Back when I was working for the state court system the week between Christmas and New Year was pretty low key. The courts were technically open but for all practical purposes not many cases were handled. We used the time to get caught-up on decisions and orders and socialize a little. This laid-back atmosphere has disappeared with retirement. Nan and I now use this week to meet with people, socialize and have mini-Christmas celebrations with close friends, and play a little.
We started the week with dinner at Helen and Larry's house(although Larry was sick). Joining us were two of Nan's friends. We spent the evening chatting and sharing our year's worth of experiences. During the day we had used the fresh snow to snowshoe on the back trails behind our house. I forgot how tiring it can be to break trail in two feet of fresh snow. The snowstorm also gave me an opportunity to visit my old friend Walt Kersch at Pineridge X-country Ski Area. When I started teaching at Berlin Central back in 1970, Walt was the principal. Three of my years at BCS were in a position called Head Teacher(really Assistant Principal). Walt was my boss. Walt's always had his hand in a variety of projects. He used to buy houses, rehab them, and then rent or sell the properties. I worked for him occasionally during summer breaks while teaching(He hired me until he found out my carpentry skills left a bit to be desired.) He's grown and sold X-mas trees for as long as I can remember, and finally developed property around his house as a X-country ski area.
It was good to see and talk with him. The conditions were great, and I skied for 3 hours, probably 5 or 6 miles. Walt is about 10 years older than I, but is still extremely active(running Pineridge takes alot of energy). Of course, not having skied in awhile, I developed some nasty blisters. (Sorry Nan I can't walk the dogs, I got these blisters - they really hurt)
Thursday night we went to Curtain Call Theater in Latham to see "A Tuna Christmas". I've seen the original. "Greater Tuna" a couple of times. The format of the holiday show is similar to the original - two actors play a variety of roles. The plot is pretty thin, but actors did a great job and there were plenty of laughs just the type of holiday show you want to see and the house was packed.
Yesterday Chase and Mac joined us for lunch and one of those mini-Christmas celebrations. Nan met Chase while acting and they have been fast friends since. Chase was one of Nan attendants at our wedding. They are enjoyable and itelligent companions. It's fun and enlightening to spend time with them. They are great models for us. We can only hope to be a fit and vigorous as they are when we reach their age. (One of us will be their much sooner than the other).
Last night we brought in the new year attending Savion Glover's "All FuNK'D UP" at The Egg. For those of you who don't know, Mr. Glover is the greatest living tap dancer. He is truly a force of nature and a creative genius. He's a percussionist with his feet as his instrument. I'm not sure the band that played for him knew what he was going to do half the time, as so much of the show seemed improvised. But for almost two hours, you couldn't take your eyes off him, particularly his feet. After 10 weeks of tap lessons in Durham, I feel embarrassed that I can barely do a "flap" and a "shuffle". I'll be signing-up for my second 10 weeks when we get back to NC( maybe I can learn to due a step-ball-change flap).
In addition to Savion, the warm-up act was Daniel Bernard Roumain. DBR is an electronic violinist. He did an electic set in which he used the violin as a percussion instrument and then did a sweet soulful rendition of My Country Tis of Thee." It was a great night - closing the old and ringing in the new.
Note to Dick Clark - we still love you, but. . .
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