So many concerts, so little time

Well, I’m certainly starting to feel a little more ragged than usual, that’s for sure. When people ask me what’s my least favorite month, the easy answer is December, and not just because of the cold, dark wintery weather either.

Don’t get me wrong, December is a very fun month. There’s the Christmas Parade in Abbotsford, and seeing different houses lit up with lights is always fun. Then there’s being able to get away for a day or two and visit friends and family and unwrap gifts.

But in between the start of the month and the end of the month, there’s a lot that goes on for your friendly, neighborhood sports reporter.

First, there’s the games. There’s always a ton of basketball games to cover, and also wrestling tournaments too. But basketball is the longest season of the year, and the schedule looms large, from mid November, all the way into March, if you’re lucky.

Now, all these activities you can plan for. You know in advance when they’re coming, and you know there’s going to be multiple home games, so if you miss one, it’s not the end of the world.

The biggest problem for Kevin and me is the abundance of events to cover that relate to the holidays. There’s the holiday craft shows, the photos with Santa Claus through the various towns and villages that make up our coverage area.

And then there’s the concerts. Concerts on top of concerts on top of concerts. There’s elementary and middle school concerts at both Colby and Abbotsford. There’s the concert at St. Mary’s and then there’s the Madrigal Dinner, which is a dinner theater, comedy and musical all rolled into one.

I was overjoyed to see the Madrigal return. It’s one of my favorite traditions that I have been able to cover, and there were plenty of seniors last year who were devastated when they could not have it. I love the costumes, the music and the sometimes good, sometimes awful accents that you hear.

As I love a good English, Irish or Scottish accent, I enjoy the give and take of the affair, and this year involved a lot more ad libbing. Thus, I was able to be a part of the show, and that’s always fun. The meal was also very delicious.

After that, it was off to Abbotsford’s middle school and high school joint concert. Last year it was virtual, so it was nice to be a part of that as well, and to see a crowd enjoy live music. On Tuesday afternoon, it was Abbotsford’s elementary school musical.

I give a lot of credit to elementary school music teachers. Getting any small child to pay attention is hard, but getting a bunch to work togeth- er is downright heroic.

One thing I noticed is that there is a definite contrast in styles. Both elementary school concerts are fun, and the kids get involved in them and have a good time with it.

But at the high school level, Colby’s concerts always seem to involve more smiles on the kids’ faces, whereas the Abbotsford concerts always seem more somber.

Maybe in the future that’s something Abbotsford can work on? Either way, it’s nice to be able see all of these spectacles, even if it is a bit exhausting. After last year, I take nothing for granted.

M USINGS AND G RUMBLINGS

ROSS PATTERMANN R EPORTER