As I said yesterday, Chicagoans didn’t realize right away what had just happened, and the news hosts were running pre-planned programming, but today, the streams of excitement flooded the city! In the news, in the conversation at the workplace, and all the jokes I anticipated, and the ones I would never think about! And of course, the most important battle: is Pope Leo the Sox fan or the Cubs fan?!
Hettie’s Reflections – Blog Posts
ODS Dinners
On a local front: on Wednesday, I rehabilitated my cooking skills at the ODS. Last time I was there (at the beginning of April), I tried to cook the Boudin Balls, which I had no idea about! How they should look, how they should taste – nothing! Yes, I said – ask the residents what they want, but now I know better – “want” should be a subset of what I “can.”
After my attempt was declared an experience rather than a success, we decided that next time we should make a baked salmon, but then I had to cancel my volunteer shift because I had to go to Helsinki, and I was only able to come this Wednesday.
Baked salmon was a smashing success, and homemade mashed potatoes too, but they are always a success. One of the residents asked me to put aside some boiled potatoes before I mash the rest because “he didn’t like how mashed potatoes are soggy.” I put several pieces aside, but told him: just you wait! In a little bit, he was telling everyone that I proved him wrong 🙂
I am glad that I had a couple of people who actually participated in the process, and even suggested the spices, and that I could share the love :). And I forgot to take pictures again!
We Have Pope!
I can’t get over it – it feels unreal! I wouldn’t believe it if somebody had told me yesterday. It’s like a continuation of the joke that “Everything started in Chicago!” I like telling this joke to the guests, but … still unbelievable! I hope that’s for good! And I am sure Chicago will make the most out of it 🙂
First Signs Of Summer
It was not the first day over 70F this season, but one of the first (and also, I missed a couple when I was out of town). I didn’t have a chance to get out of the office during the day because I had no time between meetings, but the weather was so nice that I made a point to go for a walk before I boarded the train back home.
When I reached the Tapp (and found that the Tiny Cafe was not open yet, so there was no ice cream), I sat down on the granite and looked at the River. No phone, no listening to an audiobook. Instead, I was taking in the noise of the Happy Hour crowd, this unique Chicago summer buzz, and looking at the summertime over-the-river sfumato:).
Sometimes, you need a day when you do not have to hurry somewhere after work!
Two More CSO Concerts
We had a subscription for a series of three family matinees at the CSO, and due to the scheduling conflicts, we had to miss two of them. May 3 was not easier, but we all made an effort, even though Anna had to drive to the Loop and drop Nadia just in front of the Orchestra Hall, and had to leave immediately after the post-concert activities.
I was disappointed with a very low attendance, and I can’t even attribute it to anything except for general not-so-great people’s mood. it’s a pity because the concert was absolutely wonderful. Thomas WIlkings was absolutely magical – the way he spoke with the kids from the stage, how he introduced each piece, how he talked about building a community… As a CSO for Kids Ambassador, I (with the rest of the family) was invited to lunch in the Grainger Ballroom. that was a little bit overkill, because only two other families joined us, but as I said, the concert attendance was not great, so that was expected. I still think it’s a great idea to pre-order lunch for before or after the concert, and I hope that things will be better organized for the next season.
Then, there were the usual between-the-concerts activities, including “Mini Maestros” and the “instrument petting zoo,” which both Nadia and Kira thoroughly enjoyed. A new activity was creating some music with the large sticky notes:
The musicians actually played these two measures :).
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On Sunday, I took my mom to another concert conducted by our Music Director Designate Klaus Makela (Brahms Piano Concerto No.2 and Dvorak’s 7th Symphony). That’s the second time I listen to him conducting; I didn’t hear him before his was appointed the CSO music director, so now I am just starting to get a “taste” of him. Both works are beautiful, and Brahms sounded very unusual, though in a good way.
Makela is so different from both Muti and Borenboim, the two Musical Directors I’ve experienced at the CSO that it will probably take me a while to take his style in.
Everything Is Up In The Air
I was hoping for two of my big unknowns to resolve, but none happened.
Boris went to the visa interview, but they didn’t make a decision. Instead, the officer told him that “he will receive instructions about next steps by email.” And I don’t understand what in the world it could mean, because they also told him that he does not need to come to the consulate again. I am super worried and nervous, and don’t know what to do next.
My big not-for-profit battle is not over yet. For several months, I have avoided writing about it, hoping that “it will be all over” and I will be able to give a short summary and move on. And things are still happening, and I am still unsure whether “it’s over” or not.
I know that it all cyphered, but I do not know how else to express the fact that I am still very nervious and up in the air.
A Very Cold Weekend
It didn’t become any warmer, and not only did I not plant anything; I can’t even think about hanging the flower baskets! However, this morning, I biked to the Buckingham Fountain for the first time this season. After three days of biking hills in Helsinki, it was easy 🙂
On the way back, I biked against the wind all the way, and the wind was so strong that it took me twenty minutes longer! I went to Charmers immediately after I returned home. They do not serve quiche, but I love their avocado toasts!
The Most Unusual Way To Enter The US
Everyone tells horror stories about long lines and long questioning at the border, for both visitors and US citizens, so I was ready for the worst. My flight was somehow delayed for 1 hour and 40 minutes. I am saying “somehow” because there was absolutely no reason. Boarding started on time. Since I was in Group 1, I sat down, opened a Kindle book and didn’t pay attention to anything. I heard “Boarding completed,” and this announcement was made ten minutes before scheduled departure. I am not sure what happened next, because there were no more announcements, and I was still reading a book. Then, it was “Boarding completed” again, and I looked at the screen and saw that the arrival time had been changed to an hour later than it should have been. And we didn’t gain the lost time during the flight; in fact, we were delayed for forty more minutes!
But then, when we left the aircraft, we were immediately “pre-sorted” for the citizens and visitors, but both lines were moving without stopping, and in five minutes, everyone was in the arrival hall. There were several border control officers, and one of them was outside her booth with a camera placed on a tripod. I approached, and she took my picture, and asked what I am bringing back, but it was absolutely “as usual.” Then I stepped into the booth and saw that there was no officer there. I stopped, puzzled, and another officer turned to me and told me: You can exit!
I am not sure whether my readers had a chance to register “what’s wrong with that picture,” so I am saying it explicitly: nobody looked at my passport! Yes, I get it—this passport has more electronics than my Apple Watch, and there is a passenger’s manifest on the aircraft—but still!!!
Regatta
For some magical reason, there were zero people in line at Regatta – and it was not just a weekend, it was May Day! I am just grateful for the opportunity 🙂
A Very Brief Visit to Helsinki
No, I am not flying Business Class all the time; it’s just that I had a total of 14 upgrades because of my Finnair Platinum, and I can only use them on the Finnair flights, not on the partner’s flights. And also, there are fewer and fewer direct flights from Chicago, so I am flying on the partnering airlines most of the time. For this super-short visit, I used six of these forteen upgrades to fly Business Class on the way there, and Economy Premium on the way back. One benefit of Platinum at ORD was that I could go to the LOT Business Lounge (otherwise, the Quatar Airlines Lounge is absolutely horrible).
As usual, I started with sleeping for ten hours straight to compensate not just for the flight (I could sleep fine, since it was all horizontal), but for the previous weeks of anxiety.
And then, there were three days of biking :). It was rather intense, because I still didn’t bike much in Chicago this spring – it was too cold. It might be not much warmer in Helsinki, but I could not say no to Boris, so I just did.
Hettie's Reflections 