Beethoven Performance Saturday...and a Marathon

Every Tuesday night since mid-January I have been in rehearsals for


Ludwig Von Beethoven

 

Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.

Tomorrow (Saturday, April 20) is the

big day. Our performance is at

8:00p.m. CDT. You can watch it "live"

at music.ou.edu, once there in the

middle of the page, is a tab that says

concerts and events. Click on it and

 on the next page is the link to take

 you to “live streaming”.

 

Last night was the first time that all the choirs working on it have come together along with the orchestra. All have worked hard on their music along with learning the German pronunciation.

What makes this performance so special are several things. This was Beethoven's last major work. He had totally lost his hearing by this time, but the words to “Ode to Joy” have special meaning even in today’s culture. Can you imagine having all this music in your head and not being able to hear it and yet put it all together and it becomes a glorious work? What genius!

18 years ago today, April 19th, 1995 Timothy McVeigh bombed

the Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, killing

168 people including 19 children under the age of 6 and wounding

680 others . This city, state and nation came together and bonded

like no other.

Chairs at the Oklahoma City Memorial

2002 Terrorists killed thousands in bringing down the World Trade

Towers, flying into the Pentagon and a lone field in Pennsylvania.

Again Americans and people around the world came together and

bonded making the American Spirit stronger. This past Monday 2

young terrorists bombed the Boston Marathon killing 3, maiming

and injuring over 175 people. More were killed in the capture of

one of the terrorist; the other was killed in a shoot-out. Again this

week Americans rose to the challenge and we held each other as

brothers. No color, no religion, no creed or politics but as one nation

 united.

Beethoven writes "All mankind are brothers plighted where thy

gentle wings abide. O ye millions I embrace ye! Here's a joyful kiss a

 kiss for all! Brothers o'er yon starry sphere, Sure there dwells a

loving Father. O ye millions, I embrace ye! God descended, God

descended."

Is it providence that we sing this work this weekend? It's a work so appropriate for this space, this time, yet it was chosen months ago for this performance, who could have known how badly these words are needed. It brings hope, healing, love and fills our hearts with joy.

Next weekend is the Oklahoma City Memorial Run. The Boston

Marathoners have been invited here to finish their race. The

marathon runners here are showing their solidarity by wearing red

sox’s for the run.

For all of you out there, we are only strong if we stand together, so

in closing…Here's a joyful kiss, a kiss for all!

630 Days and counting!

 

 

 

 

 

Linda and Linda....Maggie and John

I had Friday and Monday off last week so it made for a nice 4 day weekend. I managed to get quite a few things done that I had been wanting to do. I got my seeds started in homemade pots made out of newspapers. Got more tree debris picked up out of the back yard from

where we had it cut down. We had a good day of rain on Tuesday, the storms that were to develop didn't and we are thankful, but it did bring some very cold air in so I had to break out some of my sweaters to wear for a few days.

The two Linda’s texted to see if we wanted to see a movie. Of course! We were game and met them at the Hollywood Theatre here in Norman to see "Identity Theft" with Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy,

Linda B - Me - Linda S

hilarious! She is one funny lady. Afterwards we went to Cracker Barrel for dinner and to catch up with the girls and their adventures. Dave and the Linda's had meals from the breakfast menu but since it was Friday I had the Friday Fish Fry. I swear that I am getting catfish instead of the Cod that I order, third time in a row. But I digress...Both of the girls had Lasik surgery last year and are doing well. One of the Linda's is going to have to have a touch up for her astigmatism though. She was telling us about an internship that she got to the White Violet Center for Eco-Justice for next fall; it sounds great and such an opportunity for her. I know she will enjoy it and take away many wonderful experiences and memories. After dinner we sat out on the front porch of Cracker Barrel and had more of our questions answered about full-timing and working out on the road.

The Three Musketeers aka Fur Babies aka Trouble

It was getting late and we had to get back to the house and feed the troops and let them out for a potty break. They too had to get back to their rig to let Boomer out as well. Doggies can hold it only so long and then...well you get the drift.

 

The Linda's moved out of the area Thursday and up the highway about 25 miles to Oklahoma City and the Twin Fountains RV Park. to work there for two weeks. We will see them again before they leave the area and head west.

About three weeks ago we met a couple out watching for the comet. Maggie and John Thompson are a delightful couple our age who sold their home and have moved into an RV Park west of Norman. We met up with them on Sunday and had dinner at Cheddars here in Norman.

John and Maggie

John is semi-retired and will fully retire in a couple of years. He works for a company that makes and fits braces on existing limbs. Maggie is retired from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center but has a therapy dog named Bailey which she takes up to the hospital and makes the rounds in the Adult care section. Bailey is a Morkie (Maltese and Yorkie mix). They have another Morkie, April who is just a youngster and a real cutie pie. We had a delightful time talking and dinner was wonderful. They brought their iPad to show us some of the pictures of their Alaska trip. Wow what a wonderful trip and wonderful pictures. Thanks for sharing you two. We plan to hook up again.

A big shout out to two new followers on my blog, WestieWaggin' and MAGGIE MAE. Both of these couples live within 15 miles of us. Amazing how you can meet new people on the Blogs that you would have never met before. I am lovin' it!

636 Days and counting!