Elizabeth and Alex are safely back in Beijing. It was great fun having them around.

I’m hoping the trip back wasn’t too stressful. When we last saw her at the airport yesterday, Elizabeth seemed braced for the trip and generally relaxed.

My hives seem to be worsening.

At least I’m assuming that the symptoms I am experiencing are related to the hives. My feet swell quickly as the days wears on.

I am having fatigue and chills. Sarah thinks I should lay off work, but I point out to her that so far I can function at work. It also helps distract me.

On Wednesday I spent some time picking out organ music for October 21. I decided to play one of my favorite voluntaries by John Stanley. While finding this music I noticed a neat little facsimile edition I have of his Opus X, Six Concertos for Organ, Harpsichord or Fortepiano.

Gerald Gifford is the editor of the Stanley concertos and provides a top notch introduction and notes. I took it home and have been playing in it wondering why I hadn’t done so before. The music is wonderful (in my opinion).  I am actually enjoying the fact that Stanley uses several clefs in this facsimile of a contemporary published edition.

Unfortunately I couldn’t find string parts for this opus online. They do exist according to the editor of this edition.

I tend to associate John Stanley with my very first organ teacher, Kent MacDonald,  who told me Stanley was one of his favorites.