A Night

This is a night when we did something. Many of my nights are do-nothing nights spent in front of the TV, but never just watching. I have to be doing something else, too. Tonight, I'm just vegging, though.

We went to a lovely concert tonight on the old base. Around here, "old base" and "new base" meant a left turn or a right off US Avenue. The old base (left turn) has beautiful Victorian-era side-by-side duplexes. Each is three full storeys, apparently with butler's stairways and rooms for "the help" on the 3rd floor. They've all become townhouses and if I hadn't been married, I'd have bought one and worked however long that required! They are the 3-chimney, front veranda beautiful tall brick houses (slate roofs, of course, in this area). I believe they have hardwood floors, etc. Oh, to die for.

The old base "oval" also includes the lovely little Plattsburgh Memorial Chapel, where the concert was held--this was a fundraiser and I'd put together the brochure a couple of years before but never been (or even seen) the building. So I was happy to buy the ticket and then Bruce, who loves classical music, said he'd join me. How nice!

And the concert was good. The students at Meadowmount compete for spots there and I'm guessing are Julliard and Berkshire music students. They don't do light stuff for concerts, either. It was string quartets with 3-4 movements by Mozart, Shostakovich and Barber. Not easy going for these kids, either, I'd bet. But they were rehearsed and as a result made crisp, together entrances and only messed up the timing once or twice. String quartets have the same problems I've met in "foursome" vocal groups: Who's the boss? As I said, they did well most of the time. It was a delightful evening.

So I'm sitting here "after hours" with my martini and barefooted, as I love to be in the summer. It's August, and I'm just waiting to get older (the 23d for me). Meanwhile this is a lovely, warm (too humid) summer night. I hope yours is, too.