June 2021

These bloomed on my patio today!

June has been a varied month, busy with music, time with Kate and James, walking for our challenge, cats and I going to the vet and doctors. It was time to take the cats for their vaccinations. No problems with the shots, much more difficult getting them into the carriers! Ollie, the white cat also has teeth problems, so that's going to be another palaver. 

Then it was my turn. For over a year I have been bothered with blocked ears and head. No pain, but difficulty at times not being to hear easily and slow on memory. No problems from the ENT doctor, no allergies or  MRI.  Finally the endodontist discovered a Chronic Sinus Tract and an abscess above a molar. At the next appointment, after two hours in the chair, the dentist who was trying to do a root canal, said she could only find one nerve where there are supposed to be four, due to an abscess. It would take another four weeks to clear that up, but then I decided I had enough, and at my age it didn't bother me to get the tooth taken out, so last Friday it was done. So far, so good, but it will probably be awhile for my body to settle down and hopefully my ears/head clear up. 

Kate and James were finishing up their school year, having done very well dealing with classes at school and at home. The school has done extremely well through this pandemic, with no viruses. Summer camps with track and soccer will keep them in shape for the beginning of school. It's Kate's last year and is getting ready to apply to universities!  Kate has done excellent work in gymnastic in meets, here's an example on this video. James does very well with track, but I don't have a video of him zipping by!

Zoe too, has all A's for her school work, having had a terrible imposition for all these young people having to sit in front of a computer from 8:40am to 2:40pm 😩 Although she had her 13th birthday on June 27 there was no party at home, too many difficulties with vaccinations. She survived and had a good snooze during the long drive to Aunt Betsy's cottage in New Hampshire. Then the next day, it was party time! 

For me, the highlight at the beginning of the month was playing chamber music together with other live musicians. We still had to wear masks as we were in UNC classrooms and recital halls. We had an hour between each session so the rooms could be sanitized! Such a thrill to play together, working with each other. This year we were assigned a string quartet, staying with the same players for the entire week. In the past, we could change personnel to play trios, duos and larger groups in the sessions.  I enjoyed having the same players during week, we got to know each other musically and personally, ending up having new friends. We had three daily sessions, each with different coaches (fewer than the four as in other years.) We really got to know the music we chose -  Mozart K367, Dvorak op.51, and Tchaikovsky's "Andante Cantabile". We performed the Andante on the last day, and were very happy with it. 

Continuing through the weekend,  was the gathering of the Viols of Central Carolina, a first since 15 months ago, It was so good to see and play with viol player-friends after all this time. 

A 18th century farm house, (very old for the US) is not far from me, now belongs to the county for all to walk around a 4-mile path, have picnics in meadows and enjoy the  peace and quiet. Our group gets started earlier, as it is getting quite hot any time after 11am. It was a good restart after all the sitting throughout the week, I needed to catch up on my share of the challenge walk.  

Our team's new UK challenge - Lands End to John O'Groats is 1,083.81 miles! It will take us quite long to conquer it, as we all have various things to do. I'm writing a blog of all the places I lived throughout the country, and hope Maggie and Dan who have both visited/lived in England, especially in Cornwall and Devon, will also write about their times there. Recently I joined back to a Saturday walking group I used to do regularly 10-15 years ago,  so that is helping me in my local walks for the UK challenge! Here is postcard of St. Michael's Mount, across from Penzance in Cornwall

Our medal collection is growing!

We, the team of the Conqueror Challenge, is a great group, with Dan, Maggie, Jennifer and I are dedicated to get as many steps as we can to conquer our challenge.  However, this month the kudos has to be given to Maggie, for as well as her walking for us, she has made an unbelievable effort to show off  amazing safaris in Zimbabwe and Zambia. She has incredible focus on projects she gets into. So what did she do recently? Took a flight to South Africa and met up with travel agents from the USA to show them Africa. Wonderful accommodation in the bush, Victoria Falls, Tiger fishing and sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, are only a few of the offers the itinerary gives. I hope Maggie will write a book of her adventures with her fantastic photographs. 

Helicopter view of the Victoria Falls. 

The month ends on a fun event, the 15th performance of the Covid Cello Project, now known as the Global Cello Project. Ta Da - "Pirates of the the Caribbean Medley". I can't wait to get working on the music, and I think, some sort of pirate costume. Lots of cellists are showing off their ideas on our Facebook group.  

That's all folks for now, have a restful time in the heat.

Jane