Margaret Perry's pre-performance lecture last night at the Emma Long Center on Verdi was the perfect prelude to the actual performance. What an artist, recognized as a genius at the age of 4, he became his village's official church organist by the age of 9. Married with two beautiful children, he lost all of them within an 18 month period of time. Retired to become as successful a farmer as he was a composer. A proclaimed agnostic, it's hard to imagine the creative mind composing something as intense as his famous Requiem performed last night under the direction of Craig Hellig Johnson. Dale loved it. It didn't quite get into the marrow of my bones as predicted, but I was moved. On the long drive home I was surprised to hear Dale talk of possible future assisted living arrangements. After all these years I find it unpleasant to imagine living without him, for whatever reasons.
Some of my family are vacationing in Wimberley and return home (South Texas) today, so at some point I will need to drive over and pick up Zachary for his summer stay here. I'm curious as to how long he will want to stay before he gets bored, missing the chaotic and active lifestyle of his life with mother, sisters and little brother. Although time changes many things, our bond will always be tight as I raised him from the age of 2 through 3 while his mother served out her time in state prison. It was a difficult time, it was a blessing and a profound experience for me. I never imagined mysef being a *dad*, or rather a surrogate dad, to a child. But I quickly learned how to change diapers, prepare food, warm bottles, read bedtime stories, and learned first hand what it's like to have a child get really sick and almost die from sickness. Five days in Brackenridge's Children Hospital before they could determine exactly what was wrong with him. The dreaded rotavirus plus a secondary intestinal infection. What a time!
Our newly adopted cat Pepe has totally captured our hearts. It's hard to imagine how people can simply abandon a pet. He's a few months shy of his 4th birthday with an unknown history, but someone treated him very kindly. He was rescued from the animal shelter by the volunteers of R.O.A.R.S., where he awaited certain death, as do so many other dogs and cats. Thank you Francine for the wonderful work you and others do for these wonderful little helpless animals.
Some of my family are vacationing in Wimberley and return home (South Texas) today, so at some point I will need to drive over and pick up Zachary for his summer stay here. I'm curious as to how long he will want to stay before he gets bored, missing the chaotic and active lifestyle of his life with mother, sisters and little brother. Although time changes many things, our bond will always be tight as I raised him from the age of 2 through 3 while his mother served out her time in state prison. It was a difficult time, it was a blessing and a profound experience for me. I never imagined mysef being a *dad*, or rather a surrogate dad, to a child. But I quickly learned how to change diapers, prepare food, warm bottles, read bedtime stories, and learned first hand what it's like to have a child get really sick and almost die from sickness. Five days in Brackenridge's Children Hospital before they could determine exactly what was wrong with him. The dreaded rotavirus plus a secondary intestinal infection. What a time!
Our newly adopted cat Pepe has totally captured our hearts. It's hard to imagine how people can simply abandon a pet. He's a few months shy of his 4th birthday with an unknown history, but someone treated him very kindly. He was rescued from the animal shelter by the volunteers of R.O.A.R.S., where he awaited certain death, as do so many other dogs and cats. Thank you Francine for the wonderful work you and others do for these wonderful little helpless animals.
