November is one of my favorite months. It begins with brilliant fall color — the first week of November is usually the peak for leaves in my part of the world — and then ends with the coziness of the holidays, including (usually) the first entries on my annual Holiday Fun List. Since I celebrate my birthday in the first week of December, and I make sure to plan in fun things for me for that, I’m usually looking forward to several things by the end of November as well.
This November began (as usual) with the All Saints service and music at my church. I enjoyed learning that British choir staple “Faire is the Heaven” for that — a challenging but beautiful piece.
I then went to Best Laid Plans Live in Florida, which was a treat. I love being by the beach, and particularly when it’s too cold to be at the beach up north! Three years in I’ve become friends with many of the repeat attendees, and I had a lot of fun with this one.
There was a brief low point with my flight getting canceled. But I managed to make it back to PA one day late and even made it to the Philadelphia miniature show. I have never seen so many tiny pieces of furniture and accessories in one place. It was amazing. (Note: Some of the BLP Live attendees, knowing my miniature obsession, actually gave me some miniature Starbucks cups, beer bottles, etc. as presents. I love accessories!)
The next week I gave a speech in Connecticut. I’ve also done two virtual speeches over the past three weeks. Some years November is slower for speeches but this year it was pretty much a weekly thing. Which is good, because I love sharing this material with audiences!
I also went into NYC on the 19th. I had lunch with my agent, met the publicity team for Big Time, and then also got to see some fun Christmas decorations at Macy’s and in Bryant Park.
Then we were basically into the start of Thanksgiving and holiday celebrations. I went to Luminature with my little boys, and then my whole family went to Dutch Wonderland and to Longwood to see the lights there.
Now it is on to December. As tends to happen with busy times of year I’ve been aware of the structure of the month (like what days are the weekends, and what we have going on then) for a while. I tend to know the weekends of April/May pretty well ahead of time too! Anyway, this weekend will involve various choral concerts and holiday displays. The next weekend will likely be ice skating and more holiday concerts. Then there will be a trip into NYC for the Rockettes and such. And we will be doing a rather adventurous family trip over the holiday break. I am excited for it, but hoping all will go well and any hiccups are minimal.
It’s always fun to reflect on the past and look at the arc of the next month. Time passes whatever we do, but I know a month from now I’ll also be looking back at highlights, so best to try to enjoy them while I am in them.
In the meantime, there were a few days over the Thanksgiving break when no one woke up early. So I wrote this sonnet, called “Middle motherhood.”
There was no moment when it changed, I know
one morning I awoke to sun and not
a scream or call or little hands. A slow
and groggy start, and time to have a thought.
What is life like, to slowly greet the day?
And notice how my sheets and pillow feel?
To have a Saturday feel like a Saturday?
At first I hardly know if this is real —
Could I perhaps now grab my coffee, drink
a cup in silence listening to the birds?
But there is much to do, and so I think,
before I have a chance to eat my words,
I’ll note this moment, how things might soon be
this strange new freedom — no one needing me.