December 15, 2018
I had been busy the day before and didn’t sleep very well so on Saturday morning, I slept in until 8 something and laid in bed until 9. I got up, had a Premium Protein drink and got ready for the day.
I headed toward the mall for some last-minute shopping. On the way, I stopped by Hardware 3 to look at their Christmas display. They have recently expanded their homeware/garden shop, so I like to look around there for gifts. I didn’t find anything, so I went on to Kohl’s. While there, I found three tea towel sets that could go with gift cards.
I met C. at Panera’s for lunch. While there, I bought two Panera gift cards. C. and I have been friends since I started working at Ball State, about 30 years ago. When we finished eating, we went to the AMC theater and saw La Traviata, one of the Metropolitan Opera film productions. I had heard the name for years but had never seen the production. In the past 3 years, I became aware of the Met productions and really love them. They are very beautiful visually as well as with the music. I think it would be wonderful to see an opera there in person, but I feel it is probably a richer experience to see the movie as their faces are so clear and the costumes and sets are so elaborate. If I were there in the 5th balcony, I would miss a lot. The productions are long with 2 intermissions. C. complained about how long it was, but I find the intermissions interesting, too. During the intermissions, there is a host/hostess for the day and that person interviews the singers and often takes the viewers backstage to see a prop room or watch the set changes. I also find it interesting to see how the people in the audience are dressed. Surprisingly, some people are dressed up, but others are very casual. All of the shows have been prerecorded, captioned, and edited.
Since that went long, I didn’t have much time to return home, eat a small meal, and get ready for a Xmas party at the P.s’ house. We have attended 2-3 previous Christmas parties at their house. It was from 6-9. H. always prepares good hors d’oeuvres and cookies. People mingled on the main floor and in their basement, which is nicely “finished.” I knew most of the people there and the visiting was pleasant. One of the best surprises was seeing a woman who has been sickly for several years. It was a full day.