I had a lovely and musical weekend. It was such a pleasure to be able to hear some live music. I used to go to two or three performances a week. Now it seems like it�s more like two or three a year.

Saturday night I volunteered at a concert by the group I used to manage. They love having me sell CDs for them, because I was involved with the production for several, wrote the liner notes for a few and know them all extremely well. As payment, I got to sit in the second row to hear a beautiful concert, where many, if not most of the performers were also friends. It was the perfect way to start Christmas week. The only event to mar the evening was the fact that I hit a raccoon while driving there. Wildlife on the road is one of the hazards of living where we do. I suppose I should be happy it wasn�t a deer. But I don�t think I�ve ever knowingly killed a creature like that before. As much as I complain about the raccoons screeching in our yard at night, I felt terrible about causing one injury and probably death. But there was nothing I could have done. There were cars to the left, trees to the right and someone on my tail who would have slammed into me if I had braked fast. Even if I had braked hard, I doubt I could have done anything to avoid him. He darted in front of me then froze in my headlights. It made the most sickening thud. I don�t want to think about it anymore.

Sunday I did penance and went to Mass at Church of the Ascension on LaSalle, where I work as a ringer in the choir on occasion. I may be a little biased, but I think they have the best church music in the city. It�s an ultra-high church Anglican service. They call themselves Anglo-Catholic, rather than Episcopalian. They do a full sung Mass every Sunday plus a bunch of anthems, etc. The incipit and psalms are always done in plainchant by the men of the choir. The women weren�t singing yesterday, so the Mass setting was plainchant and congregational hymns were substituted for some of the usual anthems. It was beautiful. We took AJ with us. He spent the church service in the nursery under the supervision of a charming nun named Sister Mary Cecilia who had planned a Christmas party for the children that day. Despite the fact that we showed up unannounced, she had a small gift for AJ � a tiny stuffed pink pig � which he adores and is carrying around with him everywhere. They decorated tiny Christmas trees and ate chocolate cupcakes with bright green frosting, most of which seemed to have ended up on AJ�s nose.

We took AJ down to see the Christmas tree in Daley Plaza and the windows in Marshall Fields. The latter were definitely a disappointment to the adults in the crowd � not nearly as beautiful as in previous years � but AJ loved all the animated figures. Mostly, though, he loved being in the city. We haven�t taken him down there in a while. We walked by our old building and showed him where we used to live. He gaped at the tall buildings and laughed anytime the cab drivers honked. He loved all the clocks on buildings, and the giant numbers in the building addresses. Most of all, he loved watching the el go by.

After our morning of holiday spirit, we headed out to my mother-in-law�s for the afternoon where AJ got to take a nap and my husband got to watch the Bears game with someone else who actually cared about what happened (his brother). I took my mother-in-law out for a little last minute Christmas shopping, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but which definitely also won me major bonus points with the family. The first part of our evening was spent panicking about how we were going to get all the wrapping and baking done. The second part of our evening was spent polishing off the remainder of a bottle of Maker�s Mark, in an attempt to undo the damage done by the first part of the evening. In an effort to avoid any more drama, I think I will sign off and make a brave, bold attempt to assemble AJ�s primary Christmas present, a garage for his many cars. It has 5 pages of instructions and requires tools. If I don�t post again soon, you�ll know why.

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