Friday evening, we got the weekend started by scooping two Littles from a frazzled Momma, and taking them for dinner. The first place we tried, a casual favourite pub-on-the-corner, was predictably full at 6-ish with the end-of-the-work-week de-briefing crowd, and our guys weren’t up to a wait list, so we ambled along at a Two’s pace until we found Cabritos on Commercial Drive where the tapas menu was perfect for three generations (yes, Mom and Dad joined us once they’d done their own de-briefing). And while we waited for our table to be set up, it was pretty obvious they played good music. Our Four’s completely spontaneous, absolutely unself-conscious, wonderfully free-form dance attests to that, right?
Saturday, the opera, Otello. Marvellous! My first time seeing this opera (last performed by VOA in the early 1980s — my parents probably saw that), and I hope it won’t be the last.
I wore this (sneakers, Onitsuka Tigers; pants, Aritzia; tunic, All Saints) — too casual? I’d say I was middle of the spectrum, particularly since this is an Opera Festival rather than the regular season (so a much more compressed schedule — three operas in two weeks!), and I felt festive enough while remaining comfortable walking there and in the rather tight confines of my seat for nearly three hours.
Trench and a silk scarf I bought in Paris a few years ago, and I was ready for the walk home in cooler temps. . . . at least it wasn’t pouring rain this time!
Satisfyingly sumptuous costumes and a brilliant use of a set shared with Dead Man Walking, impressively modified for each by clever use of simple furnishings and brilliant projections.
Sunday? No slacking here either, but ample fun. . . .
Pater and I cycled 7 or 8 kilometers, a short ride but one we used to justify chowing down at Bandidas Taqueria, also on Commercial Drive. I had a breakfast salad — Something like a huevos rancheros, actually, except with a whole lot more fresh veggies. Might try this at home now — yummy!
And Sunday afternoon, a Sashiko class
with my daughter
from which we each brought home a completed potholder
She texted me a thank-you when she got back home to a family she loves but had enjoyed the break from, and she included this photo. . .
I know! She’s clever like that. . .
Now, lest you think that my day was done after that three-hour Sashiko class, let me tell you . . . Our other local family was busy all weekend moving into their brand new condo, and The Resident Cook here invited them for his Moroccan Chicken. Obviously, this dinner was another example of Busy being Good Fun and Very Satisfying. . . .
But all that satisfaction doesn’t preclude this Nana from being relieved that it’s a Monday, and everyone’s back to their regular schedules, and I have my whole home to myself (Pater’s off to meetings all week long).
So I’m off now to make some lists and get some non-blog writing done. How’s the week starting up for you? And was yours a quiet or a busy or a Goldilocks-just-right weekend? (And did anyone manage to fit in some of Little-Girl’s-Style Dancing?
Yes, that was certainly a busy weekend for you! On Saturday we did some pre-shopping for our dinner club next week – we have chosen Malaysia as the theme. Sunday we had church, a meeting with our travel agent, then we filled sandbags for an hour and a half, until there were no more bags left. (Our town is on the Ottawa River.) It was a great community experience – I had done a few hours on Friday in the pouring rain with a smaller crowd, but this time it seemed like half the town had turned out to fill and move sandbags. I was going to go again this afternoon, but running club and boot camp have left me achy and tired, so maybe tomorrow. We have a few streets of houses which are in danger, but today it was announced that the waters should start receding now, so that's good news – although I'm sure the clean-up will be another kettle of fish.
Well, nothing we did on the weekend was as urgent as that! Good luck to all of you, and I hope the river levels abate soon. Take care.
We had our own move this weekend, the stress of which was somewhat lightened by dear friends who helped out in many ways. No joyful dancing, but a few solid belly laughs with my seven-year old – good therapy for both of us in he midst of moving. Love the work of your and your daughter! What is the artform?
I'm glad you had help with your move — such a good start to making your new place a home, right? Caring that friendship through the doors? And belly laughs are right up there with dancing.
The stitching is a Japanese needle-art, sashiko, which evolved out of the frugal practice of mending. Googling the term will yield a plethora of gorgeous images. . .
Re: opera outfit. You looked fierce. That's my new favourite compliment. Paid to me by a lovely and exuberant sales assistant at Holt Renfrew. When she said that it always made me smile.
That stitching/needle art is so cool, Frances. Could you do that on a jacket or jeans?
Thank you! Fierce is good, right? 😉
And yes, that's the plan, eventually, with the sashiko stitching. It evolved out of mending — there are magnificent examples on line….
Week to yourself after a beloved-people-filled weekend sounds so, so perfect. I bet the dance caught all kinds of hearts.
I think it got us some good service, and it put smiles on a few faces. 😉
That stitching looks like fun. Have you ever gone to see the UBC Opera students'
production? What a busy week-end!
We haven't yet, but we probably should check out those student productions. Have you?
The Four's photo is not loading on the post and you KNOW how much I want to see that 😉
It's actually a video, and I apologise for the poor loading, but any fixes surpass my technical skills with Blogger….
First, apologies for not commenting on earlier posts, but I have loved seeing the wedding (gorgeous dress!), the What You Wore pics, and now the wonderfully spontaneous Little. 🙂 It's wonderful to see/hear how your retirement is filled with things you love. Wouldn't mind seeing that Moroccan chicken recipe!
No need to apologise. Comments are always optional, much as I do love them.
I'll have to ask my guy for that recipe — stay tuned. . .
So very, very busy! It must be lovely to be so close to your family.
Busy weekend here, but enforced rather than recreation! Final practices for tourist guiding exams this week, so all day doing coach guiding between Inverness and Skye on Saturday, then practice city walking tour of Inverness starting at 8am on Sunday followed by walking tour of Culloden battlefield (having 'done' Culloden on Friday evening until 9pm and onset of mild hypothermia!). Wish me luck!
Ooh, I meant to respond earlier and wish you luck. I thought it your way, at least. I'm sure you've done very well, by now — so does that mean you're done, certified, ready to impart wisdom to legions of lucky tourists.
Not yet – still have a written 3 day tour plan to finish off this weekend and a phone interview about that. Practicals were okaaay – finished them and immediately thought of better/more things I could have said, and keep replaying these. Can't switch off! Takes a bit of adjusting to being examined through what I say rather than what I write, after all these years of the latter!
So cute-all of your grandchildren seem to be multitalented!
Lovely outfit and the scarf is beautiful
I could imagine sashiko stiches on a black jacket- very nice
Dottoressa
I have a navy cotton duck jacket that I'm thinking I might enliven with some sashiko — or I'll wait for someone's jeans to get a hole. . .
A very busy weekend here. A pile of papers to mark (last A-level papers ever…) plus some house cleaning (after weeks of total neglect). BUT: on sunday afternoon I got out my sewing machine! Only to put some patches on a torn blue jeans, to be honest, but it definitely smelled of freedom. I was thrilled by your sashiko experience. Next week I'll pop into the municipal library and get a book or two about that technique. And I love your potholder: a small burst of chaos, held in check by order and symmetry.
Yes, I was wondering about that Moroccan chicken as well. Could you put me on the list?
Those last papers. I remember the mixed feelings, but I have to say that I don't miss much about the marking, two years on.
You've captured in words exactly what I was aiming at in the little sampler-potholder.
I will have to get Paul to dig out that recipe for all of you. It's yummy and healthy. . .