Articles by Gina

October – how is that possible? time time time… it has been raining, and autumn is in the air…

the piece [texts & beheadings] is up and running at the Folger in D.C. – I think it’s good. perhaps the music is a little too “on the money” – it reminds me of Ellen telling me of all those Woolf scholars who didn’t realise it wasn’t Woolf they were listening to in “Septimus and Clarissa” but McLaughlin… the 4 girls finally owned the songs the night before I left D.C. – they are troopers, one and all, and have given their all to make it work… hopefully it will not all fall apart while I’m away from it – but we have a little rehearsal time before it comes into BAM, to put things right if need be… toca madera…

Nephew Chris came to D.C. for a couple of days – I had flown him out to New York and given him my apartment for a week as a graduation present – a great joy wandering the Library of Congress and Botanic Gardens with him, plus a family reunion dinner with charlie and emily green… The pope seemed to follow me around, first in D.C.then in New York… plus the chinese premier in D.C.and Putin in NY.. corridors of power… I have started listening to the radio again (wnyc) – perhaps that’s why I get depressed here – the state of the world is so god-awful if you listen to the news, it’s a wonder anyone gets up in the morning… perhaps best not to listen to the news, just to music… unless one is actually going to DO something about it… the only doing I know how to do is music… altho’ I’m thinking of volunteering as a gardener’s helper in the Hudson River Park – so much weeding to do…

We had a perfectly splendid Kamikaze reunion the other night – what a total joy, warts and all… I billed it as an open rehearsal, since we hadn’t had one, and hadn’t played in 4 years… in the event, we didn’t actually rehearse but played our asses off – but we did sit in a circle, the way we do in rehearsal, and that’s what I want to do from now on (should we ever play again) – the joy of, as doug put it, “making – and being in the middle of, that sound”… it was also the night of the Super, Blood, Harvest Moon with Full Lunar Eclipse – wow – we closed the first set with Homage, exiting the building in full throttle, taking the audience with us, to view the eclipse in all its peach-coloured glory from the Brooklyn sidewalk – when the clouds would permit… a great night… we played 9 to midnight – my poor chops! tho’ doug did a great job figuring out set lists that gave me breathers on piano, accordion or uke… I had a really good time blowing again, particularly the bari – but I do wish reading on the bass clarinet weren’t such a mind-fuck, or I’d play it a lot more… but then I’d have to get Clarence refurbished, not just play doug’s Kohlert, which is so much more in tune…

I also faced the music with the tax man finally – not as bad as I feared, luckily, tho’ not pretty – but I don’t think I’ll lose my home (or my shirt)… toca madera otra vez…

I have bought a ticket to go check in with the other side of the pond in November… needs must, but I really must be mad… tie me up, tie me down…

Arrived back in the city yesterday, after a marathon 24 hour journey via Barcelona and Moscow (don’t ask…), to find inches of dust and no phone or internet… hey ho…

what a wrench, to leave the garden, the huerto, sis and gat the cat, not to mention the sea, the island in general… it has been the hottest summer on record which, added to the absence of the trees, has made for a slow pace of life – all the better… aside from my morning and evening swims in the big blue (idyllic, not a medusa in sight since late may), I spent hours every day in the garden and huerto – we had vegetables coming out of our ears – we need to buy a deep freeze if we’re going to continue doing this… my 7 weeks alone were every bit as beneficial as I hoped they would be, and the 3 weeks together with sis after her return were just fine as a result – she had had an absolutely wonderful time reconnecting with her kids, and came back in great shape – of course she has fallen apart since, as a reaction to the repeated separation, but hopefully the island will work its magic on her and she will find her peace again. The place is a lot to take care of by oneself, good with the two of us when we’re both in our right minds – verremos… but these past months have done wonders in repairing the damage of last winter… I have been completely out of touch with the rest of the world, with regards to current events and such, and very happy to be so – I know it’s the old ostrich attitude and maybe I can’t hide forever, but it seems to me that if I can, I will… it is good for me, it doesn’t hurt anyone else… nice work if you can get it…

speaking of which, on to things here… texts & beheadings… taxes.. wish me luck…

How did 3 months slide by? a quick recap:

march was spent in cotherstone, trying to sort out my health and the cottage… I finally got an appointment to see a cardiologist, for the day I left – classic. But I was feeling much better, so wotthehell archie, there’s a dance in the old dame yet…

meanwhile, I had a great hang with sam. I wrote a new tune (and then some). I finally found a really old Fylde mandola, right there in Barney – Bob Jordan’s, it had been upstairs of the antique shop all this time, and Luke had finally brought it down and put it in the shop, thinking to sell it. It needs work but has a lovely sound, and it would be great to keep it “in the family”… I spent a whole week cleaning the rental cottage and making trips to the dump. I got someone to come and paint the place from top to bottom, I had all the carpets replaced, and finally I decided i wasn’t cut out to be a landlord, particularly an absentee one, so with diana’s agreement, I put the place on the market to sell rather than rent… jesus me beads, as mum would say… then I went back to new york…

my 5 weeks back in westbeth were glorious. I suppose since my time there was finite, everyone stepped up to the plate, and I saw everyone (lunches, dinners, walks, gigs) and played with almost everyone (kgc being the exception) – I did in 5 weeks what normally would take 5 months… and it was spring… I was sorry to leave…

and leave again I did, may 7th. back to cotherstone for a week, no sign of sam, a possible buyer for the cottage, and then on to menorca for 10 days with sis before she took off for CA to see her kids. And a great 10 days it was – it went a long way to making up for the ghastly time over the winter… poc a poc… the island is dry dry dry, the earth cracked like mid-july rather than mid-may. but the huerto was in and with much watering I am already eating from it – lettuce, calabacin, beans, first pepper, first aubergine… tomatoes and onions coming on… the lack of the giant pines right by the house changes the landscape utterly – back to lots of sky – and lots of heat… but the caña is up, and I am planting succulents and cacti, cuttings from friends and neighbours, chiefly Rob and Bernard… B also brings drinking water from his well, and plant and herb advice… and we did have a wonderful thunderstorm earlier this week that gave everything a much needed drenching…

with diana gone, I have moved back upstairs, which I love (it is truly home to me) and have painted my downstairs room… the joy of being alone here is largely due to knowing that the time is finite… the sale of the rental cottage is still hanging fire – the buyers continue to balk at this and that, I try to possess my soul in patience… and meanwhile I have discovered I am in potentially deep shit with my american taxes, which has put a giant cloud over my time here – I may lose westbeth apart from anything else – but I am looking for a tax attorney, trying to deal, and to remain present at the same time…. steep learning curve… life is short and one needs to seize the carp… I am grateful for all the blessings and hope to learn from all the mistakes… the sun is hot, the sea still muy frescita but bliss… ¡empieza el verrano!