Late Night Musings

I played the Faure Requiem at a concert this evening. Such a beautiful piece.

While waiting to go onstage, there was quite a bit of activity in the "green room." The principal cellist was translating Greek, the solo violinist was practicing her part and debating the finer points of her practice mute, the trumpet players joked about how little they had to play, a violist and cellist were discussing Judge Judy, the bassoonists were discussing reeds, and I tried, not very successfully, to read One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Solzhenitsyn writes about some of the prisoners, "[Alyoshka] and the other Baptists spent their Sundays whispering to each other...They'd been lumbered with twenty-five years a piece just for being Baptists. Fancy thinking that would cure them!"

Can you imagine. Twenty-five years for being a Baptist. Whew! Wonder what they whispered to each other on Sundays. We have so much to be thankful for here in America. We take it too much for granted.

I have a friend who lives in Minsk, Belarus. I hope some of this protesting by the opposition has a positive result. Pray for the people of Belarus. (Photo above is from Minsk.)

Today my son's favorite Cory catfish died. The other Cory stood guard over his little body in the tank so the other fish wouldn't mess with it. My son went out back and dug a hole in the backyard by the Blue Spruce tree. In the snow. Bless his heart. He liked this fish too much to flush it down the toilet. I went outside with him to give it a proper burial before I left for my rehearsal.

Mom said the kids were great. Always makes you feel good to hear that.