Chautauqua Goodbye, 2009

I've been calling this Kum Ba Yah Day tongue-in-cheek, but it has proved to be an emotional, kind of gut wrenching experience to be here until the last service. But first things first.

I spent the day thinking that with the reduced population on the grounds, and the fact that many places are closed: the Refectory (where you get stuff to eat), the coffee kiosk (proudly serving Starbucks Coffee), the shops - that it would be fairly easy to get the message that the season is over and it's time to go home.

The last Sunday service was very touching. The choir was larger than you would expect. . . . It was pretty cold and rainy. Compared to last week when we were dying of the humidity and heat, this was a blessing. After the service the choir had a potluck picnic, under cover because of the rain. That was fun. I ate alot. What can I say. . . the desert table alone was phenominal.

I came back to the room and took a nap after that big lunch. A military jazz band played at 2:30, but I went to my last movie. It was called Gotta Dance and was a delightful documentary about the New Jersey Nets basketball team that hired a senior citizen hip hop dance troup. They picked 10 women and one man and had them perform at 6 games. It was all about the people who auditioned, and then showed them learning their dances and performing. Really a great movie for this crowd. In true Chautauqua style, at the end of the movie the woman who had figured most predominantly in the movie was in the house, and is a life-long Chautauquan. It was fun to hear her experiences and ask questions.

I ate the rest of the turkey chili and headed to the practice preceding the last Sacred Song Service and closing ceremony. The music was beautiful, the service meaningful. They read many passages from early services at Chautauqua. I never cease to be amazed at the rich history of this place. After the service and the final performance of Handel's Largo on the Massey organ, the president of Chautauqua spoke briefly, wrapping up the season, and then had the final three taps of the gavel to close the season. I had been here week 1 to hear the three taps to open the season, so this was full-circle for me. I truly believe that within a couple of years I will be someone who is up here for the entire 9 week season. There just doesn't seem to be any other place on earth that is better for me to be. The end of the season proved to be pretty emotional. I looked out on the audience and saw so many people I knew. I spent the next 45 minutes to an hour walking around the grounds and finding the people I had met to say goodbye.

So tomorrow I leave to go home. I got an email from doggy camp, and Chester has been sort of getting along with others. Even managed to swim in the lake with other male dogs without fighting. That's an improvement.

So that's about it for Chautauqua 2009. Thanks for following. I'm planning to keep blogging as the spirit moves me, probably not anywhere near every day. But I have received emails from people I don't even know, so somehow people can find blogs. I learned that in Julie and Julia yesterday! Love and peace to you all. RP