Today’s Daily Stoic writing prompt: What inessential things can I eliminate from my life?

Well, this is not particularly essential. But it is tasty.

Today was a day off, and a return back to Niagara on the Lake for the “Duke and Two Irenes” show, which featured the music of Duke Ellington and two of his lesser-known female contemporaries, Irene Higganbotham and Irene Kitchings. Before this, we stopped off at the Sunset Grill for a brunch. I had the waffles with fresh strawberries and cream and real maple syrup.

After that, a little browsing in the shops. I bought a pair of garnet earrings and another hat, and we had a serving of the raspberry and chocolate ice cream I found on my last trip. I tipped a cellist who was busking, and while she didn’t have any Shostakovich, she did play me the “Gabriel’s Oboe” theme by Morricone, which is a lovely, luminous piece.

The show itself was tremendous fun, although it was delayed for about 15 minutes while the woodwind section made their way in after a delay on the QEW. There were eight singers; the men all had a solo, the women (I believe) all had two, and there were some amazing group numbers (opening with “Take the A Train” and closing with “It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” about as iconic Ellington as you can get. I’d really like to get a set list, since there were songs (presumably by the other two composers) that I very much liked and would love to track down. The women all wore vaguely 30s-ish dresses (the two in black must have been roasting!) My favourite (a very bias-cut style) was the second from the right.

Music, it seems, is definitely essential. And hearing it live is precious. I’ll be returning on Saturday for another string quartet concert.

Arriving back home, a quick check on our porch friend. We’ve been through this before but it’s still wonderful.

And I’m in the homestretch on the red work on the current embroidery. I should be able to complete it in the next couple of days.