Eight part, double choir antiphonal singing in the wrap-around gallery at Eastminster United Church is what Christmas music is all about to me. To make music as well as sing. Yes, I enjoyed myself even though my voice, today, is more basso than baritone. Three days of concert singing does that to you.

I have nicknamed one choir member “Ten-to-One Mary” or “Mary Come-Lately.” Our Saturday dress rehearsal was annouced as being 10 to 1. We usually rehearse on Saturdays at 10:00 for 2½ hours. “Mary the Soprano Soloist,” from Peterborough, was supposed to been staying a local hotel. We tried phoning them. No-one by that last name. Finally at 12:50 while we were singing the last carol of the rehearsal, Mary showed up. Ah, we said, “Mary the Literalist” was finally here! “There’s something about Mary.”