mojosmom: (My House)
Just as I was thinking about getting out of bed on Saturday, my phone rang. It was one of our next-door neighbors telling me that as she was walking her dog, she noticed water gushing out of the sidewalk in front of our building. I dressed quickly, and went out to check, and, boy, it sure was! I called the Water Department, though it turns out the call actually goes to 311 - the city's non-emergency number - and was told they'd be out "as soon as possible". Our water pressure dropped precipitously during the day, but, fortunately, one of the first things I had done Saturday morning was to fill a slew of pots and pans with water, so I did have tea and, even more important, I could flush! By Sunday morning, the water pressure was so low that we effectively had no water. I called 311 again and the issue was marked "emergency". Very shortly thereafter a crew came out to assess the situation. I spoke to the crew leader and she told me the afternoon crew would be out to do the repairs. In fact, they arrived shortly after 11:00 a.m. and were there until about 4:30 p.m. with all sorts of equipment to tear up the concrete and dig down to the pipe. I'd gone out in the afternoon, and stopped on the way home to buy bottled water - just in case - but it turned out I didn't need it.

The good news is multiple: they did not have to shut off our water (which would have meant shutting down the boiler when it was about 7º F.); the leak was on the city's side of the valve, so the city did the work instead of our condo association having to find a plumber on a holiday weekend; and, most of all, we are not in Flint, Michigan.

In other stuff:

I'm really annoyed at myself. My club had a reception for architect members on Friday evening, and I completely forgot about it! I don't know why. It's in my calendar. But I did go usher at a lovely concert in the neighborhood, the Baroque Band, playing Handel and contemporaries.

A friend and I planned to go see a film at the Siskel tomorrow, but we may not. It's going to be cold again, though compared to today not so bad. Today we're in the single digits and tomorrow it may heat up to 17º.

I went to the Lyric Opera's announcement of next season. Heavy on French opera, a couple of bel canto works, the start of their new Ring Cycle, and some odds and ends. Sadly, no contemporary American opera. During the Q&A, someone asked if they were ever going to do some Meyerbeer. Sir Andrew Davis put his head in his hands, moaned, and allowed as how he really dislikes Meyerbeer. So I guess that particular patron won't be getting his wish!
mojosmom: (Default)
I am finding this year that I am attending far more holiday events than in the past. This is, I am sure, due to the fact that the logistics of going to and fro are easier now that I am retired. Depending on where I'm going, I can use public transportation and not worry about parking (where & how much!). I can go to events that start early or end late, without having to think about work hours. So I'm very social!

I went to two bar-related events last week. The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers had a cocktails/hors d'œuvres/recruiting event one day, and the next my law school had a cocktails/hors d'œuvres event. I dashed from that second one to the December Second Friday Open Studios at the Fine Arts Building. Turned out that, because of the holidays, a lot more studios were open than usual, and there were some additional musical and performance things going on. There was a partridge in a pear tree:
A Partridge in a Pear Tree!

and the Venetian Courtyard was open!
Venetian Courtyard

On Saturday, my AAUW chapter had its December/holiday meeting, and that night I went to the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus "Holly Follies" at Rockefeller Chapel.

On Sunday, I went to the Jazz Institute's members party and then to Casa Italiana's Festa di Natale. At the Jazz Institute party, I ran into a former colleague of mine whom I haven't seen in years, and the odd thing was that at one of the bar events, someone else who knew her and I were wondering what she was up to. So now I know, and we exchanged emails and will keep in touch.

Monday, the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre had a "thank you" reception for the Saints, and while I was there I signed up to usher at a couple of productions next year. Then off to the Poetry Foundation for a reading of Christmas poems, including Talking Turkey, a highly amusing poem. The reading was followed by noshes and drinks.

If I end up looking like Santa Claus (that is, fat!), you know why!

In non-holiday stuff --

98.7 WFMT

Yesterday was the 60th birthday of our local classical radio station, 98.7 WFMT, so they had a day of music (ten hours) at the Cultural Center. I was able to get there for the first three hours (but had to get home for a couple of conference calls for boards that I'm on). I missed Nicole Cabell, but was there for harpsichordist David Schrader, the Chicago Chamber Musicians, The Lincoln Trio, the Orbert Davis Quintet, and tenor Rene Barbera.

I've also been to usher for In the Jungle, an adaptation of a Bertolt Brecht play that is benefiting the Howard Brown Health Center. A worthy cause, but I think there's a reason this Brecht play is not frequently produced. It's not his best.

I spent a long evening at the Gene Siskel Film Center, too, seeing two John Turturro films in one sitting: La Passione, about Neapolitan music (and history and society), and Rehearsal for a Sicilian Tragedy, dealing with the puppet theatre there. Both excellent!

A variety of Teatro Vista-related events: a reading of a new play that will probably be part of the Tapas reading series in the spring, lunch with a prospective board member, and a workshop with grant funders.

January 2018

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