Catching Up

Perfect timing. Just as the rains are settling in, the work is piling up. Before we know it the semester will be over. My projects are coming together and I have enough to do at my desk and in the library that it won't matter what it's doing outside. Actually the weather is quite familiar, the rains of Ithaca, the winds of the North Country. Walking back from the library this evening, I could hear the winds howling across the river and through the trees. I have learned to keep my umbrella low and hold on tight to the ribbon tab so my that doesn't invert or fly away. Occasionally I am seeing visions of Mary Poppins being lifted into the air. If it was snowing this evening it would be a total white-out.Fortunately it is not snowing. And besides we are waiting for Indian food to be delivered.

I had a bit of a reprieve from study last weekend. I flew to London to visit and reconnect with a wonderful friend,who is a professor at the Institute of Learning, a philopsopher and spiritual teacher. Ram Roy(Bhaskar) reminded me that it was in 2003 that we worked together to provide a workshop at the Foundation of Light in Ithaca on comparative religion. I supported Ram Roy's presentations with the chants and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I arrived in London last Friday afternoon, just in time to attend a book launch for the republishing of two of Ram Roy's books. I met so many wonderful people, many from Ireland! We spent the weekend catching up and discussing plans for a few future workshops, did a driving tour of London around Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace, and ate in some wonderful ethnic restaurants. It was a wonderful visit. It is very inexpensive to fly within Europe once you are situated here in Ireland. However, while the Euro against the dollar is bearable, the British Pound almost makes our money worthless. That being said,I am still going to try to travel to a few special destinations while I am here. I am not sure how much time I will actually have, but hopefully there will be some weekends in the spring where a short jaunt to somewhere will be possible.

I am still loving my course. I think my singing is definitely improving. Our vocal instructor, Marie Walsh, is gifted in her ability to pinpoint on the spot what you are doing wrong and articulate it in a way that is clear. I find my voice is opening up and I am becoming more confident in the Gregorian chant repertoire. That's a good thing. Our chant exam is at the end of the month!

My flat mate, Angela, continues to be wonderful company. She has the best sense of humor and is positive and fun. So we continue to get on well and we are enjoying our occasional outings to Limerick City.

So, not more to tell. Back to the bookd. I hope that you are well and enjoying the fall. Love from Glocca Morra.