November, 2022



I'm sorry that the November blog has sent out so late. It was a month of quite a number of events - keeping up with teaching at schools, private students,  doctors and surgery, but none better than a new baby girl in our family! Keep scrolling down and you'll get all the info!

It was a musical month, rehearsing a tricky program for the Chapel Hill Philharmonia -  Fanny Mendelssohn's Overture, the Conga del Fuego Nuevo by Arturo Marquez, jazzy and traditional, ending up with Sibelius #1. We have a week left to keep at it, for when we perform on December 11. 

Duke University has great chamber music series throughout the academic year and with a friend, we went to hear the Danish String Quartet who are travelling around the USA. It was my type of program - Mozart, Britten and Schubert.  Beautiful playing and sounds that blended from the instruments. Can't beat that group! No squeaks or cacophony!  

After that weekend, on Monday, November 7th, I was elected to the Board of Directors of our Homeowners Association. Never done this before, but it's good to get to know how it runs. We have good people on this Board - in the past there were some dreadful people. 

Next to do was catching up on shots (not alcoholic) Booster #3, Flu and Shingles. I have one more, Tetanus to get done when I can get back to the pharmacy. 

More music - at the Chapel Hill School of Music and Arts, a few of my students -  young and older adults, were enthusiastic to play some Christmas music at a school recital, which we did  and enjoyed very much.                                                                                                                                              

The Saturday walking group was up and going on a favorite trail in Hillsborough. I thought it would be good for me to get some exercise before I had cataract surgery. 

Mostly one Sunday a month, our Carolina Central Viol Group gets together. It's a small group, I wish it could be weekly. My treble is not being played. I prefer to play with others rather than sit at home with it. 

Our weekly string quartet is more challenging. We have been working on the Tchaikovsky String Quartet #1 and Haydn op 64. 

On Tuesday, the 15th, I had Cataract surgery on my right eye.  After an annual checkup, my eye doctor said it would be best to have the surgery.  Dan flew down to be with me during the surgery. James had kindly picked him up from the airport. Dan was staying a week, as after the surgery I couldn't drive for several days. At the clinic, the nurses were kind and helpful getting me ready. The anesthetist gave me an oral medication to relax me and some IV twilight sedation during the procedure. Not that I knew anything. I was wondering if my eye would be taken out, but they don't, thank goodness. The surgeon gets rid of the cloudy natural lens, and puts in a new artificial lens. It was a very smooth surgery. It wasn't long before I could leave, Dan got the car and we went for lunch to Elmo's in Durham, our favorite restaurant. I took a nap when we got home, felt fine and even went to the concert of a Cello Quartet at Carol Woods! It was a very enjoyable performance, and I could see very well. I've met with the surgeon twice  since, and have one more appointment. My right eye is completely clear, but I realised that my left eye is blurry, so I may have that one done in a month or so.  

Saturday, the 19th, was a family breakfast at Breadman's, a favorite for the boys from years ago in Carrboro. It's now moved to Chapel Hill, but it's very similar. It was a good opportunity before Dan returns to New Jersey. Jennifer and James joined us, and we had a lovely visit catching up.  

Later that day, eight  of my cello students performed a school recital in a local church, and all went well. They enjoyed playing Christmas carols. Dan came too! 

Sunday, 20th - Dan had decided to stay another night so we could look for a car. The dealer was near the airport, but there were no cars available for ones we were looking for. Instead we had a snack and I dropped Dan off at the airport. It was a lovely week, no school or teaching. I was lazy, Dan was able to work as much as he had to do.  

Monday, 21st. Back to the usual. Checks with the doctor, Lower School class, and Chapel Hill Music School. 

Tuesday, 22nd. For those of you in Chapel Hill who remember Fred and Nancy Brooks, Fred passed away on November 17, and the funeral was at the Chapel Hill Bible Church on the 22nd. Fred is UNC's star, best known for managing the development of IBM's System/360 family of computers and the OS/360 software support package. Nancy and Mary Frances Boyce, both violin teachers, started up the Chapel Hill Suzuki Music School in the late 60s. Both still teaching!    

    We had such gorgeous colors this year from all around our homes.

November 24th. Thanksgiving Day this year was a very special one, and I was going down to spend the day. I am only an hour and a half from Chapel Hill, easy for me to visit great-niece Michelle and husband JB, who work in the military and medical area. Michelle's mother, Angela (my niece) was visiting from Hong Kong, making it a lovely family gathering.  

                                                          
Lots of baby shower gifts!

                                          JB, Mum Angela, and the Mum-to-be in a few hours!    
                                                                                 
Yummy!
  

After the delicious meal, we relaxed watching the world soccer match of the day (I think it was Brazil but don't remember which was the other team!)  I left to go home before it was getting too dark, as I was still having to be careful of my cataract eye. When I got home, I messaged the family to say I had arrived, the drive was straightforward, but more important, I was told that Michelle was on the way to the hospital! I woke up early on Saturday morning to the news that the baby had 2 cords around her neck, which meant Michelle had to have a cesarean section immediately, and baby Annie was born at 9:19am! All was well. 6lbs 8, 20 1/2". 

                                                        
                                                                A real joyous Thanksgiving!

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