Kindergarten again

Last week Tom encouraged me to buy Rosetta Stone in German, because he is impressed by my German Bible memory verses. It is an amazing program that teaches by pictures and intuition like a little child learns.

Today I went online for a live session with a "native speaker," Ute. I wanted to ask if she is in America or Germany--we don't have many people in America called Ute--but didn't get the chance.

There were two of us "students" in the session, but it feels like Kindergarten again. We are not allowed to speak English--ONLY German. I don't have many German words to say, but if you need to know any colors or numbers in German, I'm all over it!!

Best Friends

Well. Friday night just wasn't enough for us to catch up on our visiting, so we ladies had an early Saturday morning breakfast date. Donna felt cheated, missing out on Friday night, because she had to work the entire time at Halloween Happening.

So, here we are.

Donna, Barb, and Nancy

Ann, Me, and Jean

These are my very best girlfriends. Five of us get together for birthday lunches throughout the year--Donna, Nancy, Sandy, Ann, and I. Sandy couldn't make it today. As usual we shared our prayer requests--health issues, sick or wayward children or grandchildren, big events (mine: Tom's retirement and increasingly poor health, Vanessa needing God's guidance in choosing a Christian college)--and shared our thankfulness to God for what He has graciously done for us and our families (mine again: Tom and Eric's recent successful surgeries).

Two and a half hours later we finally finished.

Like I said, we're best friends.

Old Friends

The Temmesfelds were in town! Art and Barbara are good friends who moved to Ohio 19 years ago! 19 years! Their four kids have grown, married, and are supplying grand-babies. They were our neighbors when we lived across the street from our former church, Faith Bible Church. Tom and I were married at Faith Bible may years before, but moved away for many years and then moved back and right across the street.

All of these friends are Faith Bible friends. We still marvel at how that church impacted our lives in the 1980s an how we have kept in touch with so many friends.

On Friday night we had a "welcome home" (for 3 days) party at the Townsend's home.

This is just the first wave. Couples kept coming.

Most of us women keep in touch, but here we are all clustered together to share what's going on in our lives for those who don't. In the background, you can see the men visiting. They said, "Well, what will we men talk about?" But they kept up a lively conversation. At one point one said, "We're discussing if we have chosen a grave site yet, and our Last Wills." We laughed and I said, "Tom's got that covered, but if you want to add me to your wills, go ahead."

They laughed.

Eventually our pastor went to pastor a church in Washington, and the church just wasn't the same without them. Campus Crusade moved to Florida and many CCC staff families moved there. Almost all of us moved on to other states or other churches--several of us go to Trinity together--and we only get together now for an occasional reunion, and weddings and funerals. We are all so thankful for this unique friendship that we share.

Here is Jack and Jean Teachout, our pastor during those years together. They were missionaries in Africa, with the Temmesfelds, before they came to pastor our church. I really think they were the catalyst for the deep connections we made with each other.

Halloween Happening

Friday night was Trinity Church's outreach to the community.

Every Halloween for the past 14 years I've attended this church

they have put on this huge event.

It gets better every year.

Here are a few pictures.

One of the things I've always appreciated about Trinity Church

is the use of artists' and decorators' talents.

One of the two worship bands.

Some of the crowd of 5,000 at the free game booths,

where they got candy whether they win or not.

(5,000 is conservative--up to 8,000 were expected)

I usually avoid this event.

I'm not a fan of Halloween or of dressing up

and am involved in plenty of other ministries,

but our 2nd service prayer group had a prayer tent,

where I intended to participate.

I only had one hour to give,

but after being delayed in the traffic jam,

I couldn't FIND the prayer tent until it was time to leave.

I took these pictures as I was looking for it.

A great costume

The Food Court Area.

On Sundays this is where coffee and donuts are served

and folks visit between services.

Finally! The prayer tent.

It was set up like a Bedouin tent

with oriental rugs and huge pillows to sit on.

Very comfortable and welcoming.

I found out on Sunday morning that several people

stopped by for prayer

for very difficult problems they are facing.

So it was an excellent thing to do.

Harvest Time

On Sunday, October 24, the International Students and their host families were invited to Paul and Marsha Plaxton's cabin in Oak Glen in the foothills for a picnic and to pick apples from their orchard.

The largest group is the Indians who are studying for their Masters in Physical Therapy.

They guessed how much each pumpkin weighed...

(42 and 29 pounds)

did some country line dancing...

Tried eating apples from a string (the guy in the middle won).

Picked apples...

I've never seen an apple tree so loaded with fruit!

We were each given a small bag to fill.

Some went home with only half a bag.

Were they trying to be polite? Or don't they like apples?

My bag was FULL!

Pressed apple cider...(delicious!)

Took a parting photo in the orchard...(over 46 students came)

This is the good sport who took photo after photo with everyone's camera.

Everyone had a WoNdErFuL time.

Homecoming 2010

This is the weekend of Homecoming for

Redlands East Valley High School (REV).

It has become the tradition for Vanessa's girlfriends to come to her house before Homecoming in the Fall and Prom in the Spring where Roxanne and Aunt Tammie (and their friend Michelle) generously fix their hair very elegantly for free.

It's a traffic jam of girls getting dressed, borrowing clothing items, getting their hair done in the large bathroom and getting their makeup done. Vanessa's bedroom is a mess of hangers, evening purses, discarded jeans for prom dresses, and discarded sneakers for strappy heels.

The friends--there were more--some left earlier.

Two hours later Vanessa's date arrived. The other girls in this group of friends went solo, and even rented a limo. Then the whole family arrived to take pictures of pinning on the boutonniere and putting on the wrist corsage for dancing.

Okay. This is staged for a picture.

It's Nana who's the only one who can

pin a boutonniere so it stays.

The flowers matched her dress perfectly.

Vanessa & her date, James--an Eagle Scout. Impressive.

This is the first year Vanessa got to go solo with her date--not in the limo--to meet with friends for dinner and an evening of dancing, where they will soon discard their heels and dance barefoot.

Life in the Theater

An email I received this morning.

"I now have the piano score, but I am hesitant to give it to you in its present condition because it is all out of order. There will be cuts and jumps in the music, but I do not have the final script nor the orchestral score. We will be somewhat a slave to the orchestral score, so I would like to take a couple of more days to get the score and mark the piano part to help you. However, if you feel like you MUST have it to take a look at it, I will bring it by with the CD/DVD of the show. The CD has no voices, so it is at times difficult to follow along. In addition, we are not doing the version of the show that is in the DVD or on the CD. I would rather eliminate some of the confusion before I give it to you. What do you think? "

Rehearsals begin in 10 days.

This is not encouraging.

And the piano score will be hand written in pencil.

HANDWRITTEN!

IN PENCIL!

I wish I had the courage to ask for extra stress pay.

Oh well.....

Roxanne called...the San Diego Ballet passed on Grant this year. He's not tall enough. "Clara" is 5'1" and Grant is only 5'. Three other boys showed up who are the right height. But they are still interested in him--maybe next year when he's taller. He's still our little prince. He's at the age he would be terribly embarrassed to hear that. He'd like it, but not dare to admit it.

Here he is with his cousin Madyson,

who has THREE parts in the local Nutcracker.

She's the star of the family this Christmas.

Today is Vanessa's 17th birthday.

She has a busy day at school and after school

working on the Senior class homecoming float,

so we celebrated last Sunday night.

Vivacious

Appreciative

Nurturing

Energetic

Sweet

Sincere

Ambitious

Prince Grant

A Nutcracker Soldier

Roxanne just called after they returned from her father-in-law's birthday dinner at the Corvette Diner in Pt. Loma, a 2-hour drive away. Vanessa is considering attending Pt. Loma College, a Nazarene school in the city of Pt. Loma, right at the ocean!!!.

They went early to the birthday dinner because on an earlier visit to the campus they noticed a nice dance studio nearby and wanted to check it out. It is the BeAuTiFuL high-end studio of the San Diego Ballet Company. They spoke with two ladies in the office, telling them of Vanessa's dance and Pt. Loma interests, and asking about what is available for her to take lessons.

But the lady was more interested in 11-year-old Grant on this day. She is the director of the San Diego Ballet, and thought they were there to audition for the Boy Prince in the Nutcracker. Roxanne told her Grant has never taken a dance lesson, but she was not discouraged. No dancing ability required. It's not a very big part: just what I call "Grand Walking" holding Clara's hand and getting into the sleigh.

Well Grant did the audition (Vanessa was there with him for support). He did very well, and he's just so darned cute the director was very interested in him, and he began to think he might want to do this. But this wasn't on Roxanne & Eric's radar, and there are so many questions. How much? Free! Except the company may want him to go on tour to Texas too.

It might not work out, but what a HUGE opportunity to dance with a major ballet company, even if only for once in his life! Can you tell I'm excited? Soooo excited.

For six years Tom and I had ballet season tickets for the Orange County Performing Arts. We went about four times a year and saw the New York, American, Bolshoi, Royal Swedish, Alvin Ailey, Joffrey, Miami, Eifman, and many other world famous ballet companies dance. Then there began to be many repeats, and some of the modern dances bordered on the vulgar. We walked out (quietly) twice. But we saw incredible dancing by world stars, and it is one of our best memories.

I wonder what will happen? He's a little concerned about stage fright, which is understandable. And a lot will depend on what the costume looks like. But based on the above picture of a soldier from their website, who looks very much like a boy, that may be okay. They sure have expensive, elaborate costumes.

I'll keep you posted.

Scrooge

I just got hired today as pianist in the orchestra for a theater production, Scrooge, by my former worship leader, Jeff Moore. He's an amazing professional musician, and I'm honored to be on his radar for this production. It's a Christian production with a different ending than the one Dickens wrote: Scrooge discovers the real meaning of Christmas.

For all the years I've played piano, I've never played in an orchestra pit. There will be many rehearsals involved, but I'm getting paid. Pretty well, too, I think. Worth being exhausted for the next six weeks. Fortunately, I don't have to join the musician's union. So it's all good.

Learning how to retire

Today Tom had an appointment to take a class on retirement. He asked if I wanted to go with him. He said I probably didn't need to go, but wondered if I was interested.

Am I ever glad I went!! Such an involved, extremely detailed session with so many decisions to be made together.

There is the 8-page retirement application (for his retirement pension), Power of Attorney to be decided and signed and notorized, and Health Care options--let's see, we are required to have Medicare Part A and Part B, but do we need Part C and Part D? Yikes!

And did you know that the eyes and teeth are not a part of the body according to the healtchare industry? I find it annoying that in addition to paying for general healthcare we have to pay extra for dental and vision. I'm sometimes tempted to ask them if they have ever read the verses I Corinthians 12: 14 - 20 which says generally, the body is made up of many parts, but one part of the body cannot declare it's not part of the body. Why can't the healthcare industry see the teeth and eyes as part of the body and include it in general healthcare coverage? It's Biblical! That might be a funny conversation in the HR office.

Anyway, 2-1/2 hours later, Tom will be able to retire in another 3 weeks. How nice.

Piano Student Siblings

I encourage the parents of my piano students

to bring their other children to the lessons--

as long as they are well behaved.

For one thing it is a good place

to teach children to be quiet during a concert

(their sibling's lesson).

For another thing, they are absorbing music

and developing their musical ear.

And finally, they are more likely to become

future students.

This is Isaac, whom my dog Duchess LOVES!!!!

Duchess knows to which family Isaac belongs,

and now that they don't bring him,

Duchess searches for the baby when Andrew and Hannah

come for their lessons.

Nicole, after a long day at school and her piano lesson was over,

fell asleep while listening to her Suzuki Book 1 CD

during brother Justin's lesson.

I couldn't resist taking her picture.

Then Katherine fell asleep while older sister Elizabeth

was playing "Away in a Manger."

We decided Elizabeth plays a lullaby very well.

Kaitlin was sooo good during sister Audrey's lesson today.

She used to demand Mommy's attention.

She will definitely get a star.

Julianne finished her lesson

and is contented playing with beanie babies

during sister Madeline's lesson.

Airport Art

It's fun to see how the different airports display art

representative of their city or of traveling in general.

Sacramento Airport: a sculpture of suitcases.

A great way to dispose of lost and unclaimed luggage, I suppose.

Seattle Airport:

Salmon swimming upstream, with a little humor added.

These are brass salmon inlaid in the floor.

Caught in an Eddy.

Getting a drink at the water fountain.

Salmon on a business trip with his briefcase.

Seattle

Andrew and Britta were married at the Fort Lewis Army Base Chapel on Saturday. Because the base is located in Tacoma, it is like a park because of the rainy weather. Very beautiful.

Andrew is in the Cavalry, which explains the unusual hat and spurs on his shoes. No, he doesn't ride horses. It's a traditional Army thing. He had to go through a difficult 3-day hazing experience to score silver spurs, and because he's been in combat (Iraq: 27 months on two tours) they were upgraded to gold spurs.

One more side note: Tom and Craig's half-brother was stationed at Ft. Lewis before he served in WWII, where he was captured in Korea and died in a North Korea Prisoner of War camp. Surreal. The horrors of war were also evident on the signs posted: "Stop Domestic Abuse!" and "Nightmares? Call (phone #)"

I would have taken pictures of the base, but I didn't bring my camera charger, and the battery was dying. I had to get a picture or two of the wedding. One of the groomsmen tried to buy a battery at the PX for me, but they didn't sell that kind.

We flew up Thursday evening, and the first thing Tom wanted was ice cream. The next morning he woke up with stomach flu. I felt so bad for him. All this planning and expense to spend the day in bed sick! What a disappointment. I felt sooo bad for him. But he recovered by the end of the day.

Oh no he didn't! Saturday morning he was nauseous again! But he took medicine and felt better quickly. Whew! We won't miss the wedding. But he craved ice cream again. Everyone who heard about his morning nausea and the ice cream decided he must be pregnant. Now that we're home again, he got sick again tonight. What kind of flu lasts 3 days? So far I haven't got it.

On Friday morning I went off alone for our breakfast appointment with Faith and Doug. I love their yard--they are both horticulturalists.

Faith and Doug's home.

Faith in her kitchen with one of her hanging baskets outside the window.

Looking down at the hot tub from the upper deck

just outside the dining room french door.

Doug put in the upper and lower deck and the hot tub.

Very creative man.

They put in the fountain together.

One side of the house.

They left for a planned camping trip with friends,

so I took off for downtown Seattle.

The famous Pikes Place Market on the waterfront of Puget Sound.

Across the street--a Seattle characteristic--beautiful

hanging baskets of flowers.

This is also true of Victoria Island, Canada.

I wonder how many other cities do this.

I did see some in Dublin.

Excellent idea.

The famous fish throwers at one end of the market.

See it in the air?

He caught it. What happens when they don't?

I don't want to know!

There was a block of flower stalls.

Famous dungeness crab from the Olympic Peninsula.

Wonderful fruits and vegetables.

I bought a Honey Crisp apple and figs for lunch.

But then I found an Irish Pub

and couldn't resist having Irish Stew on a cool day.

The flowers were for Tom--to cheer him up.

This was an authentic Irish Pub.

If I looked toward the interior of the pub, I was in Dublin.

If I looked out the window at the Sound,

I tried to imagine it was the River Liffey,

but Puget Sound is just too large.

I found this picture in an antique store nearby.

It's of Nurnberg, Germany.

Then I found an evening jacket

for my evening gown made in Munich.

Two places I hope to go.

But I didn't buy either of them.

Apparently you CAN be a pianist

AND a street musician.

So is this Seattle or San Francisco? Such hills!

It's Seattle. Because I forgot my coat and survived.

One cannot survive in San Francisco without a coat!

Leaving Seattle on the ferry for Bainbridge Island.

Approaching Bainbridge Island.

Typical back road neighborhoods.

Townhouses near the town.

Walking the Fort Ward National Park trail

with a pilot's wife and her dog,

who happened to walk by as I was parking

and invited me to walk with her.

No way would I walk such a wilderness trail alone!