This has been a strange week, indeed.  Bear with me and let me do my stream of consciousness.

1. It started with Tuesday

Several people have asked about the Mahler concert (Mahler’s 8^th “Symphony of a Thousand”); it was an experience.  Getting up to the balcony at good old Carnegie Hall was like an upwards trek in the outback.  Elevator? Who needs the elevator, we are already in the crowd pushing up the stairs. The equivalent of 8 flights. Or more.  I am still panting.  Then once up, it’s straight down to the seats.  I felt I needed a reverse ski lift.  Finally seated from close to the ceiling (tickets  sold out in September and we were lucky to get these)I could make out the HUGE, I mean HUGE population on the stage—perhaps “THE thousand.”  Christoph Eschenbach conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra.  Now picture this: there were 205 choristers and 8 vocal soloists.  The stage was extended into the first 4 rows to accommodate The Philadelphia Singers Chorale. The Westminster Symphonic Choir, the Mendelsohn Club of Philadelphia, and the American Boychoir.  In addition to 2 mezzo-sopranos, a baritone, a soprano, there was an additional soprano who appeared from an exit door nearby in a white jeweled gown to sing angelically from out top balcony.  Just briefly.  it was amazing to see how many instruments were brought in for brief moments. A celeste and 2 mandolins, for example.

My husband was able to get 2 tickets and was supposed to take my son who was to come home for the concert.  He is a Mahler fanatic at 21.  But son of Sans was unable to come home as he is taking a conducting course and he was scheduled to conduct the University Orchestra do the first movement of Mahler’s 6th while we were at the 8th.

And as we arrived close to home, our classical music station was just finishing up a movement of Mahler’s 2nd.   It looks like Gustav is going mainstream.

So a little Mahler smorgasbord for you:

Part 1, Symphony No. 8 from the concert

Allegro, Symphony No. 6, what our son conducted

Allegro, Symphony No. 2, played on the radio

2. Wednesday

We had plans to go to the Brooklyn Museum and lunch. My husband took the day off for a much deserved rest but the day fell apart.
In December we had purchased a Panasonic VHS/DVD recorder and our plans were to copy the chronicles of our son from babyhood and up that we had taped over the years onto DVD’s.

 Within a week the new machine was not playing and actually ate a tape—luckily not one of the baby tapes.  After much hassle, we shipped it back, but as we play our television through the VCR, we had to reconnect an old one. 

The repair was supposed to take a few days and instead took well over a month.  When the machine returned (after a major part was replaced) we noticed that it was intermittently humming while it was off.  And it wasn’t humming any song we were familiar with.  So we were advised again to send the machine back.  And this we planned to do on Wednesday morning, but we couldn’t get the back-up machine to work.  So now we have a virtually new player that needs repair again, and no old one that would play in the meantime.  And we can’t send the faulty machine back without one that operates so we can watch tv.

Life is getting too complicated.

And then, the mail arrived.  My husband is a philatelist and always uses great old stamps, even on bills.  Two bill payments came back for insufficient postage.  But, there was sufficient postage.  The dolts who scanned them at the postal service didn’t recognize the stamps.  We scurried to pay the bills on-line and husband marched over to the post office to register a complaint. 

Time is passing and now it’s too late to go to the museum.  We decide to take a ride to Brooklyn anyway and have lunch at our favorite Peruvian restaurant.  “I’ll have a mojito, please, with that paella.”  The food is wonderful, consistently, and we were beginning to feel better.

The borough of Brooklyn is one of the coolest places in the city—still homey, low-key, old-fashioned shopping. We picked up coffee from D’Amico’s, the coffee roaster, a peasant ciabbatta loaf from Mazzola, the baker, some great cheeses from, Stinky BKLYN, a poetry book from Books Court.  Now we’re humming.  And there was still plenty of time to get to my husband’s dental appointment.

 While driving back I drowsed into mojito-ville and heard someone in my dream mutter, “that’s not good!”  A strange noise was coming from a tire.  We got to the dentist, inspected the car and saw 2 large screws poking out of the left tire.  Screws that were so large they were probably from a construction site.  Car Voodoo.

I called AAA, husband goes in for teeth cleaning.  Tire changed, teeth clean, we get home. Trying to make sense of the day.

3. Thursday

I noticed that while on the computer in the morning before going out to run errands, that there was a light flash in the periphery of my left eye. 

I went out, looked up, the sky was dark and it predicts rain.  Then, a streak of lightening flashed. Downwards.  Bolts.  Another and another.  But not from the sky–from my eye and the more I walked, the more it happened. 

I brought the car into the mechanic who finds more screws and nails.  These were the original tires from 2002 and needed replacing.  Now’s the time. Four new tires please.  Bolts of lightening return.

 More errands.  I was trying clothes on in a store and  the flashing started going laterally.  Across the top of my eye.  I was thinking that maybe this was an ocular migraine, but no pain, no pressure, just these random flashes.

By the time I got home I was getting nervous.  I had never experienced this before and something was strange.  Was I channeling Thor in my left eye?

I called the eye doctor; no one was in. Hmmm.  I decided not to call the emergency number. I made dinner.  Flash, flash.  I decided to call the emergency number.  Two hours later the doctor called back and I am told to come in first thing in the morning.  In the meantime, “rest; no computer, no television, no aerobics.”  This was in case my retina had been torn.  It sounded like the ocular fluid was contracting and pulling on the retina. Nice.

I decided to watch “Ugly Betty.”

4. Friday, This Morning

I am happy to report that after a very thorough examination, there are no retinal tears but I have to be careful not to move my head too much. There is a floater that is suspended in my line of vision now, and it will hopefully sink and stop the tugging and flashing.  This can happen to anyone of any age.  Who knew?  It happens even when I am not moving.  It seems to be somewhat less today.

I’ll go back for a follow-up in a month.  In the meantime I am supposed to move my head regally.  No swift movements.  I can do without aerobics—I don’t do them anyway.

So, I’ll picture myself wearing a crown, and take my regal-ass downstairs for some lunch.

And hope that whatever flashes I have are bits of genius and not of retina.  Fingers crossed.

reply mystied wrote on May 9, ’08 So pleased you enjoyed the concert, sounds magnificent and Kudo’s to your son for his talents in conducting. You had a ‘when it rains it pours’ type of day and those are always unbalancing but you handled everything smoothly.I had to laugh about your regal comments, it’s nice to see your humour is intact and functioning brilliantly..lol. Queen Sans, I like it. (good news on the eye, wishing you speedy healing)

reply annedigitalis wrote on May 9, ’08 That’s some week! Odd how all weirdness occurs at the same time, makes you think your losing your mind. I too have a floater, mine is a squiggle that does a jig when I’m on the computer. Fun aren’t they. I suppose in time I won’t notice it as much or so I have read.

reply philsgal7759 wrote on May 9, ’08 I LOVE the way you write girl. Hope the eye is ok And thew weekend is a darn site better than the week

edit delete reply lauritasita wrote on May 9, ’08 I’m glad it doesn’t seem to be anything serious at this time. Take it easy and rest your eyes. I hope the follow up visit you’ll have in a month will be ok.

reply bostonsdandd wrote on May 9, ’08 I agree with Narice LOL. I LOVE your writing! You put us in your place and make us feel your emotions.And I thought I had a bad week :o(. Sorry my friend :o/. Hope you have a GREAT weekend!

reply mntsinger wrote on May 9, ’08 {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{SUE}}}}}}}}}}}} at least you had the concert and the honor of your son conducting the other. Will keep positive thoughts on that floater(always knew Sue was electric {wink})

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on May 9, ’08 Thanks for all the kind words. 🙂 Damn floater…

reply skeezicks1957 wrote on May 9, ’08 I am tire challenged so do so feel for you in your buying of four new tires. In my opinion (which is very limited) you should go to the medical doctor and not just the eye doctor, to have your blood sugar and blood pressure checked. Glad your eye is getting better though and hope all is well and it is as the eye doctor says.

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on May 9, ’08 Thanks, Skeez, I recently had a physical and my blood pressure has always been low, sugar always normal. It’s something that just can happen at any age. Very strange. Flash on, sister.

reply danceinsilence wrote on May 9, ’08 There is a big consolation to your head restriction movements … ya won’t see me streaking past you during rush hour traffic!

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on May 9, ’08 Heehee–FLASH!

reply lonewolfwithin wrote on May 9, ’08 wow… what a week! i know what you mean about the floaters… expierienced my first at 24… and i usually have a new episode every 3 to 5 years… (one of the reasons i was removed from flight status in the military… kept seeing things that wasnt there! lol!) glad everything worked out ok though! be well and stay blessed! ^..^

reply danceinsilence wrote on May 9, ’08 Hmmmm … was I tooooo fast … should I back up my butt and do a do-over!!

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on May 9, ’08 Good to “see you” Well, not out of the woods yet. I’ve had them all my life but the one bothering me now just formed subsequent to this ocular fluid “contraction” and attached itself–s the fluid is viscous, it drags and is taking the retina with it, so the flashes I see are the pulling of the retina, which may or may not tear. Oh well, I’ve been through worse things in life! Hugs to you.

reply hurricanekate wrote on May 9, ’08 xo

reply lynnpolarity wrote on May 9, ’08 well first, u have to know lm jealous about your outing at carnegie hall… l listened to your music, the first was amazing. the radio was nice. one cant trust new fandangle stuff anymore..sigh. lm glad it didnt ruin your originals. when l go for eye tests, they always ask me if l see flashes and spots… flashes not so much, but there are times when l see bugs and flies that arent there lol. oh and they say l have dry eye… lm glad u found out whats going on, cos that can be frightening if it keeps up like that. can l use your crown lol..and no l dont want to borrow your regal arse,,,nope. and u have a good weekend too…

reply markg1 wrote on May 9, ’08 What an adventure.I would have loved to go to Carnegie Hall to see Mahler’s 8th. That sounded amazing, the way you described the whole event. Almost like it was Wagner’s Ring cycle or something as elaborate.So you have no TV because your DVD VCR is not working. So, there isn’t cable in your area, or you connect your cable via the VCR/DVD Player? Your adventure with your car, reminds me why I like public transit. LOL Hope your vision comes back to normal, your highness. LOL Honestly, hope your vision does improve, that sounds frightening. Here’s hoping your weekend is uneventful.

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on May 9, ’08 Sure we have cable in the area; it’s just that we hook up through the VCR. Don’t ask. Trying once more to re-hook up the old one so we can send the new one back. AGAIN. So outrageous. My vision is ok, just a little freaky seeing lightening flashes in bolts and arcs, when I least expect it. Yeah, Mark, you would have loved the concert. 🙂

reply markg1 wrote on May 9, ’08 I understand about the cable hook up. I am hunting to replace a 26 inch set that my brother got me when I moved in 5 years ago. somehow the speakers got fried.The place I went to, has nothing but flat screens and I have no idea if there will be a connection for the cable to the set. I also am not certain if it will fit precisely, because it being a flatscreen is different than the conventional sets.Will be challenging to say the least,

reply vickieann wrote on May 9, ’08 Yes, those floaters seem to be gaining in number in my eyes also~a sign of age or wisdom? Thanks for sharing your week but I gotta tell ya, holy smokes last summer I had to drive down to Brooklyn to pick up a young lady who had run away. I was terrified! One way streets, people walking out it front of my car, OMG I was never so glad to see the Green Mountains on my way home! It didn’t help matters that the hospital I was trying to find, lolol, I had been driving around it for an hour! It takes up many blocks! Finally, a nice police man helped me and let me park illegally to run into the hospital to get the runaway I was there to save. She get me on the right streets and back on the highway in no time flat! You must be busting with pride over your son conducting an orchestra! Geesh, I don’t even know him but I am proud a young man is doing so well! So, I stand and applaud for your son! woooohooooooo oops ya can’t do that in a concert can you? Stand up and yell “woooooooohoooo”.

reply starfishred wrote on May 10, ’08 Sorry about your floater hehehe mostly the do resolve themselves- Mahler well I like some of his stuff but so much is heheh funerally for me- try to enjoy your weekend okay

reply tulipsinspring wrote on May 10, ’08 Wow. At least you deserve another Mojito after all that! You do lead an interesting life … a lot of fun activities planned during the week. And Brooklyn — amazing description!As for the floater, I’m glad you got that checked out. It can be an emergency — it happened to somebody I know. So it’s good that you got good news about it, how scary.As for being regal, I think that sounds like a good plan. Heads off, leaving the royal wave behind. Love ya — and love your writing too. I’ll second that point from below. Hugs and take care!!!!

reply knightstar wrote on May 10, ’08 What an exciting life! I haven’t had this much happen to me all year. Hope the eye thing gets better.–M

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on May 10, ’08 Thanks! It’s driving me crazy–like a fly in my eye and then FLASH as it pulls at my retina. 🙁

reply agnes128 wrote on May 10, ’08 LOL what are you doing on the ‘puter!?! *mock scolding* Go back and rest your eyes some more and here I’m serious. Take care of yourself.

reply teena2 wrote on May 10, ’08 Thanks for linking me to your Mahler blog…John listened with vigor as I read it out to him…and your son!!! Wow, a young maestro in your family. Sounds like a great family and fun times together…I’ll bet you’re never bored LOL I’m going to have to google Floaters…I hope it’s not painful and goes away without further complications…oh, fyi the two music selections #8 and #6 I couldn’t see or hear…only the last one, #2. Thanks for keeping in touch…I love reading your blogs…must set aside some time to read your breast cancer series. :-))

reply sanssouciblogs wrote on May 10, ’08 Couldn’t hear the music? Hmmm, don’t get it. You clicked, no? Turned up the volume? I posted a health blog before on floaters, very important to read. Love you.