...are we there yet ?

I can remember years, long past now...
when I doubled my normal income in December...
a couple of years, I tripled it...

playing concerts, Nutcrackers, Messiahs...
church programs, quintet gigs, singing jobs...
contracting orchestras, arranging music...

not to mention school concerts with my students...

everyone played...
from beginner to advanced...band & orchestra...
and not music they had worked on since August either...

we always had our first concert in early November...
and they got "Christmas" music after it was over...

it was an endurance race...

the month of 1-3 "events" per day...every day...

after the Christmas Day Mass, I'd "run" home to the ranch...
arriving around 2 PM for Christmas dinner...
and when I returned to Mudville late the next day...
would collapse for at least a week...
[if I was lucky enough to have that many days of "break" left...]

I haven't missed that craziness, at all...

and this year, due to having Lessons & Carols on Advent 4...
it's been more hectic than the last few years...
a strange flashback to the crazy days of yore...

it's 8:07 PM as I write this...
I've returned home from the early service...
at which I led 30 minutes of Christmas caroling...
[we don't sing them until now...]

cantored the Psalm...
& surprise ! the Gospel acclamation & verse...

I say surprise, because I didn't expect to be doing it...

the organist played the intro...
& when no one started the "Alleluia"...I jumped in...
knowing full well that there was a verse coming...
and having NO idea what it was...
so I "borrowed" the response from the Psalm that I had just cantored...
["Today is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord"...
close...but not correct...]

after the service I checked in the Lectionary...
and found the right verse...
it'll be correct at the late service...
[and NOT a surprise...]

I also led the hymns & service music...cued the organist...
& played trumpet on the opening & closing hymns...

I'll be doing ALL that again starting at 10 PM...
I'll get back there around 9:30...
because the choir will be singing 2 anthems from L&C...
and perhaps spelling me, in leading the caroling...
if my voice goes...

at least they will lead the congregational singing...
so I don't have to "push it"...
I also have a descant I wrote for Silent Night[communion hymn]
that I'll do on my cornet...[very mellow]

I'm supposed to take a singer home afterwards...
I may have to go pick her up...I'll know soon..

then I'll get home after midnight...
in the glow of the lights...
sleep fast...and get up early tomorrow...
to make mashed potatoes for the lovely Christmas dinner...
that Mr & Mrs Greenthumb invited me for...

I've already roasted the Brussels sprouts...
& made the garlic herb butter...
which will also be used in the mashed potatoes...
I'll find out more details tonight...

we're all tired and ready to "be there"...
to be done with the waiting of Advent...
the myriad of concerts my singing friends & colleagues have done...
not to mention all the family & seasonal responsibilities...

it will be a wonderful blessing to be able to relax...
and just "be"... no more performances or services or details...
to just "be there, already"...
for a while anyway...and then...it will begin again...

but for now...

we've earned our respite from the schedules & to-do lists...

to have a day that allows us to just...
"be with those who help our being"...
dear friends & family...
with whom we can celebrate...
that great mystery...
of God...come down among us...

to save us from ourselves...

alleluia...Christ is born...