Beethoven

It's the end of a really tough week. But I really enjoy playing, and preparing for these concerts. It's nice to get back together with my old faithful friend, my horn. I still got it. ;-) It has been a great experience with my partner, also. So much history there; we came to live in Israel the same year (1995), and started in the orchestra together at the same time. He is Russian, I am American, and we couldn't speak to each other at all until we both learned a little Hebrew. Twelve years side-by-side, then I resigned. Playing with him is also like an old comfortable home, we built a good horn section and went through a lot of concerts, and trials and tribulations together! We are having a good time making music again.

Beethoven's fifth symphony.
One thing that is hard for me is that I have to play *loud* and strong a lot. It's not technically hard, but my gut hurts when I get to a pretty powerful volume. It is like a sharp pain in my hernia. Lots of muscle pressure, I guess.

I didn't really feel that while I was just practicing alone these past few weeks. I just didn't go to levels like that. My partner consistently says he needs me to balance him, which means for me to play LOUDER. Just when I think my gut is going to explode, that's the right volume. That level only happens a handful of times in the concert, but wow. I used to be able to do that on half lung power and have more to give. I had to even hold back then because of the volume I could produce. I still *can* produce that volume, but my body reacts to it now. I was afraid I was going to make the hernia strangulate. (But it is fine. I'd know by now if that happened. And I don't have enough medical knowledge to know if that would *cause* a hernia strangulation)
I am OK, and actually looking forward to the concerts (Sat night here, Mon night here & Tuesday night out of town). But it is hard work for me, for sure.

But it has been a pretty migraine-free week, Baruch Hashem!!!

I am in the stages now of finding a good surgeon (Rav Firer consult again) to set up the hernia surgery. I hope to do it mid-June.

Shabbat Shalom to all... We have all earned the right to **rest**. Thank Gd it's built in. :-)