Last night we all went rock hopping and floating watermelons, as you can see from the pictures below. We floated the watermelons in the creek so they’d get good and cold, and ate it after everyone went rock hopping. We had enough to share with others playing in the area. Sarah Jane and I got a little silly. She said the caption to that picture should be “Sarah Jane was practicing…”
Mary told a story about a large-winged creature who was just outside the window, and Marsha captured the picture you see below. I’ll get Mary to tell that story later.
We had chore time this afternoon, and all the kids had chores to do in the house in addition to cleaning up their rooms and bathrooms. I had to share the one picture of the two wiping the floor while watching TV – hilarious!
Everyone is in for the night. It’s late and we’re all tired after a very full day. Tonight was the talent show. Alex did a good job, and appeared to be the youngest one who performed tonight! Later in the program Tressa sang a lovely Mozart piece and was accompanied by Shelby. It was simply gorgeous, and when they finished the entire place lept to their feet with excitement and applause! They all made us so proud. Here’s the video for Tressa and Shelby’s performance and for Alex’s performance. The African group that Elizabeth blogged about yesterday performed tonight. Here’s their video as well.
After the talent show was — what else?! — Huckleberry’s! The kids get so excited about that place. I must say that they have the best Moose Tracks ice cream I’ve ever had.
Here are some more Jonathanisms from choir today (in an English accent, of course):
- Everyone be an honorary soprano – a noble state indeed!
- There is a generally accepted idea that goldfish have a memory of 9 seconds. They swing round their bowl a time or two and see their owner’s face and have no recognition. Choir members are meant to have little more memory than goldfish.
- (instructing us to write in our scores) Wonderful, perfect memories don’t always come home to roost in a performance, so write it down!
- I love the altos! But today only, ok?
- (after the altos screwed up) Altos! I thought we were friends! Our relationship is off. You’re back on, sopranos!
- (the continuing story of the alto who left her music yesterday – the woman came forward to retrieve said music) Here’s your copy, madame. I hope you had a lovely snooze.
- Let a little more go, you reserved lot!
- Don’t come in late! You aren’t late for your afternoon cup of tea, now are you?
- We’re not all singing. Somebody’s mouth didn’t open, which is a dead give-away.
- You sound like comfortably seated Presbyterians.
- (on the various sections not arriving at the end of the phrase at the same time or even on the same note) We have some going the pretty route and taking in all sorts of destinations on the way through.
- This piece is full of lovely late Victorian splendour!
- (Every time we began to sing) Off you go!
- It’s a rather novel idea, largely unappreciated by choral singers, that occasionally looking at the conductor might help you.
- (Trying to get more people to look up from their music) Nothing new is going to appear that wasn’t there yesterday!
- (On British/American choral relations) Two countries, divided by a common language, obviously.
- (To the tenors, who were gleefully attempting to sing the soprano II line) Never be beguiled by a second soprano, gents!
I got a couple pictures from Anderson Auditorium of the tapestries. The first day they were variations on white, and I didn’t get pictures of them. The green tapestries are gorgeous! The blue fabric coming from the font was from today. The fabric was held on each end by folks at the front of the sanctuary and was waved up and down to look like moving water while we sang. It added so much to the service, which was about water in many ways.
My classes are filling up my brain so fast that I feel like I need to dump some data to make room – like how to drive a stick-shift or the words to all the Schoolhouse Rock songs! My teacher tells the class regularly that feeling overwhelmed just means that you’re learning new things. It’s a good week for learning new things, and for being reminded of what we’ve learned already. This place is awesome.
— Sharon
