Working like a beaver last night, I finally finished the tax returns for my wife and me. This year I used QuickTax to speed the process. In previous years I had made up my own spreadsheets; however, incorporating the many separate forms and miscellaneous numbers derived therefrom was getting to be an onerous chore. I also "netfiled" this year. Also a great convenience. Now if I can only persuade myself to log my receipts for my wife's music teaching business, say, every quarter, instead of leaving it until the end of April I might get the returns done (and receive my refund!) earlier next year.
Unfortunately, I couldn't finish my Mom's return as I was missing an important piece of data which could potentially reduce her tax payment. Oh well, I did her 1999 and 2000 tax returns at the beginnning of this year. It had been my sister's job: she hated it and kept putting it off until Canada Customs and Revenue Agency came after my Mom. Really, those returns weren't that complicated if you use the software. And my Mom even paid for the software!
Performance number 3 of Aïda takes place tonight. The trick is to psych ourselves up to make it a "fresh" performance once again. I look forward to a less crowded dressing room — all the mens' chorus and supernumeraries were put in one dressing room on the weekend because the other room was being used by another theatre in the Living Arts Centre. And my costume will have been laundered: at least my physical person will be fresh!
The Toronto Star critic, William Littler reviewed the opening night performance of the opera Aïda. As you know I'm an Aïda chorus member affiliated with the Oakville Choral Society. Overall he seemed to have liked the production. I stole his title. I would like comment on this quote from his review:
"The addition of the amateur Oakville Choral Society to the Opera Mississauga Chorus helped produce the most full-bodied, carefully enunciated choral singing I've ever heard in an Opera Mississauga production."
This comment could be taken as quite an inflammatory criticism of the Opera Mississauga chorus members. I rather think that because of the "amateurs", our chorus master, Gergely Szokolay, spent a great deal of the rehearsal time working on Italian diction, especially rolling the r's and not making double vowels into diphthongs. The end result was that everyone's diction improved. A little footnote to this, however, is that Maestro Bennett gave us a "pep talk" before the Sunday matinée with a message to the Opera Mississauga Chorus: this season's audition would consist of parts of Aïda and their acceptance may be conditional unless they demonstrate good Italian diction. I don't know, perhaps the "amateurs" were doing better just because our vocal and musical "slates" were less cluttered with higher music education.
Oh, before I forget, a Maestro Bennett quote: "Now, I just want those who have an ARCT to sing this [starting] note." As if an ARCT diploma will help you to come in right on his downbeat and bang on pitch.
Finally, after weeks of rehearsal and a week of rehearsals, Opera Mississauga's fully-staged presentation of Aïda open last night. There were no major problems from my point of view in the chorus and my wife, in the audience, enjoyed it. Even from the second balcony, the acoustics and design of Hammerson Hall in Mississauga's Living Arts Centre give the audience clear sight and hearing lines.
I was thinking this morning about our (Oakville Choral Society) and my own personal debut in an opera chorus: we certainly didn't start with a "small" opera. Aïda is four acts and lasts for almost 3 hours with large sets and a large chorus. The chorus was called at 6:30 p.m. and we left about 5 hours later. Small mercies, though — now that the performances have begun, we didn't have to stay for a debriefing afterwords. I'm sure the Maestro and Chorus Master will have things to say to us and have us to practice before the Matinée performance this afternoon.
| Dear Friends and Family: | April 26, 2002 |
Well, the big news all week in Aiyansh has been BC premier Gordon Campbell’s visit. He spent two hours here this afternoon, at the invitation of Joe Gosnell, the leader of the Nisga’a national government. No-one that I have talked to has been happy about the prospect. For one thing this is not Liberal country. In the whole Nass polling area the Liberals drew seven votes in the last election. For another, Joe is not a popular leader among many here. I have heard many express frustration about how little has been accomplished under Mr. Gosnell’s leadership with respect, for instance, to fostering a local economy. More, they say, has been spent on bureaucracy, nepotism, and show, than on the substantial moves towards economic independence that many had hoped for here. Inviting Campbell here is, many feel, under the category of show. “What are we going to show him?”, my colleague Colleen wondered.
Speculation is that Campbell is trying to score points as a friend of native people at time when his rigged referendum on the native treaty process, obviously designed to scuttle this process, is languishing due to voter apathy and/or enmity. Campbell voted against the Nisga’a treaty two years ago. Native and non-native alike, we didn’t know what to do about this visit. Village leaders enjoined us not to make public protests and thereby cast a poor light on Nisga’a hospitality. The consensus emerged over the week that the best thing to do was stay away. There were, in the end, a handful of polite protesters, but the main response to the Campbell visit to this “remote village in the Rockies”, as reported on CBC, was no response at all. A skeleton troop of dancers, a meal in the Nisga’a parliament, a quick tour, and off he went - nothing resembling a gathering of the onlookers, let alone admireres.
Ray Guno is a quiet man with a thankless job. He teaches the alternative program here. These dozen boys are each extremely challenging and entirely beyond management in the regular school. He has them in a separate building where he tries nobly to steer them toward learning anything at all. Ray is an intelligent man with deep and heart felt convictions. When it was time a few years back to have the community vote on whether to ratify the Nisga’a Land Claims treaty, he believed that the Nisga’a negotiating team had not asked for what they the people of the valley deserved. They had, in his view, sold out. The vote was held in the large community hall and it was done by a show of hands, or, rather, by standing. Ray was only one of three who stood to oppose the treaty. He feels that there was a widespread sense that the negotiators should go back and demand more, but in a public vote the majority feared standing up publically to oppose the settlement recommended by their leadership. A private ballot, Ray feels, might well have gone the other way.
Ray posted a letter around the village expressing his views about the Campbell visit. Some quotes: “Mr. Campbell has tried once already to strip you of your rights when he and Mr. Plant launched a lawsuit against the Nisga’a Nation two years ago. Having failed that, he is now trying to use the hated referendum to limit the rights of other aboriginal people. He will stop at nothing to accomplish his mission.” And “during their civil rights protests in the 1960's, Black people did not invite the Klu Klux Klan to a Sunday brunch.”
Need I say more?
Love, Tom.
"I have enough money to last me the rest of my life unless I
buy something."
I took my son's digital camera and snapped a few pictures at last night's dress rehearsal. At the post rehearsal de-briefing they told us we couldn't take pictures until the last performance. It's kinda of like a kid's game — they make up the rules (or at least choose to tell us) as they go. The images themselves are URLs which will expand to full size in a separate window if you have javascript and "popups" enabled in your browser; otherwise, click on [image] to have the image appear in another browser window.
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Aida Chorus -
The chorus is assembling for a warm up from our chorus master.
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Aida Chorus -
The Egyptian (dresed) women of the Opera Mississauga and Oakville Choral
Society in the hall off stage preparing for a vocal warm up.
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Aida Chorus -
The men of the two choirs, all acting as priests or ministers.
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Aida Chorus -
Our chorus master, Gherghey (Once I get a program I will be able to spell his
name.)
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Aida Chorus -
The Oakville Choral Society president and Maestro laison, Lisa, is on the
left. I call it her "Annette Funicello" look.
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Aida Chorus -
The ministers and priests await their stage entrance
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Aida Chorus -
Some scenes are sung backstage.
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Aida Chorus -
After the rehearsal Maestro Bennett says a few words. The Hammerson Hall is
visible in the background.
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Aida Chorus -
The chorus gathered on stage around the Maestro after the rehearsal.
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Aida Chorus -
The chorus listens attentively (or else!).
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Hey, I like a corny joke as much as the next person.
A man who had just undergone a very complicated operation
kept complaining about a bump on his head and a terrible
headache. Since his operation had been an intestinal one,
there was no earthly reason why he should be complaining
of a headache.
Finally his nurse, fearing that the man might be suffering
from some post-operative shock, spoke to the doctor about
it.
The doctor assured the nurse, "Don't worry about a thing.
He really does have a bump on his head. About halfway
through the operation we ran out of anesthetic."
Aïda Rehearsal — Last night was a "technical run-through" rehearsal on stage at the Living Arts Centre (LAC). What this meant was that the cast, chorus, extras and stage hands went through the opera, performing at least the beginning and ends of each scene. The sets are quite massive and they experienced a few problems in the transitions from scene to scene. Even though the artistic director gloated that the Hummingbird Centre stage was too small for these sets, apparently some parts couldn't be navigated from the loading dock to the stage. The sets are so big there may be not be enough room for the full backstage chorus. The Oakville Choral Society wasn't called for last night but I was glad to have gone to get some more experience being on stage and rehearsing the movements and the entrances and exits. I left before the fourth Act. The stage hands were having some trouble assembling those sets and it was already 10:30 p.m. I hope tonight's rehearsal will run just a bit more smoothly. Tonight's call is for 6:00 p.m. and I don't imagine will be finished until after 11 p.m. One other bit of news from the rehearsal: apparently there would be a big dry cleaning bill for the costumes if we use makeup (white people turning into swarthy ancient Egyptians) so high level discussions are on-going. Details to follow.
The Weather — I saw snow on the magnolia blooms for the first time in my memory (there was a magnolia outside my bedroom room when I was a kid.) Last week the temperature reached 30°C (high 80's), but yesterday the thermometer barely reached 3°C. Here's hoping we'll return to spring again after experiencing a hot, hazy, humid summer and a snowy winter all within one week. It's no wonder we Canucks talk about the weather.
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Venezia - The marble steps and high altar at Santa Maria dei Miracolli, a small church favoured for weddings. Your nuptial gondola could pick you up right at the church doors.
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Venezia - The Bell'Arte in concert on the altar stairs at Santa Maria dei Miracolli.
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April 20, 2002 Sasquatch Sightings:
Dear Friends and Family:
As you can see, I am keeping an accurate log of these extraordinary sightings. So far, from my Sasquatch lookout, I have seen, more or less, none. This remarkable record so far gives me great hope for future sightings. At this point my numbers have nowhere to go but up.
Now you may not know that the Sasquatch, a notoriously shaggy biped, goes way back in the stories of the tribes of BC's north west coast. And, this past week, a reputable fellow in New Aiyansh saw one up by the flat, up against the forest, behind the old soccer field. No kidding! C'mon, now I know I gave you a line about that grizzly and the kids and all that, but this is not April 1st now and I wouldn't pull your leg on something as serious as this. This guy actually saw a bona fide Sasquatch just up the hill from here.
My subsequent suggestion that the Nass Valley be renamed Sasqatchewan has, however, fallen on deaf ears.
Now, the thing is this. Remember when I told you in the Fall about my stone moving exercise? I'll refresh your memory. Now that the Spring has finally arrived and the snow has almost all vanished I have resumed my twice weekly transfer of a pile of hefty rocks from one place to another. This is my unprecedented way of maintaining my upper body fitness. I was moving my rocks this morning in fact, and also I was up there last Wednesday evening (I love that we now have usable daylight up to about 9 pm).
Now, the thing is this (I'm now going to get to the "thing" which I earlier referred to) (wait, here it comes now), the place where the Sasquatch was sighted is precisely the place where I go to shift around my boulders. No kidding! Now you should all know that I am not an especially hairy guy. Besides, given that people driving by could see me carrying my stones, I always do keep my clothes on throughout the process (I would, in fact, keep my clothes on in any case). Also, my hair, what I have of it, is neither dark, nor long, nor shaggy. Which all goes to establish that the Sasquatch sighter could not possibly have seen me man-handling stones and concluded that I was a Sasquatch. It wasn't that dark yet at that time that Wednesday evening and, as strong as the stone moving business has made me, I cannot claim to have the hulking build of your typical Sasquatch.
And so, I am keeping an eye out for the Sasquatch. The one this guy saw had red eyes so I should be able to recognize him. (The red eyes are further proof that it wasn't I, I have blue eyes).
Last night three of my teaching buddies and I joined a bonfire-party down along the rocky shore of the Nass River. We showed up well after all the food had been eaten and, in fact, just as everyone was preparing to leave. The party was in honour of Nancy, our now former village pharmacist, who is leaving this weekend with her boyfriend to settle in Alberta. So we said goodbye to Nancy, and to all the other people there who were going home, and hung around the dying embers of the fire for another half hour. We told jokes and marveled at the northern lights that were trilling and fanning across the clear night sky.
Tonight I am going to another feast. For the first time ever this feast will be a combination settlement and funeral feast. The settlement part is for Alvin Mckay, the main negotiator of the Nisga'a Treaty. There will be much pomp and ceremony to mark the final farewells to this important elder. I won't have the camera unfortunately. If I did I would take pictures of elaborate headdresses and flowing black and white button blankets. I am looking forward to it.
I pray that you are all well,
Tom.
Having (mostly :-) memorized the Italian words to Aïda and even though I don't know what I am singing, at least there's no ambiguity on how to pronounce a given word.
- The bandage was wound around the wound.
- The farm was used to produce produce.
- The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
- We must polish the Polish furniture.
- He could lead if he would get the lead out.
- The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
- Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
- A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
- When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
- I did not object to the object.
- The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
- There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
- They were too close to the door to close it.
- The buck does funny things when the does are present.
- A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
- To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
- The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
- After a number of injections my jaw got number.
- Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
- I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
- How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
I have added a link to today's electricity market page of the Independent Electricity Market Operator for Ontario. A colleague and I at Kinectrics have written software to simulate the Ontario electrical energy market for Ontario Power Generation. We are hoping to get more money this year to make some improvements. The software will enable OPG to make predictions on their electricity dispatch methods so as to maximize profit (obviously) and optimize their generators' usage profiles.
Basically this meant standing and singing for almost three hours last night. The artistic director reminds me of a Monty Python sketch: "I am looking for an argument", "Sorry this rehearsal is for abuse." At least with 120 in the chorus you don't feel you need to take it personally. There are some rules that, at least for a community choir, might be hard to do.
- No talking.
- Freeze except when singing. You don't want to upstage the stars.
- No picking your nose. Actually this is part of the previous point but the artistic director seemed to make a big deal about it. I guess there was someone on the other side whose personal habits were bugging him.
I found out I still need to do some more memory work but that's just details. At least I know the music well enough to be able to make sounds in the appropriate places.
I can't help comparing the experience of being part of a "Grand Opera" and being in a Gilbert and Sullivan production of the "Pirates of Penzance" last year. There were probably 40 all told in the G&S production. We were encouraged to move around and look alive. Ham it up on occasion. There dance steps and movements to learn and the words, being in English, were easy to pick up after awhile. Music and staging rehearsals were combined over the course of two or three months. In Aida, it is serious, freeze unless singing, no room to move with so many people. Staging is being done in four rehearsals this week and dress rehearsals begin the next!
Notes pinned to the pillow of a mother who has the flu by a well meaning husband who has inherited the house and kids.
Monday A.M. Dearest: Sleep late. Everything under control. Lunches packed. Kids off to school. Menu for dinner planned. Your lunch is on a tray in refrigerator: fruit cup, finger- sandwiches. Thermos of hot tea by bedside. See you around six.
Tuesday A.M. Honey: Sorry about the egg rack in the frig. Hope you got back to sleep. Did the kids tell you about the Coke I put in the Thermoses? The school might call you about this. Dinner may be a little late. I'm doing your door-to- door canvas for liver research. Your lunch is in refrigerator. Hope you like leftover chili.
Wednesday A.M. Dear Doris: Why in the name of all that is sane would you put soap powder in the flour canister! If you have time, could you please come up with a likely spot for Chris's missing shoes? We've checked the clothes hamper, garage, back seat of the car and wood box. Did you know the school has a ruling on bedroom slippers? There's some cold pizza for you on a napkin in the oven drawer. Will be late tonight. Driving eight Girl Scouts to tour meatpacking house.
Thursday A.M. Doris: Don't panic over water in hallway. It crested last night at 9 P.M. Will finish laundry tonight. Please pencil in answers to following:
- How do you turn on the garbage disposal?
- How do you turn off the milkman?
- Why would that rotten kid leave his shoes in his boots?
- How do you remove a Confederate flag inked on the palm of a small boy's hand?
- What do you do with leftovers when they begin to snap at you when you open the door?
I don't know what you're having for lunch! Surprise me!
Friday A.M. Hey: Don't drink from pitcher by the sink. Am trying to restore pink dress shirt to original white. Take heart. Tonight, the ironing will be folded, the house cleaned and the dinner on time. I called your mother. have a great day.
Source: Clean Laffs
I borrowed Stu's digital camera so I could post some pictures of our friends and their baby Sarah.
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2002-04-15 - Yours truly, Jim Service, holding Sarah.
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2002-04-15 - Julie looking over at Susanne and Sarah and Megen enjoying the "champagne of ginger ales"
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2002-04-15 - Julie is examining Megan's "instrument". Of course, Megan turned just as I was taking this picture. Oh, and Megan blew out the other two candles.
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2002-04-15 - Father and daughter, Matthias and Sarah. Bentley, the cat, is in the background.
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2002-04-15 - A prouder papa you'd never find at the moment!
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2002-04-15 - Megan is putting on a show as usual. It is never dull when our little Megan is about.
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2002-04-15 - Mother and daughter, Susanne and Sarah.
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2002-04-15 - Susanne and Sarah just past the carnations we brought.
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I'm having trouble memorizing the words; so, I thought I might type them out and post them, too.
Notes:
- [n]
- n bars tacet
- (x)
- x beats
- {person}
- person singing
Act I, Scene 1
I sacro suolo dell'Egitto è invasso dai barbari Etori gia marciano su Tebe
Ed o - san tan - to
Un guerriero indomabile, feroce, li conduce, Amonasro.
Il Re!
Guerra
Guerra! guerra! guerra! guerra!
Guerra
Guerra! guerra! guerra! guerra! tremen - da, i - ne - so - ra -ta.
Ra - da - mès!
Ra - da - mès!
Ah! - sien gra - zie_ai Nu - | Ra - da - mès! Ra - da - mès!
Ra - da - mès! Ra - da - mès!
Su! del Nilo al ... sorti del guerrier,
Su! del Ni - lo_al sa - cro li - do
sien bar - rie ra_i no - stri pet - ti;
non ec - cheg - gi che_un sol gri - do:
guer - ra, _ guer - ra e mor - te_al - lo stra - nier!
[15]
(2) Su! del Ni - lo_al sa - cro li - do
sien bar - rie ra_i no - stri pet - ti;
non ec - cheg - gi che_un sol gri - do:
guer - ra, _ guer - ra e mor - te_al - lo stra - nier!
Guerra
Guerra! guerra! guerra! guerra!
Guerra
Guerra! guerra! guerra! guerra!
guerra! guer - ra! ster - mi - nio! _
ster - mi - nio al - l'in - va - sor!
ster - mi - nio al - l'in - va - sor!
ster - mi - nio al - l'in - va - sor!
guer - ra! guerra! guer - ra! guerra! guer - ra! guerra! guer - ra! guer - - ra!
[2](3.5) Ri - tor - na vin - ci - tor!
Scene II
Pos - sen - te, ... {women} Noi t'in vo - chia - mo!
Tu che dal nul-la_hai trat - to
l'on - de, la ter - ra,_il ciel, noi t'in - vo - chia - mo! -
Im - men - so, ... {women} Noi t'in vo - chia - mo!
Nu - me che del tu_o spi - ri - to
sei fi - glio_e ge - ni - tor, noi t'in - vo - chia - mo!
Fuo - co_in - cre - a to, ... {women} Noi t'in vo - chia - mo!
Vi - ta del - l'U - ni - ver - so,
mi - to d'e - ter - no_a - mor, noi t'in - vo - chiam!
Im - men - so Fthà!
noi t'in - vo - chiam!
[40] Im - men - so Fthà!
Noi t'in - vo - chiam! -
[6]Il sa - cro bran - do dal Dio tem - pra - to, per tua man di - ven ti_al ne - mi - ci ter - ror, fol - go - re, mor - te.
Il sa - cro bran - do dal Dio tem - pra - to,
per tua man di - ven ti_al ne - mi - ci ter - ror, fol - go - re, mor - te.
[14]{Radamès} pro - teg - gi tu, di - fen - di d'E - git - to_il sa - cro, il sa - cro
Nu - me, cu - sto - de_e vin - di - ce, di que - sta
Nu - me, cu - sto - de_e vin - di - ce,
Nu - me, cu - sto - de_e vin - di - ce,
di que - sta sa - cra ter - ra,
la ma - no tua di sten - di so - vra, so - vra l'e - gi - zio suol!
Pos - sen - te, pos - sen - te Fthà,
Pos - sen - te Fthà, [1]
spir - to fe - con - da - tor
ah! ah!
(2) tu che dal nul - la hai trat - to l'on - de,
la ter - ra,_il cie - lo, noi t'in - vo - chiam, noi - t'in - vo chia - mo!
tu che dal nul - la_hai trat - to_il mon - do, noi t'in - vo - chia - mo!
[2] noi t'in - vo - chiam! (3)
[1] noi t'in - vo - chiam! (3)
[1](2) noi t'in - vo - chiam! -
Im - men - so Fthà!
Im - men - so Fthà!
End of Act I
Act II, Scene and Duet, Backstage
Allegro marziale[2](2)
Su! del Ni - lo_al sa - cro li - do
sien bar - rie ra_i no - stri pet - ti;
non ec - cheg - gi che_un sol gri - do:
guer - ra, guer - ra e mor - te_al - lo stra - nier!
{Aida} mor - nel - la tom - ba io spe - ghe - rò,
Guer - ra_e mor - - te,
guer - ra_e mor - te_al - lo stra - nier! -
{Amneris} e_ap - pren - de - ra - i se lot - tar tu puoi con me.
guer - ra_e mor - te_al - lo stra - nier!
Grand Finale II, Act II, Scene 2
[28] Glo - ria_al E - git - to,_ad I - si - de
che_il sa - cro suol pro - te -ge!
Al Re che_il Del - ta reg - ge,
al Re che_il Del - ta reg — ge
in - ni fe - sto - si_al - ziam! (3)
[1](1)Glo - ria! [1](1) Glo - ria! [1](1) Glo - ria! [2](1) Glo - ria! (1) Glo - ria! (1) Glo - ria! (1)
In - ni_al ziam, in - ni_al - ziam! (1) Glo - ria al Re, al Re!
In - ni fe - sto - si al - ziam!
{women}[17]
Del - la vit - to - ria a - gl'ar - bi - tri su - pre - mi il guar -do er - ge -
Del - la vit - to - ria a - gl'ar - bi - tri su - pre - mi il guar -do,
il guar - do_er - ge -
gra - gra - zie ren - de - te nel for - tu - na - to di,
In - ni fe - sto - si_al - ziam al Re, al - zia - mo al Re.
[2+41+4+70+3+33+6+43+4]
Vie - ni_o guer - rie - ro vin - di - ce, vie - ni_a gio - ir con noi; _
sul pas - so de - gli_e - ro - i,
sul - pas - so de - gli_e - ro - - i i lau - ri_i fior ver siam!
gra - zie_a - gli Dei, a - gli Dei ren - de - te
[1] nel for - tu - na - to di,
Glo - ria, Glo - ria, Glo - ria,
Glo - ria_al guer - rier, Glo - ria_al guer - rier, vien - ni,
o guer - rier, vien - ni, o guer - rie - ro,
[1 .)] vie - ni,_o guer - rier, vie - ni_a gio - ir con no - i,
sul pas - so de - gl'e - ro - i_i lau - ri_e_i fior ver - siam.
Vie - ni, o guer - rie - ro, vie - ni_a gio - ir con noi;
sul pas - so de - gl'e - ro - i_i lau - ri,_e_i fior ver - siam
Glo - ria! Glo - ria! glo - ria! glo - ria_al - l'E - git - to,
glo - ria, glo - ria_al - l'E - git - to, glo - ria
glo - - - ria, glo - ria, (3)[1] glo - ria!
[2+28]{Radamès} Concedi in pria che innanzi a te sien tratti i prigionier
[1] Gra - zie_a - gli De - i, gra - zie ren - de - te,
nel for - tu - na - to, nel for - tu - na - to di
(1) gra - zie, gra - zie, a - gli Dei.
[2](3.5) Su-o pa - dre!
[17+3+19+3]{OM men} cio che n'è dato soffrir!
Strug - gi,_o Re ques - ste ciur - me fe - ro - ci,
chiu - di,_il cor al - le per - fi - de vo - ci;
fur dai Nu - mi vo - ta - ti_al - la mor - te,
or - de' Nu - mi si com - pia_il vo - ler!
Sa - cer - do - ti, gli sde - gni pla - ca - te
(3)(1) l'u - mil pre - ce_a scol - ta - te;
[2](1.3333] sa - cer - do - ti, gli sde - gni pla - ca - te,
[2](1.3333] l'u - mil pre - ce de' vin - ti_a - scol - ta - te;
stru - gi, stru - gi,
sa - cer - do - ti, gli sde - gni pla - ca - te, (1)pie - ta!
(.) | 2) Re(5) pos - sen - te,
(2.5)[1](2) Re pos - sen - te,
struggi, o Re e tu,_o Re, struggi, o Re tu, o Re, queste ciu - ... tu pos - sen - te tu for - te,
a cle - men - za,_a cle - men - za di schiu - di_il pen - sier
Numi votati alla mor... a cle - men - za di schiu - di_il pen - sier
[2](1) si com...oh Re, po - sen - te Re.
[6]{Radamès} mando e libertà.
Mor - te_ai ne - mi - ci del - la pa - tri - a!
Gra - zia per gl'in - fe - li - ci!
[36+]{Amneris}Venga la schiava venga a rapirmi l'amor mio se ...
Glo - ria_all' E - git - to,_ad I - si - de,
che_il sa - cro suol di - fen - de,
s'in - trec - ci_il lo - to_al lau - ro,
s'in - trec - ci_il lo - to_al lau - ro sul crin, sul crin del vin - ci -
In - ni le via - mo_ad I - si - de che_il sa - cro suol di - fen - de!
Pre - ghiam che_il fa - ti_ar - ri - da - no, Pre - ghiam che_il fa - ti_ar - ri - da - no _
fau - sti_al - la pa - tria_o - gnor.
Glo - ria [1](1-) ad I - si - de!
[1](2)glo - ria!
[1](2) glo - - ria!
[3]{OM} Inni... Glo - ria, glo - ria, glo - ria
glo - ria_al - l'E - git - to! Glo — ria
In - ni le via - mo_ad I - si - de, che_il sac - cro suol di - fen -de!
s'in - trec - ci_il lo - to_al ri - da - no,
pre - ghiam che_i fa - ti_ar - ri _ da - no, fa — sul crin del vin - ci - tor
s'in trec - ci, il lo - to, il lo - to_al lau - ro sul crin del vin - ci - tor,
il lo - to_al lau - ro sul crin del vin - ci - tor
s'in trec - ci_il lo - to,_il lo - to_al lau - ro sul crin del vin - ci - tor,
s'in trec - ci_il lo - to,_il lo - to_al lau - ro sul crin del vin - ci - tor,
sul crin del vin - ci - tor.
Act III
[16]
O tu che sei d'O - si - ri - de
ma - dre_im - mor - ta - le_e spo - sa,
Di - va che_i ca - sti pal - pi - ti
de - sti_a gli_u - ma - ni_in cor;
Soc - cor - ri, soc - cor - ri a noi Soc - cor - ri a noi pie - to - sa
ma - dre d'im - men - so_a mor,
soc - cor - ri a noi, soc - cor - ri a no-i.
[13]{Ramphis}Andiamo. Pregherai fino all'alba io saro... {Priestesses}Soc - cor - ri, soc - cor - ri a noi.
Soc - cor - ri_a noi pie - to - sa
ma - dre d'im - men - so_a mor, soc - cor - ri a noi, soc - cor - ri a no-i.
Act IV, Scene 1
[9+3+18]{Amneris} io stessa lo gettai e in poter di costoro io stessa lo gettai!
Spir - to del Nu - me so - vra noi di - scen — di!
ne_av - vi - va_al rag - gio del - l'e - ter - na lu — ce;
pel lab - bro no - stro tu-a giu - sti - zia ap - pren — di
{Amneris}[4] Numi Disperato, tremeno è il mio dolo-
Spir - to del Nu - me [2] so - vra noi di - scend - di!
[10]{Ramphis} ... Discolpati
Di - scol - pa - ti! Egliatace: Tra - di - tor!
[9] ... Discolpati
Di - scol - pa - ti! Egliatace: Tra - di - tor!
[9] ... Discolpati
Di - scol - pa - ti! Egliatace: Tra - di - tor!
{Amneris} ... Numi, pietà, Numi, pietà,
Ra - da - mès e de - ci - so_il tu-o fa - to,
de - gli_in - fa - mi la mor - te tu_a vrai
sot - to l'a - ra del Nu - me sde - gna - to,
sot - to l'a - ra del Nu - me sde - gna - to a te vi - vo fia schiu - so l'a - vel
[8+12](3) Tra - di - tor! tra - di - tor! tra - di - tor!
[6] È traditor È tra - di - tor mor - rà!
[...] È traditor È tra - di - tor mor - rà!
[2](3+) mor - rà!
[3](1-) È tra - di - tor mor - rà! mor - rà!
È tra - di - tor! è tra - di - tor! mor - rà!
è tra - di - tor! mor - rà, mor - rà!
è tra - di - tor! mor - rà, mor - rà!
è tra - di - tor! mor - rà, mor - rà!
Tra - di - tor! tra - di - tor! tra - di - tor!
Scene 2, Last Finale
{Aida} l'estasi d'un immortale a...
Ah! — noi t'in - vo - chia - mo, t'in - vo - chiam, t'in - vo - chiam.
[16+3]{Radamès + Aida}
Im - men - so Fthà,
noi t'in - vo - chiam, noi t'in - vo - chiam,
t'in - vo - chiam, t'in - vo - chiam
[9] Noi t'in - vo - chiam, noi t'in - vo - chiam,
im - men - so Fthà, im - men - so Fthà,
[4]Im - men - so Fthà!
The End
Dear Friends, Family, and Other Readers:
My mother and uncle are, at this moment, abroad. They are visiting my brother Robert and his family in Thailand. First reports back from my mother tell of wonderful things. To compress, she tells of delighted elephants decked in rainbow colored silks prancing through night-time markets sampling unrecognized fruits bearing Sanskrit labels. And, if you think such sights are beyond belief, then you’ll likely also doubt tall tales of grizzly bears padding through New Aiyansh in the close company of delighted children. People will write anything, especially on April 1st. They say that truth is stranger than fiction, but when you’re second you’ve got to try harder.
I did go to a settlement feast last week. For those of you who have not been doing your Nisga’a homework, a settlement feast is given well after a death (usually a year, but this was over two years) to settle the affairs of the deceased. For instance, during the afternoon prior to the feast, the gravestone is taken in a procession from the family home, in a cart, to the graveyard to be put in place. This feast is a time to remember and celebrate, for the last time formally, the deceased. Also, this is a time when the Nisga’a name of the deceased is passed on to the person next in line in the family. And this person’s name is also passed on, and so on. I have attached a few pictures from the feast to give you an image of the people and proceedings.
Feasts are also crucial events which provide community leaders an opportunity to speak about matters close to the heart of the community. One speaker, who rose towards the end of the evening, set a holy tone to the whole evening, He spoke with obvious emotion of misdeeds that he had committed as a young teen and for which he felt a duty to make atonement. He made the valuable gift of a 5 gallon bucket of oolichan grease to both his cousin and aunt, who he felt he had wronged. This man, in his mid thirties, a father himself of two teenagers, went on to tell of the alcoholism that had gripped him up until a few years ago, and of how this disease had come so close to destroying his marriage to his beloved wife, and squandering his business besides.
Many speakers followed this man to thank him for his example of honesty. My impression was that for the most part these latter speakers were basking in the sense of glory that followed in the wake of the original speaker, hoping perhaps to attach some of this glory to their own credit. Which was fine and excusable, nobody really minded, and it did tend to keep that precious feeling of redemption alive through the rest of the evening. I went up and thanked the man myself at the end. I have taught both his boys and I felt glad for them that their father has such courage. Both his boys struggle in their own way with the rigors of school expectations.
Unlike the last two Fridays, it is not snowing today. The ditches along the roads, in fact, are alive with rushing torrents of muddy water. Bare patches on the slopes are creeping in and disputing ground with the large expanses of snow which still dominate the flats. My evening walks have been blessed with the unusual sounds of birds other that the squawking crows and ravens I have become accustomed to. In short, Spring looks like it is on the way. People here are partial to a slow arrival of Spring because sudden temperature rises with the snow still heavy in the area could mean flooded roads and the temporary severing of our transportation ties to the outside world. I figure I could hold out for a few weeks if need be, bring on the thaw!
Don’t forget to check out the settlement feast pics.
Love, Tom.
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San-Gimignano - Our bus driver drove out on the country roads just so we could take pictures of San Gimignano on the hill.
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San-Gimignano - View of San Gimignano between two Olive trees
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"Despite all these new-fangled inventions such as the Inter- net, TV, the telegraph, etc. - surveys show that newspapers remain the most trusted source of news for consumers in the coveted demographic of People Who Are Dead Or Older."
Dave Barry
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Firenze - For a being just a bell tower, the Doumo Campanile was quite ornate so I took several pictures. Next time I should bring one of those panorama-type cameras.
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Firenze - Bottom of the Duomo Campanile
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My Mom and my uncle Phil have gone to Thailand to visit my brother, sister-in-law and nephew. My brother is over there teaching at an international school for two years (at least for now).
09 April 02
Hi all of you family. If there's anyone else on our family list who might be interested please feel free to forward.
Yes, I'm fine now. Survived jet lag brought on by 30 hours in transit on 5 flights: Toronto > Anchorage > Hong Kong > Bangkok > Chiang Mai. Of course, there was the time in the limo getting to Pearson, waits in all the airports and a last ride, with Bob to Chiang Mai. One of the reasons for jet lag I deduced is that one doesn't have a proper lying-down-in-bed sleep for several days so there is no demarcation of days or nights. It didn't help that we, Phil and I, started the trip with 17 hours of dark night.
Anyway we're here and overwhelmed by our welcome by R, C & Cr and the terrific accommodation. We're in a ground floor two bedroom apt, en suite bathrooms for us both, kitchen and living/dining room and a patio.
It's cool enough in the morning to sit on the patio, 20 C, and we also go swimming in the Prem pool at 6 a.m. Phil and I chose to eat our breakfasts in the apt and join the others around 0830 instead of eating with them tho' they invited us to be with them for that meal, too.
Crawford is talking very clearly now, understandable in English, but not in Thai which he is learning from Au his nanny
11 April 02
I'll try to finish this this evening so you can all be assured that I'm well and happy.
Every day brings a different adventure. Monday we drove to a temple (Wat) near Chiang Mai. It's a working monestary, since the 14th century and a real beauty. I was still jet lagged so was gasping after the 300 step climb!!! However, it was worth it and Phil, Bob and I rang the row of big brass bells. I chose the set at waist height while the men rang the low ones. one swings the clapper hard enough to strike the bell.
Tuesday was the umbrella workshop and watching them being made from raw bamboo to beautiful finished and painted artistic creations. There were some as big as a satellite dish, or so they seemed
We also visited the salesrooms for Celedon pottery, v. expensive, so a few small pieces coming home with me. And that night we went to the night market a truly difference shopping trip. Everything seemed irresistable and inexpensive, tho I have trouble converting Cdn $ to baht 28baht/$1 and just have to trust the sales people to take the right amount from my hand.
I also swooned over bolts of silk in all imaginable and unimaginable weights and colours.
Wed. We went to the elephant place. Watched a funny fabulous show put on by the baby and adult elephants. They really hammed it up with dancing,playing mouth organs, moving logs, snatching their trainers' hats. It didn't seem exploitive at all. Both humans and elephants seemed to love each other and showing off their tricks. The grand finale was the elephant ride. I was wearing birkenstocks on my feet and had to take them off and put them in my bag so they wouldn't fall off. It was very bumpy in the howdahs, seats like those on ferris wheels, hanging on for dear life when the elephant went down steep hills and aching joints and bruised bums today after that experience.
11 April 02
Today was the day market in Chiang Mai. Lovely chance to see the veg's and fruits and not to be able to figure out what was what. All labels and signs in Thai, which is very beautiful but much like trying to make sense and reading a piece of embroidery. It's based on Sanskrit.
Bleary-eyed and tired so am going to sign off. Tomorrow we're going to a water buffalo training farm. I don't think we're going to see tricks but watch all the machinery they can pull.
Love to all. Mom, DJ, Dorothy
Hubbo seems so passé so I changed the name. As well as the following "real" meaning I find that aglet is now a short form of agent-let.
ag·let Pronunciation
Key (
g
l
t)
n.
- A tag or sheath, as of plastic, on the end of a lace, cord, or ribbon to facilitate its passing through eyelet holes.
- A similar device used for an ornament.
[Middle English, from Old French aguillette, diminutive of
aguille, needle, from Vulgar Latin *ac
cula, from Late Latin
acucula, diminutive of Latin acus, needle. See ak-
in Indo-European Roots.]
Source:
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth
Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published
by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
It was the last "regular" Aida practice for the Oakville Choral Society and Opera Mississauga; i.e., next week we start staging instead of just sitting or standing around. My voice is a tad lower today (from its normal baritone range) from the almost 3 hours of singing last night.
At break, the chorus was asked if they had any "exotic" animals, e.g., parrots, monkeys, afghan dogs, ostrich(!) to display as the "spoils" of Egypt's war with Ethiopia [1]. Apparently there will even be a horse onstage for a while during the procession scene. No elephants though. Some of the men have gone for costume fittings and found that the male "people" are wearing not much more than a loincloth. Personally, I don't have a problem with that but do I have to shave my chest and legs? Unless I get a great tan in the next week, I will need a lot of makeup on my body to have me resemble a swarthy Egyptian. At least I'll be comfortable under the hot stage lights — when I played a policeman in the Pirates of Penzance, I sweltered in a thick uniform. I hear the priestesses' costumes are basically a thong and a bra designed for nubile, young women. Unfortunately, neither chorus has many members who fall in that category.
As section leader in this community choir, I never cease to be amazed at how unprepared some of these people are for a major musical production. Simple things include memorisation of both words and music, wearing costumes which may not flatter the physique, length of rehearsals, the sometimes microscopically detailled attention paid to certain musical passages and not being able to wear glasses. Anyway I better get back to my own memorisation — the music is basically there. Now if I can only manage to fit all the Italian with it I'll be laughing.
[1] Aida Story
I listened to some of the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's funeral service this morning on CBC Radio One at home and while I was walking to the GO Train. Though I really had no particular feelings towards her I was moved by the commentator's remarks that Prince Charles was trying hard to suppress his feelings by sitting ramrod straight. He, like I, was the oldest child and knew his grandmother for all his life and probably had a couple of extra-special moments with her, being the first grandchild. I was first grandchild to both my grandmothers and recall them both fondly. Their deaths seemed to end that generation and now we must carry on by ourselves. I can only imagine what Prince Charles must be feeling. There are special bonds forged between grandparents and grandchildren — they can spoil you, they seem so incredibly old when you are young, and we love them dearly.
In the summer of 2000 I was part of a choir (the Cathedral Singers of Ontario) that led daily Vesper Services at St. Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh for a week. At the end of the week my wife and I spent three days in London. During that time I walked from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey along part of the route taken by the Queen Mum's funeral cortège. My wife and I were fortunate enough to be able to sit in the choir of Westminster Abbey during an evening vesper service. It was literally an awesome experience knowing the number of kings and queens, prince and princesses that have been married, crowned and buried in this holy place.
May she rest in peace.
It was time to change the clocks and "spring forward" for daylight saving time. I did this around 11:15 p.m. on Saturday which advanced the time to 12:15 p.m. However I had forgotten to advance the day/date on the bedroom clock radio and the programmable thermostat. So yesterday was Saturday once again and today started out to be Sunday. I first noticed because it was rather cold in the house as the thermostat turns up the heat later on weekends. This also explained why the clock radio came on yesterday and not this morning. Ain't technology wonderful!
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Firenze - Julie and Iris stand beside the covered BMW motorcyle. I read recently in the Toronto Star that it may be introduced in North America.
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Firenze - Dora, Iris and Jim — Bell'Arte members in Piazza delle Belle Arti.
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"Any new venture goes through the following stages: enthusiasm, complication, disillusionment, search for the guilty, punishment of the innocent and decoration of those who did nothing."
Reminds of a few years ago when a small department was set up to give awards for productivity, safety, etc. Of course this department also received an award!
Dear Friends and Family:
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Today is April 5th and the snow has been falling steadily all day here. It is getting to be a bit of a joke. You may think of where I am as Northern BC and you’d be right. But this is supposed to be a “coastal” climate we have here. Residents cannot recall a winter that dragged itself on so relentlessly right into April. We have had another 15 cm of snow today and, reluctantly, I must undertake the 4th “last shovel of the season” of my driveway. It is wet snow, which will make it heavy shoveling.
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But I’m not moping around really. A couple of weeks ago I borrowed a pair of the plastic snowshoes that the school PE department has. I figured I might use them to get into the woods once or twice while the snow melts away. Today was the fourth time I have used them. I used them last Sunday after it snowed all day Friday and Saturday. At one point that day, once I was well into the woods, I shed them. They are, after all, clunky and heavy. It seemed that on the path I was on, under the shelter of the trees, the snow wasn’t that deep. And it wasn’t. But anywhere where there was openings between trees, and there was plenty of those further along the path, I was sinking and floundering in heavy snow which was up to my knees. This was exhausting. Fortunately my gortex pants over rubber boots made a good seal, or I’d have been soaked.
)
So today I kept the snowshoes on the whole time. Being able to walk on top of the snow drifts, even in clunky plastic snowshoes, turned out to be much easier. You know, there is a lot to be said for plastic snowshoes. (And don’t you just know that I’m about to say it too.) You see, your regular wooden shoes, stung with strips of animal hide, are problematic in wet snow. The strips, no matter how carefully you have lacquered them, will begin to absorb the wetness. And, once they become saturated, “Oh no! I ‘ve stepped through the strings!” That very thing happened last week to a snowshoer I know. Those torn hide straps were not pretty to look at, and will necessitate an expensive rebuilding of that shoe. Besides, if you step half on a log with wooden shoes (which is easy to mistakenly do if that log is covered by snow) your weight may easily snap the wood frame. Then your shoe is toast! But the plastic shoe, on the other hand, paddles gaily over sloppy snow and enjoys springing and straddling on all manner of hidden woodsy obstacles. So keep this in mind, you may have cause to thank me for this information one day.
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Despite the slow start the word is that the oolichan harvest has been a successful one. Everyone has more of the smelly little fish than they know what to do with and people are spending long hours with cold fingers stringing them out to dry. Time was, some locals say, when the community elders would dictate when the oolichan catch began, and when it would finish. It was considered bad form to be greedy and the elders called a halt when everyone seemed to have what they needed. Those days are passed now and I’ve heard many people expressing concern about the growing size of the take. The thing is that there is a big market for oolichan and oolichan grease along the coast here. And a few of the big oolichan rivers are too polluted to be fished now. So the Nass River product fetches a good price. They say that kids are hawking buckets of oolichan for $20 in Terrace.
The grease making process has been retarded by the continuing cold weather. The first stage of the grease making calls for the huge bins of oolichan corpses to ferment for about 9 days in warm weather while their oil separates and rises to the top of the bin. But, 4 weeks after the season opened, the fermenting process hasn’t had a chance to begin. Still, Spring must come some day soon and the production will really get rolling. Because of cold weather and an ice covered river, my family wasn’t able to get down and witness the catch over the March Break. I’ve heard lots of tales. One custom is that oolichan fishermen are not to wash their clothes during the fishing season. It is said that this may offend the oolichan. And at the end of the season everyone burns their fishing clothes. This would be an example of custom supporting expedience. The smell of the oolichan fishery is legendary.
I have gone on long enough for this week. I hope all who read this are elevated by it and that, in any case, you are enjoying good, or at least improving, health.
A special greeting to my newly 40 brother Robert, and to my Mom who is visiting with he and his family, Chrissy and Crawford, in Thailand.
Love, Tom.
Went to the funeral home tonight. Weirdest weather: a blinding snowstorm in Mississauga, perfectly clear once I got east of Dixie Rd. The Turner and Porter website appears to place their funeral home at Islington and Dundas. In fact it is west of where Burnhamthorpe intersects Dundas West more than a block away. I eventually found it. Without my wife, love her dearly, navigator, I have trouble driving and locating simultaneously.
I talked to both of Gerry's sons. Gerry's wife died when the oldest, Steve, was only 16. The youngest, Allan, is just finishing college and I think the oldest had just moved to Toronto (from Mississauga), closer to work at the U of T Athletic Department. Gerry had been hospitalized for about a week in intensive care with a bladder infection that had spread to his kidneys. He also had a bleeding ulcer, caught pneumonia and they couldn't stabilize his electrolytes. Poor fellow. He was only at the Credit Valley Hospital for about a week when he died. I only live a 10 minute walk away but his entire stay was in the ICU where only family members are allowed. Pity.
I feel a great sympathy toward Gerry's two young men. Gerry's sister lives in California and his brother lives in Australia. The rest of Gerry's family is in the Winnipeg area and there wouldn't be time for any of them to come down for the funeral tomorrow. There's just the two of them. The casket was open, more than likely because the funeral home suggested it. Perhaps the funeral was quick for the same reason. They are so young to have lost both their parents and to have no close relatives nearby to help them through the grieving process.
There were quite a few of my former work colleagues there tonight. Of course the retirees look not much different than when they had left — Must be the lack of stress lines. Our old work group was family in many ways, some of us get together for a canoe trip each summer, a Christmas lunch, old-timers hockey, etc. Yup, Gerry was a part of some that for many years.
Donna nobis pacem — Grant us Thy peace.
I was told this morning that a retired collegue, Gerry Manchur, died yesterday due, in part, to severe internal bleeding complicated by bladder and kidney infections. He was 66. His wife died in her sleep several years ago. He is survived by two sons in their 20s.
Gerry retired from Ontario Hydro in the mass "golden handshake" of 1993. He was the only one I recall who didn't plan to work thereafter as he wanted to be Mr. Mom to his boys while they were attending high school. Technically, Gerry was a very sharp engineer, basically inventing the power system stabilizer (PSS) in the 1960's. The PSS is a box of electronics which allows large generators to use fast acting excitation systems without causing the power system to go unstable when transmitting large amounts of power. When I first joined OH and the System Studies Section back in 1978, Gerry had a problem with alcohol and was a heavy smoker. He overcame these problems and, if anything, his intellect increased. I usually saw him at Christmas when the System Studies alumni met for beer and schnitzel at a local eatery. He will be missed.
"A Canadian psychologist is selling a video that teaches you how to test your dog's IQ. Here's how it works: if you spend $12.99 for the video, your dog is smarter than you."
Jay Leno
Note: most of these are unattributed, but all are purportedly from various politicians' campaigns, statements, etc.
Source: The Mouthpiece
- "I resent your insinuendoes."
- "No man is an Ireland."
- "If we don't make some changes, the status quo will remain the same."
- "We're going to have the best-educated American people in the world."
- "If Lincoln were alive today, he'd roll over in his grave."
- "We do not have censorship. What we have is a limitation on what newspapers can report."
- "Candidly, I cannot answer that. The question is too suppository."
- "Outside of the killings in Washington DC, we have one of the lowest crime rates in the nation."-- Marion Berry
- "Let's jump off that bridge when we come to it."
- "To be demeanored like that is an exercise in fertility."
- "I deny the allegations, and I defy the allegators."
- "If somebody's gonna stab me in the back, I want to be there."
- "When you're talking to me, keep your mouth shut."
- "Let's do this in one foul swoop."
- "I want to thank each and every one of you for having extinguished yourselves in this session."
- "We'll run it up the flagpole and see who salutes that booger."
- "I would like to take this time to reirritate my remarks."
- "The average age of a 7 year old in this state is 13."
- "I hate to confuse myself with the facts."
- "We have a permanent plan for the time being."
- "Family planning has many misconceptions."
- "The people in my district do not want this highway bypass, no matter if it goes through or around the city."
- "My knowledge is no match for his ignorance."
- "As long as I am in the Senate, there will not be a nuclear suppository in our state."
- "These numbers are not my own; they are from someone who knows what he's talking about."
- "People planning on getting into serious accidents should have their seat belts on."
- "In 1994, Americans stand on the horns of an enema."
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Firenze - The Bell'Arte singing at noon mass in Santa Maria del Fiore, the Duomo of Firenze. The sound was wonderful with almost 10 seconds of reverberation time. Apparently it is the fourth largest church in the world.
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Firenze - Here is the high altar in the Duomo. We managed to take a few pictures round the huge building after singing at the Sunday Noon Mass. (If your choir doesn't lead a service then it has to pay to sing here.)
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I have seen this image several times and always get a chuckle out of it. Personally, I don't think there's an on/off switch on the woman model — just a lot of dials, knobs, buttons and conflicting indicators which always require careful interpretation and even more careful adjustment.
Dear Friends and Family:
With Spring finally here I am learning new things all the time about this community. I told you before that there is a large bear population in this area. Well, they have all been hibernating of course, making my walks in the woods just that much more relaxing. Bears can never be taken for granted. But this morning a surprising thing happened.
I looked out my window and there, walking down the road and into town, was a grizzly bear. The first one I have seen! I was glad to be inside to watch this spectacle! And then, from the other direction, I see a small crowd of children running up the road toward the bear! My heart jumped into my throat as I desperately tried to think what I might do to distract the bears attention away from the children. But before I could come up with an idea the children were all around the bear, each grabbing a fistful of its hair and joining it for its walk through town.
Shaken, I went out to investigate this incredible event. A young teen, straggling behind the procession, explained to me that for a number of years this “friendly” bear has made this walk through Aiyansh at around this time of year, apparently on his way to the river to check out the spring salmon stock. Every year children have come closer to it as it does its walk through town until, for the past three years, it seems that the bear has become quite comfortable with the ritual him/herself and has gently ignored the children’s accompaniment. Go figure eh? Anyway, it sure amazed me and I wanted to write this special News Aiyansh edition to tell you about it. What a beautiful, muscular, and graceful creature this bear is. Its rich brown fur, matted from long hibernation, must have felt warm and inviting to the hands of the children.
I wish I'd had a camera to take a picture! Darn.
Tom.