Behind the scenes

Nice to start the day with chat over breakfast with VickyG then off to some tricky meetings. Lunch then an afternoon workshop, but some tricky discussions there too in amongst the generally interesting and constructive chat.
Went for a tour backstage at the opera with VickyG after her conference finished. Fascinating to get a glimpse of it all and learn about what goes on behind the scenes with the props, costumes, set and stage management. The incredibly realistic stone flagged floor here was actually painted canvas, and the marble pillars painted gauze....
Enjoyed a gin afterwards then into Act 1. Really enjoying going to see this several times....love the sense of it being familiar and being able to attend to different bits of it each time. Left VG at the interval for her to see the end whilst I met K walking up from the train. We went back to the flat and showed her round then made her some late supper and we settled down on the sofa until VG returned. We did some planning for the weekend...S arrives tomorrow too so theres lots we can do.