Doing ok

When I made my last post on Monday, I was in bed with a cold. But Tuesday I got up and had a quiet day, which included working on music for the evening River Singers rehearsal, and then went to the rehearsal and actually sang my solo reasonably well. We even were able to go early to the soup and bread meal before rehearsal, and met John and Cynthia there. We've arranged to meet them  next Monday morning to go look at the house in Windham which I wasn't able to see last week because I was in bed.  

Wednesday evening was a rehearsal of the Brattleboro Concert choir. We sang through the entire program: the Allegri Miserere Deus and the Mozart Requiem.  The Allegri still needs a lot of work, and the concert is only one month away. We don't even have any rehearsals during the holiday season. So I hope that we can rise to the occasion.

Today, Ellen is in Northampton where she picked up Tamar after school and is going to spend some time with her. So I'm having a quiet day at home. I just fixed myself some lunch, and I've been listening to a recording that I made of the rehearsal last night. It is a little painful to listen to, but it is revealing, and is giving me some guidance on what I need to do to improve my own contribution. I can't fix everybody, but I can try to do the best I can.

Yesterday morning, we took a break to watch the entire funeral service for George  H. W. Bush. I can't say that I was much of a fan of the 41st president when he was in office, but in today's situation, it seemed important to honor some of the qualities which he had which are so absent in the current president. And as a minister, I'm always interested in seeing what people decide to do in a funeral service. I especially loved hearing the hymn Eternal Father, Strong to Save, the so-called "Navy Hymn," which I have always loved. Though I will have to say that the choral arrangement that they used seemed a little over the top. I think it would've been better just as a congregational hymn. 

Today I believe is the fifth day of Hanukkah. Earlier in the week we got out the menorah, and lit candles the first night, Sunday night. We will probably light the candles again tonight when Ellen gets home. Our beautiful menorah comes from my father, who was a Chaplain in World War II, and was given this menorah by a fellow chaplain, a Jewish rabbi.