Today is the big day! The Upper Country Singers concert starts at 3 pm. I’ve got to be there no later than 1:30 pm, and I’d planned to get up early and do my exercises. But I woke up feeling a bit under the weather.
I lingered in bed as long as I dared, and started my day around 10. That was enough time to prepare and eat breakfast and get showered before lunchtime. Even though I’d had a late breakfast, I ate lunch at noon, knowing that I wouldn’t be home at my normal dinner time. I got my exercises done. I knew I wouldn’t want to do them when I got home in the evening.
The headache from yesterday continued to make its presence known. Mostly in my left eyeball, especially when the lights in my eyes. Unfortunately, up on stage, the lights were in my eyes pretty much the whole time.
A friend picked my up a little after 1 pm, and we arrived at the fairgrounds before 1:30. The choir provides red scarves for the ladies and red bowties for the men, which we wear with our white tops and black bottoms, so I went and got my scarf first. Last year, I wore black tights, but this year I decided to go for some extra glitz and wore my sparkly black stockings instead. They’re very glittery and bright, and I got several compliments on them from other choir members.
I wore my necklace with Ambrose’s ashes and my mom’s ring under my shirt to keep them both close to my heart.
I got my flute and music stand all set up and ready to go, and then did sound check with the other choir members. After that, I sat in my seat and chatted with folks nearby. I didn’t want to mingle with the crowd, because if someone asked me about Ambrose I’d likely cry. I didn’t want to cry before the concert because it might affect my singing voice.
The concert itself went very well. We weren’t perfect, but we never claimed to be. We were excellent, though. I enjoyed the experience of singing for the audience, singing in fellowship with my fellow choir members. And when it came time for me to play the flute, that went very well indeed. I made a few small errors, but nothing that anyone else would have noticed. I started strong, and finished right with the pianist, and that’s what I wanted.
I helped collect the donation bags after the concert ended, and didn’t get a chance to say hello to the soloist who gave us two songs in Spanish. He was from Peru, and I wanted to tell him that my dad was also from Peru. Imagine that, two people of Peruvian ancestry both singing at the same concert in Cambridge, Idaho. His singing was beautiful; I’m looking forward to listening again on the recording.
Then I helped with the takedown of all the decorations. It’s amazing how transformed the hall is with all the decor. And how fast we can take everything down.
I got home around 7 pm and made dinner. I’d already planned it out: minute rice, Mediterranean style mackerel, and onion salad all mixed together. It was yummy, and I made two servings so I’ve got breakfast for tomorrow.
I’m going to miss choir Mondays. I’m going to have to find some flute pieces to work on. I think I have a book of Christmas songs; I could work on them. Maybe some other songs. I’ll have to review what I’ve got; I have a lot of Disney songs I know. Maybe I’ll try and get some sheet music while I’m in Chicago.