On Becoming a Hermit, Sort of ... Day 36

Day 36
(Tuesday, 21st April 2020)

Another day with our routines routine. We have started walking the dogs up the lane again, to test out how busy it still is. Plenty of people exercising, and good to see, but not too overcrowded. So will maintain this as long as sensible, but vary the route and perhaps a bit of the regularity.

T'ai chi ch'uan making progress through the form. Recalling the detail of 'Cloud Hands' is the first main challenge. We are having to watch the instructional videos carefully, which, linked with David Lipka's Wednesday morning sessions is helping us to dot the i's and cross the t's. There is so much subtlety and 'body consciousness' required to keep the balance, maintain 'softness' throughout our bodies. The only way to ensure effectiveness of what is, as originally intended, a martial art.

This afternoon, we had a tea party, organised by Guide Dogs in an attempt to break the Guinness Book of Records for the largest attended on line tea party. We had proper cups and some toast and  jam. 

Guide Dogs Tea Party

Taking a selfie of both us and two dogs, whilst holding cups of tea - forget the toast and jam - is somewhat tricky. But, hey-ho, we sort of managed it.

Rehearsal with Hallmark this evening was a departure from the norm. Tim put up a link to the YouTube playing of a 2009 documentary film called "American Harmony", which covered the fortunes of some now famous barbershop quartets in the quest to win medals at the BHS International Conventions in 2006-08. Rivetting watch, particularly because of the behind the scenes views of the ups and downs and nerves of the occasions. Vocal Spectrum (whom I met at Harmony College in the summer of 2018), MaxQ and OC Times, with whom we sang Bridge over Troubled Water at the SingLABBS in October 2019, when we (and they) were guests at the ladies national convention. So much enthusiasm and dedication to this special art of a cappella harmony singing.
Music for today, from Clemency Burton-Hill's "Year of Wonder" is "Khovanshchina Prelude: Dawn over the Moscow River" by Modest Mussorgsky, quintessential Russian 19th Century composer, a contemporary of the Petersburg-based Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin.


However you may be affected by anything I've written about, do leave me a comment below or, if you prefer not to, talk to a loved one, a friend or someone you trust.