A Good Year!

It was a good year for us. We attended numerous family reunions and enjoyed renewing family ties and welcoming ast least one new baby into the family. It was gratifying to participate with Cathy’s family. I enjoyed tutoring Devin this past summer and seeing him grow athletically and musically.

We were able to make several trips to the Roanoke area and fellowship with friends there.

I continue to enjoy my Woodstock writing group and this blog. Also, FaceBook and email have kept me in touch with a wide circle of friends, family, and former students. If you invite me to be a “friend” I will surely try to keep in touch with you.

Our most significant adventure was the trip Lib and I took to New England this fall. It was an Abbott’s bus tour of the region named “Rails and Sails”. Saw lots of historic towns and cities.Those that were linked to the ocean and whaling were perhaps the most interesting. The Cape Cod area was perhaps the most compelling. We were on the ground touring as much or more than we were riding. The trains ad boat excursions added to the interest. Our tour leader and bus driver were most helpful
in helping us over the hurdles that impaired oldsters encounter.

In Vermont a train ride, a trip to the top of a ski mountain, and a visit to a farm that was successfully marketing maple syrup and cheeses was also memorable.

I perhaps performed on violin as much as I have in a long while. I’m indebted to Francis Church for pushing me to my limits to learn new quartets and chamber music. I played a few paying weddings this past summer with members of Christina’s quartet and enjoyed Saturday chamber music sessions.

The bell ringers at our church made progress and were a fun group to direct and teach.

Lib and I have been blessed to live another year in a neat home and close to one of our daughters. We look forward to another year, even if it resembles the past one in many ways.

Lib had successful cataract surgery and carpal tunnel work. I hope the hip replacement operation in January will decrease my pain and increase my mobility. We look forward to “Sounds of the Mountain” at Camp Bethel in early spring and NOAC Conference in North Carolina in the fall. Anything else will be just more topping on the cake of life.

Messiah

My first encounter with the music of Handel’s “Messiah” was the Easter portion performed by a community group of missionary parents in the Spring at Woodstock School some time during the late 1940's. Dr. Leonard Blickenstaff was either the director or one of the prime promoters. I was perhaps 13 or 14 years old at the time and struggling to learn the violin.

When we returned from India to America my father took us to Messiah rehearsals at Bridgewater College. Prof. Nelson T. Huffman was the conductor and sang the lead tenor arias. This was the Christmas portion and was performed in the Bridgewater Church of the Brethren and then there was usually a run out to a church in Luray. I was about 16-18 years old during those years and had been a member of the violin section of the Roanoke Symphony for two years.

During my early years as strings instructor at Patrick Henry HS during the late 1960's we performed the Christmas section with the school choir several years. One year we had a Miss Virginia to solo the soprano arias. David Burgess, our band director conducted.

Several times the Roanoke Symphony performed “Messiah” under different conductors.

One of the most moving performances was a summer one at Woodstock, Virginia with the Summer Institute Orchestra of the American Symphony Orchestra League conducted by
Dr. Richard Lert who was in his eighties at the time. He seemed to know it by heart and honed the orchestra, soloists, and chorus to apparent perfection. During the performance a great thunder storm added to the drama of the music!

This past summer our quartet with added musicians read through the string parts of the Messiah at Christina’s home here in Richmond. This Saturday we will read through it again. Next Saturday I will rehearse with a chorus that will read through, not polish and then perform it on Sunday at the Bon Air Presbyterian Church.

This year on November 10 there was a surprise performance of the Hallelujah chorus by 600 in a New York shopping mall. It has gotten great play on the web. One could see folks wiping their eyes as the powerful words and music proclaimed the good news of our Savior. This was Christmas unabashedly sung. As the camera panned the event one saw the great joy and happiness of the singers and those who apparently were just mouthing the words. All were involved! What a beautiful Christmas gift Handel bequeathed to the world!

New England Rails and Sails Abbott's Bus Tour

About 5 years ago Lib and I took an Abbott Bus Tour to the West Coast with a good size group of square dance friends from Roanoke. Even though I was already being compromised by spinal stenosis we made the trip using a three pronged walker. Our friends helped me by carrying the walker up steps when necessary.

Since we had moved to Richmond both Lib and I were significantly weaker and both of us needed assistance if walking long distances. Going up hill was a definite “no” most of the time.

We were perusing a recent Abbott tour catalog and drooling over the New England trips. One caught Libs eye, the one with the “rails and sails” fall leaf colors tour. We talked about it numerous times trying to decide whether we should consider such a project and finally just said “Why not?” We had the financial wherewithal ...it was the physical capital where we were coming up short. Lib wrote the check and the deed was done.

This past week the experiment got under way. We wondered if we would know anyone on the tour. There is always that chance. In due course we discovered that Shirley Collins, tour leader was a square dancer and knew people from the Roanoke clubs we belonged to. John Dickerson, our driver attended First Baptist Church in Roanoke and knew folks we knew. Behind us sat Bob and Inez Flora from Roanoke who knew of our Kinzie and Murray relatives. What a small world it is!

We both have to admit that our physical limitations made it an iffy proposition. Bus steps up were always a strain. I have good upper body strength so could pull myself up. Long walks such as in the casino hotel where we got lost before finding our room and several times when we had to traverse several hundred yards of parking lot to a restaurant were scary at least to me. Wondered if my leg muscles, even with a walker had enough reserve to get me there. We had seats on the walkers and when things just stopped working I would sit down until the “batteries” in my legs would recharge.

We really enjoyed most of our experiences to the hilt! We had never been to this area of our great country and so we saw lots of historical places, beautiful mountain leaf country, and trains and boat rides that were for the most part interesting and stimulating.

I would say that if I had known in advance how difficult some of the situations would be I might have backed out. On the other hand all the daily walking we did may have been beneficial, sort of like physical therapy with all the sights, sounds, and meals thrown in. Today, one day removed from all the activity I feel somewhat renewed and possibly stronger. It’s been a definite day of rest. I’ll be curious how I’ll feel and function tomorrow.

The Abbott Bus team were absolutely fantastic! One could not ask for better guides. They helped us over the rough spots and were always there to assist us. Shirley was a real trouper and was most professional in all that she did. She is a real jewel in Abbott’s crown! She even brought our meals to us when they were from an upstairs location, or she knew that it would be difficult for us to manage them and our walkers, too! For all of us she was proactive, apprising us of what was to come and
how we were to respond. We’re tired and sore, but what an adventure. The price was worth it all the way/

Thank you Lord for showing Lib and I that dreams can still come true for people who dare to dream. Thank you for the kindness of strangers opening doors for us, waiting for us to pass through. Thank you for the new friends we’ve made who also did so much to ease our way. Thank You and bless Shirley, Melvin, and John who helped and assisted us at every turn.

Looking back....

It continues to be an interesting musical journey. Last night we resumed rehearsals for the new season with the Richmond Philharmonic Orchestra, better known as the RPO. Just reread my first posting about an early September rehearsal in 2007, probably a second. I was in the second violin section and discovering that my seat partner was a young woman from Roanoke who knew people I had known.

This begins my fourth year with the RPO. Our orchestra continues to grow musically as our conductor, Robert Mirakian, inspires more effort and looks for ways to attract and hold musicians who can deliver. The economic doldrums we find ourselves in hasn’t helped...the dues our musicians pay to belong have doubled to keep us solvent. Yes, there are other symphonies around and some even pay their musicians. However, next to our professional older brother, the Richmond Symphony, many who are in a position to know claim we’re the next in terms of size and significant repertoire.

We need several “angels” to donate significant sums to match what our musicians and ticket sales produce to make us “comfortable” again. Ticket sales usually bring in a third or less of any symphony’s budget needs. We have a small dedicated corps of volunteers who help make things happen but there are still major expenses related to venue and production costs that remain constant.

If you’re in the Richmond area, learn about this extraordinary gem of a symphony orchestra that is one of the area’s best kept secrets. It motivates fine area musicians to keep their skills honed. These in turn also provide the smaller ensembles utilized by local churches for their special presentations. . Some of our musicians are the music teachers in our areas schools. The rehearsal skills they learn from RPO sessions carry over into the music classroom. If you attend a fine orchestra concert by a local area school, it is quite likely that their conductor is or has been a member of the RPO.

When we first arrived in the Richmond area sevral years ago we knew very few others
outside of family.The RPO has been a life line to productive music making for me, again, beyond my wildest anticipation. For a senior citizen this has significant
merit and there are a few of us who benefit in just this way by belonging to the RPO.

A Garst Reunion

Last week my sister, Mary, and her cousin, Robert pulled off the first “Garst” reunion of our segment of the large Garst family in quite some time. Only one “Garst” sister, Nancy, survives and one Garst sister-in-law, Ruth. Both were there and put some of us to shame with their vitality and cheer. One is over eighty and the other is ninety plus!

It was also a second Kinzie reunion within the year. All of the living brothers and most of their spouses were there. All of Mary’s children and one new grand-daughter, Penelope graced us with their presence.It’s hard for me to imagine Mary and Malcolm being grandparents, but they are.

Kinzies and Garsts both have functioning musicians. No one had suggested bringing instruments and joining forces to make music. My brother, Mike, a musician who plays anything with strings, brass, or flute and can sing (he’s a professional country/western entertainer) quickly called Andy,another fine picker, composer,and singer on the Garst side ( our cousin ) and discovered that, yes, he planned to bring a guitar.

Mike helped get it all together. We found a working keyboard at the location and for about an hour before the meal Andy’s wife, Terry, a fine keyboardist, Andy, Mike and I had the time of our lives discovering music we had in common. Had always wanted to “jam” with Andy and his wife, but we see each other so infrequently it just had not happened....we didn’t know each other musically. Mike brought a case of harmonicas and we were treated to interesting “blues” licks on some of the pieces. Now there is something to build on if the opportunity presents itself again. Some of the local citizens at “the Home” were curious who the band was and wondered if they could be persuaded to return.

The catered meal provided by the Bridgewater Home staff was much better than I had imagined. The room was large and bright and the food was hot and served buffet style. Lib and I got around to as many cousins and relatives as we could, but were able to have extended conversations with only a few. Lib interacts with one set and I another. That way we get to exchange twice the information. I learned that a cousin, Elaine, on the Garst side lived in Williamsburg and sang in a concertizing chorus there. We had an interesting discussion about grant writing.

Some of our cousins we see at the “Sounds of the Mountain” folk tale event sponsored by Camp Bethel in Fincastle, VA. It was good to reconnect with them. One family, Jeff and Dorothy are kin to us from both sides, Dorothy’s father, Hubert, was a cousin of mine on the Garst side and Dorothy’s mother, Evelyn is my wife’s sister. Dorothy was there with her husband Jeff.

Don’t know if we’ll ever get this crowd together in my lifetime. It sure blessed us to do it even once. Thank you Mary and Robert again for making it happen! The pictures were taken by Robert Trout.

P.S. If anyone who was there has pictures to share I’d love to post a few on this blog. Get in touch with Mary for my email address.

Neighborhood Watch

We were privileged to be the host family for our annual Neighborhood Watch get together from 6:30 to 8:30 last evening. Our committee chairwoman, Nancy Berger, did a great job of organizing it.

Nancy was on our carport by 6:00. She put up colorful balloons and a sign advertizing the meeting. She and her helpers also brought tables, cool drinks, and some finger foods. By 6:30 people began to arrive and we had a great time reacquainting ourselves with each other. We do have a nice neighborhood , but except for the couple beside us we have mostly “waving” relationships with the others. At least we’re beginning to get to know Nancy and her husband a bit better. Not sure how much safer it makes us, but each time we meet we get the handout that helps us to be more effective in reporting activities of people that may be suspect.

The EMS and police for our area also visited briefly. It was quite exciting to see the big yellow fire truck come around the corner, go up the street, turn around and then stop near where we were congregated. Their crews came out and introduced themselves to us as did our Chesterfield police. Any activity that promotes people getting to know each other in our neighborhoods has got to be good. We have churches (sometimes across town), clubs, and interest groupings, but they’re not neighbors. We need to cultivate the friendship of those who live right beside us. That’s what
neighbors are for.

Emerald Isle/Bridgewater trips

We’ve been on the road to visit family. Had a nice visit with all our immediate family while they were vacationing at Emerald Isle. NC. We were there at Jeff and Cathy’s invite for a two night stay. Just long enough for a supper out on the town and to enjoy some beach amenities. On the trip home we ran through a hard rain storm, it’s the only rain we’ve seen for a while.

Saturday we were at the Flory reunion in Bridgewater. Pretty much the same family members there. I’ve already written about the Flory reunion, so if you’re curious just look it up on the search box in this blog. It was a hot day, but we were under a shelter and there was a nice breeze most of the time. Big trees nearby also helped keep it relatively comfortable.

I’m more of a mountain man than beach...but this was a relaxing change from the routine....just a lot of driving all at once....five hours on Friday returning from Emerald Isle and then four more on Saturday. Been relaxing today...and getting up to date on FB and email. Glad we can still run around.