2017 Life Logs, Day 357: Revels!
Date: Saturday, December 23, 2017
Weather: Icy Rain on the Cape, Really Icy Rain in Cambridge
Location: At Home in The Studio, Falmouth, MA
Often when I tell people I am going to Revels with the Goldstones, they look puzzled and ask me, “What is Revels?” I think Mark and I first attended with Heather and Jed, Justin, and Jed’s brother Ben, in 2004 before Mark and I left on our little jaunt around the world. But I’m not sure about that. When I have time, I’ll have to do a little research on that one. But I do know that since we returned in 2011, we have been every year when we were in New England. One of those years was so icy we had to cancel out at the last minute, but today we forged ahead with a bit of icy rain on the Cape and more the closer we got to Boston. Ollie and Jonah slept part of the way and I got a great photo of sleeping Ollie Angel.
We attend Revels at Harvard’s Sanders Theater in Cambridge. It is a beautiful building with a cathedral-like feeling. It is the perfect place for shouting out, “Welcome, Yule!”
Now back to, “What is Revels?” . . . In 1957, the first Christmas Revels was performed in New York City. It got positive press, but it didn’t really catch on until it was revived in 1971 in Cambridge. Revels is a performance of solstice traditions portrayed through music, dance, and story telling of solstice traditions from around the world. By 1975, it had caught on and now there are Revels performances all around the country. This year’s focus was Venice during the Renaissance where the people were preparing for The Feast of Seven Fishes. The music, especially the singing, was outstanding this year. The Goldstones will continue the revelry tomorrow with a Christmas Eve Feast . . . of the Seven Fishes.
After the performance, we exited the theater into a magical land of white. It was not snow, but icy white pellets covering the ground and the trees.
However, the temperature was rising, not falling, so we decided to stay in Cambridge to have dinner. We walked to Harvard Square to have dinner at the Grafton Street Pub and Grill. I had George’s Bank Scallops, which were delicious, and I was treated to all of this by Heather and Jed. Thank you for a wonderful afternoon and evening!
It rained all the way home, but indeed the temperature had risen so there was no ice. That was good. We got back to Heather and Jed’s, where sleeping boys were carried upstairs to bed, and I traveled on home. Or at least I tried to. When I turned onto Falmouth Heights Road I saw a a sea of flashing lights. Literally, I have never seen so many flashing police lights. As I drove on down the road, it became apparent that the road was blocked at least a quarter of a mile from my drive-way. So I turned around and went around the block and tried to come in from the other end. No luck there either. There were three big fire trucks and numerous other fire and police vehicles blocking the way. I finally found a police woman to ask what was going on and she explained that a condominium in the Boat Yard, next to The Studio, had a chimney fire and roof caught on fire. I was greatly relieved to find out that it wasn’t The Studio where I live! She explained that the fire was under control but that I could not get to my drive way. She recommended that I park in what she called a summer place lot, and walk home. So that’s what I did. Never any lack of drama around here.
