Relationships

Why are Relationships so difficult? They require so much humility. Allowing the other person the freedom to be themselves, as long as their behavior is appropriate, not just what you want or need them to be? And in the fuzzy areas, who gets to decide what is appropriate?

The relationships in my life bring me the greatest comfort and the greatest agony felt by the human heart. How is it that the Bible says, Jesus knows how we feel? Did He allow Himself to be so vulnerable with His friends, even before the agony of the cross, that He felt the pain in relationships I now feel? Oh Jesus, I'm sorry you felt that way. The only good thing is knowing you truly understand me. But could you please take the pain away?

Citrus Belt Quilt Guild

Today was our monthly Quilt Guild meeting.

Last year I worked so long and hard,

and this year I've done nothing. Nothing!

Our speaker today was Linda Schmitt.

A real artist.

Here are some of the quilts she brought to show us.

A little girl in Paris.

The front of a Porche Quilt for her husband.

This is the back of the same quilt!!

A girl on a bridge.

Imagine Peace

Is my dream dying?

Yes, my dream of teaching ESL is dying.

This morning I discovered Redlands Adult school got a last minute grant to teach ESL (English as a Second Language) this fall at the nearby high school. And it's free to the students.

Our program required they buy their book, because we have no funding help. But $25 is a huge sum when you are out of work or poorly paid. So I had to call all the students who wanted to sign up with us and tell them. It's only fair. The school district has better classrooms, and it's free. Better for the students.

I'm glad for them. I really am. But how can I feel so generous and selfish at the same time? I wanted to teach them. I was so ready. I thought the Lord had opened a door for me to do this. But I have to do it His way, not my way. Perhaps a totally different kind of door will open. I've always liked the song from the Joseph opera, "When God closes a door, He opens a window." It reminds me of Noah inside the ark also.

It makes me so sad because I keep getting calls from people who want to learn English, and I have to refer them to the school district. God will make me happy again. Soon, I hope.

Interesting this should happen the day after I taught a Bible lesson on Naaman to the children at Micah House yesterday. Naaman was an important man who had a problem he could not solve. He had leprosy, but when he discovered there was a man of God who could bring him healing, he wanted to be healed in his own grand, important way, not go humbly dip himself into the Jordan, not once but seven times! How humiliating. But when he did it God's way, he was healed.

I really like the part of the story about the little Israelite slave girl who served in Naaman's house. She probably wasn't even allowed in his presence, but she managed to tell his wife about Elisha back in Israel. Even though she wasn't where she wanted to be, she was a witness.

She gave important information she knew to someone who needed to hear it. That's what witnessing is. We as Christians have important information and are called, by God Himself, to tell that information to those who needs to hear it.

I'd like to meet her in heaven someday, and tell her how much she has encouraged me.

Dance the night away...

Tonight was our first dance lesson at the nearby college. There were 100 people in the class so it was easy not to stand out. A relief! But after men and women learned our steps separately (we women must do what the men do, but backward and in heels!) we paired off in lines. Naturally, I went to Tom, but very quickly we all had to change partners down the long line. I thought, "Surely he'll never want to come back." But he caught on to the steps well, and I was hoping he enjoyed it.

We are required to keep a journal and go on field trips to dance clubs to watch and dance. The trips are not absolutely required, but highly recommended. On the way home Tom said, "I want to go to the dance club Friday night." Yes!!! He liked it!!!

Suzuki Training

Very early Friday morning, August 13, I flew to Sacramento for 5 days of studying with two Japanese teachers visiting from Japan.

I stayed with Nancy & Wayne, Tom's sister, and had a wonderful time visiting with them, whenever I arrived home late each evening. First there was a teacher dinner Friday night, then a 3-hour concert rehearsal Saturday night, then the 2-hour concert Sunday night.

Finally on Monday night we enjoyed a wonderfully delicious family meal together with Wayne's sister, Gaye & family, who were passing through taking their daughter Katie to college. They were happy to hear I will be back for two weeks next August for 10-Piano rehearsals.

What a blessed time with family and lunching at a delightful gourmet sandwich shop with such good piano girlfriends each day.

I even discovered that Rita was born in Davenport, Iowa! She is a year older than I, and was in that town the day I was born! And now we are friends. We both teach piano. In California. Following Suzuki philosophy. And we have studied together about once a year for several years. It really is a small world.

Ramadan

It's Ramadan, so Noor is fasting all day and only eating at night. So we are going out to dinner together before she flies back to Bahrain to spend most of Ramadan with her family.

How to park a car

Eric had such a clever idea. He put masking tape on the garage floor so I would know how far back and how far to the side to park in the garage. I cannot see the front or the back of the car when parking. I don't want to get too close to the garden utensils in the back and don't want the garage door to automatically close on the hood in the front. So I'm having difficulty judging where I am in the garage from the driver's seat.

I always pull in backward so I can pull out easily without swiping Tom's truck which is always parked outside. Don't ask why. Well, I'll say why anyway.

My story is his truck is too tall to fit under the door opener. His story is there's too much stuff on his side of the garage. Actually, we're both correct.

And I thought I was so clever in cropping out the stuff next to the car, then noticed it shows in the reflection of the fender. Rats!

Sensei...

Sensei Keiko Kawamura

Sensei Keiko Ogiwara

Sensei is Japanese for Teacher. Tomorrow I fly to Sacramento to study 5 days with Keiko Kawamura and Keiko Ogiwara who are visiting from Japan. We will have some discussions, but mostly watch teachers and students take lessons from these two ladies.

They will be coming to Orange County in February and also directing the rehearsals for the 10 Piano Concert next August in Sacramento again. I'll be there both times. I have two students who want to play in the 10 Piano Concert, so I'm very, very excited about that.

I'm looking forward to a break from the daily routine and know that I will learn a lot as I have when I've studied with them in the past. When it's over I'm always excited to come back and teach what I've learned. What I'm not looking forward to is sitting and watching piano lessons almost 8 hours a day for 5 days. Sometimes they are sooo technical that I just tune out (pardon the pun). I just don't have that long of an attention span.

That's when I'll pull out my German book and quietly study the language. (Must be sure to sit near the back or the door so I can escape occasionally.)

I'll be staying with Tom's sister, Nancy, who is conveniently located just 10 miles from the university. And the best part is that I'm flying! Even with my new car I DO NOT want to drive 450 miles there and 450 miles back.

First Day of School 2010

Grant. First day of Middle School.

Eleven years old, 6th grade.

Vanessa, 1st day of her last year in High School.

Sixteen years old, Senior year.

Vanessa's "Song" Publicity Shot.

She is the Song Captain this year

and an officer in ASB (the Associated Student Body).

She's begun visiting colleges so she narrow her list and begin applying.

Ballroom and Salsa Dancing

We Did It!

We are registered to take Ballroom and Salsa dance lessons at the local junior college Monday nights for the next few weeks.

I can't believe it! I'm going to learn to dance!

I was never allowed to go on dance dates when I was growing up (dancing leads to sex, you know, so "nice" girls don't dance!). That was the propaganda and whether I believed it or not didn't matter. Not that I minded all that much--none of my conservative church friends went either.

I do wish I had gone to prom,

but that is all water under the bridge.

Now I'm going to be able to glide across the floor---I hope.

We'll see.

Sold the truck!

Transaction closed today. Enough said.

Couch Surfing

Today I made the big plunge. I joined couchsurfing.org

When you travel you can find someone who wants to host guests,

decide if you are interested in their profile

and statements about themselves,

meet on the site and share enough information to be comfortable

with each other, then you stay in their home FOR FREE (!)

and experience the culture and lifestyle of a new friend when you visit their area.

They can tell you how to navigate your way around

and either point you or take you to the major sites and non-tourist areas.

So you are not alone in a new city, but have a personal contact person

who is happy to give advice as well as friendship.

And you can choose only women hosts, which I like.

Here is my profile picture.

I heard about this years ago in the local newspaper, but

just now got around to doing something about it.

I wanted to do this when we went to England, but Tom

just wasn't comfortable staying in someone's home.

What a missed opportunity to meet some wonderful people.

I've also wanted to have internationals come stay with us

and Tom finally agreed tonight.

And I didn't even coax him.

We set the rules of the house and length of stay.

Of course we have the right to refuse anyone.

I'm feeling both interested and cautious.

I just wonder if we are far enough away from the major sites

that no one will want to come.

Vacation Day 4 and 5

The Riverside Train Station at 4:30 a.m. Yawn.

On my way to Oceanside!!

I LOVE taking the train. So relaxing.

When I arrived in Oceanside at 7:00 a.m. it was completely overcast and looked like rain. But it cleared up by 11:00 a.m. and was a beautiful day.

In the late morning we went to the downtown market stalls for fruit, snacks, and just walking around looking at the different vendors.

Then to shops on the wharf for clam chowder, fish and chips,

and more walking and window shopping,

where Bella found a Great Dane much bigger than she.

I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of the boats.

We went to the beach in the afternoon and soaked up some sun with a light breeze.

This was my "hotel" for 2 days--Roxanne & Eric's RV.

They bought me a jigsaw puzzle to work on, but I never finished it.

I fell asleep on the couch (my bed) at 9:00 p.m. and didn't even wake up when Roxanne shook me to give me bedding.

I woke up briefly at 11:00 p.m. to change clothes and make up the bed then slept until 9:00 a.m. Delicious sleep after getting up at 3:00 a.m. the day before.

On Friday we hung out at Eric's parent's RV because his sister and family came for the day.

The girls all taught me to play "Hand and Foot," a card game

complicated enough to make it very interesting, but my partner and I lost.

The older kids hung out in the RV playing Clue or tore around the RV park on their bikes and scooters with many other kids.

Grant attracted girls to play with before his cousins arrived.

Ethan trying to convince us he is strong enough to hold Bella's leash

without being dragged around behind her.

The adults sat around and visited, eventually making Carne Asada for dinner.

Vanessa arrived from Cheer Camp

where their squad won three trophies

and $600 for their school.

Terry and "the girls"--Sasha and Tiffany.

It was a wonderful two day get-away.

I told Tom, "No more staying home and calling it vacation."

There is a good reason why the root word for vacation

is VACATE.

Vacation Day 2

Gotta get out of town! Did laundry and ironing while watching old movies and practiced piano and had a lesson with my friend Rae Kate, an awesome teacher trainer, in the evening. Not real vacation activities. But I slept in, so that was nice.

Went to Redlands Bowl tonight to hear a lady sing Patsy Cline Country Western classics, but she was seriously out of tune about 1/4 of the time.

Selling the truck debacle...

Day #1 of vacation.

Last week I got the insurance transfered to the new car, got the pink slip out of the bank safety box, washed the truck, vacummed the washed the floor mats, hand cleaned every spot I could find, got the new smog certificate, called Gene to make the transfer...and suddenly couldn't find the pink slip. Okay, I'll look harder. Several hours later it's nowhere to be found. I remember having it in my hand at one point on Friday morning, but from there I have total amnesia. Don't remember laying it down anywhere...nothing!

I felt terribly embarrassed, inept, unorganized, irresponsible, you name it. I was down in the dumps. Tom was the only one who had any sympathy for me! So now I have passed the Friday deadline to hand it over and it is now uninsured, so on Monday I have to re-insure it. $110. RATS!! Oh wait, my friend who is here working with me said I can go to Triple-A, get a duplicate pink slip, and finish the transaction right there and be done in an hour. No extra insurance premium necessary. WHEW!!!

Well that fell apart, because Gene discovered he'd have to pay some fees and doesn't have the money until payday. Two hours wasted--on my vacation (!). But ultimately it's my fault because I lost the pink slip in the first place. But I'm not driving an uninsured truck, so it's parked in the hanger so no one can hit it while parked on the street. Eric will lend Gene the money tomorrow, and hopefully I will be rid of the truck and Gene will have transportation.

Then this evening Roxanne admitted she lost the doctor's prescription she just got yesterday. HA!!! So I'm not the only one. Unfortunately, she can always say she got that trait from me.

But one good thing happened today. Duchess got shaved at the doggie groomers. She looks so cute. Two times in one year! Isn't she something! Don't get used to it, Duchess. It's back to bathtub baths and daily combing for you.