As mentioned a few days ago, Stephanie sent a pair of e-mail messages to Sue Steward, a good friend of Pat and Stephanie, and to Patrick’s sister Sue, on 25 Feb 2005, a couple of hours apart. Some of the content overlapped, which is easy to do with e-mail, and useful to do when cancer drains your energy.
Here is the letter to Sue Steward dated 4:05 PM. The subject read “From Sun to Snow.”
Dear Sue,
Well, that lovely balmy sunny weather didn’t last – ’twas gone the next day!
Here, today, suddenly there are icy winds from Siberia reaching even down here to the Iberian peninsula and there are snow-sleet flurries – nothing sticks down here in the valley, but it’s lovely to see the thin clouds of white making Japanese type scenery with the blooming almonds, mimosa, narcisus and other yellow flowers.
And some of the branches have ‘nunnelybones‘ – my childhood invented word for the droplets that hang on branches and reflect the world.
Now the mountain has vanished in the mists, and we’re just the valley and near hills left visible with wheeling sea gulls above.
The choir have been working up Whitacre’s Leonardo Dreams of his Flying Machine – a tricky and fllashy and satisfying long madrigal type piece.
Pat has been transcribing songs of Sampere (for which he is to get paid), and piano pieces by Mike Watts (Suzy will perform a couple this Festival), and fixing up some of Carl’s works that are tricky to format.
My brother is due to visit in 2 weeks time for 1 week. Alison will join him. Hope I continue to feel fairly perky.
When the sun is out it would be good to get the rest of the roses pruned, and some weeding done. But too damp and chill at present to enjoy gardening.
Taking it fairly slow – have to nap while digestion is going on – blood doesn’t have enough oxygen for both digestion and activity.
We’re finalizing the programs and publicity for this year’s XXVII Festival de Deià.
Lots of detail work using the Quark Express program which I enjoy.
Pat does the grand sweep and planning, and I concentrate on the small details and corrections and translations.
One month to go and the concerts begin. Easter is so early this year.
Fortunately too we have some Easter visitors to help with our houses expenses.
It looked pretty bleak all winter – tighten the financial belt – but suddenly reservations are picking up.
God provides again.
We float through life on trust and hope, sometimes going with the current, sometimes swimming upstream like the salmon.
Back to the Quark documents….
Love, Stephanie