12/17/17

The big news this week is that we saw the doctor about Spencer's MRI.  Good news--no abnormalities found.  He thinks the vertigo has been caused by the headaches.  Spencer's dietary changes have helped decrease both the headaches and vertigo.  He says to keep it up and he gave him a list of other trigger foods that he might consider eliminating.  In the meantime, he was referred to a rhinologist to check out his sinuses since they were inflammed in the MRI.  We will follow up in January with that.
It was a long subway ride.  For part of the ride, we had a pigeon ride with us in the car.  It seemed to be accustomed to it.  It stayed calm and when the door opened, it flew off.

Saga of the Ward Choir

A while back, they decided to have a Concourse Ward Choir (or in Baro Conco if you are a Dominican).  Spencer and I were asked to participate.  It meant giving up my 9 AM Sacrament Mtg in English.  Sigh.  The first week the choir director mostly talked and I only got the gist of it -- "music is a prayer to God"  etc.  People were just sitting randomly so when he asked the sister missionary to start playing and for us to start singing, I asked if we were going to sing parts.  I realized I didn't know the word for alto in Spanish.  Now I know that it is contralto.  He brushed me off and said "Later on".  He never did arrange us like a choir.  I tried to ask the sisters if anyone was singing "armonia".
Bottom line:  Only about two people know how to read music.  The sisters' idea of harmony is the melody sung in two different octaves.
Those who know my music skills know that I am the least talented of my siblings.  I always try to jockey myself to stand by strong altos and I don't sight read like the rest of you do!  To make matters worse, the bishop pulled me aside and requested that I help Brother Patino with the music for the sisters to make it a better choir!  I don't know what he really was visualizing.  But it almost sounding like I was supposed to critique the choir director.  I wasn't comfortable with that at all.  He must have talked to the choir director also, because the next Sunday Brother Patino kept asking where I thought the sisters should stand.  He already had a group designated to sing a verse together.  Then four sisters didn't know how to sing "armonia".  So that left me and another sister missionary to sing alto.  I couldn't see any changes that could be made.  A random woman came in off the street to sing with us, but she left before the meeting started.  It was weird.
There are six missionaries (elders) in our ward in addition to the sisters.  They were great at singing, so with them, and Spencer, the brothers had people to follow and they sounded great.  We were prepared to sing "Joy to the World" but at the last minute he changed it to "Silent Night".  Fortunately I've sung alto on most of the Christmas hymns in the past, so I could really stretch out of my comfort zone and sing alto and carry the part off OK.  We were to sing Friday at the Ward party as well (more about that later).  Today, the attendance at practice was minimal, so he suddenly assigned the sister missionary and I to sing with a Dominicano sister for the first half of the first verse of "Joy to the World".  I had to say yes--but it starts on a D which is the top note of my range.  And the sister in the middle was sort of off-key much of the time.  It was nuts!  But I did it and sang soprano for the first verse and then sang alto after that.   
Now about the party.  It was supposed to start at 6 PM.  We finished our shift at the temple at 6 PM.  We rushed and arrived about 7:30--and we were some of the first ones there.  The food wasn't out yet except for one container.  I didn't see any action in the kitchen.  Mostly just sitting around visiting.  The tables were set up and decorated beautifully.  Gradually people arrived and food was set out.  Spencer gave the opening prayer at 8:20 PM.  The missionaries did a presentation on "Light the World".  They told the bishop they were supposed to be home by 9 PM.  So about 8:45 they had the priesthood come up to serve the food and invited only the missionaries to get their food.  We went up with them.  Then they announced the choir to sing--however most of the missionaries were gone by then--including our pianist.  We sang a Capella--and sang two songs we had never sung before!  Crazy!  We ate and left about 9:15.  I felt bad because there was a stable and decor and a couch for Santa in curtained off part of the cultural hall.  So there was going to be a nativity with the Primary kids.  But the members hadn't even eaten yet, so I have no idea how late the party went.  We had to work Saturday morning, so we had to get home.
So this is the saga of the choir and the party in the Bronx--a third world country...  ;)

Last Monday night, all of the temple missionaries and other types of missionaries sang carols in the lobby of our building.  It was beautiful.  We sang around the piano and some residents joined us.  Others stood and watched.  It was fun.

Thursday night some of us went to a Mexican restaurant to eat (it was only OK) down in Greenwich Village.  Then we went to an off-off-Broadway show of "A Christmas Carol".  It was fun.  It was worth the $15 we each spent.  The studio reminded me of the Studio Theater in Prescott in the 50's.  The seats were really small and attached to each other.  The floor was slanted.  It had a fun atmosphere.  The actors were fun--not super talented, but very enthusiastic.  The script was amazing to condense Dicken's work into an hour long musical.  Fun songs.  Interesting evening.

We love all of you.  Have a beautiful Christmas.
Jeanine/Mom/Grandma