Why can’t some people just do what they say they are going to do, when others show they can?

Good Friday was a day of contrasts for me, but it reminded me that some people don’t even get what they are saying, let alone do what they are saying they are going to do…

It actually started on Thursday evening — Maundy Thursday. I attended a really interesting meal at the Tapas Bar on Apex Mountain Resort: the “long table”. The assembly of eaters was a wide assortment of humanity and the chef had told us beforehand that it would be a mixed bag of foodstuffs. He delivered. In fact, I haven’t been that stuffed in years. I lost count of the number of courses, and the variations within each. Even dessert was multi-dimensional. At the end of the evening, people all agreed that what was in the invitation was definitely followed through upon.

Friday morning I went skiing, There was advertised on the grooming report a fair amount of groomed runs on both the slower “triple chair” and the high speed quad — except for one thing. There were races being held (which I have no complaint against as it is part of how young kids compete to find out if they are national team capable/worthy). The race courses, however, cut off three main runs which meant that one-third of the groomed runs off the quad were not even available for the rest of us to ski. So what looked like a generous amount of grooming, was basically limited to the slower chair. The invitation to ski did not mention that the races were even happening, let alone that they would eliminate considerable numbers of the ski options on the invite. You’d think the ski hill manager could have figured that out, before issuing the false invite!!

Friday afternoon I went to the Good Friday service at St. Andrew’s in Penticton. At the start of the service the minister announced that it was important to follow the service as printed in the bulletin as there would be no more announcements — the church service would simply unfold. Lo and behold, that is what happened. It was a wonderful service with music (alternating pieces by the choir and entire congregation) and readings from scripture. In the midst, communion was shared by intinction. The entire service lasted perhaps an hour, but moved seamlessly from one moment to the next in a spiritual atmosphere most befitting the day. The invite and the delivery were the same.

Friday evening I went to a tribute to the music of John Denver, featuring some Okanagan Valley musicians and the Okanagan Symphony. I knew a couple of the artists and, as you know, I love the OSO, so I felt it would be a reasonably delightful evening. I have been a big fan of Denver since before he became an international star — in fact at a Young People’s Conference I was a chaperone in Minneapolis in the fall of 1970 the kids had us all repeatedly sing “Country Roads” most of the night!! I had attended a number of his live concerts before his unfortunate death in 1997. I also had enjoyed his musical works with orchestras and with Placido Domingo. So, in spite of my reservations about one of the organizing artists, because the arranger of much of Denver’s music was going to conduct, I felt it would be a good evening. WRONG ASSUMPTION. This show was a tribute to the organizing artist and his old band from his younger days. First of all, he couldn’t hit the high notes of Denver’s songs; secondly, he hammed things up at times in a way that Denver never did. Throughout the first half, the orchestra, while visible, was hardly heard. And one duet with a very talented singer (Mia Harris) was sadly amiss — it was only in the next song, where she sang alone that one could appreciate both her voice and her interpretation of Denver with orchestra backing. I was almost ready to leave at the intermission.

I stayed though and was rewarded somewhat. In the midst of the second half, suddenly the band left the stage and let the orchestra become front and centre. There was another duet, but this time the tenor was powerful enough to drown out the feeble efforts by the lead artist and so the rendition of “Perhaps Love” was actually quite good — much like when Placido did it with John on the album. The second selection was just orchestra and the young tenor and everyone could fully appreciate the marriage of Denver and classical support. The audience didn’t even try to sing along, they just sat and enjoyed. I thought to myself, now this concert is going to save itself — no such luck. The band came back and quickly destroyed the new mood with a couple of selections. Thankfully they decided to end the concert with “Country Roads” which, of course, everyone sang so there was a semblance of a Denver concert as the curtain fell. As it was a concert in the Okanagan I knew there were be an encore, but I left anyway. To get back into the groove of the real John Denver, at my mini-workout this morning, my I-pod was tuned in to listening to the real thing. If only they had advertised the concert as a tribute to the old rockers using Denver’s music, then I wouldn’t have been so fooled into going!!

So in the four events, two managed to deliver what they promised and with real commitment. Even Meatloaf would have been disappointed — 2 out of 4…come on ski hill, come on old rocker artist… you shouldn’t get shown up so incredibly by a young chef and a Presbyterian minister, even if it was Good Friday…

g.w.