Ain't-a That Good News!

So last Tuesday was the first Mahler rehearsal. This is the small select choir that is going to sing at Carnegie Hall in NYC in October. Oh man I wanted to be a part of that. But if you were reading back in Chautauqua, you know the first cuts came out and I was not among them. But I believe in positive thinking. . . . of visualizing myself surrounded by the conditions I wish to create. So for the past week, as the first rehearsal was approaching I was walking around the house saying out loud: "I will be chosen. It doesn't matter that tonight is the first rehearsal. He will listen to the chosen chorus and realize that he needs me." Then the first rehearsal came and went. And the message changed to: "Not to worry. Someone will drop out. I can see myself standing on the stage at Carnegie Hall. He would be a fool not to pick me. . . ." Then the next rehearsal, this morning in fact, was approaching. So I abandoned my pacing the living room and went with Sandy out to Clifton Forge yesterday to see Mary Hannah and her new granddaughter. We had a nice lunch and came home. CF is about 1 1/2 hours away, so this was a day-long adventure.

And I got in the house. . .and the message machine was blinking. . . . . and it was Norman saying that he needed me for Mahler!!!!! YEEEEE HAAAAAAAAA!!! And he didn't expect me to make it to this morning's rehearsal, which I didn't. But I did practice the music for a long time today. It's a different part from the one I sang when we were in London, so it will be a challenge. But I am so excited. And now I'm going to pace my house saying: "Of course this house will sell for full price. The right buyer is going to come along, love it, and offer me what I'm asking." Hey. . . it's worth a try!

Today I was showing one of my trainers the new house and I met my next door neighborhood. And joy of joys. . . she's a woman my age, very outgoing and friendly. . . works at UVa. . . and is delighted that I'm moving in. Maybe this is the neighbor I've always wanted.

I've sold the washer/dryer in the new house, and a woman is coming tomorrow to buy one of the sections of kitchen cabinets over there. I'm selling off my stuff to raise money for New York.

Tonight I drove to the charming Batesville store for Blues night. So much fun hanging with the locals, drinking a beer and listening to live blues music at its best. This is turning into an amazing life. . . that's all I'm saying.

My Crappy Little House

Well, I've been saying I wanted a crappy little house, and now I have one! And here it is! I have settled quite a few houses in my day, but if you pay cash, the settlement takes 5 minutes!!! Who knew?????? And I walked away with about 5 sheets of paper instead of a 25 pound box of paper. Wow. Of course, if I'm going to pay cash, we're not talking about a show house. But someday, this will become my own little showplace. I'm excited about the project.

I celebrated by having my smoked trout salad at the Lovingston Cafe. As a special occasion splurge I had dessert! Yum.

Then, drunk with power I decided to go have a pedicure. . . I mean, what the hell? So I went to Waynesboro where there is a PetSmart because Chester was nearly out of his "senior" Milk Bones. So I got those and went to my pedicure place. Unfortunately, my arrival was such that I got the only guy in the place. It would not be using any creativity on my part at all to refer to him as "The Man With the Dragon Tattoo." Yep, right there on his arm. It would have been okay, I think, except that he seemed inordinately smitten with the program on television. . . The Disney Channel. . . . Zack and Cody, the Suite Life. Highbrow stuff to be sure. And to complicate the matter, the tv was situated behind him over his right shoulder. So he was performing the pedicure with his head turned almost completely around so as not to miss a scintillating moment. I mean Zack (or was it Cody) was trying his hand at making sushi with utterly madcap hilarity. So I guess I could understand that when this guy was trying to scrub the callous off the bottom of my foot that is was really not his fault that he went off the target and literally scraped the skin off the side of my foot, causing bleeding and not a small amount of pain. Of course he didn't notice. . . after all Cody (or was it Zack) was involved with some slapstick of his own. Great stuff. So when the scrubber came back around and then scrubbed on the top of the part that was already bleeding, I just figured it was time for me to speak up.

Well, he was apologetic, and actually, a little too quickly for my peace of mind, grabbed some blue liquid he keeps on hand for just such occasions. He asked if it still hurt, then went back to watching the tv while he was doing the all important leg massage. Luckily, except for a scab, there is no sign of inflammation or infection today. You never know with these places. So the moral is, I guess, if there's a dragon tattoo on the arm, and Disney on the TV, go somewhere else for your pedicure. My toes look good, though.

All of that was yesterday. Today, Sandy joined me at the house and we sat under the trees and celebrated the house that was to be. We would have sat in the kitchen, but the cigarette smell was too strong. . . . . . .Hmmmm. There better be a beautiful purse under this sow's ear. . . .That's all I'm saying.

Living on the Edge!

By noon tomorrow, I will officially own two houses! All the paperwork somehow got done, and I rushed to two different banks this afternoon to secure the funds. Now I'm busy planning the party that I will have where we meet in the house and paint or mark up all the walls. Should be fun.

Cancelled my Kennedy Space Center trip, due to the fact that the shuttle launch has been postponed to Nov. 1. Not sure if I'll make that given my choir rehearsals. But if I don't get to do that, I can live with it.

I thought I had a house showing today so I left with all lights on, fans running, etc. Everything spit spot. But my realtor called later to say that the showing agent got mixed up and wanted to show one of my realtor's other listings. Oh well.

Ran across some piano music in a box today, so I have been having a great time playing my piano for the first time in years. Mostly Bach. I'm so glad to have the piano and to be able to get that part of my life back! I'm not sure how Bach feels about it, however.

Took myself to the Batesville Store tonight for a small supper and live blues music. One of my trainers plays bass in the blues band. Saw several of my gym friends there. It's fun to have a venue like that so close by.

So, as a real estate mogul, I would say that for the next few months, or until this house sells, less is more. . . . . Here's to tighter belts and the first steps towards living smaller materially, so that I can live larger experiencially!