Hallelujah!

Imagine my delight to find Leonard Cohen's hymn to humility and honor this morning at James Ford's MonkeyMind.

I'm very much in a Hallelujah frame of mind today, having woken in the night to hear rain falling and a soft breeze blowing across the bamboo wood chime outside my window. I rolled over and went back to sleep knowing that I would almost certainly be able to get my car dug out and go to the grocery store today.

When I went out to get the paper, I scuffed through soggy, rapidly melting snow, assessed the condition of the main road (sanded and smooth), and rejoiced to think that I would not be stuck another day.

I've been getting rides from musician friend Richard in his 4 wheel drive pickup, which is nice because R is one of these shy guys who doesn't open up in crowds but can carry on a perfectly fine conversation in a small group. I'm coming to appreciate very much his quiet manner as we navigate the snowy island roads. He's a sweetie who plays innumerable instruments AND builds them as well.

But this morning I was able to get my car shoveled out, pointed down the driveway, and out onto the main road into town, where I beat the crowds at the grocery store and stocked up for tomorrow's WinterJam, here at my house, where a bunch of us who often sing together will feast on turkey and the trimmings, pie, and sing our hearts out in a non-Christmassy way, since several are Jewish or Jehovah's Witness.

There's no Christmas Eve service tonight here for us, since our parking lot will still be a mess by tonight and drivers getting stuck would tear it up pretty badly. We're not exactly used to having Christmas Eve services in our own space, but I will miss the quiet magic of the candles and the carols, which we have almost completely let go of this season because of the weather. Next year, we hope to have a better experience.

This afternoon, Richard and Debbie and I will get together again and continue the recording session we began yesterday. We nailed about half of our songs and will finish today. It feels like a weird thing to be doing on Christmas Eve afternoon, but nothing about this Christmas has gone according to tradition.

Hallelujah anyhow!