Hi there ladies,
Studies are over for the year. Just waiting for results now. I think they'll be out on Monday. Holding thumbs I did well enough to get the scholarship I applied for last month. Uni fees aren’t much here - about $5000 per year. The scholarship’s $3000 p.a. and is renewable for a maximum of 3 years meaning I could even get them to fund honours if invited. Having a busy time all the same catching up with all the stuff that's got away from from me this year. I let a lot of things slide to make time for study.
First up - now frantically rehearsing for the Xmas choral concert.
I sing in 2 choirs - one is a small women's group called Colla Voce Ensemble, and the other is the much more robust North Shore 100 Voice Chorale. Colla Voce have decided to disband after 22 years after the 9th December, and our swansong will be a modest guest appearance at the two 100 Voice Chorale Xmas performances on Sunday the 9th.
http://www.100voice.org.nz/ So, singing in the main choir (including a solo verse of In Dulce Jubilo – bit terrifying, but our director assured me it’s not because I have a stunning voice – I don’t. But the timing is horrible, and Margot says she can rely on me because I can count. Hope I don’t lose it due tonerves though Also singing 2 carols with the guest choir mentioned above, plus doing a rendition of “A Winter’s Tale” with a one-off gaggle of girls from 100 Voice. That’s quite a lot of extra rehearsals and memorising to squeeze in. I’ve rather left it all to the last minute because of study commitments, so feeling a bit frantic about getting it all done to perfection.
I’m planning to join the North Shore Camerata next year in lieu of CVE. Their Xmas concert is this Saturday night – will take my Milly along – she’s always keen for an outing.
http://www.nscamerata.co.nz/index.html Daughter Caroline’s out of hospital, and just managing to keep out. She’s really not at all well. At a bit of a loss as to what to suggest that will be helpful. From what I can see, she’s not doing anything silly to cause these extremely high blood sugars.
Our international student’s gone to Phuket with her mum for a week. We met mum last week – a really sweet but confused looking lady. She can’t speak a word of English, and as my Portuguese stretches to not much beyond obrigado, our conversation was stilted with Paula as translator. Mum then goes back home to Brazil and Paula’s with us for a further fortnight.
I saw Alan had come to South Island for a holiday. It's a beautiful place! The locals fondly call it The Mainland. As a tourist it's definitely the better option. North Island (what an original bunch we Kiwis are,) basically has the same type of rainforest/bush vegetation apart from a small plateau in the centre of the island which is semi-desert scrub around a couple of active volcanoes. South Island has it all: forest, bush, tussock land, alpine vegetation, snow-capped mountains, sweeping mountain passes, glaciers, the lot! And it's possible to capture several in one photo. I'm sure he and Viz had a superb time.
Better get on with the day. Hope you're all well and happy. XXX