I still can’t believe I’m home and I’m not in Italy anymore. And I can’t believe that I ever WAS in Italy. I haven’t uploaded my pictures from my camera yet (I took tons but I’m waiting to look at them when I feel like I can really savor them, or alternately I’m terrified they will all be terrible and I’ll be sad…or I’ll just be sad that I’m not there anymore…).

But I’m home, and back to teaching. The weather here is cold and rainy today which is super strange. I’ve been home since late Sunday night and I’m definitely still jet lagged—the past two days I’ve been tired by 5 pm and exhausted by 10 pm…we have been working hard to finish the last remaining Downton Abbey episode (we watched one episode of Season 5 on the trip out, 7 episodes on the trip back…one to go!) but somebody keeps falling asleep after about ten minutes.

I wanted to post pictures I hadn’t posted on Instagram already but they were turned upside down. I’ll tell you more about the trip later, but for now I’m just recovering and trying to get through the week. I’m taking time off violin playing which means I actually have a lot of free time, but there’s a lot to catch up on. Mostly emailing, and then getting distracted by interesting things to read on the internet.

I’ve also been reading this book about my great-grandfather. It just came out and my mom sent a copy. It’s fascinating to read about a family member in book form. Though I never knew him, I certainly heard a lot about him over the years. It makes me want to know even more about my ancestors.

I can’t believe it’s basically summer now. And not just because the weather is cold and rainy, but because summer seemed so far away. School gets out this week or next, depending, and my second student recital is coming up and then people start dropping like flies. I’m working on some interesting stuff this summer, including a violin/piano recital with Jen, some gigs (not as many weddings as before, though a few for sure!) and perhaps some other stuff I’ll tell you about as it comes up. Some things are still in the planning stages of course, but I’m just so thrilled NOT to be moving this summer and being able to work and take vacation, but not have to take vacation to move. Since my big vacation is being me, my main goal for the summer is to visit family—my niece especially. They grow up so fast.

Look at those arm rolls! And that smile! 7 months old today.

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?

So yeah. Naturally after all of that I ended up getting a cold. I think I haven’t had one really since October, so I was probably due. Sigh. You don’t get sick days when you’re self employed…well you DO but they cost you. 

I figure how I feel like right now is how cats feel all the time: tired, cranky, and in need of a nap. I also feel fuzzy, though not in the same way.

I got home from a Good Friday Concert early this afternoon and Louie asked me if I was going to lie on the couch and watch Gilmore Girls all afternoon. <—-winning!

I wanted to, but decided I’d better take advantage of my “sick day” to catch up on my deposits, pay some bills, and finish my taxes. So YES all my taxes are done, and checks are in the envelopes ready to be mailed. Related: why can’t we pay all of our taxes electronically yet? Then again, the website I’m trying to use to pay my federal estimated taxes has been down for me all afternoon, so maybe I’ll end up mailing that one in too. I realize this is a fascinating paragraph, but taxes are serious business, and I’m glad to have all that work behind me until next year.

I haven’t entirely been a homebody lately, but mostly. Last Friday Louie and I went to a movie, Wild Tales, and had dinner beforehand at a hole in the wall Korean restaurant on the Loop called U-City Grill. The whole restaurant has about ten seats and there was one man working behind the counter. There wasn’t any wasted time for politeness—for instance, while another customer was ordering the man working actually left the room—when he returned, the customer continued his order as if nothing had happened. So don’t expect to be coddled, but the food was simple, quick, cheap, and delicious. I had the bibimbap and would get it again. After dinner we had time to kill so we enjoyed a beer at Blueberry Hill. Until a few years ago I never went to the Loop but lately I’ve gone so much—there are so many great restaurants there, and more to try…if I ever get over this cold…(dramatic sigh)…

There’s the Perseid Quartet playing at the Ethical Society last weekend. It must have been during the slow movement of the Borodin Quartet since I was resting. We have a busy week ahead getting ready for a concert at the Kemper Art Museum on Thursday. The good thing about being sick right now is that I should be better soon and have this cold behind me. The bad thing is that I haven’t felt like practicing, but luckily I put in some good hours recently. I find the key to being prepare is to learn my music ahead of time rather than stress over it at the last minute. Then again, consistent practice helps too.

Well, I keep thinking I’ll get inspired to write something more interesting, but that just isn’t happening. I’ll blame the cold medicine…or the Parks and Rec marathon I have going on right now.

I’m copying the title from my friend Eliana, who wrote a post about Viola March Madness. March and April are busy times—in fact, March is flying by so quickly I almost feel like I’ve missed it. The other odd thing is that I keep thinking the next month is August. At least three times in the past few days I’ve said August when I meant to say April. I don’t know what that means—am I having a nervous breakdown or early-onset dementia?

So, Spring Break was fun, though not as relaxing as one might hope. I did read several books, including Station Eleven which I absolutely loved and can’t stop thinking about.

I had lots of baby time!

She’s trapped and I won’t let go.

Overindulged and then passed out.

Leslie and I started trying to teach her that these were fake, plastic keys, and that if she had REAL keys she shouldn’t put them in her mouth.

She enjoyed swinging quite a bit!

Overall I’m so glad I got to visit for a week. She is my first niece and is 5 months old now. It was also one of the best weather weeks in Phoenix that I’ve ever experienced! It did rain one day, but otherwise was really nice and warm, even cool at night, and only one day felt too hot! By the way, I am not in the large group of people who think that the weather is Phoenix is amazing all the time. On the plane ride home I overheard people behind me talking about how the weather is so great, and it’s a dry heat, and up to 105 it’s just amazing. Which may or may not be true, but how many days per year are over 105?  That being said, my sister and her husband are doing really well and have a really great house in a walkable neighborhood that is close to downtown, which is pretty much exactly what I love too.

So after Spring Break ended, I took a very early flight home and hit the ground running. I’ve been teaching a ton, had several rehearsals and the weekend is full of more of the same. On Sunday my quartet (Perseid Quartet) is playing at the Ethical Society for their morning service.  One of the challenging things our quartet has been doing lately is learning some pieces that composition students at Washington University wrote. We had an adventurous rehearsal yesterday reading through the pieces. Sometimes music notation is so challenging. I think of how it would be looking at a Brahms Quartet for the first time…without the benefit of hundreds of recordings, years of study and listening. I guess that’s part of why people love new music—the challenge…and also being able to play something without hundreds of years of history telling you how you aren’t playing it well enough. You know me and my constant fear of not being good enough (based on years of being told that, but that’s hardly an excuse!)

I found this picture on facebook from a concert I played the other week. My hair looks great from the back, and I’d like all my students to notice how my violin is over my shoulder, parallel to the floor, my wrist in straight, my thumb is relaxed, and my bow is also straight, though it’s hard to see since it is disappearing into the light. I had one of those teaching weeks where I felt that everything I asked my students to do was ignored and they just kept playing exactly how they wanted to. Ranging from requests to check their bowhold before they started, to play closer to the bridge, to watch their bow, and even in some cases, to play a different piece than the one they were doing. Maybe I need to be meaner?

I’m looking forward to the weekend. I have a few things I need to accomplish today, but then the evening is free for recreation (though Louie is sick, so it’s possible the evening will be just relaxing in front of the television—currently we are watching The Americans, on a Dr. Who hiatus), and tomorrow evening is free as well! I’d love to go out to dinner and maybe to a concert or a movie. Suggestions?

This year I decided to take an actual spring break. I realized that most of my students had their school spring breaks on the same week (and as far as I can tell, those that don’t simply don’t have spring break at their school so it isn’t that their break is the week before or after) so I declared that to be spring break week for my studio. Not every year is so lucky, in fact, I recall one year where I was teaching kids and there were three weeks in a row that different people had spring break. It’s not that I necessarily need a spring break (well, I do) but it’s that when say, 1/3 of your students are missing it STILL feels like a regular work week since you are usually still teaching from 3 to 8 or 9, and yet you aren’t making as much money. This year is different, and after a concert this afternoon I’m officially on Spring Break (capitalized!) until the following Monday.

So I’m off to Phoenix to visit with my niece and Leslie and Peter. And by visit I really mean babysit while they are at work, but I’m sure it will be delightful and we will really bond.

Unfortunately Louie had some time off that didn’t coincide so he won’t be coming along. I believe they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, don’t they?

I had to do some digging yesterday to find if I had any shorts that fit to bring to Phoenix. The answer: two pairs. It’ll do for the week, but I’ll tell you, I keep finding myself without clothes that fit properly. I wish I were one of those people that could maintain a size from year to year, but I haven’t managed to do that. It’s a goal of mine, to be able to change from winter to spring wardrobe and still have plenty of stuff to wear from the year before. Shirts are easy, but pants/shorts are just ridiculous. Like I said though, I do have a couple pairs. I fully expect everything I bring along to be either spit up on or peed on so I’m sure there will be laundry done. Ha! Babies! They make a mess, right?

So far March has been flying by. I attended a Suzuki Teacher Workshop the other week—it was taught by Nancy Lokken and it was shorter than I’d thought it would be, but I learned a few things and got some new ideas about how to teach my students to have a beautiful tone and how to insist on it. I played with Winter Opera St Louis and  we had a conductor emergency and had to get a new conductor for the final dress rehearsal and performances. It was stressful but went well. I played Irish music for a little concert with some folks and had a good time. I’m playing on an all-Bach choral concert this afternoon. I’ve taught a million (probably an exaggeration) lessons and my students have tried my patience in every single way, though hopefully I’ve maintained it nonetheless.

(onstage for our Irish music concert)

Outside of work, I’ve managed to squeeze in a few social activities. Last night I went to see Manuela (the other violinist in my quartet) play a wonderful recital with Diana (pianist who we played with in the fall) at the Tavern of Fine Arts. It was great seeing her perform and was very inspiring! And yes, that counts as a social activity. I’ve also met up with a few friends and eaten too much Mexican food. The weather is nice so I’ve made it on a few short runs, and though I haven’t gone to gym in a few weeks, I’ve done some body weight workouts around the house and I’m feeling okay. I think it would be fun to train for a race again!

(slightly obstructed view seats at the Tavern)

Here’s the question: I don’t want to bring my violin to Phoenix. I don’t think I’d have much time to practice anyway, but really I want to take a break from it. My concern is that when I get back I have some rehearsals right away and some performances coming up. I do think that my wrist is pretty tired and my pinky still hasn’t totally recovered from my fall back in February and a few days off would likely do wonders (or a week!). I’m leaning towards not bringing it but asking Leslie if I could play on hers a bit if I felt the need to practice. I guess it’s not really a question. I don’t want to bring my violin, but I don’t want to feel guilty about it. Help!

Well, so far it’s just a regular day for me because I don’t start teaching until 3:30. How is it out there? I’m safe and warm at home and enjoying a lazy start to the week…as usual.

Valentine’s Day Weekend was fun.  We went to the Missouri History Museum on Saturday to see the 250 in 250 exhibit (about 250 years of St Louis History) before it closed. I’d gone with my parents but Louie hadn’t seen it and I thought it was good enough to see again. It was freezing cold and as we power walked from where we parked to the museum, I tripped over a small bump in the sidewalk and fell. As I landed I bent my pinky and wrist backwards, hit my left shoulder and almost hit my head!

Walking is hard, evidently. More concerning was how much my pinky finger hurt (remember, I play violin, so that’s important.) I haven’t played since then…my pinky is feeling a bit better today but it’s still sore at the joint and it worries me a little. It’s definitely improving though, so hopefully by tomorrow I will feel confident practicing again, because SATURDAY is our first quartet concert of the year and I really want it to go well.  I’d had high hopes of doing a lot of practicing over the weekend, but what can you do? Playing on a hurt finger doesn’t make it better.

We went to Five Bistro for V-day dinner. We’d thought it would be pricey, but we had NO idea! (I suppose we could have called). The prix fix menu was delicious, but the weird thing was that when it was over we were still kinda hungry and wished there had been more food. Every course was delicious but tiny. We were glad we went out though, and despite the meal costing as much as a plane ticket enjoyed ourselves. We also enjoyed being in the restaurant with a ton of other people, all of whom were likely experiencing the same sort of thing..awkward sticker shock by the menu, deciding to stay anyway, enjoying the taste of their meal, noticing how little lamb chop was served, realizing they were paying this much and considering running through Taco Bell afterwards. We did the wine pairings too, and the one thing I will say is that I enjoyed ALL the wines, even the white wines, which I never have in the past.

Front and back of house scenes of a snowy day. The front steps will definitely need to be shoveled. I suppose that would be an excellent workout for today!

And check out this awesome picture Leslie sent me of my niece:

I should get a matching “I love my niece” onesie.

Scenes from the “zoo”.

How much snow did you get? I won’t complain a bit thinking of all the people who have just been getting hammered this winter! It’s pretty to look at, though I’m glad I haven’t had to venture out in it yet. Since it’s a holiday I suspect the roads are a little worse than they might be normally.