's typical of the blooming shrubs and trees here.  Just beautiful!

It Works

Yesterday I had time to use the new Bissell Rug Cleaner that I bought at the Swap Meet on Saturday.  I'm happy to say that it works, and works well.

I had bought some Folex Rug Cleaner the day before at Home Depot and used that in the tank.  I pretreated some of the worst areas, and they were BAD!!!, with a spray bottle of Folex and then cleaned the carpet with the Bissell Power Steamer.  There's a big, satisfying improvement in how clean the carpet appears.  I went over it twice, and afterwards it was not very wet.  I did let it dry overnight, even though it seemed quite dry by the time we went to bed.

It's only the dining area that is finished.  Some other day I will need to do the rest of the living/dining area.  Then on to the bedrooms.  The Power Steamer has proved to be a good investment.

In the evening we went to the "Welcome Back Spaghetti Dinner" that was put on the Sun Village Board.  The food was good, but was it ever noisy there!  We didn't linger once we had finished our meal.

This morning I went to the orchestra rehearsal, and we had a good one.  Got lots of work done on the music for the upcoming concert on November 16.  We will share the program with a women's chorus, sometimes playing the accompaniment for them.  We will also perform the first movement of Greig's Piano Concerto with a soloist.  There will also be some patriotic music, related to Nov. 11, Veterans' Day, or Remembrance Day.

This afternoon we went to the pool at 3 to swim and relax on lounge chairs in the sun.  I had made just one circuit of the pool when an employee came by and announced that he had to close the whole area because the pool pump had failed.

This photo shows just half of the pool.  There's another part around to the right.

That was a disappointment.  It's a very nice place to spend an afternoon.

When we got home I dragged one of our dining chairs onto our patio to read out there.  Because our unit faces north we don't get any direct sun.  That's nice in a way because it keeps our condo cooler on
a hot day, but it also means that our patio is always in the shade.

It was warm enough to sit out there reading my latest library book, and here's the view from my chair.  Lovely, isn't it?

Found It!

When I left the painting class this afternoon I checked the bulletin board for items people want to sell.  Good thing I did! I was the first one to clip a phone number for a computer table that I thought might just do for a sewing table.

I phoned, was given the address (here in the village) and went right over.  I wasn't sure it would fit, so I went home and remeasured the area, and it's a PERFECT FIT!!!  Only $20, and my sewing set up is good to go!  I'm delighted!