I have enjoyed many of Paulo Coelho's books, starting with The Alchemist, his best known work. I heard it first when I was at summer camp as a teen and it was read out loud to us each day at lunch. I know that sounds cheesy but it was an amazing opportunity to take a mid-day break and stories read aloud are really special. Paulo has written many other books over the years and most are variations on a theme but one theme (and set of books) I have been thinking about is his "On the Seventh Day" series where he drops the reader into the life of a character for just a week as the protagonist experiences transformative change. The idea being that everything can change in just one week.
While my week has not exactly been extreme, it has been a "helluva" week (for lack of a better term). Last Saturday I was at the Knitter's Frolic in Toronto and enjoying a wonderful day with my sister. Sunday was equally quiet, but then Monday I found out I got a new apartment in Bracebridge, which lead to a week of signing a lease, notifying my current landlady, making arrangements for moving and all that. At work I was in 5 days and working like mad because we had two big events this week, saw the new office space we are moving into in June, making plans for the other large events we have coming up in the next few weeks. And the big bomb dropped Thursday, when I found out that a woman who I sang with in the choir had died of cancer that morning.
Well, that pushed a busy week into an overwhelming week, oh and cancer fucking sucks.
Nancy, who was in her 60, was a friend of mine. We were in the same section of the choir (2nd Soprano/Lead in barbershop arrangement) and often butted heads about pitch and timing. She was a incredible, wild, amazing woman who gave so much to her community and sang her heart out, despite only being on pitch some of the time. She knew she wasn't a gifted singer, but what she lacked in natural ability she made up for a thousand times in spirit, caring and general gusto.
Since finding out on Thursday I've been intermittently crying (which I am right now as I write this) and singing some of her favorite (and a few of her most hated) choir songs. Her funeral is tomorrow and so I'm heading to Parry Sound this afternoon to spend a bit of time with my sister today. I will be singing with the choir at the service.
It feels like a lifetime ago that I found out I got the amazing apartment.
Oh and knitting, I do that too, but with all the upheaval this week and spending time at the gym I haven't made it very far into my knitting. I've nearly finished another pair of socks (half a foot and two toes) but I started up a new shawl with some of the madelinetosh Tosh Merino in Astrid Grey I got at the Frolic.
I also rescued a few items from the frogging pond, and already had several other project on the go. Oh and I need to make sure that I have Carla's wedding shawl done before the leaves start changing color so I have time to make my shawl as well.
So, seven days. A whole lot can happen in seven days.