From the symphonic to the ridiculous.

I have been enjoying a very leisurely, as well as profitable, Mother�s Day thus far. Hubby gave me two potted plants (lilies and mums) and a scented candle (which says porto in French on the tag and �pot wine� in English, although it smells like neither) and an amusing card, and the two fruits of my womb gave me a very funny card in the form of a game with an arrow to spin even. I understand that the plan is to take me out to the buffet at the Indian restaurant tonight, something to which I look forward.

Last night�s symphony concert, the last of the season, was extraordinary. The programme started with PacheIbeI�s Can0n, a single cellist onstage when the conductor came out to take his bow who began the ground bass all by her lonesome, joined shortly thereafter by the concert mistress, and then all the members of the string sections wandered in at appropriate times and took up their bows, until the last double bass player came onstage, played perhaps five notes, and the piece was over. It was very clever, but moreover, it let us hear the individual lines in a way we never do in a recording or complete ensemble performance.

This was followed by a piano concerto by R0bert Schumann, the soloist totally blowing us away. He�s the most unassuming guy, no charisma whatsoever, but when he sits down at the piano he produces the most beautiful sounds. His playing was technically flawless, and yet he was also brilliant musically, ensembling beautifully with the orchestra. After the intermission, they played Sh0stak0vich No. 5, It was exquisite. The conductor had told the audience beforehand that the third movement was like a cold morning in Siberia on February 29 (yes, that was the date he gave) and you only had your pyjamas on and you were locked out of your house. I found that to be a very apt description.

Several years ago, when the P�quistes were in power (that�s the Partie Qu�b0is for those not in the know, the ones would would have dragged us out of confederation whether we really wanted it or not), many municipalites in the province were forcible merged, including mine, although as Borough No. 3 we were allowed to keep our name of L�ville. Just recently, however, we received notification from Canada P0st that our postal district has been redone in order to eliminate duplication of street names. Therefore, what was former Summer Street is now Winter Street, Belvidere becomes College (with a corresponding change of street numbers as well) and, while we get to keep our own street address, the actual name of our town has changed. We are no longer L�ville, we are now Sh�brooke with a new postal code too. This means that tomorrow I am going to be on the phone all day informing all my credit cards, utilities and everyone else of our new address, and we haven�t even moved! I am, to say the least, pissed.

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