Busy music week ahead

Now that I think about it, Thursday is about the only day in the coming week in which Greg or I (or both of us) don't have some sort of musical obligation. Tomorrow he plays his last service as a substitute at the Sanford Congregational Church before embarking on his new permanent assignment at the Wells church. Sunday night, our chorus has a rehearsal with the orchestra. Monday, his choral work April for four parts gets performed. (I think that's also the last composition class of the year, or at least the last performance in class.) Tuesday we're going down to hear the Double Fugue in One Movement for wind quartet played, and will stay overnight at the home of some friends of ours. Wednesday the BU Symphony will play portions of his tone poem Penobscot.

Thursday is our "day off" (so to speak), and then it starts for me on Friday. The chorus has one more rehearsal with the orchestra on that day, and then we have concerts Saturday and Sunday.

Knitstuff

I'm happy to report that I might actually finish something this weekend. The felted tote bag is nearly done. I've finished the knitting, made and attached the i-cord strap, and am now sewing up the last of the end pockets before the whole thing gets felted. With any luck, I can have that felted and drying this weekend. It might take a few days to dry out to the point where I can do the needlefelting.

Donna reports that she's made terrific progress on her Fletcher sweater. She has already completed the back and left front and is working on the right front. I am ashamed to admit I haven't made it past the swatch yet, but I've had five minutes of knitting time all week. (I've done pretty well on the tote bag, considering how little time I've had.)

The yarn diet proceeds apace. I've lost 3 pounds and managed to avoid the temptation to buy any new yarns. Knitting up all of the old ones might take a good long while, though. The food diet I can manage, but the yarn diet might take some doing.

I spent some of the morning with the new issue of Interweave Knits, a magazine I usually adore. Maybe I've come too late to the knitting party, or maybe I haven't made enough stuff to be bored yet, but except for one adorable pair of socks, I couldn't find a single thing in it that I'd want to wear (though I wanted to knit them all). I just don't get this trend for half-garments: ponchettes, shrugs, micro-boleros. Are they designed for quicker gratification for the knitter, or for the (skinny teenage) recipient to go around half-dressed in? What the hell is a neck-warmer -- a scarf for the ambitious or a turtleneck for the cheap? Are sweaters and jackets that passe?