2006/11/05
Lovely Ballet, Delicious Jeanne's Cake and Melting Snow
I only subbed two days, Monday and Friday. So far I don't have any jobs this coming week. I hope I get some. Not keeping busy brings more sadness.
I went to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet last night. They performed A Cinderella Story. It was set to the music of Richard Rogers, rearranged by Ron Paley, a musician and band leader well-known here in Winnipeg. At the beginning, a young girl is watching TV. The audience can only see the back of the TV, but we heard the commercials. All those ads from 1957 - You'll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent! - They had quite a few others - a real trip down memory lane.
I really enjoyed the dancing, of course. We used to have season tickets many moons ago. The concert hall is as I remember it, beautiful. With those three huge chandeliers in the lobby. Before the performance they had a jazz trio playing on the mezzanine, and something new they didn't have when we used to go. They have a "chat" with a dancer. One of the dancers was injured and couldn't perform, so he was interviewed about his role and the life of a dancer in general.
The dancing itself was magical - how could it be anything else with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company. They are a world class company. It was a nineteen fifties version of the Cinderella story. "Cinderella" was called Nancy and the "prince" was Bob. The ultimate in 1950s names. It was romantic and funny and touching. The costumes were gorgeous. There was one part with animals: cat, rabbit, cow, penguin, frog, swan, flamingo, peacock, beaver (there had to be a beaver - Canadian choreographer). It really was lovely.
On the way home I couldn't help but think how he would have enjoyed seeing the performance and how much more I would have enjoyed it with him.
Today I took some groceries to Mother. She got a letter from the Lion's Manor administration urging her to lay up some extra supplies in case there is ever a power outage. So I stocked her up on canned goods and frozen veggies.
On her birthday we are taking her out to dinner at the CanadInn. She likes it there because they have an all-you-can-eat buffet. Marlene and Jeanette have agreed to come and the surprise for Mother is that I have invited Val and Ron and Kim and Kevin, so I hope she will enjoy herself. Of course, there will be Jeanne's cake! When I move to Vancouver I will have to have it couriered in for special occasions. What's a birthday without a Jeanne's cake? Unthinkable!
For those who have never tasted it, I will describe it. The bottom is a layer of rich shortbread. The cake itself is so light it melts in your mouth. My favourite flavour is white, but others like chocolate or banana. The frosting is creamy and sweet and it is topped with dark semi-sweet chocolate curls. It is so good that it must be bad for almost every diet. And it has been a tradition here in Winnipeg probably since the dawn of time, or at least as long as I've lived here. Especially at Ousey celebrations. There, now I hope those who have never tasted it wish they could and those who have tasted it are craving it!
A week ago we had 15 centimetres(about 6 inches)of snow. The temperature has been on the rise. Yesterday and today, about plus 3 or 4. The main streets are clear and the side streets are slushy. The forecast is for 10 degrees by the middle of the week.(Note to American friends: zero degrees celsius is equal to 32 degrees fahrenheit) I think we might be seeing some grass again soon. The snow might even be gone by the end of the week! Go figure! I read that the Farmer's Almanac predicts a colder than normal winter with lots of snow and ice - but, hey, I also read they have been wrong 60% of the time, so I'm not giving much credence to that.
Gotta go. Take care now.
Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.
Mark Twain
Lovely Ballet, Delicious Jeanne's Cake and Melting Snow
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I went to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet last night. They performed A Cinderella Story. It was set to the music of Richard Rogers, rearranged by Ron Paley, a musician and band leader well-known here in Winnipeg. At the beginning, a young girl is watching TV. The audience can only see the back of the TV, but we heard the commercials. All those ads from 1957 - You'll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent! - They had quite a few others - a real trip down memory lane.
I really enjoyed the dancing, of course. We used to have season tickets many moons ago. The concert hall is as I remember it, beautiful. With those three huge chandeliers in the lobby. Before the performance they had a jazz trio playing on the mezzanine, and something new they didn't have when we used to go. They have a "chat" with a dancer. One of the dancers was injured and couldn't perform, so he was interviewed about his role and the life of a dancer in general.
The dancing itself was magical - how could it be anything else with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company. They are a world class company. It was a nineteen fifties version of the Cinderella story. "Cinderella" was called Nancy and the "prince" was Bob. The ultimate in 1950s names. It was romantic and funny and touching. The costumes were gorgeous. There was one part with animals: cat, rabbit, cow, penguin, frog, swan, flamingo, peacock, beaver (there had to be a beaver - Canadian choreographer). It really was lovely.
On the way home I couldn't help but think how he would have enjoyed seeing the performance and how much more I would have enjoyed it with him.
Today I took some groceries to Mother. She got a letter from the Lion's Manor administration urging her to lay up some extra supplies in case there is ever a power outage. So I stocked her up on canned goods and frozen veggies.
On her birthday we are taking her out to dinner at the CanadInn. She likes it there because they have an all-you-can-eat buffet. Marlene and Jeanette have agreed to come and the surprise for Mother is that I have invited Val and Ron and Kim and Kevin, so I hope she will enjoy herself. Of course, there will be Jeanne's cake! When I move to Vancouver I will have to have it couriered in for special occasions. What's a birthday without a Jeanne's cake? Unthinkable!
For those who have never tasted it, I will describe it. The bottom is a layer of rich shortbread. The cake itself is so light it melts in your mouth. My favourite flavour is white, but others like chocolate or banana. The frosting is creamy and sweet and it is topped with dark semi-sweet chocolate curls. It is so good that it must be bad for almost every diet. And it has been a tradition here in Winnipeg probably since the dawn of time, or at least as long as I've lived here. Especially at Ousey celebrations. There, now I hope those who have never tasted it wish they could and those who have tasted it are craving it!
A week ago we had 15 centimetres(about 6 inches)of snow. The temperature has been on the rise. Yesterday and today, about plus 3 or 4. The main streets are clear and the side streets are slushy. The forecast is for 10 degrees by the middle of the week.(Note to American friends: zero degrees celsius is equal to 32 degrees fahrenheit) I think we might be seeing some grass again soon. The snow might even be gone by the end of the week! Go figure! I read that the Farmer's Almanac predicts a colder than normal winter with lots of snow and ice - but, hey, I also read they have been wrong 60% of the time, so I'm not giving much credence to that.
Gotta go. Take care now.
Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.
Mark Twain
Lovely Ballet, Delicious Jeanne's Cake and Melting Snow
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