The much-feared month of December is nearly upon us. Even in the most southern part of Canada, this is a month to dread. Snow, sleet, slush, cold, wind, and, of course, darkness, it is a month to endure. Then comes January. Ugh. So far, November has been a peach. Today we made it up to 54 F, and tomorrow 60 F is promised. Many of the days have also reached the much cooler normal highs for the day, so it's hard to complain. We'll see what next week has in store.
This morning we went for a walk in Ojibway Forest, a preserve on the south edge of Windsor, and not far from our Amherstburg home. The woods were lovely, but not too dark or deep. It's eerie being in the woods in late autumn, when you can see into them so far. I remember days long gone when autumn walks at Lake Penage held so much mystery and awe. I miss them terribly.
After our walk we went to a new brewery in Windsor. Sandwich Brewing Company opened about two weeks ago, after about two years of renovations and licensing issues. They had four beer on today, and I tried three of them. They also have a vegan cheese board on offer, which was truly wonderful! The beers were good; quite above average. Their most tempting one was sold out, and will not be replenished for about ten days. I'll be there when it is!
I skipped Big Investment, but tried the other 3 on offer. Looking forward to Hash Brown in about 10 days.
Sunday, Nov. 26th/17
Wow, where does a whole week go! Not to Hallam Observatory for astronomy. Not around here. What a miserable session it was. December can only be better, one would think. We have both been busy as Ma and Pa Beaver. I've been teaching (way too much), reading (a lot), attending Iaido (photo below), and practicing piano. Deb has been hard at work on her newest short animated film, which might be mostly done by the New Year.
From the Iaido afternoon workshop, Sat. Nov. 18th. My Sensei is front, kneeling, 2nd from right. The big boss is 3rd from right. Roger Jarrett is head of all Iaido dojos in North America. His son is beside him, also a master swordsman. The little cutie on the far left came with her family from Ohio today. She is 8. Don't mess with her!
Last week I had 2 new students come for piano lessons. Jayne had studied with me before, since she was 5. At 11 she stopped coming. Her family had moved farther away. But she's back, only taller (though still 11). And April also came for her first lesson, though she, too, has studied (elsewhere) since she was little. She is 13 and in Gr. 8 at school, and seems like a very pleasant girl to work with. Combined with the three new students who began in September, there is no end in sight for me actually retiring. Still, the bank account grows (teaching money goes into a travel fund), and we recently booked ourselves flights to London for late April.
Caroline should be back from Chile and Easter Island tomorrow or Tuesday. Looking forward to eventually hearing about her adventures.
Sunday, Nov. 19th/17
And so a lovely week off from teaching comes to an end. It's not so bad, as I only have one adult student Monday mornings. Of my Tuesday students, one adult is off till January with foot surgery, and one of my leading young students is on vacation. So this Tuesday will be a bit lighter, with 4 students instead of 6. Wednesday will bring 4 as well, including a former student returning, one I haven't seen since June. Thursday I will again have 4 students, including a brand new one (for me). She is 13 and has studied before. When everyone does eventually show up, I will have 15 students. Only one of them studies for an hour. 6 of them study with me for 45 minutes, and the rest for 30 minutes. I will survive. Besides, there are only five lessons until the Christmas break.
I am trying to put a strong finish to my Iaido classes before the cold and snow hit. Yesterday I attended a 4-hour workshop with Sensei Jarret and his son Chris, both of them at the very top of the Iaido pyramid. I always feel like a near-beginner when watching them demonstrate. Though I have some apparent stiffness in the old body today, it's not as bad as I was expecting, and I will likely attend class tonight.
We have booked flights to London for late April. In addition to furthering our hiking progress on the London Loop, we hope to visit one other city for a few days and nights. For now, York or Birmingham are in the running. Spring seems like such a long way away.
This astronomy session has turned into the very worst it can be. With only one clear night so far (Wed. the 8th), it has been a disaster. It might clear later tonight, and it might be clear tomorrow night, but the winds are howling so strongly that it would be impossible to use a telescope. Sigh.
Wednesday, Nov. 15th/17
Vacation week has been great so far. You don't realize how much stress goes into evening teaching until you stop doing it. At the beginning of this year I lost a pair of sisters who were withdrawn by overworked parents. Now one of the girls is coming back, bringing my studio up to 15. Where will it end? While I am thrilled to have Jayne back on the piano bench, I finally have to admit that I am full. No more.
My practicing has been going very well. My new program will have some familiar elements to it: 3 Bach Little Preludes, an early Haydn sonata (F+), 3 pieces related to the solar system (one of Mars and two of the Moon), 3 Songs Without Words by Mendelssohn, and a Hungarian Rhapsody by Liszt. It will be a good concert, when it is ready. I want everything playable by Jan. 1st.
Meanwhile, Iaido is going great. I will be attending 4 times this week, including a 4-hour seminar on Saturday. I will likely break off for January and February, due to driving conditions that time of year. But I am beginning to feel like a black belt again!
We went to the Lasalle Medical Clinic today for our flu shots. In and out in five minutes! There was a crisis occurring on our visit. An ambulance arrived while we were getting injected. As we left, Lasalle Fire Service was arriving to assist. Then, as we drove away, three police cars roared in. Very strange.
Tonight we are putting together a new bed for the downstairs room. Some assembly definitely required.
Anita is off to London again tomorrow, for her second of three chemo weeks. After next week she will be reassessed, with hopefully more positive results following on the heels of her last good report card.
And finally on tonight's news, Caroline is in Chile for a week, before jetting of to Easter Island to see some stone heads. Wishing her a fantastic journey!
Sunday, Nov. 12th/17
I am enjoying my first weekend of vacation. Usually we are travelling at this time, often to London. For the past two years we have travelled in October (2016 to climb Wheeler Peak, and September 2017 to visit Vienna). Next year at this time we hope to visit Vienna again, mainly to take in a Bruegel exhibit. Anyway, I'm home all week. It is also the time of month for astronomy, but no clear nights are predicted at all. I had an early night last Wednesday, and a good thing, because it looks like the only one I will get this time. I hate having to rush out right after teaching and set up in the dark, so of course it would have been nice to get out to the observatory in good time this week. Alas, it is not to be.
I have an intense week of piano practice planned, and the same with Iaido. I attended class tonight, and will do so again on Monday and Thursday. Saturday there is a 4-hour workshop with the head of our organization. Looking forward to a productive week!
Philip's Beethoven recital is still resonating with me, and definitely affecting the way I have been practicing since Friday. Tomorrow I will message him with some thoughts on the concert, and then try to arrange a lesson or two before Christmas.
It has been a very miserable day, with the temperature just above freezing and rain falling all day. Looking at the current weather map, there is snow and sleet all around us. My drive to Windsor and back tonight was uneventful. I will not drive to Iaido in January and February, waiting till Spring to resume my training.
Our current weather map--we live right beside the "N" of Trenton, underneath Detroit and Wyandotte.
Saturday, Nov. 11th/17
It's a chilly day for outdoor Remembrance Day ceremonies. We have been locked into a brief but extreme cold front for two days, though relief is on the way. Thank you to Uncle Jack, who gave his life in WW11, and to all the other veterans (and police and firefighters) who frequently put their lives in danger to protect civilians and their freedom. You are never forgotten, yet seldom celebrated. Thank you.
Last evening was Philip Adamson's 3rd piano recital in the Beethoven Sonata series. Dr. Adamson also retired from the University of Windsor (40 years!), and was celebrated afterwards with a small reception and some lovely speeches. The good news is that Philip announced he is continuing with the Beethoven cycle, and has six more concerts planned! Last night he again played four of the sonatas, including two that I had studied and performed (there are 32 altogether--I have learnt 10, I think, spread out over many years). The performance was utterly amazing, with Philip at the peak of his substantial interpretive and technical powers. Randy and Anita were present, as well as a very good turnout from ORMTA, the professional teaching organization to which I belong. Philip, whether teaching me in a lesson or by performing one of his recitals, always inspires me to push myself harder. I've had a pretty good practice session so far today, with more to come. I hope to get together with him for a lesson soon.
And finally, I have put up some blog photos and a bit of blab regarding our recent trip to Marshal, MI. Look in the left column for a link to American Midwest. I am on a week-long break from teaching, and hoping for some clear skies, lots of piano practice, lots of reading and writing, and perhaps a craft beer or three.
Tuesday, Nov. 7th/17
We got back this afternoon from a two-night vacation to Michigan. We stayed at an historic Inn in Marshall on Sunday night and Monday night. As I had to teach today, we had to be back by 4 pm. We left Sunday morning, spending time at the DIA visiting three special exhibits. More on these later, when we return. There was a Monet painting exhibit based on his flower paintings in his own garden. Then there was a spectacular painting exhibit on Frederic Church's archaeology works, with some pretty major paintings on display! We can't wait to get back here and see this again. I purchased the catalogue, and we hope to attend an all-day symposium in early December. The final exhibit was the annual Offrenda one, tied in the Day of the Dead. There were some (as usual) outstanding creations for this exhibit.
We had lunch Sunday in Detroit, then headed west. I will detail the trip on my Midwest blog. The photos are edited and I will likely get it all done tomorrow.
I picked up another student today, bringing me to 14 (about 10 too many). Next week is an off week, so we may take a day trip to the Toledo Museum of Art mid-week. Other plans involve astronomy, though it is beginning to get mighty cold. The November session begins tomorrow night. This Friday, my piano instructor is performing an all-Beethoven program at the university. I am really looking forward to this! Hopefully my practicing resumes tomorrow.
Thursday, Nov. 2nd/17
Even though November is here, hardly any leaves are on the ground. Many are still green. We haven't had the cold weather to get them to turn bright colours, though I guess there is still time. We are one night away from the next full moon, and it's been cloudy now for well over a week. It's not looking too good for next week, either. Despite some rainy days and cold, blustery weather, we have managed to kick start the walking program again. That, combined with my twice-weekly visits to the dojo, pass for my exercise program.
We enjoyed a quiet Samhain holiday, with great food, a wood fire, and fun music. As per usual, we had no kids come door to door this year. We always give out stuff to our music students at their lessons that week. We still decorated, but all that will come down tomorrow, getting put back in the box until next year.
We are off to Michigan for 2 nights later this weekend. In addition to staying at an historic inn and visiting some smaller towns, I will be able to restock my beer supply for the cold winter nights ahead. We are allowed 48 bottles if we stay 48 hours. Saturday night is the end of the much-despised Daylight Savings Time for this year. It will be dark earlier in the evening (great for astronomy, if it is ever clear again) and lighter in the mornings, at least for a while.
Deb is working on her newest film project, a short film starring Alice in Wonderland, and a lamp post. If that doesn't grab you, then I don't know what would. Her little films have so far garnered 3 first prizes, along with being screened all over the world. Pretty amazing stuff!
My reading project continues. I just finished a novel by Robert Silverberg, and am now reading a book of short stories by Norman Spinrad. I'm also preparing a new winter constellation, getting observing sheets ready for Orion, a major multi-year project.
News Flash! We are currently experiencing heavy rain and some thunder, so I am shutting this contraption down for now. Good night!
Mapman Mike
