Brazilian Drums and Model Trains

 

I did not blog Friday because first, there was nothing to blog about, and second, I was talking to Tiffy until very late so there was no time to blog about the nothing that happened to me while I was working from home.

Yesterday I did not blog because I got home very late. I had to get to the Majestic Theater by 1:30, where I was part of a chain of people unloading drums from the truck. Then we decorated, and then we rehearsed, and then we had some time before photos. My buddy and I took a walk around the Capitol Square and then went to Youngblood, where she knows the bartender. We had a rather deep and personal conversation over sour beer before our husbands joined us and we all ate dinner there. The group had our photo taken before I discovered that up in the Green Room they had green spray to color our hair and sparkles to put around our eyes. Travalon took a photo of the sparkles around my eyes, but it's terrible. I took one at home that was marginally better, but I had already rubbed some off so they weren't symmetrical. Also, lots of people were wearing Mardi Gras beads that they had brought from home, and I had tons at home, so I would have worn them if I'd known. Everyone said, "Next year, remember to bling out!" and one dancer said, "Tonight, we are all extra!" 

In the rehearsal I was suddenly moved from one end of the stage to the other, plus a woman came up to me and said, "I'll need your drum, belt, and sticks as soon as you're done." However, Travalon could only see the side of the stage I was moved to, so it all worked out. The first act was a bunch of people doing capoeira, then we students were on next. The teachers put us through our paces, and from Travalon's videos (which are too far away to bother posting here), at that point I was out of step with everyone else, but it wasn't entirely my fault, since the two people right ahead of me were stepping in opposite directions. Suddenly it struck me as hilarious, so I was trying not to laugh, and the audience must have thought I was having the time of my life because I was smiling so much. Then we performed our song, and in that video I was in step with everyone else. After we performed, we could change back into more comfortable clothes (it's amazing how many of us ordered jerseys that were way too large and then got white pants that were uncomfortably tight), and my buddy and I sat with our husbands, who were sitting together. We watched the more competent Handphibians perform, and then I really enjoyed Saideira Pagode, the band that plays the quieter, more tuneful samba. My buddy and her hubby left partway through that performance, but we stayed and watched the Otimo dancers and more Handphibians. Around midnight both Travalon and I were too exhausted to watch whatever the next two acts were going to be, so I went to the Green Room to get my stuff. I thought I'd lost my hoodie, but it was right there all along, just kind of moved over, and then there was food so I had an orange (that's fine) and some lavender fudge I definitely didn't need. If we'd stuck around and helped get the drums back to the Quadra, which is what they call the place where we practice, there was an afterparty there that was going to go all night and then end with brunch sometime this morning. I'd sort of thought of trying to do that, and I took tomorrow off of work in case I needed to recover, but since we became pumpkins at midnight, it was a moot point for us.

This morning I wore my Scottish outfit, and the plaid matches the bear Travalon gave me for Valentine's Day.

The craziest part is that Travalon didn't do that on purpose, he just wanted to get me a Scottish bear. I got my shawl at a random gas station in Kentucky on the second day of our road trip two months ago. It was an impulse purchase that I do not regret at all! Except maybe for the three cheap bracelets that came with it. 

We only had four bags of plastic to recycle today, so we had plenty of time to get to the Model Train Expo. And guess who we ran into there? Cecil Markovitch! I just loved seeing the magical little worlds people created, some with astonishing details, like the Beatles in a crosswalk just like on the cover of Abbey Road, or a tiny circus with horses and elephants and lots of people. Travalon took photos that he hasn't sent to me yet. I mostly took photos of the Lego train set.

 They had the cutest little trolley zipping around it.

And the teeniest little Lego train.

Here is a longer video that I am surprised Blogspot let me load. A lot going on here - check out the firetruck that becomes a police car!

Tonight my Irish music buddies, Famie and the red-headed flute player, were going to an Irish music concert, but I thought I'd better get to band practice, since we have a gig coming up. Good thing we're rehearsing too, because the accordion player noticed there was an F sharp in the key signature for one of our Ukrainian klezmer tunes, but we never even noticed because it's in A minor, so obviously there is no F sharp. Since she was playing the F sharp, the tune sounded terrible until we figured out what the issue was. We have one more practice before our gig, but our leader can't make it, so she was going to make us practice extra late tonight. Fortunately Travalon came to rescue me with an iced decaf pandan latte, which is the most delicious way for a damsel in distress to be rescued. He saves me from extended practice torture AND gives me stuffies that match my outfit? He really is the best husband ever!

Famous Hat