"Ave Maria"....

There's nothing like a good "Ave Maria" once in a while.
In Italian.
Has to be Italian.

Tonight I am doing some work on the computer and have that new CD in that I am "LOVING" and there is Josh doing a very GOOD "Ave Maria"....
Right...in Italian. That'a boy.

Oh and YES....there ARE "little boy voices" in the background.
My favorite, as you might know by now.

A few years back, on a rainy and cold November day, I had taken a small group of women to try out a new Tea Room in a neighboring city in hopes of possibly holding a "Christmas Tea."

The Tea Room was alright..it was in a small Antique made over, cottage home..the tea food was okay, however the grounds around the house which was part of the package, to tour the grounds which were FABULOUS!

Our Hostess was a tad pompous I felt but she was "new at this"
I told myself. She just seemed a wee bit "over confident" in herself.

It wasn't too long before I was to find out why she was this way.

At one point while we were enjoying our "High Tea" she asked if we wanted her to "Sing" for us because she was an "accomplished Opera Singer."

No one knew WHAT to say and I was thinking in my head...."sure you are sweetie and I'm the Queen of England."

But me being...me.....I said...."Could you please sing 'Ave Maria for us?'" I figured...."we will see how accomplished of an Opera Singer she is."

You see.....I KNOW some singers that were trained in Opera and I've been to the Opera many times back in the day.... so...I sort of know how it should sound.

At that point she replied..."In English or Italian?"

I love a challenge of course and I love hearing Ave Maria in Italian....so I said..."Italian please."
Then I am wondering....."hummmm.....if she asked me which language....hummmm."

Then she proceeded to belt out a fine "Ave Maria" in that small room with harsh acoustics totally "a capella."

She sang it flawlessly.

When she was finished, I led the ladies in the clapping of our hands.

That wonderful song at that perticular moment was a total surprise for me and it still is a sweet and warm memory of that day when I was in a small Cajun town just to have a bit of Tea with this group of ladies.

It showed me once more.....that you may be amazed at what can come your way at times when you expect it lest.

Possibly I was the pompous one that day?