Stick a Fork in Me

The May Festival is over. We have the end-of-season dinner tonight, but I won't be attending, so my season is over.

It went really well, and it also went really badly at the same time. Overall, the performances were fantastic, and I think we really rose to the challenge. Each concert was in a different language and we had very high standards for our execution of those languages. It was the most challenging thing I've ever done, chorally, and I loved it.

On the other hand, only a few days into rehearsals allergies hit. They seemed to hit everybody in the city like a sledgehammer. I tend to be particularly affected by allergies (and asthma), and since this was my first May in Cincinnati, I was blind-sided. I got some nasty post-nasal drip and a horrible tickly-throat cough that I couldn't control which also made my throat really sore and it kept me from sleeping well. Eating anything with the slightest texture set me off, so I ate a LOT of smoothies for meals. Every break I had I trekked to Walgreens to buy another remedy. I tried cough syrup with expectorant, decongestants, cough drops, slippery elm tea, and finally settled on Nasalcrom, Mucinex and Chloraseptic strips. I was able to make it through the concerts on Friday and Saturday only coughing once, and after taking a break from singing during Monday's rehearsal I thought I was on the uphill track. Then on Wednesday night I noticed some pressure in my right ear. Friday night the pain kept me up, and last night I could barely hear; it felt like a marshmallow was stuffed in my ear. Every noise that went on inside my head was very loud, though. The concert was made difficult by this (plus I had a coughing fit, quite unexpectedly). I skipped the after-party to go home and take a hot shower; however, my ear drum ruptured before I got that far. Now the pressure is building again, and the ringing is pretty bad. Hence my absence from the dinner tonight.

So, yeah. The two weeks of May Festival were plagued by post-nasal drip, asthma, and ear infection. How miserable. But I still had a good time. How is that possible? I don't know, but I can't wait for next year when I am armed and prepared. Also, as much as I love Target, Walgreens is gaining in favor as it has been my rock and foundation being open 24-hours and well-stocked with possibilities. Also conveniently located wherever I was going.


Perhaps one of my favorite bits of May Festival was the many small pieces of time to wait, during which I, of course, knitted. I finished the second "Embossed Leaves" socks.


And I started Pomatomus. The yarn is Regia Bamboo Color, which is think is turning out beautifully with this pattern, although it doesn't have any give which can make all the k2tog and knitting through the back loop more challenging than usual.