The Last Minute Change

This week was the school Music Festival.  Monday - Wednesday are the heats, where (ideally) every child learning an instrument/voice gets up and performs.  Strings, thankfully, are divided into junior, middle, and senior.  There is a guest adjudicator, the kids get a certificate and great feedback about their playing, as well as the chance to get up and play in front of someone other than their teacher.  Students who are awarded a High Distinction in the heats get to perform in the Grand Concert on the Friday night. 

On Tuesday, I was asked if I was going to the concert.  Probably not... So you won't be going to drinks afterwards?  Probably not...  On Wednesday another teacher asked if I was going, was surprised I didn't have an invitation, and said to text if I wanted the address. 

All week, a friend had been bugging me to go dancing Friday night.  Friday morning, she called to ask me to please wear super high heels, as she would chicken out if she was going to be the only one wearing heels.  I was actually not that keen on dancing, but promised to have coffee beforehand.

When I got back from my run, however, there was a message from the viola teacher saying he could give me a lift to the staff party.  My first instinct for social occasions is, unfortunately, no.  And on Friday nights, no, as I teach Saturday mornings.  But especially when I haven't told the host, no!  However...  I knew this would be a good chance to have some fun with other teachers when not at school, and you get to see a whole other side to them.  Plus, having had one child get through to the grand concert, I wanted to know how that went (she played beautifully).

Apparently the host was fine with me turning up, and I could be picked up from where I was having coffee - perfect timing.  So, I went to a staff party, on a Friday night, instead of dancing.  It was so much fun, and I found out so much about my coworkers.  Seeing everyone relaxed and laughing, not to mention on a first-name basis (instead of Mrs Smith like we are at school, for example), was really refreshing.  My abs hurt from laughing so much.

Ted's Place

 This is the view from Ted's place.  Ted is an 80-something-yr-old from church, who has been building a place up in the mountains for many many years.  At least once a year he invites a crowd up for lunch.  Every time, I have declined the invitation.

I am not a very social person.  The idea of being in the mountains with a group of oldies... well, it's not a terribly inviting proposition.  At a Christmas party last year, I had a brainwave.  I much prefer playing at parties rather than being a real guest, so I thought if I took my trio up and played, I could still accept the invitation but not feel socially awkward.  Ted was thrilled with the idea and has been handing out invitations for about a month.  Because yesterday was St Patrick's Day, there was a bit of an Irish/green theme.  I didn't actually end up taking the trio, as my brother (the cellist) was running a half marathon this evening, but Jeannie and I played duos. 

I wore a green bracelet from the Eumundi markets, and lime green retro platform stilettos.  No pic of them just yet, but I'm hoping to wear them this week.  It seems there were as many comments about my shoes as there were our playing.

We started with Jigs, Reels and Hornpipes and then moved on to tangos.  This group (maybe 40 people, at a guess) was the most appreciative audience we'd ever entertained.  They danced, they clapped, they cheered and whistled, and all at the right times.  They even fed us.  After we'd finished, another guest (who happens to be an actor, entertainer, amazing brain) sang a song and told a story, and another guest sang a song also.  There were a few tears...

I was very glad to be playing (and therefore have only a short time for socialising), and very glad to have Jeannie there as well, but even gladder to have finally accepted an invitation to see Ted's place.