Well, a new month has dawned and I seem to recall that I would tell you how I got on singing The Messiah. It was an experience that I would love to repeat again! The rehearsals were a nightmare; I couldn't find my place in lots of the pieces and I began to doubt that I could ever sing it. But guess what? At the final rehearsal I begun to believe that I wasn't as bad as I thought, that I could sing most of it and mime the rest, and that despite everything, I was going to enjoy myself! That evening was lovely; it was the first time that I had heard The Messiah all the way through (well nearly all the way through, the conductor left out some solo pieces) and even though I would not have been able to understand the words that the soloists were singing had I not had the book available, it was a very uplifting and spiritual experience. Can't say that my head has been turned by choral music, but I would be happy to sing it again if the opportunity came my way.
This autumn has been thankfully warm and sunny and so my descent into the doldrums has been postponed a little. Every day I tell myself that the weather is fantastic for this time of year and that means less time to hate the impending winter. Has it worked? I think it has although I have to admit today has dawned very grey, overcast and wet. Not great weather to get enthused about as it is depressing at best, but I refuse to accept that the weather is capable of having such an influence on my mood. (Before you all comment - I am well aware of the S.A.D. syndrome as I suffer from it myself, but I am trying not to let it beat me this year.) Keeping positive thoughts and a smile on my face is helping and if I remember to buy a daylight bulb as well, that should all help my cause. Everyday that I can keep fairly upbeat is another day less of the autumn and winter that I loathe and detest! I so love the autumn colours and the pristine snow that lays like a comfort blanket over the countryside and makes everything look so pretty, but that is as far as it goes. Only four months to go and then it is March and spring will be here......!
Today is the first of November and I have just heard on the radio that the Christmas lights are being switched on in London today. What can I say that hasn't already been said? We have supermarkets that have been selling Halloween and Christmas stuff side by side for several weeks now - enough, methinks! I love the idea of Christmas, with all the cosiness of snuggling up to a log fire with a piano in one corner and a huge tree in the other; cards on the mantelpiece and mince pies on the table. I love the spirituality of Christmas, but most years for me it is just a day like any other day. I do have a proper Christmas dinner and this year it will be special as it falls on a Sunday; but I think that I have lost the enjoyment that I might have once had. Maybe it is being on my own, or having no presents, or just being a bit of a "Bah Humbug!" I do like looking round all the shops at Christmas time though; window shopping is the next best thing to actually buying something!
I have spent the last couple of weeks writing a talk that I have to give on Saturday evening at my church conference. I have put a lot of love and effort into this assignment; I hope that I have done it justice. Mind you, a fifteen minute talk is one heck of a lot of words; and because it has to be the right length, I have probably given everyone within earshot a bit of a headache as I have read and re-read it out loud to ensure that it fits the required time frame.
Don't all fall down with shock (especially those of you who know how much I like cooking!), but I have just shoved a shepherd's pie type thing into the oven. The reason I call it a "type thing" is because I have made it with turkey mince rather than lamb mince, and just thrown in a few leeks and some baked beans! I have no idea how it will turn out but bearing in mind that it is the only thing I have to eat, it better be good. Maybe watching all those Masterchef programmes has rubbed off after all! So I need to leave all you lovely folk and prepare to eat my culinary delight. If you never hear from me again, you'll know that it was my "faux" shepherd's pie!
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