Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Sunday At The Opera
A friend who ushers at the opera here got me and another friend tickets to Cavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci on Sunday, surprising us both. We sat in the mezzanine level which offered great views of the stage and the orchestra pit. The music made all the difference as the acoustics were terrific. While it was unfortunate that I forgot my dad's opera glasses, and could not note all of the expressions worn by the performers, everything I did see and hear was lovely. Our opera company, in existence for seventeen years, has grown phenomenally and is widely and consistently supported by individuals and businesses throughout this area. The performances on Sunday were delightful. As an opera fan, I can tell you that a live performance trumps all else. I am fortunate in my friends and will remember this as a rare and special treat.
Playbill courtesy of the Straz Center and OperaTampa.
Monday, January 30, 2012
That's Bloody Expensive!
You're probably wondering what's gone on at chez moi for the last three weeks or so...
Early days mean I've been up at six and gone by half past seven, putting in a good hour three times
per week with the trainer, doing thirty to forty minutes of sprints in my chair for cardio and then spending 45 minutes in the pool. I haven't gotten home before 2 in the afternoon, which is a huge chunk of the day. Two evenings per week I leave about 6:45 PM and return after ten, once for choir practice, the other for services. Much of this time is spent waiting for public transport. Another chunk is spent on laundry, cleaning and cooking, from which there is no escape unless one is wealthy enough to hire a cleaner. I do utilize my neighbor, but only on an as needed basis and he charges a fraction of what a professional would in terms of expense.
This morning I had a builder in to assess the cost of making this flat more accessible. Unlike others who have looked, measured, scratched heads and slunk away with nary an estimate, this one was personable and quite candid regarding the potential problems and costs associated with re-doing doorways and the bathroom, which is small and narrow. He would have to move walls, pipes and drains, loosing a foot or two in the bedroom, re-tile. The cost might be higher than the unit is worth in the current housing market and would leave me with no cushion at all, financially speaking. He took photographs and promised to call again after consulting colleagues at the local remodeler's association. In the interim, I'm attempting to contact realty agents to see what is available that was built after 1990 that should have wider doors and a more open layout. Of the three persons recommended by friends, none have returned my calls while another has sent a form e-mail with her contact information.
I'll see what happens...
Until Next Time...
Early days mean I've been up at six and gone by half past seven, putting in a good hour three times
per week with the trainer, doing thirty to forty minutes of sprints in my chair for cardio and then spending 45 minutes in the pool. I haven't gotten home before 2 in the afternoon, which is a huge chunk of the day. Two evenings per week I leave about 6:45 PM and return after ten, once for choir practice, the other for services. Much of this time is spent waiting for public transport. Another chunk is spent on laundry, cleaning and cooking, from which there is no escape unless one is wealthy enough to hire a cleaner. I do utilize my neighbor, but only on an as needed basis and he charges a fraction of what a professional would in terms of expense.
This morning I had a builder in to assess the cost of making this flat more accessible. Unlike others who have looked, measured, scratched heads and slunk away with nary an estimate, this one was personable and quite candid regarding the potential problems and costs associated with re-doing doorways and the bathroom, which is small and narrow. He would have to move walls, pipes and drains, loosing a foot or two in the bedroom, re-tile. The cost might be higher than the unit is worth in the current housing market and would leave me with no cushion at all, financially speaking. He took photographs and promised to call again after consulting colleagues at the local remodeler's association. In the interim, I'm attempting to contact realty agents to see what is available that was built after 1990 that should have wider doors and a more open layout. Of the three persons recommended by friends, none have returned my calls while another has sent a form e-mail with her contact information.
I'll see what happens...
Until Next Time...
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