May 2018

Thursday, May 31st/18 

I had hoped for a fun day in Detroit on Saturday.  However, we just found out that the annual Grand Prix race is this weekend, and the Toronto Blue Jays are playing ball against the Tigers.  So the border will be much more jammed than usual.  I really wanted to get to John King books, but it will have to wait.

We are just finishing up a nasty week long heat wave and attack of humidity, brought on by the approach and presence of tropical storm Alberto.  Things are supposed to improve by late Friday, but it's been a bad week.  Kids are literally burning out in overheated schools.  Detroit had the good sense to send home students three days over the past week.  Our kids (and teachers) sit and swelter in classrooms above 90 F.

We just finished listening to  Haydn Symphony #25 in C Major, pairing it with Mozart Piano Concerto in C Major (#13).  Last weekend we watched a 1966 BBC production of Britten's Billy Budd, a full-length opera based on the book by Herman Melville.  It's a jolly time aboard a British warship in 1797, as men are conscripted (kidnapped) to serve in the navy.  It's a laugh a minute as Billy is persecuted by an officer to the point where he strikes the officer and kills him.  The final scene, where Billy is hanged and the men are shown watching, is one of the most chilling things I have ever seen.  For King and Country, and all that....

I am now teaching Monday to Wednesday, and so have Thursdays off instead of Monday.  Had I realized earlier what was going on this weekend in Detroit, I would have gone over today instead of waiting for Saturday.  Damn! 

It is coming up to the 2nd anniversary of my Avon/Equinox reading and blogging project.  220 books read and discussed on-line.  I'm currently reading a massive (780 pages) collection of works by Farmer that were not widely published after their first time around.  So far it is one of the most brilliant collections of stories I have ever read!  When Farmer is on the mark, he is one of the best SF authors to have ever penned a story.  It will take me quite a while to finish this one, as I write about each story, and there are a lot of them.

Sunday, May 27th/18 

All of the London journal work is complete.  It took nearly a month, but such are things during a busy life.  The website is complete.  Columbus, Ohio is coming up in three weeks, then a solo trip to Sudbury in July, Deb to Lindsay in August, and then off to New Mexico on a long road trip in September.  

I've had to rearrange some teaching.  Instead of Thursday, I will now teach on Monday.  So this week I get a shortened weekend, but I am done on Wednesdays now until early September!  

The heat has arrived!  We are suffocating under a heat warning, and mostly staying indoors.  Either too cold or too hot.  As the moon nears full we have had four or five nights of clear skies, too.  Because of late sunsets, June is a less than ideal month for observing anyway.  Still, it would be nice to occasionally have a clear night when the moon isn't bright.

 A favourite shot of Arundel castle.

Thursday, May 24th/18 

Another busy week of teaching has flown past.  All students showed up except for one, making it a pretty long week.  But it's over, and a very hot, long weekend lies ahead.  We got the air conditioner installed upstairs, otherwise there would be no sleeping or reading up there.  The grass got cut, the third time this year.  And actually it was the first time that a big part of the lawn got mowed.  It was still wet and muddy in places, but at least not under several inches of water.  More rain coming Saturday.  Yay.

Tonight I am working on the final page of the London blog, the one concerned with pubs.  It's always fun to do that one.  I will continue to add a photo or two here that I have not used on the webpage, until I run out. 

The listening program continues apace.  Haydn Symphony #23 is up next, and Britten's Op 50, an opera called "Billy Budd." Brahms Op 50 will follow the opera.  Piano practice has been more sporadic than I would like, but progress on the new pieces is steady, if slow.

In gaming news, we have finished our replay of "The Longest Journey," a fabulous story based game that we first played many years ago.  And we have started on a much older game, "Gabriel Knight 1: Sins of the Father."  It was remastered in 2017, and is playable on modern equipment.  So far it's a lot of fun!  I have played the two sequels and enjoyed them both very much (Jane Jenson is the writer, and her work is quite special).

 Anita had her 2nd round of the new chemo treatment today.  It's bi-weekly, so a bit less driving involved.  Hopefully we will see her on the weekend.  Even more hopefully there will be some good news to report in a few weeks.

Walking along the River Crane, London Loop.

Sunday, May 20th/18 

2018 is showing signs of being just as hostile to amateur astronomers as 2017 was.  There has been no let up with the clouds and the rain.  Yesterday we had 1.7" of rain, and today has been darkly cloudy and threatening, though no rain has fallen.  It's been amazing weather for the   lilacs and flowering trees, however.

Without astronomy to interfere with my life, I have had time for piano, writing, and the London project.  I have finished working on the written journal of our recent voyage to London and its environs, and have now completed two parts of the on-line version.  Look left for a link to the London blog!  Enjoy some amazing photos, and our memories of yet another fun trip to the 2nd best city in the world!

Wednesday, May 16th/18  

We are one day past new moon, and the clouds won't let up.  I've had two decent outings in two weeks, and that is all I'm going to get.  Despite promises of "excellent" skies tonight, it is completely hopeless.  Always nice to know that people get paid for these forecasts.

Last Saturday was the 11th annual Michigan Cask Ale Festival.  I did a short write up on my Midwest blog (see links at the left on this page).  It was in the mid-40s, raining (we were outdoors but under a big tent), but the crowds were out regardless.  Jenn and I sampled about a dozen ales of the 25 on offer, discovering a few choice ones on our journey.  Deb walked to the nearby shopping mall for a few hours, then joined us at the festival near the end.  She had the job of driving us home safely afterwards, and she aced the task.  I might even use her services again (and again!).

The rains have finally ceased for a few days.  I was finally able to get out and cut grass today (along with the entire neighbourhood), though there are parts of our lawn that are still underwater and I have been unable to cut at all this year.  

While we have no plans for the weekend (it is a long weekend for Canada--Queen Victoria's birthday!), we have been planning summer visits to family.  I will go solo to Sudbury this year, and Deb will visit her Mom in Lindsay for her 90th birthday.  Deb's trip will be a combination of train, bus, and plane.  Mine will be strictly flying.  Our next big trip is to Columbus, Ohio, as we return to Origins to the film festival there, where two of Deb's movies will be shown.  There is seldom a week somewhere where one of her films is not shown.  If only we could somehow get rich from all this success!

Friday, May 12th/18 

An entire day at home seems like such a luxury! And a good thing, too.  It was cold and it rained much of the day.  Two hours of piano done, finished a novel, worked a lot on the London journal, and basically had a day to just relax with the cats.  They always appreciate a day when we are both around.  We have a fire on just now.

Tomorrow I will be paying a visit to the annual Detroit Cask Ale Festival.  This will be my 2nd visit; I have not attended in many years.  There is a shopping mall nearby, and that's where Deb will wait, before driving me home (I will likely be singing much of the way back).  Jenn G. is coming along, too.  Should be a lot of fun!

Anita G. is now in a new phase of chemotherapy, undergoing two drugs untried on her.  The first batch did not give her the kick she needed, so it's on to Plan B.  So much is happening with Anita just now that it is difficult to report on it.  But we are in constant touch with Randy, and are trying to keep up with things.  A long-awaited allergy test is finally scheduled.  This will indicate whether or not contrast dyes can be used to help better diagnose her progress.  Hopefully this is one test that she will ace!

Thursday, May 10th/18  

It has been a very busy and hectic week.  At least the teaching part is done.  It was clear Monday night and Tuesday night, throwing off my entire schedule of practicing and writing up my London travel notes.   The nights were clear, crisp and dry, and I logged so many objects that I just managed to finish up my notes today.  It is now supposed to be cloudy forever, so that may be it for this session.  Tuesday night I taught till 8:45.  I was out the door before 9 pm, heading for the observatory.  I was pretty tired, having got bed very late the night before.  Two nights in a row in spring means a badly shifted body clock.

On Wednesday night Deb had a short film being shown at a small independent film festival in Detroit.  I shortened my Wed. teaching and we blasted off for Detroit.  We left home at 6:15 pm and managed to get to the theatre by 6:50!!  From Amherstburg to the heart of Detroit in 35 minutes is very impressive.  Ten films were selected.  Deb had entered "You Are Here," her post card film that takes place along a forested lake shore.  At 59 seconds it was the shortest of the bunch.  The only other film I really liked was called "White Time," about a bearded Yemeni American flying back to Yemen, and what he feels compelled to do to make his flight less challenging from a security angle.  Thus he tries to make himself appear respectable and "more white."  The film was amusing, but had a very serious message.

Today was just a normal day, with 3 1/2 hours of teaching.  After finishing my astronomy notes I got to finally work on my London journal for a time.  And I managed one genuine hour of piano practice, my first since Monday.  A short but challenging bike ride got fit into my timetable as well.

We have been having a lot of heat and humidity for the past few days, but a strong cold front is moving in as I write.  Some cold and cloudy, rainy days are ahead for the weekend.  Sounds like a good time to stay home and get caught up on some reading, writing, and practicing.

Sunday, May 6th/18  

Friday night turned into a beautifully clear night!  I stayed two and a half hours at the observatory before heading home.  Saturday was filled with projects, including getting the London photo prints developed, writing up observing notes from the previous night, and beginning to write this month's astronomy article for the club newsletter.  It is due tonight, but will not be finished in time.  C'est la vie!

It has been one week since returning from London.  I am already looking forward to a return trip.  We are so advanced on our walking program that it would be a real shame if we had to quit now.  Before London,though, we are hoping for a return to Vienna.  One short visit to that amazing city is not nearly enough!

New piano pieces have been officially underway for a week now.  It was not a great week of practice, but I did manage more hours than I thought I would.  Hearing someone like Louis Lortie perform with the Detroit Symphony is an experience that I find very uplifting, and it makes me want to practice as much as possible.  The first half of my next program sounds a familiar theme--some short pieces by Bach, and two early sonatas by Haydn.  The second half will be weighed down by a major piece by Robert Schumann, his Papillons.  I hope to also include a few more of Alexina Louie's astronomy pieces.  Someday I hope to perform the entire suite at one sitting.

We visited Randy and Anita today, as Anita prepares for a new phase of aggressive treatment for her liver cancer.  Her first chemo in the new regime is scheduled for Thursday, preceded by a biopsy on Tuesday, both in London, ON.  She still seems up for the fight, which is remarkable, considering what she already been through.  It is nearly impossible to keep Anita from our thoughts, and we hope some positive vibes are emanating her way from our general direction!!

I am working hard on the written volume of our London adventures.  In the meantime, here is a second photos from our recent journey.

A unique insect bench, along the London Loop between Fulwell Station and Hatton Cross Station.

Friday, May 4th/18 

It's been a busy week back home.  Though I did have a few absences this week from lessons, it still seemed as if everyone came.  One week down, 7 more and a student concert to go.  I have been editing London photos, and there are some lovely ones.  I now have a batch ready for printing, and that will happen Saturday or Sunday.  Then next week I can work on the written volume. 

While we were away Deb had some amazing successes with her various movies.  The main thing was that two of her films were accepted for screening at Origins in Columbus, Ohio.  This marks the 2nd year in a row they have accepted two of her films!  We will be in Columbus in mid-June.  She also has acceptances from Cardiff, Berlin, Barcelona, and New York City.  Not too bad for an Amherstburg gal!!

Today we went to hear the DSO perform in Detroit.  Louie Lortie, one of my very favourite pianists (he is also French Canadian) was performing the Beethoven 3rd Concerto.  It was pure poetry from start to finish between him and the orchestra.  A very sublime experience!  Also on the program were three Scandinavian works, all quite short, but quite good.  The Nielson piece (he is Danish) explored the Faroe Islands.  A piece on the 2nd half used recorded bird songs from northern Finland to accompany the orchestra, and worked quite well.  The third movement was especially pleasing, with flocks of trumpeter swans flying overhead as the orchestra breathed along with them.  Called "Concerto For Birds and Orchestra, Cantus Arcticus," we will hear it tomorrow again on the live internet broadcast from Orchestra Hall.  The final movement on the program was the 7th Symphony of Sibelius, a one-movement work of unique scale and beauty.  He uses the orchestra in wonderful ways, including a huge brass section.

While we were in Detroit there was a terrific windstorm and rainstorm.  As of now, hundreds of thousands of people are without power in Michigan, and quite a few on our side, too.  Winds went up to 65 miles per hour, and the rain pelted down like a hurricane.  It is a clear sky now, and the wind is dropping.  I am hoping to head out to Comber soon for some observing.   Quite a day!!

April 2018

Monday, April 30th/18 

We are back from a short but very fun trip to London, UK.  It was my 15th visit, and Deb's 13th.  There was walking.  There were museums.  There were concerts.  There was a castle.  A really big castle.  And there were pubs, including some glorious ones.

We got home five hours later than planned, due to a missed connection in Toronto.  However, we were booked on the next flight to Windsor, but it ended up leaving one hour late.  So we were home at 10:30 pm instead of around 5:50 pm.  However, all flights were smooth and comfortable.  Air Canada got all our meals right, too.

I am currently editing the photos, and will get some printed later this week.  Then I will complete the written volume.  Only after that is done will I work on the London and Europe blog.  So it may be awhile before most of the photos are on view.  In the meantime, I will post one here each time I blog.

Tonight is not only a full moon, but it is Beltane!  Last wood fire of the season is on now, and I am sipping the last single malt Scotch as well.  New Tarot cards, too.  My last card was Merlin, which is pretty interesting, seeing as I managed a trip to London during its tenure.  Not only that, but I finally got around to reading T.H. White's "Once And Future King," giving a unique retelling of the Arthurian legends.  I always take a large book on long journeys, and this one is 631 pages of very small printing.  I am still not done, despite starting it over a week ago at the Windsor airport.  It is a brilliant book, one of the best I have ever read.

 We had dinner at this wonderful pub along the Arun River, just south of Arundel.  It was a bit of a walk from the town center, but totally worth it!  The town of Arundel was our day away from London this year.  We visited Arundel Castle and the small but vibrant town center.

Friday, April 20th/18 

We are now at the beginning of a long clear spell.  Of course.  Now the the moon is interfering, and now that I am setting out for London, everything is fine.  We just passed through 2 of the most miserable weeks of weather that one could ever imagine.  Where Deb's mom lives (Lindsay, ON), she was trapped inside during a three day winter storm.  In mid-April.  Needless to say it was cloudy here for the entire dark sky session.  First time I can remember that happening.

However, last night was really nice, and I made good use of it.  It was cold, though, and by the time I packed up at 11:45 pm, I'd had just about enough of winter temperatures.  An interesting thing happened just as I was about to leave home for the observatory.  A gigantic rumbling occurred, as if they were blasting at the Amherstburg quarry.  However, it was 8 pm and they don't blast at that time.  The house shook for several seconds, but it was the very loud booming that tended to grab our attention.  The first thought that crossed my mind was that a military jet from the nearby US air base had been scrambled, and had pushed through the sound barrier.  When that happens, windows often break in houses.  The boom reached a crescendo that was deafening, then slowly died away.  The rumble continued until it gradually faded and then stopped, lasting at least 15 to 20 seconds overall. 

Not knowing what had happened, I left in the vehicle with my scope, heading for the observatory.  I tuned the radio to a Detroit news station.  They were receiving calls from a wide area regarding the boom.  About ten minutes into my drive they announced it had been an earthquake, centered in Amherstburg.  Now that is just weird.  It ended up as a 4.1 shock, and I hope I never experience one stronger than that.  It was a very memorable experience, especially under a clear blue sky and calm weather.  Anyway, I really had an enjoyable, albeit chilly, time.  Only one other person was at the observatory, and as he/she was inside the dome, I never actually saw him/her.  It was a night of galaxy hunting in Leo, and I was quite successful.

Today we enjoyed our final walk before London.  It was chilly, but so much better than the rest of the month that we had an enjoyable time.  Students began arriving at 4:15, but everyone was gone by 6:03.  I am sitting here sipping a well-earned (in my opinion) single malt Scotch from Islay.  Everyone played well, and most volunteered for a second round.  Only two students didn't make it; my trumpet player had another engagement, and another one had a dance class.  Semester 3 is over!  I have 10 days off, and plan to visit a lot of pubs in that time.

Time for laundry and packing.  We have our boarding passes, and will be in London Sunday morning at 8:30 am, tired and unprepared for the nightmare that is Heathrow in early morning.  Not enough customs officers, and countless planes all arriving at the same time.  Then a 95 minute bus ride to our hotel.  After that, things should be more fun!

Thursday, April 19th/18 

I am greatly excited just now!  It is clear, and the moon, though waxing, isn't too bright to curtail deep sky observing.  So in less than an hour I will be on my way to the observatory with my 12" scope for the first (and last) time this month.  Yippee!

We have been bumping up the walking this week, in final preparation for some big mileage next week in the outskirts of London.  Today it was sunny and mild, and it felt good.  Our daffs have finally bloomed, and so have the favourite food of Deb's tortoise; dandelions.  Normally I would be finished teaching for the week just now, but tomorrow is a group lesson, with 14 students expected in our small house.  If everyone arrives, it could mean a world record for number of people in our home all at once.  Fortunately, several of them are quite small.

Last week Deb had her R.A. infusion, and yesterday she received her second shot in her right shoulder.  She should be in good condition for our London visit.  It's actually a pretty open week, with the focus on walking if weather is good, and museum visits and concerts if not.  Looking forward to music, art, pubs, and walking, and of course reconnecting with Caroline.  Not looking forward to the flights....

Sunday, April 15th/18  

It rained all day.  At 6 pm we had received 1.8 inches.  It has been raining since, and it is now past 9 pm.  Yesterday we had 1.2 inches.  That is a lot of rain.  Our backyard creek is a muddy torrent, and is approaching its banks.  Even the ducks seem to have had enough.  It staggered up to 40 F today, but it was windy and slightly damp.  We managed a walk, but it was not the long one we had anticipated for our final weekend before London.  We have complete rain gear, but it still wasn't pleasant.  Toronto and points north and east got an ice storm.  Had our London flight been last night or today, we would not have departed.  And of course Sudbury is getting snow.  We awoke to some ice on the car and the tree branches, but it melted by noon.  So lots of indoor activities today.

I failed to record my final astronomy piano piece today.  It's one long take, and it's a difficult piece with hundreds of very rapid notes.  Perhaps tomorrow.  I have made a half-hearted attempt to start the new works, but will mostly wait until back from our upcoming journey.

Speaking of journey, Anita G. has been off chemo now for a few weeks.  Her liver tumour became active again, so specialist heads are huddled in an attempt to try and find another route.  Everyone is waiting anxiously for some news.  Anita (and Randy) was at my recital last weekend.  Though looking a bit tired, she still seemed okay.  Still, she has a lot on her mind.  I wish there was something we could do.  I'm pretty certain that torrential rainy weekends do not help her overall disposition.

Deb herself has had a pretty rough winter, as it has been a pretty rough winter.  This week she goes back to her doctor for a second shot in the arm, so to speak, in an attempt to heal her insistent and acute shoulder pain.  The walking definitely helps her arthritis, except when it's in the cold and the pouring rain....

Saturday, April 14th/18 

On the ides of every month I assess our monthly financial situation, as well as at the end of the month.  For the past several months our situation has been good, with usually a surplus by month's end.  This is largely due to Deb's 2nd pension that began arriving in February 2017.  This September I will be collecting a 3rd pension.  Ideally, this means my teaching can be reduced.  We'll see... 

I wanted to record the first half of my recent recital (Bach, Haydn, and astronomy pieces), and this is now mostly complete.  Only one of the astronomy pieces remain, and hopefully we will get this done tomorrow.  New pieces await!

 As far as the listening program goes, we are up to Haydn symphony #18 waiting in the wings.  These early works, like the piano sonatas of which I have recently become enamoured, are a pure delight from start to finish.  My next program will contain two early Haydn sonatas, linked by a movement comment to both.  Unique in the annals of sonatas!  We are also done with up to Op. 49 of Britten, and ready to listen to Op 49 of Brahms (5 songs).  In addition, we have been pecking away at the complete organ works of Buxtehude, who was a major influence on Bach.

Today's brief walk was done in a drizzly and very windy +37 F.  Wind shill was well below freezing.  Will winter weather never end?  It is snowing not too far north of us, with another blast on the way, and then another later in the week.  Toronto area just went through a major ice storm today.  Detroit's northern suburbs could be next, and even us, to some extent (Detroit is several miles north of us, and it does make a difference).

Thursday, April 12th/18 

Last Saturday night it was clear after my final recital.  Jennifer G. had come from Cambridge, about 3 hours away.  I had told her if it was clear afterwards we would go to the observatory.  I was tired, but kept my promise.  We arrived about 10:30 pm.  Only Randy G. was out there, and he had one of the club's 8" scope set up.  Jenn had never looked through a scope before, so between Randy and I she soon had her head filled with some of the best sights in the heavens.  Temperatures were wintry, but it turned into a fun night.  On my solo drive home I bit into a Clif Bar that had been sitting in the vehicle.  Thus it was quite cold and chewy.  I bit into something hard, thinking it was a nut shell or such-like.  Nope.  It was part of my 2nd-from-back right molar, along with a part of the filling that always accompanies that particular molar wherever it goes.

Thursday was dentist day.  This is the second time in less than a year that this sort of thing has happened.  After undergoing an x-ray, freezing, and more drilling than a deep sea oil platform does in a month, I was out the door with a cottonish mouth and a bill for $331.  An expensive Clif bar.  We went to Ojibway park for a somewhat muddy walk after that.  But we did hear the first frogs of spring singing away somewhere in the woods!  They are about two weeks late this year, along with many other things.  At least today was quite warm, reaching the low 70s.  But it's gone already, as we will have a cool and very wet weekend.

Teaching is over, with one week remaining in Semester 3.  Our walks are in jeopardy due to some incoming weather this weekend.  And of course our entire London walking program could just as easily be in danger if it's too wet and muddy over there.  We will take things as they come, as we are as yet unable to control the weather very much.

Wednesday, April 11th/18 

We are now into our 4th week of the walking program, in preparation for several long walks in England.  Conditions have been wintry for most of the time, though tomorrow spring is supposed to finally arrive.  Even today we had snow and snow pellets.  But our legs are getting there.  Sunday we did our first hill walk at Malden Park, and Monday we undertook a long walk in Detroit.  Jenn was with us.  She stayed nearby for the weekend, coming to my recital Saturday evening, and then to Detroit with us on Monday.  We managed 4 pubs and a cafe, plus the long walk.  Fun times!

I have decided to try and record some of the recent pieces, namely the Bach (on harpsichord), the Haydn sonata, and the three astronomy pieces.  IF that is successful (I find recording much more stressful than live performance), I will go back and record six previous Bach pieces I have recently performed, and the two other early Haydn sonatas, as well as record the complete astronomy suite.  In addition, I will begin new pieces for next year's program. 

We are attempting to do our own taxes this year.  Our accountant of the past 7 years has retired.  It isn't fun, even though we use a very helpful computer program called Turbo Tax.  The piano teaching business end of things is quite complicated to do.

Nothing else happening right now.  Just trying to get through my 2nd last week of teaching before heading off to London.  Lots of prep work to do yet for that journey.  In the meantime, here is a recent cat picture for you. 

 Gustave catches some rays and listens to an early Haydn symphony.

Tuesday, April 3rd/18 

The piano pieces are in good shape, as D-Day approaches.  Friday night seems like it will be jam packed in here, whereas Saturday so far only has 3 people.  I'm trying to get Saturday's performance up to around 7, but everyone wants to come Friday.  We can seat 9 comfortably, but 12 seem to be coming Friday.  Good grief!  Needless to say, I will be glad when it is all over for another year.

We are now about to begin our 3rd week of walking training in preparation for London, where I hope to add one more walk beyond what I originally planned.  Monday we undertook a long walk in Windsor, both along the river and through parts of Walkerville.  We had a brewpub stop, and a lunch stop.  We seem to have weathered it well, as it approximates the type of walking we prefer to do in outer London.  

Sudbury is getting its 2nd snowfall in the past 4 days!  They had snow Easter Saturday, with a very white Easter on Sunday.  Today they are getting hit much worse.  Very depressing for them.  We are getting a lot of rain and thunder tonight, and it will continue overnight.  Tuesdays are rest days for us, with walking resuming (hopefully) tomorrow.  Our cold weather is just arriving, though it shouldn't snow here very much.

Sunday, April 1st/18  

It's been a chilly Easter Sunday here at the Homestead.  We were out walking twice today, once in the morning and once late in the afternoon.  It never warmed up at all, staying in the low 30s all day.  Sudbury had snow last night, and awoke to a white Easter morning.  We enjoyed very cold rain last night, as we sat inside by our warm wood fire to celebrate the 2nd full moon of March.

On Friday I went to Windsor with Amanda and Jennie.  Deb wasn't feeling up to a full day of sitting in bars and not drinking, so I became the designated driver.  It was a fun day, and we were gone nearly 8 hours.  We took in three micro breweries and one cafe in that time.  The ladies seemed to have a great time, insisting that the ales were fabulous.  We went to Chapter Two Brewery, a brand new place, and spent a while there while they tried several small pours.  The space is quite wonderful, and suitable for gaming.  They have board games there, but we will bring our own next time.  Next came Anchor Coffee, followed by a major stopover at Motor Craft Ales.  We had lunch here (all had veg burgers, which were very good), and the gals sampled beer after beer, exclaiming at how wonderful and delicious they were.  On their recommendation, I pronounce this as Windsor's best craft ale house.  Our last stop was Sandwich Brewing Company, in olde tyme Sandwich Towne.  I had been here once with Amanda, but it was Jennifer's first visit.  Amanda is coming over Monday morning before heading back to Toronto, to hear my upcoming piano program.  Jennifer is coming back next weekend to hear my program.  She is hoping to move out of godless and soulless Cambridge, ON soon, hopefully to the Windsor area.

Tomorrow we hope to finish up Week Two of the walking program.  We are now three weeks away from our first big walk on the London Loop for 2018.

I leave you with my favourite Easter pic of all time, an old one I've had for many years.  It shows a Navajo baby in Gallup, NM, gathering eggs.  By now she probably has kids of her own.

 Happy Easter!!

March 2018

Thursday, March 29th/18 

It turned into a light week of teaching, with 4 students missing lessons.  As a result I managed to get in my practicing without having to stay up late.  With just over one week to go before my recital, I am feeling pretty confident.  With 13 pieces on the program, some of them should go well!!  My right ear is stable at the moment, with 40% hearing still gone.  I dug out my hearing aid from the back of the closet, and it is ready to go if needed.  So far I can still play well enough without it.

Despite a rainy day, I managed to get outside for a walk, wearing my squishy waterproof clothing.  Deb stayed home and worked on the treadmill.  We are now into our second week of training.  We will manage 5 weeks before we leave for London.

And now for a reading report.  I just finished reading #20 (of 27) in my Avon/Equinox SF series, a strange little tale by an American by the name of Hal Clement.  Before I got to that book, here is what I have read since #19 in the series:

Dark Heart of Time, by P.J. Farmer.  Literally one of the worst books I have ever read.  Stinky.

His Share of Glory, by Kornbluth.  A wealth of short stories, and totally fabulous! 

King of Dreams, by Silverberg.  A late Majipoor story.  Flawed but always worth while.

Songs From The Stars, Spinrad.  California after the Big War.  Very good alien contact story.

Steppe, by Piers Anthony.  History of the Steppes, made into a story.  History and fun. 

A novella and 3 short stories by Eric Frank Russell.  He is incredible, and a favourite author!

Broken Eagle, Chad Oliver.  Riveting account leading up to Little Big Horn.  One of the best!

Cloud on Silver, by John Christopher.  The real Gilligan's Island story.  Good but flawed.

Make Room Make Room, by Harry Harrison.  Overpopulation in NYC.  Quite good.

Beyond The Silver Sky, Kenneth Bulmer.  Classic SF, and very good!  With women scientists!

Meeting at Infinity, by John Brunner.  Complex tale of the future, with many layers.

World In Torment, by E.C. Tubb.  The mutants take over!  A good classic.

Girl From Mars; Prince of Space, by J. Williamson.  Very early SF.  Think Buck Rogers.

First To The Stars, by Rex Gordon.  Excellent story!  A new favourite author.

Tuesday, March 27th/18 

Yesterday was Detroit day.  3 books were waiting at the mailbox, and one from Canada was in our home box when we returned.  Only one book is missing from the last (very large) on-line order I put in.  We enjoyed a sunny, mild day in Detroit, walking from Midtown to Downtown and back, with stops at Hopcat Taproom, New Order Coffee, and Whole Foods (for vegan cookies!).  Downtown continues to be one giant construction zone, with 90% of it being renovations on once-abandoned buildings.  There are no more abandoned buildings downtown.  The new skyscraper, which will be Detroit's tallest, is blocked off and will get underway soon, too.  New apartments are underway, and condos.  Somehow they are managing to keep the street car system running, but just barely.  And if the strong rumours prove to be true, the forever-abandoned train station in Corktown, once the symbol for Detroit's decline, will be renovated by Ford Motor Company, and used for their young engineers and high tech development, bringing about 1300 more workers downtown.

 Renovations of old buildings continue in Detroit.  About 15 have been completed, with about 15 more in development.  Also, several new building projects are underway, or about to be.  Not since the 1920s has Detroit seen such a boom in downtown development.  Just north of downtown is a vast housing project underway, and I mean vast.

Here at the Homestead it was back to work today, plus a lot of practicing.  Invitations to the two recitals are sent.  So far, Friday seems the more popular day, but I'm hoping that Saturday will fill up, too.  As for Easter weekend, Amanda and Jennifer should both be around.  I might get to run through the program once and see how things are with it.  I play a piece now and then for a student, but that is not the sustained period of intense concentration required for a full recital.  And guess what?  The pieces for the next one are already chosen.

Saturday, March 24th/18 

I'm caught up on my astronomy notes.  I managed to get my 4 good nights of observing in for the month.  I logged a total of 48 new deep sky objects in February and March, along with a large number of double stars.  It has been a very cold season, though.  I am running very low on hand warmers.  Things have wrapped up now until after my recital, in two weeks time.  By the time I finish playing the final chord of the Liszt piece on the Saturday night, thoughts will be turning back to astronomy.  I have a lot of work to do on the pieces over the next two weeks, and will be devoting more and more time to that project.

Tonight we heard the DSO perform Beethoven Symphony #7, the best of the bunch outside of the 9th.  Finnish conductor Saraste lead the orchestra in a very different reading of the score, as he emphasized many of the under melodies and the wonderfully dissonant harmonies.  Much of the symphony seemed brand new as a result.  The orchestra performed with its usual virtuosic polish, with the wind players especially doing exceptional musical work.  Even after more than 40 years, I still can not get used to the idea of an orchestra this marvellous close to where I live!  And we can get $15 tickets for virtually any performance.

The walking program has been in full swing for nearly a week now.  Today was our first long walk.  We made it, but barely.  Things had dropped to a pitiful level, and we'll be lucky to be ready for London.  We hope to complete more of the London Loop, the outer trail that stretches for 140 miles around the capital.  It will require lots of travelling to get to the trail each time, and then home again.  We need to start staying in north London next time, instead of the south.  Still, we love the area of Croydon near our hotel, with almost limitless pubs, cafes, shops, and restaurants.  Not to mention the best transport connections of any major world city.

Monday, March 19th/18  

And thus comes to an end another long and peaceful vacation.  Back to teaching tomorrow, from 4 pm till 9 pm.  Ugh.  I am slowly getting my immune system back into shape, though problems with my right ear have resumed.  It began with a low grade fever a few weeks back that came with a mild flu.  It is ringing and about 40% plugged.  I can still practice, at any rate.  I got quite a bit of that done during the time off.  And two whole evenings of observing.  I actually spend more time preparing object lists than I do actually observing.  It's kind of a sad life being an amateur astronomer.  And on-going problems with my focusing mount means I will have to send it back to the manufacturers for repair.  Any bets on what the sky conditions will be like when I don't have a functioning telescope?

At long last, despite cold temps and blustery north winds, the walking program is finally underway.  In 28 days we should be in moderately good shape.  London walking is less than 5 weeks away.  Concert in less than 3.  Things are going to be busy here for awhile.  Upon returning from London, it's back to Iaido for the summer. 

One of Deb's newest films has just been picked up by a film festival in Minnesota, and will be showing next weekend.  Virtually every month she has a film or three showing somewhere in the world.  Hove, England soon, too.

Thursday, March 15th/18 

How time flies when you are on a holiday break.   It was Detroit day today, our first visit in 10 days.  We started out at Germack Coffee Roasters in Detroit, then went over to my favourite craft ale taproom/store.  I tried 4 different ales, and came home with a 6-pack of 4 different bottles, most from Germany (5/6; the other was from Belgium).  We left the car parked on the street, which is still free in that neigbourhood.  We then walked to Woodward Ave. and took the streetcar downtown.  It cost $1.50 per person for a 3-hr. fare.  We went to a new and very funky and fun place for lunch.  The Checker Bar has always been a downtown institution, but is now under new management.  In addition to a great tap list, they have many vegan options, and the pizza we had today was one of the best.  Called the "Gringo," it features their homemade vegan chorizo, spicy sauce, and a good brand of vegan cheese.  Add on onions and tomatoes and it turned into a feast!  And upstairs they have around 30 vintage pinball and Atari-type games.  We will be back!  The Twilight Zone pinball game looks really amazing, and so does the Star Wars one.

We then took the train back uptown and went to New Order Coffee, on Woodward and not too far from the station.  It is one of the newer roasteries in town, and one of our favourite places to go.  Then it was back to the car and out to Dearborn to visit our UPS mailbox.  I had placed a large book order recently, and 8 or 9 books were waiting, along with a neat little promo package Deb received from the California film festival that Deb had been selected for (the Coffee Film again).

We just found out tonight that Deb's new "Alice" film won Best Animation at the Alternative Film Festival in Toronto!  She will have an upcoming screening, but we don't know when yet. 

Yesterday we received our new, improved CD storage case.  It is a rotating one, with four sides for storage.  We put it together yesterday (once wrong, and then correctly), and today we began to load it down.  All of our CDs are now in one place, though not completely organized yet, along with our large collection of cassette tapes!  There is still plenty of room left, so soon my PC games will have a new permanent home, easily accessed.  Any leftover space will house our DVD collection.

I recently completed work in Auriga, a winter constellation bustling with clusters and double stars.  I finished a new blog entry on some of the bigger objects, and have one more part to go.  It's been cloudy since Sunday night, but we are being PROMISED 3 clear nights in a row, beginning Friday.  I fervently wish this to come true.

And last but not least, about two weeks ago I began complaining to Amazon Prime that part 2 of a new series was missing from their website.  I could write a long short story about how involved it was contacting them and getting them to actually understand the problem.  However, as of today, episode 2 of Detective Anna is up and running, and we finally got to see the conclusion to the first story (there are 8 stories, each in two parts).  It is in Russian, with subtitles, and is quite an engaging series.  And the lead actress is quite wonderful.  Score one for the little guy!

Monday, March 12th/18 

Last night was clear and cold, and I made my first excursion of the year to Hallam Observatory in Comber for some deep sky fun.  At least 8 others were out as well.  It was 27 F, and I was outside for 2 1/2 hours without being cold.  That is when you know you are properly dressed!  I finished up work in Auriga, a winter constellation I began a few years ago, and continued work in my newest winter playground, Orion.  This marks the 2nd clear night of this session--I am really hoping I can get at least two more.  After that I will move into my spring work.  Randy G. was out briefly, doing some photography.  He got this terrific shot of me at the eyepiece, with Orion in the background.

Photo of yours truly, hard at work in Orion.  Taken by Randy Groundwater.  

Old Man Winter continues to bite us, with snow still flying and daytime temps hard pressed to get much above freezing.  It's been a winter, I can tell you.

I am hoping to get to my 2nd lesson with Philip A. later this week.  We also have a trip to Detroit planned for mid-week.  And we have ordered a single CD rack for our CDs and my PC games.  By the weekend there should be a dramatic improvement to our living room and music room area.

Saturday, March 10th/18 

I managed a happy two hour observing session on the back deck last night, though it apparently affected my immune system.  Last Wed. I had a major sinus attack, out of the blue.  I somehow made it through 3 hours of teaching, though I went through a box of Kleenex.  After three hits of meds it finally calmed down at bedtime.  Thursday I was tired.  These attacks really suck the strength out of you.  Friday I felt normal again.  I had a wonderful time on the back deck, but towards the middle of the night in bed, I could feel my throat getting scritchy.  Today I am attacking it with zinc and plenty of rest.  I will likely have to miss a clear night tonight, something that pains me deeply.  It is going to take awhile for my immune system to recover from all this.  We have yet to begin our walking program for our upcoming London journey.  It had better start real soon, or it will not be a walking trip.  That means even more pubs.  Good grief.

Sometimes there are some very funny posts on Facebook.  This one from yesterday still has me chuckling....

Thursday, March 8th/18 

Today would have been my Uncle Jimmy's 71st birthday!  Jimmy died as a result of a car accident when he was 33.  Jimmy was really an older brother to me, rather than an uncle.  We shared things that no one else in my family could have shared--our love for similar books, movies, board games, outdoor adventures.... And he always treated me as an equal, never as a "little brother."  I'm happy that I got to introduce him to Classical music, and to astronomy.  Coincidentally, I concluded my 200th book related to my Avon/Equinox SF series today.  I just read "Broken Eagle" by Chad Oliver.  It is not SF, but could be considered as a historical Western novel.  But it is much more than that.  It tells the story of The Battle of Little Big Horn.  It tells the story from the point of view of a Native American, and from the point of view of a captain under the command of General Custer.  And it is told by a masterful writer and an anthropologist.  It is easily one of the ten best books I have ever read, and I know that Jimmy would have started reading it as soon as I had shipped it out to him.  As I said, we had similar interests.  The book leaves the reader with a very deep understanding of what was transpiring those days, out on the plains that I love so much (1864-76).  And what was transpiring was not a pretty sight.  No wonder the "empty" prairies have so much to say to me when I visit.  What a fucking mess the white man has made of this world.  It can never be forgiven, and never made right.  What really strikes home is how much Custer comes out looking like Trump.  Enough said.

All music students reported for duty this week.  I am very recently done teaching, and will not have to resume until March 20th.  This thought lifts my heart above my head.

The weather this week is remarkably similar to what we usually experience in mid-December.  The difference now is that we are not in the beginning stages of winter, but are watching its final, painful throes before succumbing to spring.  Nothing that winter can still throw at us bothers me now; I laugh at winter, as it slowly dies and makes room for new life.  I will feel differently next December, though.....

Monday, March 5th/18

Today was Detroit day!  We only went there once in February, mostly due to weather issues.  However, the previous weekend we were sick.  Anyway, we made it over today.  We visited a new coffee roasters, and one of the world's more unique cafes.  Qahwah Cafe in Dearborn (https://www.qahwahhouse.com/) features in-house roasted organic coffee grown in Yemen, along with some wonderful sweets.  Deb bought some of the medium roast beans, as well as some green ones to roast herself.  We also tried a pot of coffee (with added cardamom), and a kind of tea-coffee blend that turned into one of the best beverages we have ever tasted.  Called  Jubani (medium, light roast with husks, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon), it must be tasted to be believed.  If you think it is easy getting Yemeni coffee out of Yemen, read this Detroit Free press article about the poor owner's epic ordeal to get his beans to Dearborn!  https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/wayne/2018/01/13/dearborn-coffee-shop-yemen/1022161001/

We also went back to Founders Brewing in Detroit for lunch.  I enjoyed a 4-glass sampler (they have about 25 brews on tap), and came home with a 4-pack of their Sumatra Mountain Brown Ale, one of the world's greatest coffee beers (it scores 99% on RateBeer.com)!!  From there we walked over to Woodward Ave. and took the street car downtown, then gradually walked back towards Founders.  We stopped for some more coffee beans on the way, at Ashe Supply Co.  Deb purchased a bag of their blended beans, Papua New Guinean and Guatemalan.

The previous night looked clear enough to set up my scope on the back deck, but it turned out to be a frustrating experience, with more clouds than clear sky.  The night before that (Saturday), Randy and Anita dropped by for a visit.  In addition to a wood fire and some great eats, Randy and I went out on the back deck with Deb's 6" scope and had a look at a few seasonal objects.  It was very clear, but the moon was rising and very bright.  Still, it did whet the appetite for some real observing again!  Anita is continuing weekly chemo treatments in London, ON, and is making slow but steady progress towards someday being cancer free.  The drive to London and back, and the long wait time to receive her treatments, plus the drugs themselves, all take a heavy toll on a human being.  Hopefully Anita can stay strong and persevere in a good state of mind.

Group shot, with Randy and Anita Groundwater. 

It is now officially astronomy season.  Except for Tuesday and Wednesday ofthis week I will be heading out to Comber on any other available clear night.  I only have 3 more nights of teaching, and then I am off for 12 days.  I'm hoping for at least 4 clear nights over the next two weeks.  We'll see.  We are expecting more snow overnight tonight, and temps are going to remain below average for the next little while.  I can observe if it's cold, but not when it's cloudy.  I handed in my March article for the club newsletter, and my clipboard is filled with objects I hope to see this spring.

Friday, March 2nd/18

February 28th was sunny, with a high of 61 F.  March 1st was a snowstorm.  Go figure.  First we got 1.8" of rain on the 1st.  Just north of us it was already snowing.  By mid-afternoon it was snowing hard and heavy in the 'burg.  We got about 3" of very heavy, watery snow.  It was an ugly mess, and of course the police scanner was busy with car accidents all over the county.  No use changing any driving habits for a bit of messy weather.  Today was sunny and cool, but most of our snow has already melted, at least where the sun has struck.

We watched the first episode of a Russian paranormal detective series on Amazon Prime recently (Detective Anna).  There are supposed to be 16 episodes.  Episode 2 is missing from the line-up.  I have spent the past week trying to get Amazon to rectify this situation.  Do you think they can?  Chat, e-mail, phone calls-doesn't matter, they are incapable of fixing it.  One response was that they were sorry the subtitles weren't working, something I never mentioned in any correspondence.  Still no Part 2, so we will forgo the rest of this promising series.  Sigh.  Dealing with mega corps or government has to be the single most frustrating experience for a human being, and yet the one that teaches us the most about communicating in the modern world.

After teaching last night, we had a wonderful full moon party.  We made one of our now famous apple/pear crisps, lit a wood fire, turned on some music, and spent a relaxing night (while the snowstorm raged outside).  Music was provided by Orchestra Baobab (whom we will hear soon in London!), and Jordi Savall playing music by Marin Marais, Sainte Colombe, Couperin, and Lully.  One more week of teaching to survive, and I get another week off!  In addition to being an intense week of practicing, I hope it is also an intense week of astronomy.

We are looking forward to a visit tomorrow evening from Randy and Anita.  It's time to catch up!

Mapman Mike

February 2018

Wednesday, Feb. 28th/18 

We are both mostly over our bout with the flu.  Even though it was a mild version, it still gave us a few uncomfortable days.  However, we both fought it off and are feeling much better.  If I ever want to be reminded how physically and emotionally difficult it is to practice piano for 2 hours a day, then I must try doing it when I am under the weather.  While I did manage to practice all days except for one, it took a lot out of me.

February weather has been extremely varied, with the first 13 days being very cold and snowy, and the final 15 days being very mild.  Who knows what March has in store, though more cold weather is predicted for this weekend, along with another snowstorm.  We might get mostly rain, but some snow is inevitable.  As usual, our county is along the border of the warmer weather and the colder, so it's hard to say what may happen here.  I'll let you know tomorrow.

Listening to music is continuing, even after two busy nights of teaching.  We've made it to Haydn Symphony #5, Mozart Piano Concerto # 8, and the Op. 46s of Brahms and Britten.  We are also making great progress in Longest Journey, an old game we are replaying on the PC.  It is one of the funnier games to play.  Watching an evil wizard win a hopscotch contest, win a spelling bee, and then fail miserably at simple arithmetic has been a lot of fun.  We are continuing to try and save not just one world, but two.  We will eventually succeed!

Saturday, Feb 25th/18  

For the past two days I've been fighting off a mild flu bug.  Tight head, aches and pains, and a slight fever.  Still a good appetite, and I've been reading a lot, listening to music, and watching some streaming.  Deb is now trying to fight off whatever I had, which I likely picked up from one of Tuesday darling students.  I am feeling better now--we'll see how her immune system copes.

I listened to the Brahms German Requiem tonight, for the simple fact that it was next on my list to hear as I march my way through the complete works of Brahms.  It is a very moving piece of music, and though it uses short quotes from the Bible, it is not really a religious piece.  However, I had 75 minutes lying on the couch to contemplate death, and those that I have known and loved and no longer have with me.  Sadly, some of those include former students, killed way before their time, and close relatives.  And I can't forget the many critters that have shared our lives, giving us much happiness, comfort, and amusement.  The piece is in 7 movements, and need not be heard in its complete form--certain parts work well as individual works for chorus and orchestra.  I'm certain to return to it from time to time.

Yesterday I resumed the Haydn Symphony project, one that I have left alone for too long now.  It was time for the earliest works, and we heard #s 1 & 2.  After that we listened to Mozart Piano Concerto #6, as we make our way through those masterpieces.  Next up will be another piece by Britten.  And I still have well over 100 records in the basement that I have yet to play.  The new turntable is fantastic, as is the new Yamaha stereo system.  Our component cassette player also works perfectly with it.  And for tax purposes, it's all a business expense.  Next up will be a new CD stand.  Right now CDs are scattered in five different places.  This will put everything in one place, and there will also be room for my PC games collection and many of our DVDs.

Usually I read about 10 books per month, most of them related to my Avon/Equinox SF project.  However, this month the number of books will be greatly reduced, thanks to a 677 page volume of short stories that took a long time to read and review, followed by a 480 page epic in Silverberg's Majipoor series.  I am currently reading a book of 275 pages, still long, but a bit closer to normal.  So my February count may seem like I haven't been reading as much, but I have.  Honest!

We just finished Emerald City, watching it on Amazon Prime.  We are giving it mixed reviews for unusual levels (by our standards) of violence, sadism, and emotional abuse (but at least there are no bare titties on display).  Also, the story tries to deal with far too many characters, none of whom are very appealing.  Glinda and the Wizard are the worst (by the way, why is he called Wizard, if he is trying to abolish magic and allow science to rule the city?  Shouldn't he be called Dr.?).  Dorothy quickly becomes very tiresome (and she has a very annoying habit of mumbling many of her lines), Jack gets cut to ribbons, and the Wizard lives way too long.  Toto remains a good character, at least, as does the dark Witch of the West (she is always amazing!).  The best parts are the special effects, the look of the cities, palaces, and various rooms, along with the wardrobe worn by the characters.  Though nothing seems in the works for a sequel, I would not be surprised to at least see a TV movie special in the next little while.  There are certainly some unresolved issues back in Oz.

I talked to Mom for awhile tonight (Hi Mom!).  She is just getting over a very nasty cold, lasting two weeks.  Ugh.  Other than that, all is well in the Great White North.  Though it's even better here--our snowdrops are ready to come out any day now!!

Thursday, Feb. 22nd/18 

Two weeks of teaching done, two more to go till my next week off.  I like how I have arranged my teaching schedule, giving me lots of breaks during the year when combined with the normal school breaks.  One adult seems to have dropped out, and another one barely comes, so in effect I have 14 active students.  Speaking of piano lessons, I finally got together with Philip Adamson yesterday for a lesson.  Some of the changes he proposes are quite jarring, as I have been doing things for so long a certain way it is hard to change.  I really need to see him earlier on in my studies of new pieces, rather than waiting until they are "ready."  I think I will hold off on further lessons until I begin work on my next program (mid-April).  Still, it was very helpful to actually have someone so knowledgeable to play for.  It reaffirms my position that I do not play well in front of people who are knowledgeable.

We are now 8 episodes into Emerald City.  I'm always amazed at how much violence can be shown on TV, but never a bare breast or buttock.  We all know that watching violence is not harmful to our youth, but that if they ever saw a bare breast it might mean the end of their little lives.  Such a sad world.  Anyway, the series continues to be visually stunning, though the writing has been failing for some time now.  There are no good people in this story that have any power.  It's all in the hands of people who wish to do harm.  My favourite characters are Jack, the mechanical boy, and the darker witch, Glinda's sister.  I have little sympathy for other characters, including Dorothy, who seems to think it's all about her. 

From Tuesday evening until Thursday morning we had 2.1" of rain.  This in itself is bad news, but considering how deep the snow was just before the rain, it's turned into a bit of a disaster for many people.  More rain and ice are expected overnight, then more rain tomorrow and Saturday.  Then it becomes sunny and nights will be clear (as we approach full moon, of course).

We have no deep plans for the weekend.  There are two symphony concerts we should attend, and I really need to get to John King Books again, but we will likely remain close to home.  Perhaps I'll get an Amazon SF book order ready.  Some gaming, some piano, some writing, and some listening are definitely on tap, at the very least.  and we hope to resume regular walking this weekend.

Monday, Feb. 19th/18

What a difference one week makes!  Last Monday the temp reached the mid 20s, we were awash in snow, and we went snowshoeing.  Today it is raining, foggy, the temp is in the 50s, and most of the snow is gone, except for patches where the sun doesn't shine.  It's been a very strange season this year.  We ended up having 4 lingering sessions of polar vortex weather, where the temp never approached 32 F, or 0 C.  The first one in mid-December lasted 7 days.  The second, straddling late Dec. and early January, lasted an incredible 16 days.  Then came another 7 day ordeal, followed by a final one of 9 days.  In between we had very brief thaws.  Then came a solid week of snow in early February.  In that one week we received 17" of snow (42 cm!).  I ended up shovelling six days of seven that week.

I finally selected a weekend for my recital.  The ideal weekend turned out to be Easter, so I had to throw that one away.  There is a full moon near there that would have worked out perfectly with my astronomy session.  So the following weekend will have to do, right at the start of astronomy season.  Friday April 6th and Saturday April 7th are the dates, at 7 pm.  Program to include works by Bach, Haydn, two female Canadian composers (astronomy themed works), Mendelssohn, and Liszt.  Though some of the pieces are quite small and intimate, overall it is an ambitious program.  I'm still hoping to get together with Philip A. for a few lessons.

Saturday, Feb. 17th/18 

I did something last night that I haven't done since November 8th.  It was perfectly clear, and not too cold (+28 F.), so I set up the 12" scope on the back deck and enjoyed a two hour observing session.  The scope was perfectly collimated, and the seeing was splendid, meaning that I was splitting doubles and triples better than a 6" or 7" refractor (that is very good, indeed!!).  All in all it was a really fun evening.

Comparing weather from last week to this, I noticed that I shovelled 6 days of 7 last week, with some days requiring multiple efforts.  And that even included a visit from Marc with his snowplow.  This week, I haven't had to shovel once.  And walking has resumed.  We have managed to get above the freezing mark every day since last Wednesday, and Tuesday it might reach 60 F, with thunderstorms.  Such interesting times in which we live.

Thursday, Feb. 15/18  

Brigid by candlelight.  She is one powerful figure!

Brigid certainly put in a stellar performance this year!  One day it was Winter, and the next day that season was virtually over and done with.  The 14th and 15th have seen temps rise way above average, with the result that it has been very foggy all day today and tonight.  A brief cool down is coming tonight and tomorrow, but above normal temps will return almost immediately.  It is currently raining and foggy, and the snow is disappearing very quickly.  No doubt that means flooding in much of the county.  So far we are okay.

My teaching is done for the week.  14 of 16 students showed up.  All children received a Valentine's Day cupcake (after their lesson).  I received payment for 10 lessons.  Seems fair to me.   We were supposed to enjoy a wood fire last night, but it was too warm!  Instead we enjoyed lasagna, and then hot chocolate (the real thing, containing only melted dark chocolate and some almond milk, whipped up).  We also listened to some music.  We have invested in a new and better stereo system.  It was quite inexpensive, and it is tiny.  Similar to a Bose system, it is made by Yamaha, half the price, and if on-line reviews mean anything, blows the Bose sound right out of the water!  We are still fiddling with it, but so far we are very happy with the sound we are getting.  We also bought a new turntable, and will hook it up this weekend.

Speaking of listening to music, the Brahms and Britten projects are still moving forward.  We are up to Op. 45 with both composers.  In addition we have added the Mozart operas, and his piano concertos.  And I am nearly through with Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words for piano.  Her wrote 8 sets of 6, and many of them are beautiful pieces.  I have learned several of them, and will be performing three of them at my next recital in March.  We are also listening to the complete organ works of Buxtehude (on vinyl), as well as concertos by Locatelli.  We also now receive local FM stations perfectly (not so with the old system), and as it is blue tooth technology we now have access to Internet radio with high quality sound.   Photos to come once the system is fully set up.

Monday, Feb. 12th/18 

It has been so long since we have snowshoed.  It was a perfect winter day for it, too.  Sunny and bright, temp about -4 C, or mid 20s F.  We went to Cedar Creek Conservation Area, and had the woods all to ourselves.  It was very still and quiet, except for the crunching of our shoes.  The snow had a light crust on it from the freezing rain, but it was alright for snowshoeing.  The creek was frozen over, but we stayed in the woods.  Even after one day there lots of footy prints everywhere; squirrel, rabbit, and deer mostly.  Sadly, this is likely our only outing.  We are expecting mild temps and even some rain by Wed. and Thursday.  The outing took a lot out of us, and we are pretty subdued tonight at home.

 It was a lovely day to be in the woods.  This is Cedar Creek Conservation Area.

A well-dressed female snowshoer.   Cedar Creek in behind, quite frozen over.

A rugged and outdoorsy Canadian male.

The beautiful Harrow Farmers' Co-op.  They also have a very good store, and we bought some locally roasted coffee, a Southwest design pillow for the living room couch, and a lithography by A.J. Casson, one of the Canadian Group of Seven artists.  The litho shows a heron in flight along a densely wooded creek, in summer.  It will hang on our main wall periodically.

Winter sunset, from the Homestead front window.

Sunday, Feb. 11th/18 

Most of the shovelling got finished up this afternoon.  Needless to say we did not get to Detroit for our Saint-Saens concert.  We awoke to more snow, and then several hours of freezing rain.  There was only 2" of new snow on the driveway, but it was very heavy stuff, and covered in ice.  The snowplow left us a really big mess at the foot of the driveway, too.  That's the heaviest of all.  Two more days of Winter (unofficially), and then Spring begins to arrive.

Our Spring Goddess, Brigid (or Persephone, if you prefer), has been out on the mantelpiece since Candlemas.  Her job is to see that Spring is in motion by mid-February.  And it seems as if she will hit it right on the nose this year.  By Wednesday we should be above freezing (first time in 9 days), and it will mostly stay above.

 Our Brigid figure, doing her utmost to hurry Spring along.  She appears to be succeeding, despite Winter's nastiest efforts so far this season.  She is in front of my great aunt's painting.

  

  Tomorrow is snowshoe day!  We are heading out around noon, after I clean off the vehicle, trim the driveway a bit more with a shovel, and practice piano.  I had to skip practice today due to very strained upper arm muscles.  If we are successful there will be photos posted tomorrow.

Teaching resumes this week.  Notices have gone out to everyone regarding Semester 3 dates, along with the fee schedule.  16 students expected.  We'll see how many show up.

Saturday, Feb. 10th/18 

By popular request, here are a few scenes from the Homestead today.  We got another inch of snow, with more coming tonight and tomorrow.  Mid-February is usually the beginning of the end of winter, and this year will be no exception.  We are scheduled to be mostly above freezing (daytime only, of course), after the 13th.  Looking forward to it!

 From inside the garage and looking out.

 View of the front of the house.  Note the snow cone on the sundial, giving a good indication of how much snow we received yesterday.  The thick snow on the roof is a good sign that our attic insulation is working well at keeping heat inside.  Now the snow on the roof gives an added layer of insulation, helping keep us snug.  Also note the icicle display!

 This is our table on the back deck, with a chair leaning up against it.  Again, a good indication of the snow amount received during our biggest snowfall of the season.

Friday. Feb. 9th/18 

The good news is that there is now enough snow to snowshoe, and then some.  The bad news is that there is now enough snow to shoeshoe--and then some.  It's been snowing now for 18 hours, and it's piling up pretty good around the old Homestead.  If we can unbury the Tiguan tomorrow, we may set out for a nearby forest and try to snowshoe.  Mark, the dad of a former student,  has come by with his snowplow and cleared most of our area, but by tomorrow I will have to shovel yet again.  Sort of an on-going hobby lately, one of which I am growing tired.  In addition to Wednesday's 4", we have received another 8" so far.  Stay tuned for weather updates....

Last night we attended our first formal concert of the year, an all-Ravel program in Detroit.  The full orchestra (about 90 musicians last night) was in top form for some virtuosic performances.  And then there was the pianist, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, who performed not one Ravel piano concerto, but two!  He played the jazzy G+ before intermission, and the Concerto For Left Hand right after it.  Zounds!  What a great concert!!  I got to speak with him briefly after the concert.  He is such an energetic and charismatic man, with one of the most enviable discographies I have ever encountered.  I will be buying some of his recent Haydn CDs, at the very least.  This Sunday afternoon is an all Saint-Saens concert with the orchestra, and another guest pianist (Concerto #2).  I'm really hoping that Detroit has cleaned up the snow enough for us to travel there by then.

We finished watching first season of Elementary (24 fabulous episodes), and Peter Gunn (37 episodes).  We are taking a break before watching the next season of each.  We are looking forward to Mozart In The City, Season 4.  In the meantime we are watching a very dark 10-part Oz series called Emerald City, from 2017.  Rated 16+, after two episodes it is showing great promise.  The sets, costumes, and landscapes are spectacular, and the acting has been superb so far.  Fingers crossed.

I have seen a lot of growth in my piano pieces in just the past week.  By early next week I hope to set a concert date.  I've rescheduled a lesson with Philip on the 20th.

We've also managed some gaming this week, playing Tokaido, Middle Earth The Wizards, and Akrotiri.  It's so nice not having to teach.  However, with so many trips coming up this year (London, NM, Vienna), I must continue until I can take it no longer.  Hopefully another few years....

Wednesday, Feb. 7th/18 

We awoke to nearly 5" on new snow in the 'Burg.  It was very light and fluffy, but there was a lot of it.  Yet again things are mostly cleaned up, except for one large parking area.  Luckily it is a non-teaching week.  Of course I had to take a rain check on my piano lesson in Windsor.  Most roads were okay by afternoon, but my arms were still stiff and sore from shovelling.  And now we are expecting the Big One, beginning around 2 am Friday morning and continuing all that day and into the evening.  So far in February we have had about 12" of new snow, and we are about to get 8" or 9" more.

We are still hoping to get over to Detroit tomorrow evening to attend the all-Ravel concert, including the two piano concerti.  Been looking forward to that one for awhile now.  We will be home a few hours before the expected storm.  And another concert there on Sunday--we'll have to see about that one.  Typically it takes Detroit several days to clean up after a big storm.  

We've been doing a bit of gaming this week, including a game of Tokaido, and tonight we played Middle Earth: The Wizards.  Nice to have the extra three nights a week off.  Once I resume Iaido, I only have two evenings to myself per week.  By the looks of this winter, I will not be resuming Iaido anytime soon.

Tuesday, Feb. 6th/18 

You know it's a bad winter when the daytime high is -6 C and you think that's pretty good!  Lately we have been getting snow nearly every day, and that will continue well into the weekend.  We might even be able to snowshoe this coming weekend.  My piano lesson with Philip tomorrow in Windsor is in jeopardy due to the next snowy system, coming in very early Wed. morning.

Today was Deb's infusion day.  It was bright and sunny, so we had no travel difficulties.  She has been feeling pretty good lately, too.  We have not heard once from Deb's sister regarding Blake's recovery.  We assume that no news is good news, in this case at least.

Deb has three showings this weekend of two of her films.  Friday and Saturday "Bolt From the Blue" is showing in Massachusetts, and on Sunday her coffee short is showing in California.  She is hard at work at her newest film, a Shakespeare short.  I've now lost count of how many films she has made, and she has had perhaps 30-40 showings around the world.  We're hoping she gets selected  for Origins Festival again in Columbus, Ohio, as that one is close enough to attend, something we did last year.

Sunday, Feb. 4th/18 

I have finished the 19th book of the Avon/Equinox Series, which has led me to read 193 books so far by 17 different authors, many of which I had never before heard of.  I took a lot of the work on this project on faith, hoping that at least some of the stories would be readable, and some of the authors worth investigating a bit deeper than one single book.  Wow!  Was I pleasantly surprised.  The most recent author added to my roster is Rex Gordon, a British SF writer, as well as author of other types of fiction.  So before I can read Book #20 in the series, I go through the list of authors and read one book by each of them.  I am gradually finishing up with some authors, as new ones are added.  Gordon wasn't overly prolific, leaving behind six SF novels and 6 other novels.  The book I just read by him is called First On Mars, and was the obvious inspiration for Andy Weir's much more up to date version of this story.  My review is up at the Avon/Equinox blog.  I am currently reading one of my few remaining books by P.J. Farmer, the very first author I came into contact with as a result of taking on this project.  He is still one of the best, Riverworld notwithstanding.

If you take away the worst of the polar vortexes to hit us this year (we are now well into our 4th), that event that lasted 16 days with temperatures so far below average that it seemed to put us into a different Earth climate zone, then we are still having a harsh winter.  There has been a lot of snow, but only a bit at a time, and never enough for good snow shoeing.  We need about a 10" base for that.  We get snow (like today), but then it goes away.  Then it returns.  Then it goes away....now it's back.  If you do include the worst of the polar vortexes, then it has been a dreadful season.  Luckily we have no hiking planned for the upcoming March Break, as we would not have enough time to work ourselves up for hiking in the mountains.  Next March we hope to return to the desert.  The Southwest US is having a much warmer and drier year than normal.  There is virtually no snow pack in NM, making it a very bad and very early start to fire season.  Usually by now there are meters of snow in higher elevations, but not this year.  Silver City, a mountain town and a favourite place of ours, is having daytime highs in the mid 60s.  It should be in the mid 30s.

 Action at the bird and squirrel feeding station #1 today, after some fresh snow.  

Piano practice continues to go well.  The program is entirely memorized (32 pages!), and I will be playing it Wednesday for Philip Adamson at his home.  I doubt we'll get through the whole thing in one lesson.  And concert season begins in earnest Thursday evening (I don't teach this week--huzzah!!).  We have two DSO concerts scheduled.  Thursday is an all-Ravel program, including both piano concerti, and Sunday afternoon is an all-Saint-Saens program, including his 2nd piano concerto.  Hoping the weather is good.  Had the concert been today, we would have been stuck at home.

Thursday, Feb. 1st/18  

It's my week off from teaching, and it got off to an early start.  My three Thursday students had to cancel, so I am off till Feb. 13th.  That is also the day I see my retina specialist, for a checkup.  We are due for a return of winter, with temps staying well below average until mid February.  So far this winter we have had three nasty cold weather periods, lasting 7, 16, and 7 days respectively.  We are now getting one to last for 14 days, at least.  We are over the worst as far as averages and norms go, but of course in our geographical area that means nothing.  I spent a lot of time and energy shovelling snow on Tuesday, only because it was a busy teaching day.  Any snow that falls over the next ten days won't be going anywhere from my shovel.

Deb had been having good success with her shoulder, but then she pulled a muscle in her back.  So she is in pain again, and frustrated because she had been making good progress.  Her range of motion had improved greatly, and her pain had really faded.  Hard to say how long her setback will be, but likely a few days.

Deb's nephew Blake had a recent heart attack.  He is 43.  He was in Sudbury hospital recently and had an angioplasty operation.  Hopefully everything will be well for him.   We'll know more in a few days.  

I am looking forward to a week of practice, lots of reading, some NM map work, and mostly staying home and trying to keep warm.  Tomorrow is Candlemas, and we will be celebrating the fact that we are halfway between Winter Solstice and Vernal Equinox.  Wood fire, new Tarot cards, and lots of good eats.  

We finally have a lot of concerts coming up in Detroit.  It's been a quiet autumn and winter so far for us.  I will talk about them in my next post.  Good night.