This IS your Christmas Card

For a whole lot of very good reasons in the last few years, it’s proved impossible to get it together to send out our annual 100+ Christmas cards.  Between the time investment, which requires starting shortly after Thanksgiving, and the cost of the postage, we just haven’t been able to do it.  So, we’re going digital again this year.  Yep, this is your card.

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VICTORY!

There’s been a lot of victory going around in the last few days, not the least of which was a few minutes ago when Geoff and I finally conquered the Massachusetts version of the ACA website.  In the spirit of the season, it’s time to share some good news.

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What we’re reading now- holiday edition

We’re back from our hiatus.  We’ve had our battle with Mass Health and we came out victorious.  So, it’s time to catch all of you up on what we’ve been reading and doing other than preparing to fight for our right to health care.

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More Arts & Crafts

The Office for the Arts at Harvard is holding the annual Ceramic Show & Sale.  Details are below and full info is here.  I’m hoping that we can make it if only so we can look around.

December 12, Thursday 3-8pm
December 13-15, Friday-Sunday, 10am-7pm

The Ceramics Program of the Office for the Arts at Harvard will present its annual Holiday Show and Sale December 12-15 at 224 Western Avenue, Allston, MA.

The Ceramics Program provides a creative learning environment for Harvard students, staff, and faculty as well as designers, artists, and scholars from the greater Boston and international communities. This December, more than sixty artists will present an extraordinary selection of ceramic work. From functional dinnerware to sculptural masterpieces, this popular exhibition has something for everyone and attracts several thousand visitors each year.

Free cups made by the exhibitors will be available on a first-come, first-served basis during the opening, December 12, Thursday 3-8pm. The Holiday Show and Sale continues Friday through Sunday, December 13-15, Friday-Sunday, 10am-7pm.

The Studio is wheelchair accessible.

Unfortunately I missed the MIT Glass Blowing Sale this year, but it happens twice a year.  More details are here.

Happy shopping,

~Kelly

Holiday Arts & Eats at Assembly Row

It’s that time of year again!  It’s time to shop locally and stock up on gifts for friends and family.  I’m showing my jewelry and vintage goodies in the ASSEMBLED Holiday Arts & Eats show at Assembly Row.  It starts tonight at 6:00pm and runs through Sunday.  All of the details are below and here.  Hope to see you there.

~Kelly

Pork pie – for vegetarians

I promised I would post a picture if I managed to make anything that came out reasonably tasty, and so here you go.  This is the Pork Pie recipe from A Feast of Ice and Fire, but made with a “Ground Sausage” from one of those companies that make meat substitutes.  It came out delicious, despite my inability to do the top crust correctly (hopefully do better next time).

If Samwell could fly, he'd be back at Castle Black having a slice of this.
If Samwell could fly, he’d be back at Castle Black having a slice of this.

Anyway, I think I might try something else this week.

Happy Thankgiving everyone!  And happy Hannukah too!

-Geoff

 

My family and the Kennedys

Wow.  Fifty years.

JFK in state at WH
President Kennedy’s body lies in state in the East Room of the White House on November 23rd, 1963. His honor guard in this photo includes one member of each of the five armed services. His coffin rests on the same bier that held President Abraham Lincoln’s coffin in 1865.

It’s hard to describe the relationship I have had with a President who died before I was born, or the way that relationship was shaped even as I grew up in Alabama.  But there was, and still is, a relationship.  It led me to make  speeches in high school that evoked Kennedy’s own speeches on public service.  It led me to defend JFK vigorously even when I was still a dumb young Reagan Republican.  And it led me to make a point of visiting his grave at Arlington when I finally had the opportunity on a class trip.  Where I wept.

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Music Jobs and Concerts You Should Know About

We’ve got people hiring and people concertizing.  Check these out, Boston area folks.

The Old South Union Congregational Church, of Weymouth, Mass., is seeking a part-time Director of Music (10–12 hours per week) to oversee organ and choral music for worship services and special occasions. Old South is a large, vibrant and growing church on the South Shore with a history of exceptional organ and choir music of many styles and is seeking a candidate with prior experience as Music Director. The candidate should have knowledge of choral and organ literature, and the ability to play the organ and piano at an advanced level. The senior choir numbers 30-40 and the instrument is an Austin organ, Opus 2739 with 3 manuals, 31 ranks and antiphonal stops.

The primary responsibilities of this position are:
1. Coordinates organ and choral music appropriate to the liturgical calendar for performance at weekly and additional services.
2. Direct and play at weekly worship services.
3. Coordinate and oversee rehearsals, direct and accompany the Senior Choir and summer soloists.
4. Provide leadership and support for all aspects of music at the church, including supporting the Youth Choir Director and the choir section leaders.

The salary will be commensurate with the candidate’s education and experience.

Please send inquiries and resumes to Lauri MacKinnon at alexben -at- comcast.net

And next, the performance.  This is TONIGHT!

More details can be found here.

~Kelly

The Joy of Medieval Cooking

Thanksgiving is next week, and for those of us who love to cook, this is one of the absolute best times of year.  And ever since I decided to explore medieval cuisine, I have been wanting to try new dishes, and so I have been collecting books on the subject (and not just Chelsea and Sariann’s awesome Game of Thrones cookbook).  Thank goodness for ABE Books, or else I would never have been able to find many of these, or afford them once I did find them.

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