Christmas Activities in Minnesota

The other night (Wednesday, to be exact), I met Kate, an ol' Oak Brooker, who was in town for a bit. We had a grand time doing all the things good Minnesotans do at Christmas time.

First of all, we went to Starbucks to purchase something to buck us up for the next event, the Holidazzle Parade. I'm not so sure Kate really believed me when I told her that we have a parade outside practically every night for much of the month before December 25th. (We like parades in winter, and have a carnival named after that beloved season, with more parading about outdoors). Half the entertainment is watching all the little kids' reactions to the floats and lighted costumes (I'd say "lit costumes" but lest you think they are on fire, I will use "lighted"; all the costumes are lit with Christmas lights. I think that it would be fun to have such a costume, although since I'm not going to be in a parade anytime soon, and I don't think I'm quite lazy enough to wear something like that around the house because I will deign turn on a light bulb, I doubt I'll be getting one soon. Whew. How's that for run-on?). After that, we joined the masses going to the Marshall Field's 8th floor presentation of Cinderella, which again, is always entertaining in part because of the small fry and their reactions. I must report they really did a great job making Cinderella lovely and beautiful, while keeping the step-mother and step-sisters hideous and ugly. I mean really ugly. Like they could still be giving small children nightmares, especially the one scene of the sister without her wig (it was worse than the Phantom of the Opera taking of his mask when he had all those hair plug things? Remember that?).

After that, it was a trip down Memory Lane as we frequented Brit's Pub for some good ol' English fare (England being where Kate and I got to know each other the first time 'round). OK, so it was really a walk down Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis, and some things were much better than that first trip to London...No offense to any on that particular trip of which I speak, but I'm sure you already figured that one out.

All in all, a good time was had by all - both Kate and me, and all the little kiddies whose dreams will now be invaded by really ugly step-sisters and then rescued by the Fairy Godmother (I hope). And maybe some sugar plums.

This afternoon I played Handel's Messiah in the 1st violin section of the Minnetonka Symphony. The entire thing. We perform it as a Sing-Along with audience participating during choruses, soloists performing everything else. This makes it more fun than sitting through 2 or 2 1/2 hours of it while trying not to hum, bothering everyone around you. The audience really gets into this, but they do tend to drag a couple choruses down, and speed up a few others. But I love playing it, I really do.