How come there's less snow on the ground in Massachusetts than in Virginia?

After a very early start in Doylestown, PA, we hit the road again for Northampton, Mass. and Smith College, where we're collaborating for the first time in 8 years. We only arrived a little late and got to work fairly quickly with conductor Jonathan Hirsh and the Smith Glee Club rehearsing Gabriel Fauré's sublime Requiem. Our own Lobster (Richard Block) is singing the baritone solos, and kudos to the guys for standing in mixed formation for the very first time. Tomorrow afternoon's performance should be a good one.

After rehearsal and a quick bite in the dining hall, our trusty bus driver, J. W., drove us to UMass-Amherst, where the Smith women had thoughtfully arranged for an evening of ice skating. On the way to the bus, several Glee Club guys ran into a police officer in downtown Northampton who remembered us well from last year's roll to Mt. Holyoke. It's good to be famous, I guess. At the skating rink, Club guys exhibited various degrees of expertise, from the struggling beginner (Caspian, Scurvy and Ziploc) to the Winter Olympic-ready (Barrel, Percolator, Doppelgänger, Tingle and Hepsee). A good time seemed to have been had by all, and I'm sure all the guys are soon going to be fast asleep to rest up for our Sunday matinee performance. Hope springs eternal!

Dad Walrus offers encouragement and instruction to Scurvy while others take a break.

Barrel gives the reluctant Caspian a lesson.

Anatomy of a photo op on the ice...