I had a date last night. He came to the door and picked me up, took me to a fancy restaurant for dinner, and took me to a concert that’s part of the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival. I wore a dress. And even make-up. And I got to leave the kids at home with my husband! My escort for the evening was my dad.
In honour of my birthday next week, he picked up tickets for us to see PDQ Bach. If you haven’t heard of him, he’s the alter ego of musicologist and professor of music Peter Schickele. When my dad first told me about the tickets, and tried to explain that it was a combination of comedy and classical music, I was curious, if not a little perplexed by the unusual juxtaposition.
But it was amazing! I know just enough about music to be able to appreciate the humour and the skill of his compositions. And the front-row seats were terrific, too. There was one movement that was written for “a viola and four hands” – two men playing the same viola at the same time (something you have to see to really appreciate). And they sang a madrigal called “My Bonnie Lass, She Smelleth.” It was terrific! The performance will be broadcast on CBC Radio Two’s In Performance on August 31 at 8 pm if you’re interested. I highly recommend it if you are at all interested in music. Or laughing.
It was great being out with my dad. He was a professional musician when I was growing up, and has been nurturing a love of music in me my whole life. He took me to my very first rock concert when I was nine (Hall and Oats), and has tended to my “I want to learn about classical music” and “I want to learn about jazz” phases with careful attention.
We see my parents often because they live more or less around the corner from us, but it’s not often I get to spent one-on-one time with them without demanding preschoolers dangling from one of us, so last night was a real treat on several levels. A night away from the boys, a nice dinner, fantastic music and belly laughs, and an entire evening to remind me what a daddy’s girl I really am. A perfect evening!
Now that you are grown up (more or less), has your relationship with your parents changed very much?
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My mother is more of an advising friend and sounding board. Still judgemental, but I don’t think she can help that.
My father is still protective and tries to pay for everything. I let him–but I have to stand up sometimes. And he does know I’m the boss of my kids and home. So there is that. I think he’ll always be an overprotective mother hen.
Your date with your dad sounds like so much fun. You are a lucky lady.
Aw Dani, thanx. Last summer my father and I did just that, we went out for a real dinner (NO booster seats!) and saw Harry Connick in concert. It was a fabulous evening!! I love that rare ‘date’ I can get with my father, so grown up, yet as you say, always Daddy’s little girl. Sounds perfect to me!!