Mise en place (4)

On the move again. Today's concert was our first ever outside the Aude. Thankfully the choir hired a bus to save us all a long drive. There was a hairy 15 minutes for the bus driver when we arrived in Agde. A closed road led to driving in circles and eventually ending up in a very narrow street with parked cars all the way long it making it about three inches wider than the bus. When we got to a point with a concrete telephone pole protruding a few inches, there was no choice ... he had to reverse a considerable distance before doing a 3-point turn. After this we abandoned any attempt to get closer to the church and parked a kilometre away, enjoying a brisk walk along the canal to get to the church.

This church is a lot cosier than last night's. Once again, there was a scanty audience, about as many as there are of us. It was augmented by the bus driver. Anyway, the concert was our best yet, and the audience was very appreciative. It's magical when a piece (Brahms' Alto Rhapsody in this case) ends and the audience is silent for a moment before applauding. There was an amusing moment when in a lapse of concentration Florence confidently tried to bring us in six bars early, before Myriam had finished her solo. We were impressively poker-faced as we all ignored her instruction, much to her relief. Anyway, we were all very happy, and enjoyed our more leisurely stroll back to the bus.

What a long day though. Left home at 3:15, and the bus left us at the drop-off point in Narbonne at a quarter to midnight. G then drove us back to Fabrezan where I'd left my car. She had another half hour's drive after that ... at least it was only five minutes for me. I'd meant to take some food with me but forgot, so I hadn't had anything to eat since lunchtime. Tisane and toast when I got back, bed at 1:30.  I think three concerts in a weekend is too many -- I need to leave again for the last concert just over 12 hours after getting home!