JA Shrader

I’m reconstructing this opening page of posts!

Stay tuned and come back – construction will be quick!

Greetings!

So, Santa provided a masked, curbside delivery of Christmas! Since Alek has a Christmas birthday, he usually gets to double-dip, but, this year the pandemic put a damper on all celebrations. I was able to successfully bring Dainis down to Georgia and we spent two nights in the R-Pod (Roxy). No problems along the way and Teddy Tacoma performed very well. We stayed at the Prince William Forest RV Campground in Dumfries, VA, and The Cartersville Country Winery in Timmonsville, SC (Harvest Host). The Staff at both places were excellent and I would recommend any other Podders to stop there any time.

Both Shrader homes were hunkered down for Christmas. We shared the delights of Latvian cooking including raspberry cookies, star cookies, lace cookies, and pfefferkuchen, along with cabbage rolls and cabbage pie. Alek managed to garner an entire cabbage pie (his favorite for many years) as a significant birthday present! Of course, the annual star was the bounteous supply of beloved pirags!

Dainis and I bought some fireworks for New Year’s Eve and the masked, socially distanced, combined families gathered in our back yard to watch the aerial display. We had six aerials and three ground fountains, and capped off the night with sparklers for all.

New Year’s Day brought the annual meeting of the Polar Bear Club where a few brave faamily members take a brief dip in the pool. This year the ensemble included Dainis, Aija, and five-year-old Eva! The usual video was distributed to all the family near and far.

Dainis and I subsequently made the trip back to Silver Spring, stopping at the same campgrounds. The trip was enjoyable and again uneventful.

Now, life goes on …

Let’s take a romp around the categories:

MUSIC

My very short opera, Frogs Always Get You in the End, which had been recorded in Boston by PARMA Recordings, will be released on a compilation CD entitled Fleeting Realms. It will be on the Navona label and available on most streaming services. NB. It’s still in production – release date TBA. I conducted the recording with Aliana de la Guardia as the Princess and Brian Church as the Frog.

My Christmas piece this year was a new setting of There Is No Rose. It’s for SATB a cappella ensemble and is somewhat challenging. It came off my desk too late for this season, but I have submitted it to Colla Voce for maybe next year. If not, I’ll put it up on SMP Press.

I’m returning to work on some sketches for the Breton chamber opera Ankou with a libretto by Alek. It’s been on the composing desk for a few years and every so often I return to seek the muse in this area. I usually work directly from the orchestration on accompanied projects, but for this new idea, I started with a piano sketch with orchestration to come later. My research into Breton music and culture has been very interesting and enlightening.

READING

The holidays and associated travel has put me waaaay behind in completing my reading lists. Lately I’ve finished Peter Robinson’s Aftermath with Chief Inspector Alan Banks. I enjoy the Banks canon, but this one seemed a little slow. I’m currently back on Shetland with Ann Cleeves Red Bones with Jimmy Perez. I love the landscape of Shetland and these stories are always gripping.

WRITING

I’m still stalled on both Twin Killing and Cedar Key. I have this idea that with the acquisition of Roxy R-Pod and some planned trips to area campgrounds, I might be able to immerse myself into moving these stories forward. Ditto with composing.

TRAVEL

I’m writing this from the Madison RV and Golf Resort in Madison, FL. Moxie and I came here on Sunday afternoon and we’ll return home tomorrow, Tuesday. This is a lovely campground with level cement pads, lots of amenities, and a nine-hole golf course. We have a pull-through, full hookup spot and it’s really very nice. The park is pretty full as the weather is starting to warm up. Social distancing is working although I would like to see more masks in use! We’re pretty much keeping to ourselves, so it’s all good.

NB. Aija, Valda, and I get our first vaccine shot on the morning of February 1!

REAL ESTATE

Interestingly enough, the Pandemic has been pretty kind to Realtors, at least to Team Aija! We remain busy and successful, although inventory is low and listings are critical for success. Aija is indefatigable as always and spends oodles of time providing outstanding service to her customers and clients. We hope to sustain this success into 2021!

AND FINALLY

I thinks that wraps it up for now. I’ll probably see you next month. Until then be safe, careful, happy, healthy, and at peace.

Cheers!

• Jim

This post will be mostly travel related. The Big Tent Season at Atlanta Opera having ended, the return to Valdosta was uneventful and the home routine was quickly re-established. BUT WAIT. At the end of the Atlanta visit, I received word that the R-Pod 180 (Roxy) had arrived at Horizon RV in Lake Park and was ready for me to come for the final walk-through and bring her home!

It was a balmy Wednesday morning when I traveled a bit south and met Roxy! Jason did the walk-through and I was, of course, overwhelmed with the amount of information necessary to be a successful RVer! Having taken somewhat copious notes, Teddy (Tacoma) and I drove Roxy from the Horizon lot next door to the almost abandoned outlet mall parking lot. It was time for back up practice. Knowing that I would need to end this trip home by backing into the driveway at Princeton Lane, I was determined to persevere and gain understanding.

Armed with knew-found knowledge, I confidently approached the target. After about ten tries (maybe more!) and almost taking out my neighbor Fred’s driveway lights, Roxy came to rest in almost the right spot, well, close enough!

The next few days were spent learning all I could about being an RV owner/operator. Then it was time for the first test! Having convinced Moxie that the camper was not evil, we spent two practice nights sleeping in the new digs! It was quite an accomplishment!

The next level of difficulty would come with a short two night trip to a local campground or state park. We chose Reed Bingham State Park in Adel, about 35 miles from home. The trip was uneventful except for the loose sway bar that produced a horrifying dragging sound as we pulled up to the camp office. After checking in, I analyzed the problem and it seems that I had not put the appropriate cotter key all the way through the sway bar attachment. Realizing this, it was a quick fix and we were off to our site. The camp is set up in loops and we were at site 16. The ring road around the camp was one-way, so not much chance of error. HAH!

Yes, I saw the number 16 on the post. I dutifully pulled into the center of the site only to discover I was parked in the middle of the road, right next to where I should have been. Did I simply back up and enter the site properly? HAH!

One more one-way trip around the loop and into the site perfectly! I went about the business of setting up, chocks, stabilizers, unhitching, leveling, electric hookup, water. It all went well, I and felt like I was understanding quite a bit about this new world! Moxie and I spent Sunday and Monday evenings walking the park as well as eating and sleeping in the camper. All in all it was a successful test. I only needed about eight backup attempts to return Roxy to the home driveway.

Now I was ready for the ultimate test – a long haul, multi day bona fide RV adventure!

With the Covid mess, the relatives who usually assemble at our home for the holidays decided against air travel. Aija’s mother, Valda is 97 and it’s important that her children spend as much time with her as possible. We even do a weekly family Zoom meeting to help accomplish this purpose. At any rate, an opportunity presented itself – I could take the camper to Silver Spring, MD and pick up my brother-in-law, Dainis, and bring him home to spend the holidays with his mother.

Thus began the adventure that I am currently pursuing. As a matter of fact, as I write this, I am sitting in the middle of a field on the property of the Cartersville Country Winery close to Timmonsville, SC. This is my first stop on the way north. All indications are that a huge storm is on the way to the east coast – OF COURSE! Actually this first leg of the trip went very well.

BUT DIASASTER WS LURKING AROUND THE CORNER!

After driving to my site, I went to unlock the door, only to discover that I did not have my camper keys! I did make two stops along the way. one for gas, and one to use the facilities in the camper! I can only assume that either I left the keys in the door and they wiggled themselves out during the ride, or I accidently pulled them out of my pocket to get my car keys or money, or something. I diligently searched the interior of the truck, but nothing appeared!

The extremely kind host at the Winery, managed to drill out the lock without damaging the latch and I was able to gain access to Roxy. This gives me a great reason to add a numerical keyless lock upon return to Valdosta.

So I kept the camper hitched to get an early start on leg two tomorrow. I had tracked mud all over the floor and so out came the mop. Next was a shower for yours truly! I had hooked up the water and turned on the water heater, so a good shower ensued. Next, into the PJS and think about dinner. I opted for Jasmine Rice with Turkey Sausage and Cheese – excellent, although I’m not quite ready for my RV cooking show! I set the thermostat at 68 and the furnace did its job. I settled in to watch some TV and I thought I might as well document all the vagaries of the day.

Bless you if you’ve actually read this far. I’ll be turning in tonight wondering what tomorrow might bring. I’ll be on my way to Prince William Forest RV Campground in Dumfries, VA, then a side trip minus Roxy, into Silver Spring to pick up and bring Dainis back to the csmper.

I’ll let you knowhow it all goes. Peace. – Jim

The “Pod” is what Atlanta Opera designates the living group in which I am Grandpa-sitting Eva while the opera singers are off doing their thing! I’ve been here in Decatur since arriving on October 14. I’ve done this “gig” many times with these guys and it’s not only fantastic to be here, but also comfortably familiar. It is, however, getting a bit colder here and the thoughts of singing opera al fresco may raise some difficulties for the singers and audience alike (to say nothing of the orchestra!). The header picture is of a very much younger Eva and me at a restaurant, I believe in NYC. Yes – she would like a sip!

MUSIC

As you know, I’m promoting some of my published choral compositions. Most of my work is for the Advent and Christmas seasons. It’s probably too late to ask a choir to prepare something for this fast-approaching season. But, I’m thrilled that Donald Nally and The Crossing recorded my piece, Angels Sang with Mirth and Glee. I’ve included it here just to see and listen. Of course, if you want to purchase copies and have it ready for next year, I won’t object! I hope you will listen, if for nothing else, the begin the anticipation of the upcoming season.

Angels Sang With Mirth and Glee (SATB, A Cappella)

https://www.collavoce.com/zoo/item/angels-sang-with-mirth-and-glee-15-94110

(Recorded by Donald Nally and The Crossing on Evolutionary Spirits – Navona Records – NV6218)

TRAVEL

I have a VIN for the R-Pod 180. It hasn’t shipped yet, but that’s progress! Hopefully it will be waiting in Valdosta when we return. Here’s what I’m thinking for the new logo for the YouTube Channel:

BOOKS

I’m currently in the middle of Donna Leon‘s The Temptation of Forgiveness. Join me!

That’s all for now! Please comment and stay tuned!

Greetings! Even here in Deep South Georgia, only 15 miles from the Florida line, it ‘s getting chilly! In the interest of time (yours – reading; mine – writing), I’m compartmentalizing this post with various highlights. Please do comment or reply, I love hearing from all of you! Here we go:

MUSIC/CHORAL

I’ve been spending most of my time in this area, re-editing some compositions that I haven’t published with Colla Voce, Inc. All of these I’ve self-published with SMP Press (Sheet Music Plus). I will upload a list with links over on the music/choral page of this website. I hope you’ll take a look and, if you are a choral director or church musician, I hope you will program my music. If you do, please let me know about it. It’s getting a bit late for the holiday season choral preparations, but there are other things on the list as well. Of course, with the pandemic issues, nothing is certain for the coming holiday season. I do continue to publish my advanced compositions with Colla Voce and you will find those over on the music/choral page as well.

MUSIC/OPERA

Two things here. I am in self-quarantine until October 14 (I’ve tested twice for C0vid-19, both negative). The reason for the quarantine is that I’ll be spending a month in Atlanta starting October 15 when I will again resume my favorite role as Grandpa-Nanny for our now precocious five-year-old Eva! This comes about because Daniela and Alek have accepted positions with Atlanta Opera as part of the Atlanta Opera Players Company! Their first assignment is for the production of Ullman’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis where Daniela will be the Drummer and Alek will be Harlequin. Atlanta Opera has come up with a unique effort to combat the ongoing virus dilemma. They will begin performing this fall in a circus tent with limited seating. It’s a wonderful thing to help professional singers find some employment as opera companies world-wide are shut down. These folks had most of their contracts canceled resulting in NO income! Bravo Atlanta Opera.

So, while Daniela and Alek head off to the tent, Eva and I will be doing virtual school through Valwood in Valdosta, and having a great time together. Two years ago, we did several marvelous weeks in Oviedo, Spain while the parental types were in Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito. I’m looking forward to round two in Atlanta. We’ll be home just in time for Turkey Day!

I am working on the composition of another opera project, but more on that later.

BOOKS/READING LISTS

Gosh! I really liked Kate Atkin’s first four Jackson Brodie books – BUT – I just completed number five (Big Sky), and I confess I’m not a fan! It took forever to plod through the endless narratives. I spent almost the entire quarter on this one book! Consequently, I’m behind my self-imposed schedule. Now I’m on to JA Jance’s Sins of the Father and it’s a real page turner. I love the JP Beaumont character – maybe because he’s 72 like me!!!

BOOKS/FICTION

Doing a lot of thinking and contemplation on Twin Killing and Cedar Key – but still spinning wheels! Fingers crossed …

REAL ESTATE

Still functioning as chair of the Valdosta Board of Realtors Professional Development Committee, which has had a very successful virtual year! Also still an active member of TEAM AIJA doing signage, showing houses, doing video shoots, flying the drone, and other miscellaneous stuff. We’re also haveing a great year despite the virus!

TRAVEL

Still waiting for the RV – the Forest River R-Pod 180. Should be here about the time I get back from Atlanta. Moxie is being very patient to begin our adventures. My plan is to adda You Tube Channel (Moxie & Me – Takin’ a Mosey) to document all our adventures. I hope you’ll come along!

CODA

Well, after reading the last post, I guess I could have just written – Nothing New! Anyway, continuing to enjoy retirement, family, relatively good health, et al.! Peace, Health, and please wear a MASK!