About Me

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Ten years into widowhood, after one year of incredible happiness and nearly 14 years of single blessedness. Retired, and mostly enjoying it. Still knitting. [Zen]tangling.again after a brief hiatus.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Walk with Me to the Train Station

I see this old building every night as I head home.



These are flowers in WFAA Park, named for the TV and radio stations.



I love The Katy Building. I drove past it every morning on my way to work. This is taken from two blocks south and is as embiggened as I know how to make it. One day when I have oodles of time, I’ll get closer so that you can see the detail at the top of those columns. They delight me!



And this is the view westward, down Young Street toward Union Station, which is the white building that you glimpse in the distance.



There is a really cool fountain opposite the station. I’ll try to get a picture of it when the panhandlers are busy elsewhere or I have a friend to watch my bags.

And now for a word from the Churchboy Dating Service. Nothing yet from Brother PossiblyNotPsycho, but Brother Sushi says my response to his profile was just about perfect. And he asked around discreetly, and nobody seems to know this guy. [I just checked; he’s read my profile, but made no contact. So I’m thinking that’s a no thank you.]

There was another “match” waiting when I got home from the voice recital. His needs are simple: “I would like to meet someone who likes to be outside. Walks in the woods and goes fishing. Looks aren’t that important.” Sounds to me that what he wants is a fishing buddy! Or perhaps a raccoon? And yes, while I might have mentioned right here on this very blog that I want to learn to fish, I am so not Backwoods Barbie.

Next!

The voice recital on Saturday was about equal parts exquisite and excruciating. Granted, it is difficult in the best of circumstances to stand before an audience [no matter how doting] and sing your heart out. And more so to do it for a grade. For the most part, I think the singers were matched with songs in their range. But there were a couple of kids who were having a Very Bad Day. So bad that I suddenly understood why people used to take cabbages to the opera. So bad that when Firstborn passed me two smallish breath mints, one for me and one for Brother Sushi, I thought, “OK, one for each ear, but how am I going to get them out again, and what is he going to do?”

You will be pleased to know that LittleBit did us proud. She fumbled some of the lyrics in her solos [almost everybody did, at least once], but every blessed note was on pitch. And her duet with her BFFE [they go all the way back to first grade] made me weep, but for all the right reasons. They sang the “Flower Song” from Lakmé. It’s one aria that doesn’t make my teeth hurt.

The second Serpentine [small] is done.



Lest you think that I have artfully fiddled the Serpentine [medium] pair to make it seem as if there are two pairs?



Work is likely to be crazy today. Two of my team members are off for a daughter’s / granddaughter’s kindergarten graduation. Ask me later what I think about kindergarten graduations, sixth grade graduations, and eighth grade graduations, none of which ~ thankfully ~ we have yet endured in this tribe. And another proud grandma has one tomorrow.

OK, I’ll just tell you now. I think they devalue the really important ones that come later: high school and college. I think it is all part of the whole PC let’s make sure they feel good about themselves movement.

And now I have 15 minutes to get ready and head for the train. Review of Lark’s choir concert, later this week.

2 comments:

Jenni said...

It should be "So your kid only ate half a jar of paste and two crayons this year. They know their ABC's and most of their colors. Already they are smarter than a fifth grader so they are going to 1st grade. Here is your school supply list for next year."
Done!

Bonnie said...

I totally agree, which is why although BittyBit is required to attend her preschool graduation, I won't be inviting extended family. I think it is utterly ridiculous. Thanks for picking me up last night so that I could attend Lark's concert.