AC Fever

This past weekend I went to Boston to host the chamber music concerts over at the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras.  I flew in on Thursday evening, a few days in advance of Sunday’s Marathon concert day, but by Friday night, I was sick as a dog!  Knocked down with a fever and couldn’t even keep a couple of aspirin down.  I spent most of Saturday in bed, and spent Sunday coasting on adrenaline and ginger ale.  With the help of my amazing colleagues and cheered up by some seriously fine playing by all of my students, I made it through the (12-hour!) day.

But that’s not really the fever I wanted to talk about.  When I returned to Bermuda yesterday the marinas were already filling up with gorgeous, sleek J-Class boats, majestic Tall ships and sexy Superyachts.   The count down to the 2017 America’s Cup is now in the single digits and the energy around town is infectious.  This little island nation is stepping up in a big way to put on a terrific show for the world.  Locals are out volunteering to pick up any little bit of trash on the ground, hotel staff and taxi drivers are even more friendly than usual (as if that even seemed possible) and people are just psyched.  It’s going to be a month-long party and we are READY!

We, like most folks living here, are eagerly expecting lots of house guests over the next five weeks.  Our visitors include a former student of mine (I can’t tell you how happy it makes me when they keep in touch and visit me!) Friends from the UK, My brother and his family, and Paul’s hilarious cousin.  By the time they start arriving, my concerts for the season will be over and I will be in full-on relaxation/summer mode.  I’m looking forward to lounging on our veranda with rum swizzles and/or chilly glasses of rosé, grilling up some kabobs, hitting up the America’s Cup village, and otherwise showing off our new hometown.  Our guest room is going to be busy!  Which reminds me…..I need to finish decorating the guest room.