Despite all the rain we have had lately, I have had two clear nights since Friday! I managed to log just over 35 galaxies in that time, a pretty amazing feat. Many were grouped, with a group of seven and a group of six helping to speed things up. It certainly gives on a unique perspective on life, the universe, and everything.
This is a triple medical appointment week for Deb. Today she saw Dr. McCaffrey again, following up on last week's MRI. She is booked for surgery on May 31st, with recovery expected to take 6 months. Ouch! No travelling for us for awhile. Tomorrow she sees her brand new family doctor, just to get things rolling with him. And on Thursday is her RA infusion. A busy week without doing very much.
The grass got cut yesterday, but it was driving the tractor through a rice paddy. Water is everywhere, and the fields are swamped. And we have not put away our winter jackets yet, either. When I left the observatory last night around midnight, it was 39 F. Just as cold this morning, too. It rained today, and will continue to do so until at least Thursday. Pretty insane.
Deb's 2nd film selection from the Criterion Channel (and our 4th so far) was from 1947, a fully restored technicolour extravaganza directed by Alexander Korda. Based on "An Ideal Husband" by Oscar Wilde, it was difficult to concentrate on the words, as the visuals simply swept us away! Fully remastered, this seemed as much an LSD trip than a movie. Stunning costumes in even more stunning colours, outrageous and over sized hats, ballrooms, bedrooms, outdoor promenades--this is a film to see, if not to hear. Of course the script is wonderful and filled with quotable quotes by the dozen, and Michael Wilding steals every scene he is in with his good grace and winning smile (and fabulous wardrobe). Great stuff!
I have been slogging away at my new pieces for just over a month now. I can barely play the Bach Prelude; I can't manage the 4-part fugue at all yet. I am working only on the the first movement of the Haydn Sonata in Bb, leaving the other two parts until I can play the first well enough. The Schubert Impromtu is 11 pages long, and I am slowly getting my hands around the first 9 pages. The Bartok Allegro Barbaro is a piece like no other, and I have always wanted to learn it. Really really fun! It is as close as I will ever get to riding with a conquering barbarian horde! After that loud and very energetic piece, I will finish things off with a lovely waltz by Brahms.
Tomorrow night is Beltane, and we will enjoy our final wood fire of the season. We will also undertake to watch my next film choice, a movie I saw only once maybe 35 years ago or more in Detroit, and have always wanted to see again. What is it? Tune in to my next blog entry and you will find out. When time permits, I will continue with my DIA art theme, too. For now, I still have a lot of astronomy notes to write up.
Mapman Mike
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