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A bit of a mad weekend in the end. Lots of frantic running about but not an large amount of anything ACTUALLY done.
Friday night: Watched Blackbook by Paul Verhoeven. A wonderful film. I sobbed like a baby for most of the final third. Carice von Houten playing Ellis was magnificent. I don't know why but anything about the second world war, particularly about the occupied countries always really upsets me. I realised at one point that I was sitting there with my hand curled so tightly into a fist that my nails were digging into my palm.
Saturday: two birthday parties - my son went to his friend up the road's part and had a ball. I did the shopping. My husband worked on shelves for the kids room (yay!). We then thought we would go out and work on the garden. And opened the back door. And the heavens opened. So I had a nap instead. Bliss! Then we went to another birthday party, this time for our friend's one year old. They also live on our road. We met more neighbours. Yay.
That night we watched The Curse of the Golden Flower which was spectacular but maddeningly hard to follow. There were a couple of Pirates of the Carribean moments as in "Whose side is X on now?" *shrug* But thoroughly enjoyable and fantastic to look at. And really really depressing! But in the prettiest way.
So a non-Hollywood filmic weekend, which can be an eye-opener. For a really enthralling film though, I'd recommend Blackbook.
Sunday: Visited hardware shop. Visited parents. And (highlight for me) I went to the Messiah for All concert in Monkstown. This is an annual event which my Dad's choir organises where the whole Messiah is performed, and the "audience" brings their own librettos and joins in the chorus parts. It gives the effect of a mass chorus and is thoroughly enjoyable. It's the beginning of my Christmas and has been for some years. The Hallelujah chorus is phenominal. Last night they were accompanied by the Orchestra of St. Cecilia and I think I now prefer the orchestral accompaniment to the organ one. It was beautiful. There is a moment in the final Great Amen when the choir stops and the melody is played briefly. Noramlly as I said this is an organ piece, but last night it was played by two violins in perfect harmony. Then the full choral power of about four hundred people took over and raised the roof.
The soloists were marvelous, particularly the soprano, Anna Devin who I think is very much someone to watch out for. Let's just put it this way. She sang Rejoice Greatly, and smiled like someone actually rejoicing, just like the song says! You don't always see that. Fab!
I'm shattered! And run off my feet this morning!
Writing? What's that?
I need to start thinking about the LH end of year contest too.
R
Friday night: Watched Blackbook by Paul Verhoeven. A wonderful film. I sobbed like a baby for most of the final third. Carice von Houten playing Ellis was magnificent. I don't know why but anything about the second world war, particularly about the occupied countries always really upsets me. I realised at one point that I was sitting there with my hand curled so tightly into a fist that my nails were digging into my palm.
Saturday: two birthday parties - my son went to his friend up the road's part and had a ball. I did the shopping. My husband worked on shelves for the kids room (yay!). We then thought we would go out and work on the garden. And opened the back door. And the heavens opened. So I had a nap instead. Bliss! Then we went to another birthday party, this time for our friend's one year old. They also live on our road. We met more neighbours. Yay.
That night we watched The Curse of the Golden Flower which was spectacular but maddeningly hard to follow. There were a couple of Pirates of the Carribean moments as in "Whose side is X on now?" *shrug* But thoroughly enjoyable and fantastic to look at. And really really depressing! But in the prettiest way.
So a non-Hollywood filmic weekend, which can be an eye-opener. For a really enthralling film though, I'd recommend Blackbook.
Sunday: Visited hardware shop. Visited parents. And (highlight for me) I went to the Messiah for All concert in Monkstown. This is an annual event which my Dad's choir organises where the whole Messiah is performed, and the "audience" brings their own librettos and joins in the chorus parts. It gives the effect of a mass chorus and is thoroughly enjoyable. It's the beginning of my Christmas and has been for some years. The Hallelujah chorus is phenominal. Last night they were accompanied by the Orchestra of St. Cecilia and I think I now prefer the orchestral accompaniment to the organ one. It was beautiful. There is a moment in the final Great Amen when the choir stops and the melody is played briefly. Noramlly as I said this is an organ piece, but last night it was played by two violins in perfect harmony. Then the full choral power of about four hundred people took over and raised the roof.
The soloists were marvelous, particularly the soprano, Anna Devin who I think is very much someone to watch out for. Let's just put it this way. She sang Rejoice Greatly, and smiled like someone actually rejoicing, just like the song says! You don't always see that. Fab!
I'm shattered! And run off my feet this morning!
Writing? What's that?
I need to start thinking about the LH end of year contest too.
R
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