A super fun day

A nice start to the day was singing several chorales from the Messiah at Mass. We are singing the Lenten portions of it throughout this holy season. Unfortunately, I had misread the choir schedule, and practiced the wrong two. Fortunately, the ones we were singing were easy. And I have a head start on next week’s, which is not easy. Then off to Becca’s where she served Hamantaschen, traditional for the feast of Purim. Then off again to the opera. We decided to park at the top of Queen Ann Hill, where we were planning to have dinner later, and walk to the opera house from there. It is a pretty long trek, and I am pokey, so I was nervous about being late, (as I always am,) but Becca kept telling me we had plenty of time, and of course she was right. We had time to spare, get our opera nuts, and even knit a bit. The opera, Falstaff, was wonderful, as the Seattle Operas always are. The scenery was spare, but effective. Towards the end, Falstaff was supposed to be dropped into the Themes in a laundry basket, and I was wondering how they would do this. In The Flying Dutchman, Senta flinging to her death in the ocean had been a big letdown. This, however, was not. It was brilliant! Over went the basket, off the wharf with Falstaff in it, and there was sudden blue light and tremendous sparkles as the basket splashed into the water. The audience collectively gasped and applauded! The lighting fellow at the Seattle Opera is an alchemist, a genius.

Afterward, we walked back up Queen Ann Hill, – a much slower process than coming down. For you non-Seattle-ites, I must say that Queen Ann is a very tall hill! One can go up the sidewalk, or up a series of stairways. Many stairways. Somehow, when Rebecca said, “Let’s go up the stairs,” I hadn’t taken in what was involved. I didn’t start documenting our trek till stair set number three. When we finally, gasping, reached the top, and our pizzeria, Via Tribunali, we were rewarded with the best pizza I have ever had – at least the best at a pizza place. (Rebecca is a pretty mean hand with a pizza). It has an impressive looking oven, which performs impressively as well, given the absolute deliciousness of our pizzas.