Drummer's Corner of the World

For the last X years (this is the fourth or fifth... I'm not sure which), UUI has done an open Winter Solstice ritual, which fast became the high point of my WinterThing season. Good music and great energy with a wonderful bunch of people.

This year's was tonight, and the choir and accompanists were (as usual) to wear black, since the service starts in the dark. (Choir members then got red or gold sashes... accompanists could sash or not... I chose not to, 'cause it just ends up in the way when I put the djembe, with its criss-cross harness, on.) Looking in my closet this afternoon, I was faced with a bit of a dilemma... I have really dressy blacks (worn when accompanying the Women's Chorus or other groups) and really casual blacks (think black BDU pants and a t-shirt or tank top) and neither of them were really what I was in the mood for this year. I wanted something dressier than the BDUs but more comfortable than the formal stuff.

Then I realized... Ooh! I've been buying stuff to wear at Capricon in February, which has a pirate theme! But... could I find my black peasant blouse, which I haven't seen in months (or maybe years)?

It took some serious closet excavation, but I came up with the black blouse, so my attire for the evening was black gypsy-style dance pants tucked into my black deerskin Ropers (those are boots, for those of you who don't speak cowboy boot), the black peasant top, with the black handkerchief skirt and leather waist cincher over the top.

I looked good, if I dare say so myself, but what made it really entertaining was to have a couple of people, who I've known for quite a few years, come up to me and say "Oh my god... I don't think I've ever seen you in a dress!"

(Note that I'm not positive it really counts as a "dress" since I was wearing pants under the skirt, but it was still amusing.)

Ritual went really well, and the small group who sang "Kore Evohe" locked in better than we've ever done before. I really love the acoustics in the sanctuary, and after the week I've had with Chase and his pneumonia, I was seriously in need of the energy boost.

So I'm recharged, and ready for the arrival of my parents tomorrow, and Mr. Chase made it just fine without me for a few hours this evening and is now settled in the big fluffy dog bed in the living room. He gets another nebulizer treatment before bed, and the vet put him on Tramadol today to take the edge off his anxiety (he still can't walk, which is highly concerning but we've got to deal with the infection first), so he and I can take our Tramadols together at bedtime and hopefully we'll both get a good night's sleep.

Happy Return of the Sun to all of you in the Northern Hemisphere!

So... five days before I need to be able to sing in the Winter Solstice celebration, I've got a raging case of bronchitis and it brought it's little friend laryngitis to the party too.

*sigh*

Such lovely timing. I managed to squeak (in some cases, literally) my way through rehearsal this afternoon, and was pleased to discover that if I don't sing _much_ I can still get through the small group number "Kore Evohe" (which is lovely, and which has been done by the Women's Chorus small ensemble for the last two years... this is the first year we've had enough strong voices to do it without bringing in "ringers" :-) ).

So tomorrow I go to work and put a sign on my door and a tag on my shirt saying "Don't make me talk to you" and I cross my fingers and hope that I can salvage enough voice to sing for an hour on Friday.

(For those readers in the Indy area... the Winter Solstice celebration will be at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis, 43rd & Sunset. Arrive early... armbands will be given out and only 300 people can get into the sanctuary per fire code. Feasting, bonfire and other fun will take place afterwards, including a procession to the bonfire with the Yule Log. It's a beautiful ritual... highly recommended!)