The end of the semester

These past few weeks have been busy, to say the least.  If you don't follow me on Instagram, here's a rundown... (if you do follow me on Instagram, sorry for the repeats!)

I was a shepherdess in Amahl and the Night Visitors (btw, it's a very charming opera.  If you haven't seen it yet, you should!)

The women's choir and men's glee club had their Fall concert.  I conducted the women's choir but only got a picture of my friend, Albee, conducting the men's glee club.

I helped Dr. Archibeque with a dinner party and was coveting her amazing plates (she got them in Mexico...)

I grew some extra facial hair in class one day... it was a long class...

I had a dress rehearsal (and concert) in the beautiful Santa Clara Mission.

It's my opinion that the ceiling is the most beautiful part of the Santa Clara Mission...

I actually got to attend a Christmas concert that I wasn't performing in!!!  But I wrote the program notes, so I guess I did have some participation... (The Santa Clara Chorale, directed by Dr. Archibeque)

The front of the Mission is beautiful, too...

Peter says the Mission reminds him of home (Brazil).  I think he's homesick.  Hopefully we can go back soon!

It rained a lot last week... I bought an umbrella, used it for two days, and then it got stolen at church!  Can you believe it?!?!?!?  Stolen at CHURCH!  

We are playing "Secret Santa" in choir and I haven't received any gifts.  So the rules were that you had to give the person at least 3 gifts total, one for each week until the end of the semester (we started two weeks ago).  A lot of people received a gift each day.  And I didn't receive ANYTHING.  So my friend brought me a gift...

It was a sympathy card that said "with deepest sympathy and heartfelt thoughts..." and he wrote, "Dear Julie, I hear your secret santa SUCKS or isn't following the rules..."

I cracked up laughing because Chris isn't even in choir!  His girlfriend, my friend who is in choir with me, told him that I hadn't received any gifts, so they went out and bought me a beautiful scarf!  I hope it's cold enough to wear it tomorrow!