Today is my birthday. Not something to shout about, since, if we still breath they tend to happen, but as the weather is doing its usual "Hi Ray, this is what we think of you" stuff, with gales and pouring rain. I have time on my hands. Never a good thing for me.
I have a shopping list and guess what, on Monday I will still have that list. Not for me the brave forays into the eye of the storm.
Last evening was choir practice evening, and I got wet going there and again coming home so there is no temptation to repeat the experiment.
We sang our way through a massive amount of music - in the lead-up to Easter we double the amount we have to learn - and we sang much of it really rather well. The bats came out to do their 'fly-past', always a sign that we are making a nice noise.
Some of the choir are getting involved in music for the Methodist church around the corner in addition to our own hefty programme. While I admire their energy, I do rather question the wisdom of too much rehearsal.
In my own experience I find that usually one or other of the enterprises will suffer.
However, not my call, so enough of that.
Our lovely and extremely highly qualified singer, voice coach, conductor/musical director has chosen some really rather lovely stuff for us to perform (if that is the right word), and while it is often difficult to learn, it pays dividends in the final performance.
We have the Bishop coming to do the usual Easter Saturday confirmations and baptisms and he will I think, be suitably impressed by the difference in the quality of the sound we now produce. At least, I hope so.
On a personal level, I find the vast increase in my confidence now that I am an established member of the choir has huge benefits to all everyday things, as well as physical benefits.
Though I am even more inclined to avoid mirrors, this new better balanced, confident person is (at least on the inside) a welcome improvement.
Singing is wonderful. If you've never tried it do so, it is never to late.
Happy Birthday Ray, we have just had a glimpse of Sunshine and so I am trying to blow it over in your direction (can you blow sunshine???). Love hearing your singing news x.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Ray. What a lovely way to celebrate to stay indoors in your own warm comfy house doing what you want to do and ignoring the raging tempest outside.
ReplyDeleteYou're quite right, singing is very good for you, especially whilst the tempest is raging but you are practising all that lovely Easter stuff (ditto Christmas).
As for the shopping list - well don't starve of course, but unless the fairies come & do it, it will still be there in the morning (or failing that there is always Tesco.com!)
Have a good day.
Hi Jane. Thanks for the birthday wishes and yes, it would appear you can blow sunshine. At least some did come and look at me briefly (I cut back a rose), before being replaced by the mixture as before.
ReplyDeleteSinging news is pretty much all the news I have these days, so no doubt there will be more in due course!
glad it worked! xxxx
DeleteMany thanks Doorkeeper. Yes it is good to have a warm comfortable (if not overly clean) house. I could of course clean the house from top to bottom, but not only is the flesh weak, but the spirit is conspicuous by its absence.
ReplyDeleteThere is no danger of my starving though fresh fruit and greenstuff is dwindling. Monday will be soon enough.
I tried TESCO on line but had such difficulty making sense of their order form that I gave up.
Nice to hear from you.
Blessings.
Happy Birthday Ray. How lovely to be good at singing. I am sure your Easter audience will appreciate your hard work and talent.
ReplyDeleteThanks Suem. It is nice to be good at something, anything, or at least good enough to be able to indulge in a hobby without embarrassment.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to hear what people think at Easter.
Best wishes for a very Happy Birthday! I so envy your ability to sing and to be part of the music of Easter! I expect your performances will be wonderful. Hope you have a lovely evening...
ReplyDeleteThankyou for the good wishes Broad. It is good to be able to sing at my great age, but I have no illusions about the quality of that sound these days.
ReplyDeleteLike everything else physical, it ain't what it was.
It is still pouring outside so this seems like a good place to spend the evening.
Belated birthday greetings, Ray, and i think you were very wise to spend it at home in that weather. Singing is one of the most enjoyable activities I know, even though my decent singing voice has been wrecked by inhaled steroids and I now have gaps in my register. There has been plenty of research proving all the benefits of regular singing, so keep it up. :-) I wish I could hear the final results of all your hard work.
ReplyDeleteThankyou Perpetua. I suppose it is necessary to mark in some small way the relentless march of time.
ReplyDeleteI received three separate gifts of flowers and some lovely cards which are helping to dispel the gloom created by the weather.
I too use beconase for 9 months of the year and am not looking forward to starting it any day now.
It does, over a period of years totally change the 'echo chamber' in the head and makes for unequal and sometimes unpredictable tone quality.
Today's anthem was "Drop, drop (sorry, senior moment) the rest of the title escapes me, but it is by Orlando Gibbons and is really beautiful.
We had quite a few compliments afterwards.
I know 'Drop, drop, slow tears.' It's wonderful!
DeleteThanks Perpetua. I'm glad one of us has a working brain.
ReplyDeleteIt really is a lovely thing isn't it?