third street string stravaganza

every january, third street music school has it's string stravaganza at st. mark's in the bowery. c's teacher put together a really lovely arrangement of the sound of music for his repertory group to play. during rehearsals on saturday mornings i was a bit cyncial about it (oh no, here comes another rendition of the sound of music), but the performance this morning brought me to tears. the stravaganza is always a very moving experience for teachers, family and friends.

current projects

i finally started working again on a sweater that i began last march when my dad went into mt. sinai for heart surgery. i remember so clearly sitting on the hotel bed and knitting the front and back, while my mom took a nap on the bed next to me and c worked in her puzzle book by my side. today, when i opened the rowan pattern book to see what i should do next, i realized that i'm working from two patterns; i'm adding sleeves from one pattern to a sweater pattern that has no sleeves. i also decided to work on slightly thinner needles because i don't like working with big fat needles! so . . i'm now wondering how this sweater is really going to turn out. the last picture is of g's socks which i'm almost done with. they're for his birthday which is coming up in february.

at the met

our friend is currently dancing in mark morris's "orfeo and euridice" and was able to get us great orchestra seats in row H. i had never been in the metropolitan opera house and was excited to go. it's very pretty inside, and the reds and yellows make it feel cozier than the new york state theatre. stephanie blythe as orfeo sang beautifully and of course our friend danced exquisitely (as she always does!). the set amazed me and rolled around and up and down in true met style. it was fun to watch, though a bit distracting for me who prefers things a little simpler.

ice skating at bryant park

today was the last day of ice skating at bryant park. we woke at 6:30 am to get ready to go. we were there when they opened at 8 am. i love skating so early. there aren't many people on the ice and the air feels . . . fresher than later in the day! it was also warmer skating today than the day before yesterday. it was very cold wednesday!! invigorating!! my fingers and toes were cold and i had to make several trips inside to warm them. that wasn't necessary today. we skated until 10:45 am and then headed home for lunch and a rest before afternoon classes.

from monday

it was such a beautiful snowy monday. these two cuties are quite melted now.

president obama's first day in office

m and i were up at 7 am this morning to go ice skating. on our way to the train i suddenly remembered . . our president is now barack obama and not george w. bush! what a great feeling! so i wondered what president obama did during his first day in office (you can also go to npr and listen to their account):

inauguration day

first read about rosemary's day on the mall and in dc, then listen to pete seeger (thanks robyn!) (and which is really from monday), and then dr. joseph lowery:

a day of service

a snowy martin luther king, jr day

ooohh baby, it's cold outside

on the way to ballet class

me: it's five after four. it feels so light out. the days are lengthening.
c: it is? i don't like that.
me: ?????!!!!!
c: winter is going so fast.

a geography lesson while wrapping gifts

i was very busy wrapping gifts one morning when i stopped in astonishment while folding k's shirt into the box. "made in lesotho." scusi? nope. never heard of it. ok. first stop wikipedia. lesotho is a small country in the midst of south africa. here is the full article . . so . . a gap shirt made in lesotho. well . . you never know . .

twelfth day

twelfth night

the tenth day of christmas

" . . and where is the hot chocolate?"

the ninth day of christmas

we were at the brooklyn museum today for a dance performance with lori belilove and company. afterwards, the museum hosted an evening of waltzing. some people danced, and some people didn't.

backstage

the eighth day of christmas

k is on the way to sudbury mass for her ferry beach reunion. g will be helping out with the chaperoning. they have their sleeping bags and pillows and cell phones and books and sandwiches and marshmallows and chocolate and knitting and journals and hand cream and toothpaste . . clean underwear . . ?

the seventh day of christmas

two thousand nine

when the ball drops on the tv m and c run out of the room and grab the pots and pans by the front door and clang them together into the cold night air. this is a tradition from my childhood. in those days, after making a good loud racket for a minute or two, you would pause and listen . . and in the distance you would hear people yelling and the sound of new year party noisemakers and bells and other pot lids clapping together. when we listen these days it's very quiet . . but we still continue to yell into the night. happy new year everyone! may this year bring you joy and good health.