Sometimes I’m torn over how much to write about on my blog, how often, how much to share, and whether this is indeed simply a public diary of sorts, or what. Who knows. I probably do this whole blogging thing really wrong, but I’m determined to keep it up 🙂

One of the most fun things this week was getting to have a (very) late lunch with an old friend, Emily, from my hometown. She and her husband (who I had not met yet—I hadn’t been able to attend their wedding celebration over the holidays) were driving through St Louis en route to Seattle and were able to spend a few hours (under two!) with us. I grew up in a small town in South Carolina (smaller than Gaffney on House of Cards, though not too terribly far away) and don’t keep in touch with many people from those days. Emily and I failed to get a picture of us together, so that’ll have to wait until I go to visit them in Seattle someday, I guess!

Otherwise this week I’ve been mostly teaching, preparing for the Illumine Ensemble’s Play with your Food concert tomorrow night and Monday. And reading up on Italy. (ITALY!). I’ve skimmed through the entire Rick Steves and DK guidebooks so far, and I’ve read a few other memoir type books in order to get into the proper mindset. I feel like every time I visit Europe, or really anywhere, I always wish I knew more about the history and culture and various things before getting there. On the one hand, it’s impossible to learn everything about Rome (especially in three weeks) but on the other hand, it’s not impossible to learn some things. So I’m going with that and hopefully all my reading will make the visit even more amazing.

It’s hard to believe that we are leaving in just over a week! And then it will basically be summer…this year was hectic, crazy, and stressful, but I guess it’s almost over! Time to finish unpacking from my move last summer and work on the house. The summer should be less stressful, though my friend Jen and I are playing a recital program at the end of July…but it’s stuff we’ve been playing off and on for awhile so it won’t be too bad and should mostly be fun. Quartet wise we are in the brainstorming phase right now and just reading stuff, listening, and planning. We’ve really grown as a group and had a marvelous time this morning reading through a Villa Lobos Quartet and Beethoven’s op. 59 no. 1 (which we decided is a yes for this season.)

Another fun thing that might be happening AFTER Rome (though I hate to think past the trip!) is that I am possibly going on my first float trip. Float trips are evidently a big thing in Missouri. Basically you float down a river on a raft with your friends.  There will likely be camping…

It is nice feeling like I’m just not quite as stressed. After being so stressed for…months…it’s nice to occasionally appreciate that, yes, though I still have a ton of things to do, I am keeping up well enough. And I’m not going to start worrying about my summer teaching schedule yet. It’ll be what it is, and hopefully lots of folks will keep taking lessons and I will be able to make all the timing work out decently enough without having a student every 90 minutes for six hours.

Question for comments: Have you been on a float trip? What do I need to know?