Returning to the Stage, musically and in life!

 The combined departments of dance and Opera put on a wonderful production of the Operetta Candide, the music department had invited the Music Alumni to return and join the chorus in the fun.  We were given an abbreviated score with all the choral parts and with a good run through with orchestra and cast on Friday before the show.  On Saturday, there was a rehearsal with the chorus before the first performance that evening.  The graduates who were able to return, were treated to a wonderful luncheon paid for by the Alumni Assoc., giving us a chance to reconnect and chat with old friends.  I actually met 2 classmates, one was my accompanist for several of my student recitals performances the other was 2 years behind me and sang with me in Concert Choir.  My accompanist  recognized and remembered me from so many years ago which gave us a chance to chat and catch up, also we helped each other rehearse some of the more challenging pieces.

Quite a fun weekend after so much of having to deal 'other' stuff with family as we had gathered the weekend before to sort through my Mother's things.  5 adult sorting through 7 areas and 4 bedrooms of almost 48 years of accumulated treasures and gifts and STUFF.  We ran out of time before we even got to the laundry room which has one of my father's military footlockers which holds some of his technical books and the storage shed which we never set foot in.

We started the sorting process around noon on Saturday and we pick and sorted for 10 hours on Saturday and almost 12 hours Sunday.  My brother left early afternoon on Monday to catch a plane, I had to leave my sisters in the kitchen by 6 pm that Monday evening.  I brought home several boxes of items home with me, most were pictures, small items and boardgames for my children.  I asked for a small table with a marble top and one of mother's curio cabinets.  I was able to put a 6 foot curio in our Kia Soul; really!  I laid the back of the front seat and both back seats down to get it to fit, which mean that I had to ride sitting on top of the back seat and hold onto the cabinet.

Both of us made it home in one piece, although I had to stoop as I was riding in the backseat, or on the backseat as it were.  The Cabinet found it's place both of us agreed to and is now filled with the small mementos and treasures I chose from our's and Mother's travels.

If you have never had to sort through a house crammed full of collected stuff, you will find a need to downsize around your own house, to do some house sorting of your own.