New Update 12/13

December 12, 2013. Well I just read my last post and it's been quite an odyssey since then. In December 2012 the Leukemia relapsed with a vengeance. Pockets of cells on my skin. I felt fine but the doctors moved fast on this one. Immediately a biopsy on the cells, then a radiation appointment to plan dealing with the testicle which was still healing from the hydrocele, again suspected more Leukemia cells. All in one busy day with a catscan and hospital bed scheduled for the next afternoon. Chemo "MEK" was scheduled. A wild blue chemo included. I wrote a song to the tune "Kansas City" "I'm going to the Chemo ward, Chemo ward here I come" etc.(Blues in E). This 43 day hospitalization included some seriuous issues including a pneumonia and 12 days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where I rec'd amazing therapies. Once the chemo reaction crap was done (nausea, rhinovirus ((cold)), diarrhea and lung issues they tagged on 15 days of radiation for the testicle. No real bad reactions there, just impatience as I wanted to get home and start to rebuild this weak, sickly tired body. Indeed I got home Feb. 2nd and started to rebuild. By mid March I played an amazing gig with Anne Matlack and Harmonium (Britten and Mozart's Coronation Mass). I was still too weak to carry my bass so Spencer came to the rehearsals and gig with me and helped set up my bass and equipment (a stool and music stand light). God bless him. A great kid. Then we were planning a consolidation chemo round when my oncologist said "we have no experience with a 70 year old male with this extraordinary relapse. We don't know what we can safely give to you....we suggest you speak to the Bone Marrow Team" and see if they can help you. I set up a meeting the following Monday. Carol, Rebekah and Debra Vogel (my sister in law...I mean Frister in law...Friend and Sister combined) joined me for meetings with the scheduling nurse, and the BMT doc, Dr. Jakobowsky, and the social worker for the team (another Gem, the MSKCC teams are outstanding). The next morning, Tuesday, I called and said "Let's Go, I'm ready to try and save my life". It obviously was an easy decision since I wanted to be around for Benjamin's Bar Mitzvah in October 2013 and other wonderful family celebrations like Carol's Mother's 100th birthday and now 101st Bday on December 5th. Unbelievably the scheduling nurse calls me 4 days later, while I'm at Shanghai Jazz digging my neighbor Lee Finkelstein on the bandstand with another fine Jazz/Soul group (7:30 Friday night she's still working!!). "Mr. B, we have a perfect 10 match for you. We need you in the hospital April 23rd for another MRI and check in to the 8th floor (BMT floor). WE will prepare your body for the procedure". So that week I felt great, maybe a little bit concerned reentering Chemo mode again whereby they will wipeout my immune system, a dangerous enough prospect. That took about 10 days. Then a day off, and on May 2nd, 2013 I received my donors cells. For me a simple procedure, they inoculated the cells directly into my port through the inter venous lines and the cells somehow know where to go. I felt fine. I improvised a little prayer to welcome the cells to my body and off we went. Daily visits from the team told me how I was doing. Dr. Su was ecstatic how my numbers were "Charging back". I had some serious issues with C dif (a mean diarrhea) and such but I kept positive, and was even working on plans to put a big band together for July's MAPLEWOODSTOCK #10..."Jimbo's Jambalaya". Lee and Evel came to visit me one day and made me feel like I was back on the track. We talked music, friends, life. He even had an MSKCC employee come to visit me as he was planning a band for her wedding. So cool. The connections in this world. Wild. OK, I forgot to tell you something. My Frister in law made arrangements for Carol to live in an apartment in the city for 2 months so we didn't have to shlep back to Jersey each day. What a godsend. Thank you N and R and Debra. In addition the Docs did not want me to return home with the traffic we were used to at home since my immune system was rebuilding. Sooo...after 8 years together, Mildred and her caretakers had to move out of Maplewood. Fortunately again Debra and Elfin did the footwork and took over. Mom is comfortably settled with them in SO so we can visit frequently and carefully (I wear a mask etc. almost anytime I go anywhere). I was released to come home on July 2nd, 2013. We indeed performed at MapleWoodstock 10 on July 12th. I could only make it through 1 tune on bass, but that was fine enough for me. I loved the band of fine players, almost all my neighbors we had gathered and rehearsed. We had a ball. Last month I played 2 beautiful gigs, a Chamber Music Trio at 1978 Art Gallery where I showed 2 new pieces, and a Bach Magnificat back at Calvary where I've been playing on and off for 35 years or more. AHHHH....back in the saddle. AND....tonight and Sat. I play string bass with my Concert Band still going after we created it 10 years ago (as is SwingTown thanks to Ben and Susan). Next week trombone and tuba in my Brass Quintet for a session of Christmas Carols. Then back to Shul for a Klezmer service in January. I'm a fortunate musician to have a wide range of opportunities. I can shed on 5 instruments a day, and I love it!! I'm also painting like mad. Just finished 3 portraits of my Grandchildren and will get them framed this week so after Christmas the kids can take them home. I'm getting ready to set up the Christmas Tree and Train Set. We have a few new things to add this year again. We love it all. Well there are more updates on my Facebook page, but I will tyry to keep up this blog again for a while. Looking forward to when my ANC (neutrophil) numbers return. Docs are all mystified as to what's going on. I feel fine, but something has yet to kick in. My last Bone Marrow Biopsy was excellent. No leukemia cells, all my immune system is my donors!! I'm a lucky guy and got a great donor whoever or wherever he is. Someday I hope to find out. Peace. Enjoy the beautiful winter, keep warm. JIM

Fall healing

So it turns out after a few weeks the antibiotics did nothing and the diagnosis was a Hydrocele....somewhat of a common problem for young boys and guys over 40. So, after a sonogram no sight of cancer issues, just water. So I had surgery (Hydrocelectomy) to fix it August 24th and healed for about 2 weeks. Now I'm back walking and soon to swimming. I go for the final checkup on that surgery in 6 weeks, Meantime our checkups at MSKCC are 4 months for Diabetes and 5 months for the Leukemia which is still in Remission now over 5 years. Getting back to our music as well after a hot summer with fewer rehearsals and gigs. Enjoyed a fine half week with the Grandchildren in Woodstock. Now they are back to school and sound busily happy, or is it happily busy??? Enjoy the beautiful Fall. JIM

Hot Summer Reading

July 12, 2012 . 9 am. Just reading an amazing, powerful, series of articles in the NY Times on new cancer therapies; genome sequencing and finding drivers of cancer cells (re)production. Heavy articles but so important to read.
Meantime I'm performing a lot and enjoying the rehearsals as well. Trying to stay out of the incredible heat here. Now that the Beethoven Symphonies are performed we are doing a lot of summer Jazz etc. in the parks, pool, clubs etc. It's all fun. I lowered the bass strings and am turning up the amp. : ) Will get back to MSKCC for checkups in the late summer or early fall. Dealing now with problem which appears to be an infection (taking Cipro) but we'll see in a few days if it works. May need more therapy than that.
Meantime the Grands were here and we got to the beach, the pool, the concerts at MapleWoodstock and the fireworks. Good time. They'll be off to summer camp soon. Carol and I enjoyed a wonderful day up in the lakes country with Army buddies. Fine.

Keep cool. JIM

Grands Visit

June 22nd, 2012. Well the Grandkids went home yesterday and already we are a bit lonely around the house. Missing an energy and vitality they bring. We were very busy with them...the Art Show last Saturday, then the diner and Shosh and Riv went home, the others of us went to the movies. Then Tenement Museum on Monday in NYC and the diner at night for Jazz. Tuesday to the Beach for a long day of Boogie Boards, play in the sand, and rides on the Boardwalk (this has become a tradition now). Wednesday to Yankees Stadium on a hot but beautiful afternoon. Thursday pickup and go home. So we've got a busy schedule of gigs this month but the Pool is open so I'll get over there and start doing laps now. Redone pool apron etc. will make things more comfortable. Enjoy your vacations folks. Keep healthy...eat those veggies. JIM

Joys and Loss

It's been a beautiful spring of Joys and Loss. Today our dear Sophie has gone to rest. Last week my cousin's wife Marty died after a wonderful couple of weeks with her family. During my last post I told you Steve had passed. Then Pat had gone to rest. We enjoyed a beautiful Memorial service for Dick Kniss in Woodstock 2 weeks ago. Yesterday Chrissy's Mom passed. And so we see the fullness of life this Spring, from rebirth in our gardens, and many fine performances of music and dance people have been preparing for months or years, and then to the space to say I Love You and the time to say goodbye, as best we know how. Meantime I am fortunate to sit here at the computer to kvell, celebrate, the joys of living and loving....my Grandchildren, my wife, my brothers and sisters, my friends, my fellow patients, my doctors and nurses, my family and colleagues. I feel great. I enjoy seeing people, partying, hearing the music, playing the music, seeing the paintings, making the paintings etc. We're a fortunate lot here. No wonder it is so difficult to say goodbye. We try so much to enjoy all this it is painful to see some leave us. Yet we all must take our rest and leave this place sometime. Soooo....in the meantime enjoy the beauty, the sunrise, the sunsets, the warm nights and bright days. Play your hearts out. Dance up a sweat. Enjoy that meal man. Thanks for checking in. We're doing ok. The docs keep checking me out and so far so good. We will keep looking forward.Enjoy this time of life, and get ready for the pool, the lakes, the warmth. Peace. JIM

Spring and Steve

Sat. March 24, 2012. Spring is here in Maplewood and yesterday we enjoyed a day trip to Woodstock to dig the blossoms, birds etc. up there. The sky, the mountains, the lakes all looked inviting. Can't wait to go back and spend a weekend or a week up there. Next week I'll be in Tampa to catch up with Brother Kim and family and go to a Yankees game and visit some friends on the West Coast. Carol and I trekked into MSK for her checkup and all is clear. 6 months before her next checkup. Great. Tuesday my friend Steve Phillips the drummer passed on. He had a heart attack while sitting in at a gig and lingered for almost 2 weeks in a coma before passing. Tuesday I'll get to his funeral. I miss him already. We had played 3 times last month, and I have videotapes of all 3 of those sessions as memories. RIP.
Well, I gotta go practice to keep up with the music challenges ahead. Enjoy the beauty of the season. Keep your health. JIM

PRESIDENTS WEEKEND

Fri, Feb 17, 2012. Last night Carol presented a very interesting video to our Neighborhood Assn. featuring one of our neighbors whose family was enslaved in South Carolina. The white family Plantation owner's descendants and the slave's descendants were researching that history. It's an amazing story captured on a PBS video. Great discussion and questions afterwards. Yesterday I did a concert for Tots, little preschoolers featuring our string quintet...solos and ensembles and games for the kids. Evidently this concert series has been going 35 years or so. My bass was new to the mix and it sounds like they want me back next year. Looking forward. Also got a call to perform Beethoven's 9th in June. Great. Playing Schumann's 1st and Saints-Saens Cello Cto. early March. Last month did Elgar Cello Concerto and Vaughn Williams Serenade to Music. I enjoy preparing and performing these pieces. This morning I am listening to Yo Yo Ma and his Brazilian friends...I want to play Brazilian, Spanish, and Argentinian Duos with Joel on Guitar and me on cello or bass. Am seeking tunes now. Brass Quintet continues Saturday, with a sub for Al this week, but we are looking forward to some recitals in the Spring. Also trying to put together a Nawlins styled Brass/Funk band four MapleWoodstock ala Dirty Dozen. The Country Band continues once everyone returns to NJ and the Blues Band is cranking back up for the summer months.
So, an annoying 2 week cold is finally lifting and we're doing good. Off to Mohonk for a little break soon. Before you know it we'll be back to Woodstock. I'm also trying to do a chamber music workshop in Vermont this spring. We'll see how it goes. Meantime we keep drawing, collaging etc. Peace. Stay Healthy. Thanks for catching up with us. JIM

6 months

12/22/11 Saw Dr. Berman yesterday, all the numbers are superb and she's happy to see me again next May, and I'm happy to let it go until then. Although I will have a blood check and checkup with Dr. Azeez Farooki in March about the sugar/weight things. So this is good newsd for the Holidays. Happy New Year y'all. Enjoy your holidays. Carol and I celbrate our 47th Wedding Anniversary on December 26th, and will be going to Captiva Jan. 3rd for a short beach walk (and poolside drinking and nightime boogieing to the Modulaters). See you in the New Year.

Getting ready for the Holidays

Fri., Dec 16th, 6 pm. I put the tree up yesterday and added ornaments today. Carol is here practicing piano. We printed over 200 cards and are getting ready to send them out. Tomorrow I play a concert on bass with the Maplewood Community Concert Band and SwingTown. I founded these bands about 10 years ago and no longer conduct them, and they sound better than ever.I gave myself a Chanukah present of a pbone...that is a plastic trombone. It weighs ounces, not pounds. Friends own blue, red and green bones, so I chose Orange/Yellow in hopes of soon playing in an all shades section. Hah!! My good bass is still the traditional brown. We played Beethoven's 7th two weeks ago. A demanding workout. I put new Bel Canto strings on the bass for clearer sound and intonation. There go the Church bells from St. Joseph's Church. 6 pm each night they ring and play Hymns...this time of year Carols. We'll play Carols next week in a few locations for old folks and hungry folks. I'm still writing this on my MacBook but am readying an iPad for this task soon. Finished 2 new "Bridgeworks" today as gifts for friends here in town. These are collages made of violin, viola, cello and bass bridges. Next we'll do some more painting so we can get ready for some shows in the New Year. We're off to Captiva Jan. 3rd. I just got notice our Cruise from last year "Symphonic Voyages.com" went bellyup. That's a shame because it was so good last year. Well I go see Dr. Berman in 2 weeks and am looking forward to good numbers. I feel good. Have lost some weight on purpose and exercised my way out of the sciatica issues with the help of my PT therapist. Been back to the Y 2x for circuit machines and swimming. I hope we get back to dancing at Captiva to the sound of the Modulatoes, a fun party band from Cincinnati. My own bands are slow this time of year, but we play Jazz Guitar Trio Monday nights, Big Band Mon and Tues mornings, Country Band and Blues Band and Brass Quintets on the weekends. Having fun. MerryHappy Chanukarismas and a Great , Healthy, Prosperous New Year. Keep in touch. JIMBO

Fall is Back

Tuesday October 3, 2011. 9:30 pm during the ALDS 4th game in Detroit....Yankees winning so far. Go Jeter. My back has been an issue for the past month....Sciatica (sounds like a Bubbly anti-inflamatory drink). But things are easing up a bit now...I'm back in Physical Therapy and getting some help. Needed 2 weeks off to repair myself, but now I'm back playing, practicing, performing. I'm fortunate to have lots of opportunities. Last weekend we were in Bethesda with our daughter's marvelous family for the second week in a row for Rosh Hoshanah. The weekend before was Jamie and Mike's fabulous wedding. We had a ball both weekends. Rabbi Greg's thoughts on Israel were inspiring. Going up to Woodstock for Yom Kippur....I owe the roofer for a new roof finished Friday. We hope to have the place repainted in the Spring. A new drug called Vizcosa is helping me to loose weight....have to get the sugar thing under control. I'll see Dr. Farooki soon again (Endocronologist at MSKCC) and in December Dr. Berman for a checkup. Carol and I have been doing fine on the checkups so far. We have had a rainy end of summer here, but things are going to dry up beginning tomorrow. Gotta go. Good health to all. Thanks for keeping up with us. Peace. JIM

Good Night Irene

Sept. 1, 2011. And so we sing goodbye to Hurricane Irene even though Paterson and Fairfield are inundated with water (Barack is visiting Paterson today, bringing FEMA etc.) and the Catskills are devastated. Carol and I tried to get to our Woodstock house yesterday and we were turned around 3 times. We made it in via the back roads, 212 to Fishcreek to Church Road. No power, but no trees in the living room either. A neighbor's Stone house lost a wall to a tree. The farmer next door had a loud generator going constantly, otherwise he has no water or refrigeration or lights. It may take weeks to get back to normal travel up there. Some towns (Prattsville, NY) were wiped off the map. Down the river.
We opened the windows and tried to let some drier air into the place....then prepared the house for a new roof going on this September, covered the furniture etc. to keep as clean as possible during the roofing job. Several families who used the place recently left nice notes, they all enjoyed it. We'll get back for October, Yom Kippur etc.
Here in Maplewood we still have to boil water. Some are without power but most power has returned. A few trees still not sawed up yet. Traffic is slow everywhere. Tonight we close our "Friends of 1978" art show and we'll return 2 frames back to our own home walls. It's always a joy to participate in a show.
Carol and I both did well with recent checkups. I had a post put in this week for a tooth implant; it's all ok. Looking forward (ugh) to Jury Duty, but also the return of many rehearsals and a few gigs. Enjoy the end of summer....I'm off to the pool for a swim. JIM

Good Checkup

Wed. August 3, 2011. I saw Dr. Berman today for a checkup in the clinic on the 4th floor at Memorial Sloan Kettering CC hospital. All counts are great...WBCs , RBCs Platelets etc. So I'm good to go for another 4 months, which takes me to December. I also have lost 5 pounds with the new weight loss regimen, Victoza. I suspect I'll try to loose 20 or 25 pounds by the end of the year. I've already increased my exercise with this new regimen...doing water aerobics in the Community Pool outdoors which is great. A good workout with bouyancy in the water helping the knees and hips and the resistance of the water helping the leg and arms and shoulder muscles. I signed up yesterday again for the winter at the YMCA and hope to continue the laps and workouts in the pools.
So tonight we are playing again with our Jimmy Lee Ramblers Band at the Maplewood Pool. We did so last year as well but we're becoming more popular and expert with all these gigs...last week again at Hat City Kitchen. This Saturday Night we're in South Orange and Sunday we're back at the Pool. Fun summer of playing.
We'll be going back to the Woodstock house in mid August for fun. We've really been enjoying that on recent vacations. I'm working on getting the roof reshingled soon.
I saw some of my nurses at the hospital today up on the 12th floor. It is always a joyous reunion. They deal with alot of heavy shit and they are happy to see me standing up and walking around. They consider me one of their "Graduates". Hah!!
Then I went up to the 15th floor to say hello to the Recreation staff...they are all so good and supportive. I found a real good place to hangout there when I was a patient there, and I participate in their patients art show there. Always good to see them and thank them for their work.
Gotta go get ready for work . See ya. Thanks for keeping up with me. JIM

Blogosphere Find

Sun. July 24, 3:47 am. I came across David Finckel's Blogs today...about his performances, travels, and his thoughts about performing music with a cello...that is technique and ideas about making music. David is an extraordinary writer as he is a musician and it is an inspiration to read his blog. Carol and I are very interested in maybe one joining the CMS tour/cruise. I especially recommend these blogs to musicians.
I spent the early part of Saturday practicing double bass and shaping up the fingerboard. Then sharing some DVDs with Debra Vogel, then a meeting with X Finity about changing internet service, then a quick set of laps in the Pool. Then to Maplewood Center for a delicious ice cream, followed by early to bed, since the Yankees already lost earlier in the day. I'm up for a while after checking the blood sugar values. I've been much better under control since beginning therapy with Victoza for weight loss.
It was great to speak with Rebekah again today after Shabbot, the first since the kids return from Israel. They had an amazing tour. Now back to reality. The kids have many summertime adventures still to come; camp, California, etc.
Tonight we continue performance at our SummerMusic Concerts with tuba in the Concert Band. Tomorrow back to the Diner with the Well Fed Trio. No more big band Mon. morns until after Labor Day.
Back to MSK for a checkup on Aug. 3rd. Speak to you after that. Keep cool. JIM

Heat Wave

7.22.11 THINK COOL THOUGHTS

July Heat

Tues., July 12, 2011. I recd a call today from a friend in California who follows my blog concerned that I haven't written in a while. I apologize, all is ok. My numbers are good and I feel good. Carol is fine and busy. Mom is doing very well also. I started a new drug to help me loose weight and it is helping with the cravings to eat. So I hope this will work better than other attempts. The music jobs have been keeping me busy this summer. Mon. and Tuesday mornings still the Big Band in Paterson; Mon evenings Jazz at the Parkwood Diner; Wed. nights concerts at the pool; last Sunday MapleWoodstock (see MapleWoodstock.com or Maplewoodonline.com) and Friday night Summer concerts in South Orange. So we are busy. I've also been posting frequently on that other site (FB). On a hot day like today I'll get over to the pool and get in some laps and do some reading.
I'm easing up on the rehearsals with cello, and with the brass quintet, and the trombone quartet, this summer. We'll get back to that again in the fall.
We got up to Woodstock for a fine July 4th weekend...favorite restaurants, the Miro String Quartet at the Maverick; a great movie, several art galleries etc. All in all a wonderful vacation. We'll go back for some weekends soon and then a week in August.
Rebekah and Greg and the kids are in Israel for a nice trip. Exciting stuff. We enjoyed having Ben and Maayan here for a week...Spiderman, miniature golf, movies, restaurants, NJ Shore, and Seaside Park amusements...lotsa fun. Also reading and math skills with Grandma and Music lessons and Woodworking skills with Grandpa for that "Camp Grandmapa" week.
This year at MapleWoodstock I played with the Jimmy Lee Ramblers, our new country band. Lotsa fun. Very different from my usual gigs. I gotta go buy me a new pair of cowboy boots soon....my old ones are too small anymore.
OK, enjoy the summer you all. I'll write again after my next visit to Memorial Sloan Kettering in August. Peace, and again, thanks for keeping up with me. JIM

Memorial Day weekend 2011

We're off to Woodstock. enjoy the weekend. Thanks to all who help with Millie. The art show was a success, I sold a piece. I'm so excited, I found some old pine Armoires, so I'm fixing 1 up for Woodstock and the other to sell and get my money back. The workshop at MSKCC in Basking Ridge was very informative, not about our specific diagnosis but about blood cancers generally. Dr. Hamilton was an excellent speaker. Getting ready for Open Gardens.com soon. Peace. See you soon. We're off to San Francisco next week for the Bassists Convention. Enjoy. Thanks for keeping up with me. JIM

Spring health, music, art and flowers.

Carol and I are fine with good numbers all around. Carol was planting her flower boxes on the deck today, looking good. More plants into the garden this week. We ducked up to Woodstock to strip the seat covers...we take them home and wash them to get ready for the season. We'll open up Memorial Day weekend. Today I played Jazz at the Art gallery celebrating the closing of our "Take Five" Jazz Month show. Next week I bring artwork into the hospital for the annual patients art show. Brought 2 old windows back from Woodstock to use as frames for some pastels. Tomorrow Beethoven's 3rd and Mass in C up in Sparta, NJ. Fun gig.
Am playing Jazz each Monday evening at the Parkwood Diner. Lotsa fun. Good crowd. Yesterday I went to Juilliard to hear a former pupils BA degree recital...real fine. Corey Schutzer. He's off to play in Europe before working on his Masters.
Maayan was a delight on the Skype this week. Love these Grands. Saw Elana on Skype at our Easter Sunday Seder. Fun.
Gotta go see/hear Lee's rock band tonight at 10 in HCK. Have fun y'all. JIMBO

Rest time

Sat. April 2, 2011. I'm resting a bit, still catching up after last week's opera performances, which went brilliantly. Had great audiences and exciting performances. Been recovering ever since. The Fri night gig at Hat City also went well. It'a a fun country band. Now to get Beethoven's 3rd Sym under control again for the May 1st gig. We last did it 3 seasons ago. We went to hear the NY Philharmonic Thursday. Fantastic sound, with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting and Annie Sophie Mutter performing a new violin concerto. Dynamite. Carol and I always love to get into the city. It's time for us to repeat our NY weekend soon. Last year we loved a weekend at the Iroqouis, next to the Algonquin. Heard 2 good nights of jazz recently, Winard Harper at Shanghai and Houston Person at Trumpets. This weekend is Maayan's birthday shabbot (April 3rd). Last night they had guests for dinner, Maayan sounded very excited on the phone when I called her. Also last night we took in a weird but funny movie, Grand Rapids. Had to have a tooth worked on today..ouch...now for an extraction and a post and buildup. Yikes. Expensive. Also waiting for a new chimney on the Maplewood house, more expense. Nutz. Our Jazz nights have begun at Parkwood Diner, to some fine reviews. Been digging my neighbor Stephen Reilley on You Tube. Such a fine player. We took a hike in the cool air last week in the reservation...brisk, but feels good to be back in the woods. Post snow and ice. I think they had another 8 inches in Woodstock yesterday. Garnet Hill was advertising extra spring weekends of skiing in the Adirondacks. Wild. Well Wed. we're back into the hospital for some tests and checkups. Hopefully everything is ok. Soon we'll be getting to the Woodstock place for a weekend. Can't wait, but I need it to warmup a touch. After tax day we'll be ok.Gotta go. Keep healthy. Enjoy the Spring. JIMBO

Spring returns

Friday,March 18, 2011.5:00 am. I love to get up early in the Spring. Today will be warm enough that we will take a drive up to Woodstock to look in at the house. We're keeping healthy and playing alot of music. Carol is involved in the Community. Last night she hosted the Hilton Neighborhood Assn. meeting featuring the Board of Ed Candidates forum. She has also put in alot of time and energy into the Maplewood Library where she is Vice President of the Board. I did a recital last Sunday with our Brass Quintet on trombone and tuba. Next weekend I conduct a small Chamber Orchestra on a short Opera based on Green Eggs and Ham. Fun, but a real challenge. Next month Beethoven's 3rd Sym. again. Great opportunity, we haven't done it in 2 years. This Wed. I play a Community Band Concert on Tuba; I no longer conduct there, but I love to play tuba. I continue to play in Big Bands at the Union Hall on Mon (tbone) and Tuesday (Upright Bass). I'm also studying cello and practicing some duos with a violinist. Great fun. Read a recent book about The Bach Cello Suites. It is time to slow down and enjoy the outdoors. We've had our fill of snow and ice and things dangerous. I broke a rib on the ice the day after Thanksgiving. The snow arrived the day after Christmas (our 46th wedding anniversary) and it stayed until last week. I have some ice damage on the house which needs work. Last week we enjoyed a family gathering for a Bat Mitzvah in Nashville area. I had a ball, I was tooling around in a beautiful, hot. red Mustang. So sporty. Loved it. Did 2 museums with Cafes as well. Mom is doing well and may join us on today's field trip. Last night brother Bruce hosted the family for St. Patricks Day. Delicious Corn Beef and Cabbage, his wife's recipe. It was fun to see my cousins and catch up. Mary made fabulous soda bread. We read Elana's blog from Costa Rica, so fine. She can write. Well, time also to go hear music, maybe Jazz tonight; next week Elfin plays all Bach. Soon NY Phil. and others. Heard Israel Phil recently here in NJPAC. Zubin Mehta was brilliant putting the woodwinds in front for the Schubert Great C major. Enjoy the outdoors. Stay healthy. Peace. JIM

February

Feb. 5, 2011. 7:30 am. Well the schmutz continues. Ice, rain, snow. A dangerous combination in below freezing temperatures. Today we go to NYC to see Elfin's play. Tonight to Montclair State with Bud for a recital by Carter Brey and Christopher O'Rielly. We're missing Jon Flower who was in town for some recordings, he's a bit fluey and has to run back to LA at 1:30. Next time we'll get together. I'm watching beautiful videos of Balkan cities. Gotta get there one day. I want to do the entire Meditteranean cruise soon, and Croatian river cruise etc. Got to the Y to workout and swim yesterday. Am studying a chamber music piece to conduct in March; Green Eggs and Ham, an operatic piece based on the Dr. Seuss classic. It will be coupled with "Sneeches" as well. FUN.
After the holidays and our cruise I felt a bit out of shape playing instruments, but that is slowly returning. Aboard the ship we saw the Kindle was very popular. I love reading mine as well. Right now a Bio about Ron Carter. Had to buy 2 more bags of salt for the ice.But, of course, the sun is rising earlier and setting later now so I can hear birds in the morning which reminds me that Spring is not far off. We have so much snow in Woodstock I want to go up and see the nhouse, but I've been busy. Maybe tomorrow before the Super Bowl I'll get up there.I'm enjoying my neice's blog from Costa Rica. Gotta get there one day as well. Have a warm Valentine's Day. We're playing at Churrasco Feb. 10th. Peace, JIM