Lighting, Music, Sets, Props
The results of my weekend “away” from the keyboard are in.
We have outdoor lighting, we went to the Hanging of the Greens and sang, and the living room is dusted, sorted and ready for the big drama of a tree. (Not one green was hung; they are all pre-hung these days. Probably some lawyer thing.) Tomorrow, I’ll break out the chili pepper lights. We’re still “from Arizona” enough to get away with them.
Luminarias out front are staked down because luckily I put them up in a high wind (La Niña?). I’ll keep layering the lighting out there until I get bored/tired of it. And we have to remember to walk around the block at night to get the full effect.
As for The Tree, not sure when that will happen. For insurance, though, we got a 24″ pink tree and it glows in the dining room window. I think we’re going for maximum trees this year. It’s something to do. Also going for Solstice bells, a menorah and a Yule log if I can figure out how the fireplace works (it’s a gas contraption).
There will be more stagehand work this week, but tomorrow, I am up for snacks for the choir social. My creativity will turn to cleaning up the kitchen, finding the cream of tartar, and whipping out something tasty.
All this activity feels oddly comforting. I use the stage metaphor not quite figuratively here – I really do feel like it’s theatre. It’s a show and I’m going to do a good one this year. I miss my people tremendously, and while I am not here to lament publically, I do miss them, and those tears on my face during Christmas carols (esp. the German ones) are not exactly from pious seasonal joy.
But Stille Nacht it is. Full volume. Even though the dead are missed, the living are here and really should learn all the verses in German. Just for the fun of it.