Lora picked me up for T.O.P.S. (yes, I decided to go). Sharon came back and a new person, Julie, joined, so there were six of us. I weighed 129.6 at home, for a loss of .02. Two weeks ago when I was last at T.O.P.S., I weighed 130.2, yesterday 130.6, so .04 up. (I don't understand why the difference, but it's so miniscule, who would care?) Lennie will be in Montana next week, so she asked me to conduct the meeting. Oh, all right, so I'll work something up.
David texted me while I was there, asking if he could come over to see the bird next. I told him I wasn't home, but he certainly could. I don't know why he asks my permission, as the nest is outside the gate, on common ground.
Got home and was just preparing breakfast (at 10:00 am, practically the middle of the afternoon) when Aline called. We had a great talk, mostly about Jim and Maria Callas. She can't wait to get Jim's essay on Maria and I can't wait to tell Jim her encounter with the diva. I'll recount it below, just so I don't forget it.
Walked to the Market before lunch for produce and so on. Bused back, had lunch, then just sort of lazed around. Ellen called later and we made preliminary plans for our mini-vacay to Pasadena and L.A.
Here's the Callas connection:
Aline and her friend (male, but platonic) were at opening night at the Met in New York in about 1969. They sat way, way up in the balcony, which is what they could afford.* Renata Tebaldi was starring in "Traviata" and she and Callas were fierce rivals. Callas was there, however: she was sitting with Rudolf Bing, general manager of the Met, in his box in the elite section. When Aline and friend were down in the lobby during intermission, Callas and Bing walked in. Aline's friend got down on one knee and kissed the hem of her gown! Callas wasn't angry or disgusted, she just smiled and she and Bing walked on. Aline also knew an opera coach who said Callas "acted with her voice" and was "the greatest artist ever in the world."
*The only time I went to the Met, I sat there, too.
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