November 29, 2007
It’s the day after Thanksgiving and here in Cincy I woke up to snow this morning. Ten days ago, in mid November and 6 weeks late, trees were still in full Green leaf! Then suddenly, in a day, they turned to peak color (3 or 4 weeks late) and were just gorgeous for only 3 days before a weather system of cold wind and rain brought us closer (but still a week or 2 late) to seasonal reality of mostly bare trees. And yet, here and there, a few trees are still in full green leaf, kissed with “white shadows” of light snow. ——And by now, a week later, we have truly caught up with the seasonal norm, after a short 16 day fall.
I just finished “reading thru” last year’s Xmas notes and letters. There was a recurring theme of the various problems of aging: of loss, of aches and pains, of slowing down, even of no cards sent, or received in March or later, ‘because couldn’t get to it’ in Dec. (I know I’ve been guilty of that!). That’s OK! I just love hearing from you—-Whenever—to grieve loss and aging problems and to rejoice in happiness’s. Like Marg. Taylor: after years of caring for your beloved Dorsey and then losing him in June, you take a Christmas trip to New York City. What a wonderful, happy experience. One you richly deserved!
After spending most of the time the first half of the year working, in June my SPI work ended. The department budget cuts I referred to in my letter last year hit me. The contracts of a bunch of us “elderly” SPI’s in our 70’s (at $25.00 an hr.) were ‘non-renewed’ and replaced with younger people @ $15 an hr. I loved the work (and of course needed the money!), but don’t miss the work environment as it has developed under this new, much less trained and qualified Dept. Director. I keep in touch because Leesa Alford (50) is still there. Like I, she loves the work and the money, but deplores the situation and deterioration of parts of the program.
Loss of my paying job was immediately replaced in June when, after a 2 year hiatus, I once more became President of Phi Beta. It was good replacing one activity with another. In Sept I tried once again to sing in the October Festival Choir, since they were doing Camina Burana, a favorite I had always wanted to sing. It was fun to attend and sing in the rehearsals, but I had to miss a key rehearsal to take dogs to the Vet. I knew then I could no longer “cut it” to be a professional positive contributor in time for the perfor mance. – So I attended and listened instead. That’s what I mostly do these days – at plays, at symphony (full season) and at other arts events.
In October to mid Nov. Suzanne Farrell, world famous ballerina and Kennedy Center honoree, spent a month in Cincy working with our Cincy Ballet. She is a native of Cincinnati, has family and friends here, and as such was given a special Tribute Reception. In 1967, her friends in our Cincy Phi Beta Chapter installed her as a National Patron Phi Beta. It was thrilling, as current Phi Beta chapter president, to present her with a bouquet of our yellow roses at the Tribute, and later in the week to chat with her about New York City and Saratoga Springs in the 60’s after a ballet rehearsal. Who knew, as I sat in the audience in NYC 40 years ago, watching her beautiful magical dancing with Edward Villella, Jacques d’Amboise, et al, that our paths would cross this way.
After the deluge of losing over 20 friends, family, and acquaintances in 2006, I am happy to say this has been a much quieter, more normal year. One major loss was the passing in mid September of John Leman, the choral director of Cincinnati International Chorale responsible for my many European Choir trips in the 90’s. He had valiently fought MS for over 20 years, but ironically, as he put it, it was leukemia that ‘got me’ in the end.
I attended his Memorial Service on Sat. Oct. 20 at CCM. Corbett Auditorium. It was absolutely awesome. Besides the CCM Chamber and Philharmonic Choirs on stage, there was an audience of over 600 from all over the U.S., made up mostly of professional singers and musicians. When that assemblage belted out “For All the Saints”, those first 4 notes just hit you in the solar plexus. I know, if John were waiting at the Pearly Gates, we just blew them wide open for him to stride in past God, St. Peter and all the Angels. The service concluded with everyone singing from a provided score of “How Lovely are Thy Dwelling…” from Brahms Requium.—in German! It sounded like a professional choir that had rehearsed for days. One speaker said it was the first time he had ever heard the audience louder, stronger and better than the professional choir on stage. And it was wonderful to meet and renew friendships with our ‘choir buddies’ at the reception afterward–especially Peggy & Paul, and Karl from Dayton, and Mitzi from San Francisco.
My friend, Glenn Coven, spent the year growing his own snowy white hair and beard to play Santa Claus this December (He has several ‘gigs’). When he came over for me to shoot pictures, I donned his jacket, had a Santa Claus outfit for Cookie, and he got a Xmas picture of me with dogs. I can’t believe the miracle of Brandy. Despite Diabetes, Pancreatitis, and blindness, she continues to beat the odds of Sheltie life expectancy. In fact, after being treated for an infection last month, she is livelier and better than she has been in several years! She is the energizer bunny – going and going and going. Maybe its because I take such good care of her. A friend recently told me that back in 1977, some one said ” When I die, I want to come back as one of Carolyn’s dogs!” Ha.
Cookie, despite blind, deaf and no teeth, has an uncanny internal clock. She yap-yaps me awake every morning at 7:30; and also announces feeding time at 9 each morning and evening. Coco is a sweetie pie who loves to run, run, run. At the dog park last week she ran practically non stop for 30 minutes! And she loves to play basketball, which she runs and controls within bounds of my large back driveway. Larger beach balls are even more fun, but unfortunately, as she tries to hold and control the ball, her claws dig in – and POP! Trying to catch water from the hose is a fun time on a hot summer day. Needless to say, getting Coco was one of the best decisions I ever made.
In the absence of my own family, I continue to be thankful for my many wonderful and helpful friends. I look forward to hearing from you and hope you will be blessed with mostly positive events and experiences in the coming year of 2008.