When Boxing Day arrives, what reflections should a person dwell upon?
Probably a number that could have been individual Chapters, but as is the norm far too often, life and other moments got in the way and so I have arrived at Boxing Day with a week’s worth of thoughts that I now will only give passing reference to…you can fill in the blanks however you wish…

Life on Strata Council continues — enough said (burned up a great deal of Friday, from morning into early afternoon)…more comments in 2018

Went to a local hair stylist last Wednesday — my hair was getting a bit unruly and, after all, it was Christmas time and I should look presentable. Well, when the ordeal was over, I remembered why I had quit going to that place over a year ago. This time I will definitely not forget…one might mistake me for army recruit!!

Thursday required a change of pace…so headed up to Apex Ski Resort to see what the conditions might be like. The hill has been open for a few days and while only the triple chair was operating (along with the T-Bar and bunny-hill carpet ride), that was not such a bad thing as it gave lots of rest time for my knees (and thighs, etc.) between runs. It was cold, somewhat windy and a bit damp (which is really strange for Apex) but I managed a total of seven [7] runs — total of 2,450 Vertical metres, and hit somewhere between 42.4 & 52.9 as a max speed on different runs. Total distance covered was 27.54 kms. A good start to the season…finished it all off with some time in “The Edge”, a cafe on the mountain which serves excellent steamed milk along with homemade soup.

In the late afternoon on Friday, some symphony friends dropped in for a few drinks and some edible goodies and by mid-evening were on their way, not needing my offer of “designated driver” (which because RACE did not contact me, may be an appellation that I will carry into the New Year!!). I also spent part of the day designing and delivering invitations to an experiment that will be tried at the “little cottage by the creek” — a New Year’s Day Levee. The inspiration comes from time spent on PEI where New Year’s Day is a big moment in the social season… the Grey Cup couple have initiated a variation on the theme for their friends, neighbours and colleagues in Ottawa and it is very successful… so the thinking is, why not try it in Penticton and see if anyone responds…

Saturday was primary focused on wrapping and other pre-Christmas activities. But right in the middle of the afternoon, the Okanagan Symphony performed their “Ringing in the Season” concert. It was a wonderful idea to hold it as a matinee as it was an energetic performance that sent one outside happy to see the sun not quit set. While the musical selections were not overly surprising or novel, it was how they were presented that made all the difference. There were the regular “sing-along” carols (The First Noel, Silent Night, Good King Wenceslas, Joy to the World) and such pieces as “The Bells of Christmas” and “Deck the Halls”. But then they brought out the Okanagan Handbell Chorus and this took everything to a new level — they started with “Hark! Christmas Bells” and continued to the Coventry Carol, O Holy Night, For Unto Us and the Hallelujah Chorus. An added feature with For Unto Us was the inclusion of the Marimba. In fact the percussionist with the OSO (Bruce Henczel) composed a special arrangement of this piece for Handbells and Marimba and this concert was the World Premiere. But the Handbells were not the only special musical feature — Anthony Lau also contributed to several of the pieces. He is known as Mr. Harmonica and once he starts to play you quickly realize that the title is somewhat understated. He dramatically reformed my opinion and understanding of the harmonica. His participation in the Coventry Carol and O Holy Night gave the sense of an angelic soloist supported by the bells and the orchestra itself. He was a delight.

The intermission, as they say, came all to soon…

The second part of the performance was as good as the first. Anthony Lau provided a wonderful interpretation of both Franck’s Panis Angelicus and Bach’s Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring. The the Handbell Chorus was featured in both In the Bleak Midwinter and a medley We Three Kings/Farandole. An interesting shift of responsibilities occurred during Buckwalter’s Midwinter tribute — the conductor switched places with the lead Handbell ringer (Ms. Susan Carscadden) — it was a delightful change of pace. BUT, it also gave one more poignant example of the wide range of musical genius that resides within the Conductor and Music Director of the Symphony — Rosemary Thomson not only can pull together diversity of music traditions to make a concert really come together; she also plays a plethora of musical instruments (and occasionally pops into a playing role). Perhaps this is why she is able to successfully feature so many different people in the same performance. I know that by the end of the afternoon, people were in no hurry to leave — I’m sure they were hoping there was a Part III to the presentation.

Good friends dropped by afterwards for some light libations and tasty morsels and the first part of the conversation was all about the tremendous experience the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, the Okanagan Handbell Chorus and Anthony Lau had provided for the full house at the Cleland Theatre that afternoon. It was truly special. Really made one eager to wish others a Merry Christmas.

And the day concluded in my study, still wrapping gifts and getting stockings ready…
I’ll return with Part II (starting with Christmas Eve day) later…

g.w.