Christmas Eve

T joined me at home this morning for breakfast while we listened to the live broadcast from King’s College, Cambridge.  I had the computer handy, so we looked at pictures of the chapel its interior, and followed along with the service leaflet as we listened.  To be in this house, fire in the fireplace, the

Quiet day at school

At 1.30 p.m., I’m lunching at my desk. Campus is terribly quiet today! I’m sticking around for a prospective student visit.  Then I’m off to massage for 90 minutes (gotta get this shoulder working properly!) and Target.

Holiday letter 2008

Here is this year’s long holiday letter. As I wrote tonight, and reviewed the year 2008, I’m amazed at how much has transpired!  I truly lead a blessed life, and I’m both humbled and grateful.

Dinner

D gave me the Joy of Cooking chicken casserole recipe last week.  Tonight I made a batch, spicing it up with butter, a bit more lemon juice, croutons, and tyme rather than tarragon.  I’m LOVING this recipe. Salad was spinach with my homemade raspberry balsamic dressing.  Life is GOOD indeed. The Brinks guy came today. 

Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts luncheon

Dean Peter Sargent treated the Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts administrative team to luncheon today in Webster Groves.  After ordering, our server took this picture.  The Department of Music associate, Jean Huber, is second from right.  Dean Sargent is third from right.

Lessons and Carols

Last evening’s Festival of Lessons and Carols at the Church of St. Michael and St. George ushered in Christmas Week.  The choir sang very well.  I only slushed through one spot, but sadly it was an important little moment.  Some of our singing last evening was divinely inspired. The after-party and dinner included a Jewish

Village concert

Last evening I attended a village concert. The performance wasn’t in a village, though it felt like one.  So maybe it was after all? Tim invited me to attend his winter concert at the Soulard School.  Soulard itself is an enclave, a real and true village.  The parents and grandparents gathered in this one place

Bad breath

Once upon a time, in a choir in which I may or may not sing, one of the other people who may or may not sing near me had the most wretched, disgusting halitosis I may or may not ever have smelled.  Stomach-churning.  Head-spinning.  Life-threatening breath, this person may or may not have.

In the midst of life . . .

In the midst of this last day of the semester, I’m speaking to a dozen students who took their sophomore candidacy hearings yesterday, and passing along the collective wisdom of the gathered faculty.  And I’m trying to finish up a faculty search.  And I’m posting grades for the recital attendance requirement.  Rarely do I have

The last day

I sit at sunrise at my desk, looking out on the big ol’ fir tree outside the second-floor office window (the tree is taller than my house).  Two mourning doves sit on the branch preening and cleaning.  They look a bit fat, so I hope they’re just carb-loaded for the winter.  This is the last day of