Watch this space for a symphony near you.

We didn�t get the promised snow, which is fine, and today was sunny and clear, although windy and cold. P and I rehearsed for an hour this morning at the university; afterwards I came home and ate a lunch of left-over carrot soup with hummus and crackers. I napped, or tried to, being interrupted twice by the phone, the first call something that I�ve totally forgotten now, and the second one my mom, who wanted my in-law�s telephone number.

She told me that she met with her cardiologist who told her bluntly that a bypass operation was not advised. She said that at my mom�s age and with her heart in the condition it is, there is no guarantee that she would feel any better once it was over, and it would probably do more to age her than the fatigue she is experiencing now. I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard this. The other problem is that she is becoming increasingly blind. She has my in-laws� number already, but can�t see it. So she needed me to give it to her so she could rewrite it larger and bolder. Even then, she had a very difficult time reading it back to me.

I find this increasingly frustrating, watching my mom diminish in this way. It�s also an indication of what is in store for me 30 years down the road. I love my mother, even though she drives me insane. I don�t wish to lose her any sooner than I have to, and even though I know that life is not a piece of cake for her, I am still selfish enough to consider my needs over hers. This is a very difficult period in anyone�s life. I especially feel bad because I live so far from her. On the other hand, I like being a day�s journey away because a closer proximity would speed my admittance to a loony bin. Damn.

I went back to the university for choir practice, where we read through the motet Rise up my l0ve, my fair 0ne by HeaIey WiIIan, a gorgeous piece that I first sang in high school, and the Cantique de Jean Racine by Faur� (another of my faves). Afterwards I rehearsed with the blues band. It�s coming along quite well. When Hubby and I got home, Little Princess and her BF were making supper--perogies and carrot soup (oh no, not more carrot soup!)--and I saut�ed a wok full of broccoli. Buddy Boy had already eaten leftover tortellini from two nights ago. So we opened a bottle of YeIIow TaiI Shiraz, and the four of us had a lovely meal together.

The CBC is no longer on strike, and the new date for the broadcast of Hubby�s symphony is this Sunday, October 23, on Tw0 New H0urs, on radio two at 10:00 p.m. Eastern time. So, go to here, and click on the link for CBC radio two at the appropriate time, and hopefully you will be able to hear the show. Or, if you are in Canada, you can tune in by clicking on the appropriate centre on that same page. You can also listen to CBC on shortwave. But I don�t know how that�s done. Sorry.

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