Catacombs, Candlelight, and Dinner

We've been having some fun weather days! Friday was very rainy. Saturday and today have been very windy. We're talking BLUSTERY weather - enough for Winnie the Pooh! I had an orchestra concert to play in last night at a large Presbyterian church about 5 minutes away from our home. As we drove towards the church we came to a large section of town completely without power. A traffic light was being powered by a large blue truck, assumedly there was a generator inside. Continuing on, we arrived at the church which was completely black but we could see dark figures scurrying about. People were finding flashlights and candles and getting by on the few emergency lights lit down in the underground tunnels and passages of the church. They lit large candleabra in the sanctuary where we were set up to play. Eventually we all got our instruments out and sat down ready to play by candlelight, but then it was called off as it was too dangerous. I have to admit, the idea of my hair going up in flame as I played was not too appealing!

Looking into the darkness at the front of the church where we were supposed to perform (this is with flash sitting down).

The conductor gathered the orchestra down in the tunnels after he announced to the large audience that the show would NOT go on, but was rescheduled for the following afternoon. He explained to us that the church actually had canceled the concert and deemed it too dangerous. We had a very special guest in the form of the concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and he graciously agreed to come for the rescheduled concert. (by the way - that link is not a video of him with us - but he is fabulous!) Sadly, many people that had come to see him (come through storm and darkness!) could not come again today.

The orchestra ready to play in the dark by candlelight (the photo is with the flash from standing up).

While you may think that this whole experience was frustrating and a waste of time, in actuality Tony and I had quite a nice romantic little time sitting in the church pew holding hands in the candlelight, and walking through the dimly lit corridors below ground. We finally left the church - one of the last groups to leave - and it was very windy, but oddly light after the deep darkness inside the tunnels of the church. I made Tony sit down on a bench in the garden with me and we were completely alone. It was something I'll always remember for the uniqueness of the situation. Throughout the entire evening Tony was sweet, reassuring, and fun. Afterwards, we ended up grabbing burritos and doing some last minute shopping before heading home where our power was still hanging on. Yea!!! Today the rescheduled concert was fantastic if I do say so myself. It was a shame that the crowd seemed quite a bit smaller than last night, but we were very warmly received with the soloist receiving a standing ovation.

We had to rush home as we had dinner guests coming and still had some things to do (though Tony is the mastermind chef for these huge Italian feasts).

Our dinner guests (sister missionaries that are semi-regulars and wardmember neighbors from down the street).

The sisters and the chef!

It was a nice day, but I admit to being exhausted after an early start this morning with a rehearsal for a song we performed at the Visiting Teaching conference, and I had sharing time to do, as well as accompany the opening hymn for the VT conference. It's been a loooong weekend with a cold on top of all the rest of this stuff! And I haven't even mentioned my fantastic friend, Agota's, visit overnight from St. Louis! That is for another post. I want to find some old photos of us and scan them in along with the story of our friendship (from my perspective anyway). I'm glad that I did everything I needed and wanted to do, and now I can get a little rest before the work week starts up!