Lovely Judi Dench! Thanks for sharing her inspiring words and thoughts about artistic endeavours. Community and working together towards shared goals: so wonderful and how we thrive. Love all your photos and to hear more about the esprit de corps in your dancing group. Great Friday morning read!! ❤️
I want to be like Judi Dench when I am older! She's such a delight and so outrageously honest. I'm listening to the out-takes at the end of the audiobook and its very funny. She's an icon.
Loved all of this posting! Community, wherever you find it is sustaining. Every summer when my regular church choir is on summer break, my partner and I sing in the Otterbein University Summer Chorale. It is a choir of 65 voices, both from the university and the community, ranging in age from 19 to 81. The conductors audition and are graduating university students of music education and we are their introduction to conducting before heading off to their first job. The music is sublime, the free concert after 6 weeks of rehearsals,a delight. As you also found out, the community rallied around me during my hospitalization and recovery.To sing as a chorus, to breathe deeply and produce with one soaring voice...magical!
I love Dame Judi and have her two books on my shelves, what an amazing life! And then Charles Aznavour, remember him from the old movies - suave and debonair....
My community is two small groups of lovely ladies that meet at our library monthly - one for a "Cookbook" Club, sharing recipes (and bringing samples along to share) and the other is a craft class led by a "crafty" young librarian sharing ideas, stories and lots of laughs.
I really look forward to your emails and the stories and photos you share. You have so many amazing talents and stories to share. Can't wait to hear about your next ballet recital and what you ladies will be wearing.
I hope that your grandson heals enough in time for his birthday celebration. Reminds me of my five sons growing up - the scrapes, bruises, stings that Nurse Mum had to deal with. And can't leave out my daughter as she needed a nurse a few times as well. Here's to a wonderful weekend, we have a holiday weekend to enjoy!!
I did make the comment to my son that this scrape is the first of many. And he said very dispiritedly , 'I know. I remember!' It was blood and stitches quite often. Some dreadful accidents.
But this young dad, as a boy, used to watch the Winter Olympics and the sky was the limit. We lived on a very steep hill with serpentine bends in the road to get to the house and so my son built a luge from a skateboard and would fly down the road feet first! OMG!
And he'd also 'downhill ski' (remember that winter up north is summer down here) on rollerblades with his winter skipoles - full speed.
So lots of blood. Sigh...
Thank you for your lovely support. You've been with my writing for a long time! XXXX
I love Toby. Of all the characters that I have written, Toby is by far the dearest to me. He is everything I would want in a friend - especially the loyalty (with that touch of wickedness).
Another fabulous post! You've given me goosepimples with this sentence:
"And so these women meet to ponder wisdom, dancing with soft joy, reliving the days when they were as supple as willows and aware they have deep knowledge that Experience has taught them."
And your embroidery is as beautiful as your dancing.
*happy sigh*
Your poor grandson - but it sounds like Nurse Nanny has made it all better. Virtual hugs both to you and the little chap.
I've been enjoying the Olympics, too. Diving, swimming and gymnastics have been my favourites to watch so far, but oh boy I caught some of the BMX racing yesterday and it was AWESOME!
Hah! I can't abide it, whilst appreciating the skill. Feel the same about snowboarding. I'm back on the showjumping today. Watched rowing yesterday - it was BRILLIANT!
I'm in love with the pictures of your company!! What a lovely, talented group of women - and with so much wisdom, experience, and grace to share. Though not performative, I am part of a cohort of women friends who meet monthly to check-in on our individual stories, challenges, sorrows and dreams. We met last night and, as always, there were remarks about how fortunate we are to have this time and each other. I'm glad you have your group, Prue. Lifeblood, that kind of community.
The way Dame Judi talks of it is that solidarity. I suppose we should bear in mind that with each play, so the company of players would change and yet that loyalty and solidarity would build from the first read-through.
Our performance group is very small this year - it's a big commitment. One needs to be available each week with no half measures. Not fair to anyone else in the group.
This is so very lovely! Being “in each other’s slipstream” is surely the most wonderful way of thinking about community I’ve ever heard ❤️ And I never underestimate the value of bringing more grace and beauty into the world, which is what you and your lovely company of dancers do!
Here’s hoping your little grandson heals up quickly!
Grace and beauty? Pshaw! Maybe at the end, but not just now. I feel like a giant jellyfish just now - lost my suppleness.
My little man informed me today that the steri-strips can come off his chin by his birthday party on Saturday. It looks as if the gash is healing well.
I understand the frustration of coping with physical setbacks. But you will come back stronger than ever! If I may say, if you rode your bike “no-hands” you still have a good strong core!!
3 1/2 years ago, after a bike accident, for a few weeks I could hardly move. Then…baby steps, and wobbly Tai Chi… and nearly 4 months later, I was back in the garden…and on my bicycle!
Everything hurts at ballet but at least my energy levels are better!
I love Tai Chi - when I'm wound up and anxious, a round of Tai Chai grounds me and slows my breathing perfectly. I should do it daily and it would loosen up all the tight muscles, ligaments and joints.
Women supporting one another like this is something to cherish and marvel at - you're so fortunate to have these contacts and to have such fun while also keeping fit and vital. And Judi Dench is obviously fabulous in every way! Thanks for another super post to provide lots to think about ...
I should say that Dame Judi sets as much store by men as women in a company and in fact we'd welcome men to our ballet group if there were any who wanted to join.
The thing that sits most memorably with me from what Dame Judi says is that if one belongs to any sort of company, the need to actually turn up is the most important.
Certainly in our case, its very hard to practice a group routine when numbers are missing - timing and spacing is fairly crucial in a group project.
I too was a swimmer - and enjoyed it because I wasn't part of a team I could let down. That's always what's held me back - feeling that I could let someone down. I love the pics of your ballet company and the needlework looks lovely.
Love the photos of your ballet company, and your needlework is gorgeous. I agree with you about competitive swimming: swimming on a team is not the same as being in a company, unless it's a company of individual swimmers who ride the same bus to and from the meet.
Wonderful! Moving, thoughtful, considered, joyous. Community is such a hopeful, rewarding concept. Thanks so much dear Prue. 🤗🤗💕💕
You're so right, Beth. Hopeful and rewarding.
XXXX
Lovely Judi Dench! Thanks for sharing her inspiring words and thoughts about artistic endeavours. Community and working together towards shared goals: so wonderful and how we thrive. Love all your photos and to hear more about the esprit de corps in your dancing group. Great Friday morning read!! ❤️
XXXX
I want to be like Judi Dench when I am older! She's such a delight and so outrageously honest. I'm listening to the out-takes at the end of the audiobook and its very funny. She's an icon.
Loved all of this posting! Community, wherever you find it is sustaining. Every summer when my regular church choir is on summer break, my partner and I sing in the Otterbein University Summer Chorale. It is a choir of 65 voices, both from the university and the community, ranging in age from 19 to 81. The conductors audition and are graduating university students of music education and we are their introduction to conducting before heading off to their first job. The music is sublime, the free concert after 6 weeks of rehearsals,a delight. As you also found out, the community rallied around me during my hospitalization and recovery.To sing as a chorus, to breathe deeply and produce with one soaring voice...magical!
Gosh, the thought of the voices is spine-tingling!
And yes, to dance as one homogenous group - pretty damned good.
XXXX
I love Dame Judi and have her two books on my shelves, what an amazing life! And then Charles Aznavour, remember him from the old movies - suave and debonair....
My community is two small groups of lovely ladies that meet at our library monthly - one for a "Cookbook" Club, sharing recipes (and bringing samples along to share) and the other is a craft class led by a "crafty" young librarian sharing ideas, stories and lots of laughs.
I really look forward to your emails and the stories and photos you share. You have so many amazing talents and stories to share. Can't wait to hear about your next ballet recital and what you ladies will be wearing.
I hope that your grandson heals enough in time for his birthday celebration. Reminds me of my five sons growing up - the scrapes, bruises, stings that Nurse Mum had to deal with. And can't leave out my daughter as she needed a nurse a few times as well. Here's to a wonderful weekend, we have a holiday weekend to enjoy!!
Cheers,
Judy in Canada
Hi Judy.
I did make the comment to my son that this scrape is the first of many. And he said very dispiritedly , 'I know. I remember!' It was blood and stitches quite often. Some dreadful accidents.
But this young dad, as a boy, used to watch the Winter Olympics and the sky was the limit. We lived on a very steep hill with serpentine bends in the road to get to the house and so my son built a luge from a skateboard and would fly down the road feet first! OMG!
And he'd also 'downhill ski' (remember that winter up north is summer down here) on rollerblades with his winter skipoles - full speed.
So lots of blood. Sigh...
Thank you for your lovely support. You've been with my writing for a long time! XXXX
I'm reading one of your books now - just started Tobias!
I love Toby. Of all the characters that I have written, Toby is by far the dearest to me. He is everything I would want in a friend - especially the loyalty (with that touch of wickedness).
Another fabulous post! You've given me goosepimples with this sentence:
"And so these women meet to ponder wisdom, dancing with soft joy, reliving the days when they were as supple as willows and aware they have deep knowledge that Experience has taught them."
And your embroidery is as beautiful as your dancing.
*happy sigh*
Your poor grandson - but it sounds like Nurse Nanny has made it all better. Virtual hugs both to you and the little chap.
I've been enjoying the Olympics, too. Diving, swimming and gymnastics have been my favourites to watch so far, but oh boy I caught some of the BMX racing yesterday and it was AWESOME!
Hah! I can't abide it, whilst appreciating the skill. Feel the same about snowboarding. I'm back on the showjumping today. Watched rowing yesterday - it was BRILLIANT!
Congrats for stepping outside your comfort zone on multiple levels. It sure keeps life interesting!
It's all fine until the week before the performance and then the rot sets in. Yikes.
I'm in love with the pictures of your company!! What a lovely, talented group of women - and with so much wisdom, experience, and grace to share. Though not performative, I am part of a cohort of women friends who meet monthly to check-in on our individual stories, challenges, sorrows and dreams. We met last night and, as always, there were remarks about how fortunate we are to have this time and each other. I'm glad you have your group, Prue. Lifeblood, that kind of community.
The way Dame Judi talks of it is that solidarity. I suppose we should bear in mind that with each play, so the company of players would change and yet that loyalty and solidarity would build from the first read-through.
Our performance group is very small this year - it's a big commitment. One needs to be available each week with no half measures. Not fair to anyone else in the group.
And yes, you are right: lifeblood.
Solidarity - yes! Dame Judi is easy to love, isn't she?
This is so very lovely! Being “in each other’s slipstream” is surely the most wonderful way of thinking about community I’ve ever heard ❤️ And I never underestimate the value of bringing more grace and beauty into the world, which is what you and your lovely company of dancers do!
Here’s hoping your little grandson heals up quickly!
Thank you, Susan.
Grace and beauty? Pshaw! Maybe at the end, but not just now. I feel like a giant jellyfish just now - lost my suppleness.
My little man informed me today that the steri-strips can come off his chin by his birthday party on Saturday. It looks as if the gash is healing well.
I understand the frustration of coping with physical setbacks. But you will come back stronger than ever! If I may say, if you rode your bike “no-hands” you still have a good strong core!!
3 1/2 years ago, after a bike accident, for a few weeks I could hardly move. Then…baby steps, and wobbly Tai Chi… and nearly 4 months later, I was back in the garden…and on my bicycle!
Everything hurts at ballet but at least my energy levels are better!
I love Tai Chi - when I'm wound up and anxious, a round of Tai Chai grounds me and slows my breathing perfectly. I should do it daily and it would loosen up all the tight muscles, ligaments and joints.
Women supporting one another like this is something to cherish and marvel at - you're so fortunate to have these contacts and to have such fun while also keeping fit and vital. And Judi Dench is obviously fabulous in every way! Thanks for another super post to provide lots to think about ...
Thank you, Sue.
I should say that Dame Judi sets as much store by men as women in a company and in fact we'd welcome men to our ballet group if there were any who wanted to join.
The thing that sits most memorably with me from what Dame Judi says is that if one belongs to any sort of company, the need to actually turn up is the most important.
Certainly in our case, its very hard to practice a group routine when numbers are missing - timing and spacing is fairly crucial in a group project.
I too was a swimmer - and enjoyed it because I wasn't part of a team I could let down. That's always what's held me back - feeling that I could let someone down. I love the pics of your ballet company and the needlework looks lovely.
Thank you, Joanne for reading and commenting. My life has nearly always been solitary pursuits because then there's only me to disappoint...
The teamwork required for the ballet has been a huge lesson for me as I'm generally an introvert.
Love the photos of your ballet company, and your needlework is gorgeous. I agree with you about competitive swimming: swimming on a team is not the same as being in a company, unless it's a company of individual swimmers who ride the same bus to and from the meet.
Thank you, Mary