FIREWORKS!

I don't know how often we get a 4th of July Humpday, but today we did.  Putting the 4th smack in the middle of a week makes for interesting dynamics.  In choir all week we have tried to time our patriotic music to hit the biggest crowds.   Last Sunday was our official patriotic Sunday.  But today was our most patriotic anthem and I appreciate that Jared decided to forego the overdone Peter Wilhousky arrangement of Battle Hymn of the Republic which every single person on the planet has heard multiple times, they just may not know it.  My antipathy for that piece comes not so much because it is done to death, but because I actually met Mr. Wilhousky at Interlochen back when I was in my late college years.  Simply put. . . . he was a bit of a dirty old man.  And I've never liked the piece much since then.   Today we sang a piece called Hymn of Freedom and it worked nicely for the day.


After the service was Jim Lehrer's solo lecture for the week.  He talked about his experiences moderating the presidential debates over the years.  I looked forward to that.  But as I was leaving the apartment to walk across the road to the amp, I also noticed that there was a big black cloud and distant thunder to the north.  And I thought to my self:  "Self. . . . do we want to weather a storm in a wooden amphitheater that is nearly 150 years old with open sides, or might we want to walk the 10 steps to the large brick library where we can catch up on our reading?"   My self did not take long to make the call.  After all, we get a very detailed accounting of the previous day's lecture in the morning paper.   I headed for the library.  And sure enough, within about 5 minutes a big storm blew in.  Almost no visibility, thunder, lightening, heavy rain and hail. I calmly read my book, safe in the knowledge that. . . . well,  I was safe!   After it was over, people were pouring out of the amphitheater talking not only about the lecture but about their personal experiences with being soaked to the skin in spite of being down close to the middle.  And before long, trucks and the sound of chain saws attested to the need to clean up branches that had been downed.   The huge cluster of bicycles that stand outside the amp was a tangled heap of metal.  Glad my bike was safely parked under the stairway of my building and covered with a tarp!   So those were the first fireworks of the day.  And the rain was enough to cancel the band concert that happens on the lawn of the plaza!


From there my day got lazy.  I had no appointments or obligations until 4:00 when I attended the first play of the season, The Philadelphia Story which was fabulous!


Tonight I read some more and then wandered down to the lake front.   Nancy and I were just commenting today that so far this year we have operated completely apart from the knowledge that we are two blocks from a beautiful lake!  This was my first trip down there. . . after dark.  The entire perimeter of the lake is lined with red flares, and standing down there you can see no fewer than 6 different fireworks displays going on in the various communities around the lake. At 10:00 the Miller Bell Tower begins to play patriotic music.   But this year, everyone's favorite firework by far was the full orange moon that rose over the lake right about 10.  It was spectacular!


I'm getting feedback that people are enjoying the pictures I'm posting so that they can truly see where I am.  Tonight I'll give you the gym scenario.   I walk or bike to the gym.  If I walk, I take the "brick walk" for the bulk of the trip.

The gardens along the path are exquisite.  Pretty soon I can see Taylor Rec Center in the distance.

The last part of the walk or ride to here is a short, but very steep hill.  I always arrive thinking I've already done my cardio!

If I ride my bike, I park it on the racks you see on the right.

This is the air-conditioned part of the gym.  The machines are here.  I use some of the machines, but. . . . . . 

I spend most of my time in this room with the free weights, balls and bands, and these two pilates machines which I really like.  It's much hotter in here.


So there you have the gym scenario.  Hope to get back there tomorrow.  I'm shooting for at least 3 times a week.


So another 4th of July has gone the way of the Dodo.  This was a good one!