Vonnie-musings

Feeling Yucky

2009-01-25T16:55:00.002-07:00

Tom and I have decided we need to be sick at the same time. It seems like one of us feels bad and then when one is well the other isn't. It's my turn today. I did go to church this morning but I couldn't sing because I was losing my voice. I tried to but some weird squeaky sound came out and I figured I better not try. I enjoyed hearing the voices around me but it just doesn't seem right not to be able to join in. I have to feel better tomorrow because our Monday afternoon lifegroup is celebrating a birthday at Olive Garden. I read awhile this afternoon - I've finished two more novels since Thursday but neither of them were good enough to blog about. Now I'm ready to read some blogs.

More Books and a Movie

2009-01-21T15:17:00.003-07:00

Since I last wrote I have completed two books and today I saw "Marley and Me". I'll start with the movie. I cried. I was told I would cry but that didn't stop me. I love dogs and I have owned 9 dogs - ten if you count the only dog I had growing up. Most were shelter dogs and the two poodles of the three poodles were purchased. The most dogs we've owned at one time was three and now we just have one. I hope I always have a dog. Our preacher says there will be dogs in heaven and I believe he is right.

I just completed Change of Heart by Jody Picoult. My friend Sandy recommended this author and I have read 4 of her books now. They all leave you with something to think about. This one deals with the death penalty and also talks about the gnostic gospels, which if it weren't for Bobby Valentine I wouldn't know anything about. The gnostic gospels not capital or capitol punishment.

I read more fiction than non-fiction but I am trying to balance it out more. I also finished re-reading Renewing God's People by Gary Holloway and Douglas Foster. This goes along with our Sunday morning class on Discovering our Roots. Next I am going to reread Phillips Yancy's book "Whats so Amazing About Grace" because that is the topic of our Tuesday morning Ladies class taught by "guess who"- Bobby Valentine. If you are reading this Bobby skip the next line. I think BV is the best Bible teacher and preacher that I have ever had the privilege of listening to and I have heard a lot in 66 years. And it's not just because he thinks dogs will be in heaven.

Books and Movies

2009-01-15T09:13:00.003-07:00

Night before last I finished reading Broken Paradise by Cecilia Samartin. I cried through the last four chapters. I wish I was a better writer and could give you a review
of it, but I will say I loved it. Go to the library or Amazon.

Yesterday I saw the movie Doubt. Go see it.

Ramblings

2009-01-12T15:22:00.002-07:00

Since I am back to writing I decided to update my links and somehow deleted all of them. When I figure it out I'll try to get them back on.
We just finished our Monday afternoon Life group and it was quite interesting. We were talking about what we wanted to study and decided on trying to follow up on Sunday's sermon. Yesterdays sermon was "who needs Palo Verde" (the name of our congregation) We then had an interesting discussion about changes in the church. I won't go into any detail but I think this discussion is going on in a lot of places and not just here. All I am going to say about that is I am glad I am a member at Palo Verde because I think this is going to be an exciting year both for our church family and for me personally. On Wed night we have a Ladies class that is studying Beth Moore's series on Esther. This is the first Beth Moore study I have been involved in and I must say I am really enjoying it. We watch a video on Wed night and then there is a follow up on Sunday mornings which I haven't attended since Bobby Valentine is teaching on "Discovering our Roots" a study of the Stone Campbell Movement, which is excellent so I don't want to miss that. The study of Esther is helping me to look at my life and think about what God's purpose for me might be. I know he doesn't want me just sitting around and reading blogs although since I am retired I do that a lot.

New Years Resolutions

2009-01-09T13:46:00.002-07:00

I haven't written on my blog since April of last year. I'm not sure why but I think it has to do with privacy and not being sure that I really want to share my thoughts or musings. I love reading blogs and I guess I want to be a part of this world again. So with that said here I go again.

Tom and I have made a commitment (not a resolution) to go the Y again and so far this week I have gone 4 times and Tom 3. This morning he was ready to go at 8:30 and I wasn't. I was ready by 10:30 and he wasn't so I went by myself. I walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes and walked a mile and a half. I listened to Don McLaughlin's (North Atlanta Church of Christ) first sermon of the New Year on my IPod. I listened to Rick Atchley(Richland Hills Church of Christ) yesterday. Both were great lessons.

Of course the commitment that goes along with this is to eat more healthy and eat more meals at home. I have cooked more this week but we are easing into this more slowly.

I have also decided to keep track of the books I read this year. I got this quote from a book reviewer - Sir Francis Bacon's (1561 - 1626) creed, "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body". So far I have read two - "The Little Book" by Selden Edwards and "Between Sundays" by Karen Kingsbury. I got both of them from the library. Both of these authors were new to me. It took 30 years for Selden Edwards to write his book and it has to do with time travel and was interesting. Karen Kingsbury is a Christian writer and has written several books. It was an easy read and very predictable but it was a good story. The next book which I haven't started is called "Broken Paradise" by Cecilia Samartin. I'll let you know what I think.

Update and Eagles

2008-04-23T18:43:00.003-06:00

I haven't been reading blogs so much lately since I have found a web site that has me hooked. The web site is http://chil.vcoe.org/eagle_cam.htm My friend Sandy turned me onto this and if you are a nature lover at all I think you will enjoy it. The site explains it better than I could. When you go click on the Eagle Cam to see what I'm talking about. Let me know if you like it. I'm sorry I couldn't get add a link to work, so you'll have to type it in.

Tom Jr. began feeling better with his back but now has to have Oral surgery. He is going to have 3 wisdom teeth pulled (he already had one pulled several years ago) as well as two other molars, one top and bottom that match up. He is going to do all 5 on Friday, under general anesthetic. Say a prayer.

On another subject. Mike Cope had a post about Wed night Bible classes a few days ago and he ask people to comment on their feelings about attendance. I didn't comment but if I had I would have said that I really look forward to Wed. night - not just because Bobby Valentine is our teacher, but our six year old neighbor, Laura, loves to go with us. She and her brother and sister came to our VBS that we had over a weekend last summer, and has been coming ever since. Her brother and sister -both older come too but are not as regular as Laura. They go to the Catholic church on Sundays and all three were baptized there after they started coming with us. Laura says she likes our church better because we speak English. :) They go to a Spanish speaking church. Speaking of Wed night - I guess I better get ready to go. Check out that website!

Lazy Day

2008-04-09T11:53:00.002-06:00

I've just spent the last 2 hours reading blogs. I realized I needed to update. The first thing is that I would like to ask prayers for my son Tom Jr. We went to CA a couple of weeks ago for a family wedding which I should have posted about because it was special. Maybe the next post. Back to Tom Jr. He helped by carrying a TV from the mother of the groom's (my cousin) house to the car, to the wedding site, to the babysitting room. On our way home on Monday, the wedding had been on Saturday, he was miserable and I did almost all of the driving. On the way over I had only driven an hour and he drove the rest. He has been in bed with a backache most of the time since that trip. He did go with Tom to work at Camp Christian Echoes to help prepare for the retreat coming up in two weeks. Tom really needed him to drive which he did and I guess he did some physical work while he was there, so that didn't help.

BTW Randy Harris is going to be the speaker for the Palo Verde's Band of Brothers Men's Retreat. This is the second year Tom has been in charge and he loves all the organizing, but that is about all I hear about until it's over. I'm actually going with him today, when I get off the computer to fill in holes. When they were down there - about an hr and a half south of Tucson - they dug holes with the help of a man with a backhoe(I think that is what is was). They are awaiting trees that are going to be planted. Now they have found out the trees won't be delivered until May 1st (while we are at Pepperdine) and since the camp will be occupied the next three weekends we don't want anyone falling in a hole. So since I didn't go to help dig, I am going to help fill in.

Thanks to everyone who gave their opinion about my hair. So far I have only had one person tell me I should dye it back and that person dyes her hair red.I'm still adjusting.

Natural or Not?

2008-03-23T22:26:00.001-06:00

For the past 10 years (or so) I have been coloring my hair - or I should say I have paid to have it done. This past October I had an important birthday - the one where you become eligible for medicare. Anyway I decided to embrace my age and go natural. I honestly had no idea what it would look like. It is not as grey as I thought it might be, but I am having a hard time adjusting. The picture on the left was taken this month, the one on the right when we were in Hawaii last year. I love red hair and most people thought it was my natural color, but it was getting expensive and I really want to accept myself as I am - even though I know I need to lose weight - another subject for another day. I thought by putting the two hair colors side by side it might help me to accept it, but I'm not sure. OK, ladies what do you think? I say ladies because you know men just don't get it.

Tom is Home

2008-03-08T15:09:00.002-07:00

We just came home from the hospital. The name of Tom's surgery was a Femoropopliteal Bypass. He has an incision of about 15 or 20 inches on his right leg that was glued together. Amazing what they can do. He will be using a walker for awhile, but knowing Tom it won't be long before he is going to a ballgame. We are planning to go to a wedding in CA the end of the month, so we're hoping he will feel like it. Thanks for your prayers

Tom's Surgery

2008-03-07T09:01:00.002-07:00

Just a quick update. Tom's surgery was successful but he had to spend the night in the recovery room because there were no rooms available. This morning they are moving him to a room and I am getting ready to go to the hospital. He may be released today or tomorrow.

News about Tom

2008-03-05T10:13:00.008-07:00

I am going to try to start posting more regularly. Tom is going in for surgery tomorrow. He will be having a bypass because of a blockage in his right leg. He had the same surgery on his left leg about 6 years ago. It was called a femoral by-pass. He will probably be spending the night and come home Saturday.

Last Saturday he had a great day. He got to see

Tom has been a baseball fan all his life. His two favorite teams are the Los Angeles Angels and the Atlanta Braves. We have been to a lot of games and visited ball fields when vacationing but this was a special day. Our next door neighbor, Roberto Mejia is a professional baseball player who has played for the Rockies and I believe St. Louis. Since he has lived next door to us (about 3 years) he has played in a Mexican league. Right now he is not playing but adding a room on to his house. He is from the Dominican and knows just about all the Dominican players in the MLB - well, maybe not all, but a lot. He and Tom went to Phoenix last Saturday to an Angels Spring Training game and he got to go to the players locker room. Going down in the elevator he was among a group of Dominicans and the elevator operator ask if they had passes. Roberto told him they were Vladimers' family (his brother was in the group). Tom was in the middle and the guy said "What about him?". Roberto said, "Oh, he's a distant cousin."

Of course he also got an autographed ball and told Vladimer he was going to come visit him in the Dominican. Today Tom and Roberto are going to a Colorado Rockies game here in Tucson. He says he is going Saturday after having surgery tomorrow but we'll see.

Another Update

2007-12-20T19:29:00.000-07:00

We went to the hospital this morning and Tom will NOT have to have radiation
therapy. The test that he took this am shows he does not have
hyperthyroidism but an inflamed thyroid and radiation will not help
him. He will be seeing the endocrinologist next week (hopefully) to
find out what kind of treatment he will need. Thank you for your
prayers.

Update on Tom

2007-12-17T08:07:00.000-07:00

I'm coming out of my break to let you know that the medication Tom was taking for his hyperthyroidism was not working so he is going to have a radiation treatment on Thursday. He will take a capsule that has iodine and the radiation which goes to the thyroid. Tom will be radioactive for a period of time - I think 24 hours. They send him home from the hospital and I have to stay away from him. We are hopeful that this works. Please pray for him.

Taking a Break

2007-12-02T15:20:00.000-07:00

Maybe I'm just a follower but since a couple of my long time blogging buddies, Scott and Beverly have taken a blogging break I think I'll do the same. I will still be reading, so you might see a comment now and then. Meanwhile have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

Almost Thanksgiving

2007-11-20T05:06:00.000-07:00

We found out why Tom was getting so tired. He has Hyperthyroidism, which can cause fatigue. He has been on medication since Friday night, but because he has a cold he can't say that he is feeling any better. We are leaving for Atlanta on Thanksgiving morning so we are hoping he will be ready to travel. We are going to be there for a week. I have some other news but I will save it for when we get back.

I woke up at 4:00 AM and couldn't go back to sleep, so here I am on the computer, watching the news. The weatherman just said it would be around 77 on Thanksgiving and then by Friday it will be in the 60's. We broke a record on Sunday of 88. It has been nice in GA but it is supposed to start cooling off by Thanksgiving with some rain in the forecast. I know they need rain, but I wish it would wait until we got home.

So what are you doing for Thanksgiving?

Feeling Better

2007-11-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

I guess I just had a 24 hr bug. I feel fine today and I even got something accomplished. I don't know about you but I am terrible about filing receipts and just deciding if something needs to be kept or thrown away. I am pretty good at keeping bills in one place - most of the time, but what I end up with are stacks of papers I think I'll go through later. Later becomes later and much later. I actually started this job on Friday, cleaning out two drawers and the stuff on top of my dresser. I moved it all into the kitchen, along with my two different filing thingees and a large recycle can. I got it all out and then left it there since I was sick yesterday. I want you to know that it is all put away or thrown away and I have two very neat drawers waiting to be filled up with more junk. How about you? Do you have a system? Do you always do it on the same day each month? Or are you one of those real neat people who actually deal with it daily? Let me know. I am open to suggestions.

Sick and Tired

2007-11-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

Just checking in to let you all know I am sick today. I have a head cold and have been in bed all day. I just ate some left over lasagna at 5:30. I'm not sure that was the best to eat on an empty stomach but it was easy and it sure tasted good. The tired in the title refers to Tom. He has been getting tired very easily and even went to the doctor because of it. He doesn't usually go to the doctor outside of his regular appointments. The doctor said he might have a viral infection but he couldn't give him anything for it. He has a physical scheduled for Tuesday. So keep us both in your prayers.

More Birthday Parties & misc stuff

2007-10-29T18:24:00.000-06:00

After having a surprise party in CA I didn't expect more.....but. Friday night I thought we were going to dinner with Bobby and Pamella and their girls and our son. She thought the same. We arrived at the restaurant to find three more couples for a total of 13 people. It was a surprise for both of us because Pamella's birthday was today. She is considerably younger than me. Today our LIFE group went out to lunch and had cake to celebrate not only Pamella and my birthdays but two of the men in the group. At least I wasn't the oldest of that group. One of the men turned 85 this month and I think the other fellow is older than me, but I didn't ask and he didn't volunteer. The Mexican food was good and the chocolate cake (from Costco) was delicious. We had enough to send some home with those who wanted some, plus we left some for the waiters at the restuarant.

I subbed today and I will again tomorrow. I am subbing for the aide in the Special Ed primary class. The teacher was absent also and another retired teacher was the sub teacher. We made it through the day, but it did not go quite as smoothly as it would have if the teacher had been there. Hopefully the teacher will be back tomorrow.

Last weekend I was at a church retreat for the women in Casa Grande - between here and Phoenix - about an hours drive. We had a good turnout and the speaker was Rebecca Huey from Phoenix. The topic was The Bride of Christ and talked about the Jewish wedding customs during the time of Christ and how we could relate that to our relationship to Christ. It was only Friday night and Saturday morning and after lunch many of us went shopping. All in all a perfect women's weekend. The food was good too.

The weather is still hot here In Tucson. I am really ready for fall to arrive. I think we get a week or so before it gets cold. If you consider in the 60's cold. When we first came to Tucson almost 4 years ago I saw the following in the local paper. The four seasons of Tucson - Almost summer, Summer. Still Summer and Construction. I guess we are in third season although I think construction is year round.

We've Come A Long Way, Baby

2007-10-17T17:50:00.000-06:00

Found this on a baptist preacher's blog. He titled it Women Know Your Place (wink).

Disneyland, Birthday etc.

2007-10-14T08:28:00.000-06:00

Our trip to California was wonderful. We spent the night in Blythe on the way over and Gila Bend on the way back. When we were younger we could have driven in in one day - but now we try not to drive over 4-6 hours in one day. Friday night our GA family flew in and we picked them up at LAX. We then drove to Fort Mac Arthur to spend the night in Base housing. When my son said we were staying in San Pedro I couldn't imagine what kind of housing because I have never thought of San Pedro as a pretty city. I was wrong. I didn't get a picture of the base but you can see here. Saturday morning we walked around Pt.Fermin Park. I got this picture of a racoon.

After breakfast on Saturday we rode up the hill to Palos Verdes and visited Wayfarer's Chapel. My uncle Jack (deceased) helped build this famous landmark. Here is a picture I took.

I was worried that we wouldn't have time to visit with my cousin on Saturday because she said she had parties both Saturday and Sunday but she said if we arrived at 1:00 she would have an hour before she had to leave for a party at 2:00. She is a caterer. She hadn't seen my kids in a couple of years. Anyway we got there at 1:00 and the party she had on Saturday was for me. What a surprise! All my cousins and most of their families were there. I think I cried for ten minutes. It was truly a surprise.

On Sunday we went to church at Newland St Church of Christ in Garden Grove. One of my dearest friends who is 88 and still drives to church went to lunch with us and then it was off to Disneyland.

As you can see Disneyland is decorated for Halloween. We got there about 2:00 and the kids stayed until it closed at midnight. Tom and I hung in there until about 8:30 and then took a shuttle back to our hotel where we were staying Sat and Sun nights. Disneyland is always fun. I was actually there in 1955 - the year it opened. It is a lot more fun when it is not so crowded but Sunday it was packed. Harrison (grandson) didn't care at all. He had a ball.

On Monday we took our kids to the airport in Orange County to fly home and we spent one more night with my cousin before taking off for Tucson on Tuesday. She and I got to go to a movie on Monday afternoon - The Jane Austin Book Club - which was very good.

I am so lucky to have such a wonderful biological family. If it wasn't for our church family here at Palo Verde I would be very unhappy not living closer to my family in California. Fortunately we are able to travel to see them and our kids in Georgia.

Exercise and Randy Harris

2007-10-02T10:51:00.000-06:00

I'm sure that title got your attention. Tom and I went to exercise this morning after about a two month lapse. I walked on the treadmill and listened to my iPod. Today I was listening to Randy Harris who was the guest speaker at Providence Road Church of Christ in Charlotte NC where Jeff Walling preaches. You can get the podcasts from this website. This sermon was from September 9. Anyway, the sermon was on evangelism and if you've never heard Randy speak he always has some funny stories. In this sermon he was talking about exercise and said he didn't like it and didn't do it. He said partly because of genetics. He said people in his family lived to be 100 but their mind began to go at 70. So he figures if he didn't exercise his mind and body would go at the same time. He also said he didn't know why people resisted going to heaven. He said he would eat his chocolate donuts and see you there. Oh and his points on evangelism were good too. I only walked twenty minutes and finished listening when I got home.

We are leaving Thursday for Orange County, CA. Our kids from GA are meeting us there and we are going to Disneyland to celebrate Harrison's (grandson) and my birthdays. Our birthdays are three days apart - Harrison will be 10 on the 23rd and I will be 65 on the 26th. I am now officially on Medicare and our Y memberships are being paid by our new Health plan - Healthnet. When I got my medicare card in the mail it seemed so funny. I thought only "old" people had medicare cards.

Substituting

2007-09-24T20:30:00.000-06:00

Today I was the sub for the classroom I opened this year. The classroom's air conditioning has been fixed and oh what a difference! I was working with a small group and one third grader was checking out my elbow and said I had "old skin". I said "Yes, that's what happens when you get old." He replied with "but I don't want you to die." I assured him I wasn't THAT old. The kids all gave me hugs and told me they missed me. One student, actually I think it was the same one who asked about my old skin asked me if I had my birthday yet and I told him it was next month. What do you think that means?

A Post at Last

2007-09-18T15:50:00.000-06:00

For all of my loyal readers - at least Dee, I thought I better get back to blogging. When last you heard from me we had just returned home from Hawaii and I was starting a special ed classroom as the substitute. I did last the 16 days and got the higher rate of pay. The bad part was our classroom's air conditioner was broken and I was sick the whole last week I worked. The district transferred another teacher who had only one student in her class. She and I worked together that last week and I don't think I could have done it without her. I learned that my mind is still capable of teaching full time but my body isn't. I told the school on that last Friday not to call me the next week and I stayed in bed most of that week. Then last week I worked Monday and Tuesday. I don't imagine I will get any calls this week because it is parent conference week and school gets out at noon for conferences. I really did enjoy the students and they all gave me hugs on that last day. When I subbed last week I got more hugs. I am only going to substitute at that elementary school, which is what I did last year. So far this year I've worked 18 days and I don't think I worked that many days all of last school year.

This time last year we were at the lectures at ACU but we didn't go this year. We listened to Landon Saunders speak last night on
totallyacappella's website. You can listen tonight and tomorrow night at 7:00 Abilene time, which is 5:00 Tucson time. I think they also broadcast the 11:00 AM lecture. Last night's was awesome. Mike Cope gives a short review on his blog today.

Home and Tired

2007-08-20T19:37:00.000-06:00

We had to stay an extra night in Hononlulu because we couldn't get a plane out on Sat night. We left Sunday night at 11:00, flew to San Francsisco, took the BART to Oakland, flew to Salt Lake City and got the last flight to Tucson on Monday night - getting home at 11:00 PM. School started Tuesday and I don't remember being as tired as I was every afternoon last week. This morning I was at the Y at 5:30 and swam 350 yards in twenty minutes. I do think it gave me more energy today. Oh yeah, one other minor detail - my classroom is one of three in the school with no air conditioning. It is broken and they are hoping it will be fixed this week. You know how hot it is in Tucson right now? We spent about twenty minutes in the hall, which has air after lunch and then we went to the cafeteria where it has air to work on math. I have 12 students, 3rd to fifth grade and three aides. Two boys have autism and they each have a one on one aide, then there is the classroom aide, who is a man. We are doing pretty good for one day of preparation before school started. I hope to make 16 days because then I start making $50 more a day and it is retroactive back to the first day. I've got to pay for the Hawaii trip, you know. My own goal is to make it nine weeks and I hope they have found a teacher by then. I do enjoy having my own class compared to being a substitute and I love the kids already but I'm not sure how long my body can take it.

This afternoon our LIFE group had a birthday party at a Mexican restaurant for Lois who was eighty something and Bobby V who will be 39 on Saturday. We had a good meal and a delicious chocolate cake - from Costco. What? You thought I would bake a cake? Yeah right! The people at the restaurant were so nice we left half the cake for the staff.

Guess I better quit blogging and plan for tomorrow. One day at a time. Pray for me.

Finally - Hawaii!

2007-08-10T10:57:00.001-06:00

We finally made it to Hawaii. If you read my blog you will remember that we tried at Easter and we got to Salt Lake City and we had a seat on the bus, as Tom likes to say, and the flight was canceled. Then in June we were going again and before we even left Tucson we realized we weren't going to get a flight to Hawaii so we went to Atlanta with the intentions of going to London. Well we ended up going to Boston and we really did enjoy that trip.

I don't think I posted about our trip to San Francisco. We did that in July with our kids from Georgia. We stayed at a Coast Guard Temporary housing in Novato. Our son, who is the pilot is also in the Navy reserves so he can stay in these places. It was really nice - a two bedroom apartment. There were wild deer on the property. Novato is about 30 miles north of San Francisco and a great place to stay. My grandson, daughter-in-law and I saw Hairspray on the opening day while we were there.

I can't say enough about our hotel Waikiki Sand Villa We stayed here in January but this time we didn't even make a reservation before we got here because of the chances of not making it. Anyway we booked it online from the airport in Honolulu and when we got here they remembered us and gave us a corner room on the 10th floor. We have this view from one balcony.

and from the other corner balcony you can just see the ocean past the hotels. It is about 3 blocks to the Waikiki beach

Besides the fact that the prices are reasonable (a little higher than in January) the most scary but miraculous thing happened. Yesterday when we went to the beach we left Tom's wallet with both our ids and credit cards, cash, his cell phone and my ipod in a safe in the room. As we were walking back from the beach Tom asked me if I locked the safe. I said "No" did you? Well...
We got back to the room and even though the maid had cleaned up our open safe was untouched. We saw the maid in the hall and she told us she had called down for security to check it out. I thanked her profusely for being an honest person.

We are going home tomorrow night because I have taken a long term sub position for a special education classroom at the elementary school where I usually sub. I didn't find out until Monday afternoon and we left Wed morning. I told them I couldn't be there for teachers first day on Friday. Our flight is an overnight flight - through San Francisco, then to SLC and finally by Sunday night we will be home. All the flights look good except the one to Tucson from Salt Lake, so worst case scenario is we will spend the night in SLC and come home Monday morning, also a teacher workday. Students show up on Tuesday. The school knows I may not be there until noon on Monday. I might tell you more about getting my room ready on Tuesday but my power on my laptop is getting low. we don't have wi-fi in the room but we do by the pool - where I have been eating breakfast and writing this. Dina, if you are reading this, I plan to call you today.

Tagged by Bobby Valentine

2007-08-01T10:34:00.000-06:00

My friend and fellow blogger, Bobby V, has tagged me. He has asked that I divulge eight random facts, and meaningless!, about myself. So here goes ...

1. I was on the Art Linkletter Show when I was in 6th grade

2. I skipped the B-2 (We had semester classes in Los Angeles)

3. I wrote a letter to Ricky Nelson and invited him to a Sadie Hawkins dance when I was in 10th grade. He declined.

4. I was voted "Most Talkative" by my senior class.

5. I started teaching myself piano when I was in elementary school - on a neighbor's old - old piano. Later I took lessons and got my own piano - I have had 4 pianos - and I still don't play for anyone but myself - and kids.

6. I went to a party at Pat Boone's house (at the time he was renting Humphrey Bogart's home in Beverly Hills. I went with my Pepperdine College Sorority - Kappa Kappa

7. I used to Ice Skate and learned to do a "waltz jump" (for you non skaters that means I could jump about an inch off the ice)

8. I don't ice skate anymore since I fell just standing still on the ice 2 summers ago when I went with the youth group from church. I decided at that time that 62 was too old to be ice skating.

I tag Desert Diva, Beverly, Scott, Dina, Candy, and Tina

...but it doesn't look like Honolulu Part Two

2007-07-10T12:15:00.001-06:00

Since my last post when I was reporting on our trip to Boston, Portland, Maine and Plymouth Rock with a couple of days in Atlanta we came home , rested a week and left for Portland, Oregon. We flew to Salt Lake City, then instead of getting a flight to Portland we flew to Medford, Oregon and rented a car. The weather was beautiful - in the 70's and I took this picture at a rest stop on our five hour drive to Portland. We ate lunch at the White Horse Inn in Sumerlin, Oregon and it had a bird aviary. The food was good and the owner (?) gave us a free strawberry shake and a piece of rum raisin pie - UMM. It rained the next two days but it felt great. We stayed with our friends, June and Gene Anderson in Vancouver, Washington and when we weren't attending Columbia College (now Cascade) reunion activities or driving around and looking at the apts/houses we lived in we were playing pinochle with June and Gene. When we lived in Vancouver we played at least once a week.

Here is a picture outside the Johnson Center at Cascade College. Aren't the roses beautiful?

I haven't been posting since we got back and I am not sure why. I may be losing interest in blogging - I haven't even been reading others blogs. But I am going to do that right now.

..but it doesn't look like Honolulu - Part One

2007-06-13T16:38:00.000-06:00

If you read my last post you might wonder why I have on a jacket when I am supposed to be in Hawaii. Well, we didn't make it. We fly standby and when we first started looking at the loads a week ago there were seats available...but. I had said I would not turn around and fly back to Tucson and as it turned out we knew before we left Monday morning that we would not make it to Hawaii so we decided to go to London, England. We have never been to Europe so we just packed a little differently. We planned to fly to Atlanta, spend the night and leave for London Tuesday morning. Before we went to sleep Monday night or I should say around midnight we checked the loads to London and surprise - it had changed. Tom was getting a little irritated but I was going with the flow. We thought about Edinburgh - it is one of Delta's new routes and so it looked pretty good. The problem was the hotels there seemed very expensive -- and it was going to be cold, at least colder than London. Neither Tom and I had been north of New York City so we decided on Boston. Now remember we are making all these plans while at the hotel in Atlanta on Mon night - late. We found a hotel - a La Quinta in Andover, Massachusettes, made reservations and made car rental reservations - all over the internet. Yes we both have our laptops with us.

We got up early this morning and drove to Portland, Maine. We got lost trying to find the tour office but we found AAA and stopped there and got maps. It was raining - kind of misty rain - most of the morning. We could have been in Portland, Oregon. Tom took the first picture while we were on the tour. We were at Cape Elizabeth and this is the Portland Head Light, the second oldest lighthouse in the US.

We ate lunch after the tour. I really wanted Maine lobster but instead we ate at Becky's Diner which our tour guide said was a local favorite. We both ordered the special which was Macaroni and cheese with a hot dog - which turned out to be just the weiner.It really was very good and I only ate half of the mac and cheese and then had some pecan pie. For dinner tonight we are having our leftovers from lunch and last nights leftover chicken parmasan.

As we drove back we went on Highway 1 through the small towns. I got excited when I saw the turn for Kennebunkport.

I thought if we just turned east we would find the ocean. We did eventually - I'm not sure what the name of the beach is but here is a picture.

How would you like to live here? This was on our way back from the nameless beach.

More tomorrow.

On The Road Again

2007-06-10T08:30:00.000-06:00

We are going to try to get to Honolulu again. We are leaving in the morning for Salt Lake City. We are listed on the standby list and everyday the seats available to Hawaii are fewer. So we are making alternate plans. We can fly to San Francisco from SLC, spend the night then leave for Honolulu Tuesday evening. We already have our reservations in Honolulu and we will lose one nights fee if we don't show up Monday night, but it is still worth it. Actually it would be fun to spend some time in San Francisco. I love that city -and it's cool. Today it is supposed to be close to 100. Have a good Lord's Day.

Ladies Who Lunch

2007-06-04T16:45:00.000-06:00

The Washington High School Girl's Class of Winter 60 (Los Angeles, CA) met at the Long Beach Marriot at 11:30 AM last Saturday. What a blast! It was so much fun visiting with women, most of whom I haven't seen in 17 years and some whom I haven't seen since we graduated. I would have to say we looked pretty darn good for our ages, since we have either turned 65 this year or will on our next birthday. I think I was one of the youngest since my birthdy isn't until October - I skipped the B-2. When I went to school in Los Angeles every semester was like a new year. You could actually begin school in February. Thus the B-2, A-2 etc. You changed classrooms and teachers in Sept and Feb. So instead of 6 elementary teachers or 7 with K you had 12 (or 14). We did that all through high school that is why we graduated in Jan.

Probably the biggest topic of conversation was how we are handling turning 65. That and how many husbands! Actually we had a pretty good percentage who are still married to their original spouses, including me. One of the ladies is raising her two grandchildren, one of who is 13- ouch. BTW she is one of the youngest looking ones, maybe there is something to having a young one around. Most of us were retired but some were still working. One of my friends is a secretary at Saddleback Community Church - where Rick Warren preaches. Her husband and I went to Sunday School together when we were in elementay school. He also graduated with our class. Another classmate who couldn't make it sent a letter to pass around - with pictures (then and now). She lives in Reno, NV and couldn't attend because she and her husband had two horses who were racing that day. Another woman retired from Los Angeles City Hall but still goes in (from her home in Palm Springs) 3 days a week - as a consultant. She was secretary (later title change to Administrative assistant) to the mayor(s) of Los Angeles. She started right out of high school. I think I was the only retired teacher, but we had three social workers (one retired, two still working). It was so intersting learning about each other.

I had originally planned to fly home on Sunday but had decided to fly home Saturday. There were seats available on a 5:20 flight out of Orange County and I was sure that would give me enough time. Well, by 3:20 we were still talking. I think we had about 30 women and we were each telling about the last 47 years. We had finished lunch started going around the room reliving our lives, taken a potty break and I had to leave. I think I missed about 4 ladies' stories. Next year I plan to go back and I will definitely stay over until Sunday. Our 50th High School reunion will be held in 2009 with the '59 graduating classes. Several of the women who were there are on that planning committee.

High School Memories

2007-05-30T15:57:00.000-06:00

I graduated from George Washington High School in Los Angeles, Ca in January of 1960. My class had about 300 students. The June graduating class had about 700. I went to my 10 year and 30 year reunion. We lived in Washington when the 20th was held. I have kept in touch with one friend who luckily has kept in touch with a group of women who get together once a year for a luncheon. I will be leaving for Orange County tomorrow to attend one of those luncheons on Saturday. Tom is not going with me. I will fly home on Sunday. I am so excited but I wonder if I will recognize anyone. It is interesting deciding what to pack. It is in the 90-100 degree range here and the forecast in OC is low 70's. Of couse I won't mind the cooler weather.

Updated Links

2007-05-25T17:55:00.000-06:00

I just added some new links to the side. I still don't have all of them listed but that would be too long. Just as I think I will cut down how many blogs I read I find a new blogger and add just one more. The newest blogger I have found is Kaye Check her out. She is a good writer. How do you choose who you read- only those you agree with or do you like to mix it up?

Painting

2007-05-24T18:05:00.000-06:00

I really hate painting. When we moved into our house 3 years ago we had the entry, living room and hall painted. I don't remember what we paid but it was worth it. It was done so quickly and we weren't disrupted for long. We have been painting our bedroom (ourselves) for at least a week. First we moved the bed out completely and got one wall painted. Then we moved the bed back in and didn't do anything else for a few days. Today we took down the ugly blinds that were here when we moved in. When I say we I mean Tom. I help a little. Then we had to stop to go to Loews for some spackling stuff and temporary blinds - which will probably be up at least a year. Maybe not. Of course we had to eat while we were out. Now I am tired from all that work :). So I thought I would write so I won't feel guilty about reading and not writing.

Blogging

2007-05-16T13:45:00.000-06:00

I have had a hard time wanting to blog since we returned from Pepperdine, church at Newland St in Garden Grove and two days in Oceanside - where we started our married life 45 years ago. We had a good trip beside the fact that I twisted my ankle the first day we arrived at Pepperdine. I took my camera and the one day I started to take a picture my batteries were dead and I never replaced them.

The lectures were great and seeing people I knew from the past is always a highlight. I also met some bloggers I had not met before - Greg England, Steve Puckett, Brandon Scott Thomas and his family (yes, his kids are gorgeous) and Amy Westerman who is Nancy French's sister. I think next year the lectureship committee should provide a room for bloggers to get together.

I don't know why I haven't wanted to blog - probably just laziness. I promise to do better.

On the Road

2007-05-01T09:53:00.000-06:00

We spent the night last night in Palm Springs on our way to Pepperdine. Before getting on the road we are resting to allow the morning traffic to die down. One stop we are planning to make is in Duarte (you've probably never heard of it) to eat lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory. We first ate at this restaurant in Portland, Oregon when we lived there from 75-82. Actually we lived in Portland the first three years and then moved across the river to Vancouver, WA. Several of these restaurants are in CA and we used to eat at the one in Newport Beach and Fullerton. There is only one restaurant in the state of Arizona and it is in Phoenix. While we were there for competition we made sure to indulge. BTW the prices are about $3.00 higher in AZ. Weird. Check out the menus from Duarte and Phoenix Both Tom and I always order the spaghetti with Mizithra cheese. It is so yummy and I have never seen it on the menu at any other Italian restaurant.

Movies

2007-04-29T14:55:00.000-06:00

I saw three movies since Friday. The first one was The Perfect Stranger with Halle Berrie and Bruce Willis. It was rated R and I think I probably don't need to go to R rated films. The story line was good but I had to put up with some junk. I am glad no one went with me - it's not one I would want to take a friend to. But if you like Halle Barrie or scary movies you might like it. But remember I warned you. The other two were better. My friend Sandy and I went to see Wild Hogs (our husbands went to the Men's retreat). We laughed so hard. The third movie was from Blockbuster - The Queen. If you haven't already seen it - rent it.

We leave tomorrow for Pepperdine. I am looking forward to it - seeing people you've known from all over is as much fun as going to the lectures. The singing is always awesome. We are going to take two days to get there. We don't like driving too far in one day.I'm not sure where we will stop - we'll probably just drive until we are tired.

Have a great week everyone!

Blog Anniversary

2007-04-25T15:36:00.000-06:00

Today is the one year anniversary of my blog. I have met some wonderful new friends and I have learned that I would rather read other people's blog than write on mine. My postings have become less frequent but I do try to keep at it. Today was the half way point in working a full week. At this point I think I am ready to be done for this school year. Tomorrow our class is going on a field trip to a symphony. It is especially for Kindergartens so our primary sp ed class (K-2) hopefully will enjoy it. I will try to post tomorrow and let you know how it went.

A Week of Work

2007-04-23T21:15:00.000-06:00

I got called at 5:00 AM this morning to sub at my favorite school (actually it is the only one I sub for). The assignment was extra help, other - which could mean librarian, counselor, Resource teacher or special ed aide. It was the aide job. The teacher just got her 13th student which is one over the max. So she is entitled to a second aide. I agreed to be there all week. We are going to Pepperdine next week so I couldn't agree to any more than that. I haven't subbed five days in one week since I retired so I imagine I will be tired the end of the week. The secretary was teasing me about not making it past Wednesday. It's hard to believe I did this for 34 years. Retirement is so much more fun.

Trip to CA

2007-04-19T17:42:00.000-06:00

It has been an interesting couple of weeks. On Easter Day Tom and I were supposed to fly to Honolulu. We got to Salt Lake City and there were enough seats on the Honolulu flight for standby passengers - however the plane had mechanical problems and they canceled the flight. So instead we flew back to Tucson. Exciting day! As it turned out it was a good thing because I was able to go to CA to visit with my cousin. I am not going into details but please say a prayer for my cousin's daughter, Elizabeth who is 13. My cousin works for Starbucks on the Warner Bros lot - actually it is the area from where the tours leave and return. Anyway I was able to take one of their tours - for free. I didn't see any movie stars but I got some shots from several sets. See if you recognize what sets I saw.

Home From Phoenix

2007-04-02T10:41:00.000-06:00

We came in third place. There really weren't any surprises. Scottsdale came in first, San Diego second and we were third. We did improve our score from last year, so we were happy about that. We had a casino night (for prizes) on Saturday night after the competition. Your badge from the event got you $25 in chips. I used mine and Tom's (he was resting) and played blackjack. The dealer was real helpful to those of us who were not experts and it was fun. I traded in $150 in chips for 5 tickets - it should have been 6 - I wasn't paying attention. The prizes were baskets of stuff (bath products, etc) and the top prize was an all events ticket to International in Calgary in October. I didn't win anything - but I had fun. Too bad it wasn't real money. Of course then I probably would have lost. Thanks for all the nice comments on our costumes. I think they were a hit at competition.

Leaving for Competition

2007-03-29T21:27:00.000-06:00

Saturday is the chorus competition for Region 21 of Sweet Adelines in Phoenix. Tomorrow is the quartet competition. Tom and I are leaving in the morning and coming back early Sunday morning so we can be home in time for church. This picture was taken Monday night at our "family and friends night" - dress rehearsal. Can you spot me? I am in the middle on the third row. It kind of looks like the second row right behind the director's head. I really like our new costumes. Purple is my favorite color.

Heresy

2007-03-21T18:46:00.000-06:00

You know I've been bragging about our new preacher Bobby Valentine. Well - he's gone too far. At our LIFE group meeting on Monday we were discussing Acts 10 vs 9-33. This is the section where Peter has the vision about the sheet from heaven which contained foods that a devout Jew would not eat. Peter was told to eat and even though the lesson is about the acceptance of the gentiles I've always assumed that meant there were no dietary restrictions anymore. We read from Leviticus Ch 11 about clean and unclean foods. Wow, there a lot of things the Jews couldn't eat - can you believe no lobster, shrimp or crab? When I questioned Bobby he referred me to Acts 15 vs 22 - 29. In these verses the apostles are saying to the gentile Christians to refrain from food sacrificed to animals (no problem here) from blood, (rare steak??) from the meat of strangled animals (how do I know how chickens are killed?) and immorality (no-brainer). Well, I told Bobby he has quit preaching and "gone to meddlin". I love medium rare to rare steak. I thought when you cut into it that it was juice coming out? Is that blood?? Do I need to give up Ruth's Chris Steak House which serves the best filet I have ever had? Is well done steak really even worth eating? These are all thought provoking questions. What do you think?

Finished Another Book

2007-03-15T13:58:00.000-06:00

I am so excited. I just finished NT Wright's book, Simply Christian and it was so good. It was a lot easier to read than his book on Paul, but I guess it was written for a different audience - meaning not scholars. So if you haven't read it yet give it a try. I am about halfway through Leroy Garret's book, the Stone-Campbell Movement and it is interesting to see the difference in the way religious scholars of different centuries approach the same subject. I feel so different than when I first started out on this Christian journey. I was taught by my grandparents about Jesus and I will always be grateful for that. I was also taught that if we just read the Bible and "spoke where the Bible spoke and was silent where the Bible was silent" we would all come to the same conclusions and be simply Christians. Funny how it has taken me a lot of years to realize that that doesn't happen. I am grateful for my heritage in the Church of Christ and at the same time I can understand how some churches, such as Oak Hills in San Antonio where Max Lucado preaches, has chosen to drop the name because they believe it has had some negative connotations. When you read about Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone you realize that they were not trying to start a new church but wanted to see unity among Christians. I think when you try to make doctrine your "unifying method" that is when you get into trouble. This is my opinion anyway. So, am I a heretic?

Reading Books

2007-02-26T20:26:00.000-07:00

You may be asking where I have been - it seems like I am going longer between posts. I have worked a few days - two days last week and I am doing Kindergarten tomorrow. But mainly I have been reading. I have always liked to read and almost always have a novel on my nightstand. Since I started blogging my reading time has been consumed with reading about other people's lives and ideas. Since Bobby's arrival I have been reading more books and spending less time on blogs. He has challenged us to read through the Gospels three times in the year, and I have finished Mark and started Luke. I also read his book, Kingdom Come and just finished N.T. Wright's book, Paul. I am also re-reading the Stone-Campbell Movement by Leroy Garrett. I've started Nancy's book, A Red State of Mind but got sidetracked. It is really fun to read and you can order it from Amazon as you can the other books I've mentioned. N.T. Wright seems to be quoted by a lot of people lately such as Mike Cope and Simply Christian seems to be the one most often quoted. I didn't buy that one because I plan to borrow it from Bobby. I hope it is easier to read than his book on Paul. I had to keep my Bible and a dictionary handy to get through it. I have also seen a couple of movies - Tom went with me to see Dreamgirls (second time for me) and I took Talya (Bobby's youngest daughter) to see A Night at the Museum - also for the second time for me. Talya spent the night with us one night when Rachael was in the hospital and it was fun having a little girl around. I learned about Webkins. Oh yeah, my friend Sandy and I went to see Music and Lyrics - it was cute. So as you can see I have been busy.

Checking In Part 2

2007-02-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

I passed my qualifying for competition. I ended up turning in a tape or rather recording it during rehearsal on my iPod and emailing it to my section leader. I wish I could get over my fear of singing in a quartet. I guess if I would just find three other people who would be willing to sing with me in a quartet and just do it that would help. Of course there is the other possibility that I shouldn't be singing at all - except at church. My voice will always be pleasing to God. The retreat this last weekend went well. Our coach made some changes in interpretation but we still have six weeks to go before competition.

We have not been to the Y to excercise this year on a regular basis and by that I mean I don't think we have been more than once or twice. Today is rainy and it is a good day to stay inside. Of course if it were sunny I would say it was a good day to do something beside exercise. We HAVE to get back in our routine.

This Saturday night we are going to a Sweetheart Dinner at a Sheraton Hotel. It is being sponsored by the Band of Brothers at Church. Tom and another man have been planning it and it looks like it will be fun. He didn't have a large response because of the expense. Hotels always charge too much, but he wanted it to be special- plus he really didn't know how many people would respond and we wanted to have a room big enough. We will be having entertainment - a quartet from Sweet Adelines made up of our chorus director and one lady from our church and two other great quartet singers. They are not an official quartet (meaning they don't sing in competition) but they sound really good together. Our director sings in a quartet that will be singing at the international competition this fall in Calgary, Canada. She had bronchitis last night and wasn't at rehearsal, so I am praying she will be well by Saturday. Our song leader and his wife will also sing a duet and there are some other surprizes for the ladies. Tom has really enjoyed the planning for this. He was involved in some fund raising dinners for the City of Children ( a Church of Christ children's home in Ensenada, Mexico) in their early days in the 70's. I love seeing him excited.

We are so fortunate to have Bobby Valentine as our new preacher. He is enouraging us to pray daily for Palo Verde, him, our youth minster, Clay Utley and our elders daily at 8:00 AM. We told him we would - if we were awake at 8:00 AM. Being retired we don't have a schedule but we will pray at 8:00 someone's time.

I will try to be more consistent in writing. Even though I haven't been writing daily I still read daily.

Checking In

2007-02-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

I guess I better check in. I haven't wanted to post because I have to admit I didn't pass both my songs. I still have one to tape during rehearsal time next Tuesday. It is a lot easier for me to do it this way than in a quartet situation. Our retreat is next weekend and I have to have passed both songs before we go to retreat. They run through my head all the time and of course they are right in my head and in perfect pitch. For some reason they don't always come out right -if I'm nervous. So here's hoping I pass Tuesday night.

We almost went to Orlando Tuesday and would have come back today. Yesterday morning we woke up to the news of the tornados in the Orlando area. I said "Thank you God that we didn't go". I think Florida is a very pretty state, but they have way too many natural disasters. Arizona is a haven. No tornados, hurricanes or earthquakes. We do get our monsoon rains in the summer, but we are grateful for them.

Tom and I saw Night at the Museum Thursday afternoon (bargain prices, of course). We both enjoyed it. If you haven't seen it yet I would recommend it.

This morning I went to a baby shower at church. The expectant mother received lots of cute baby gifts, but I am much too old to get excited about baby gifts - unless of course unless it was my grandbaby. What do you think of the 67 year old mother that lied about her age to the doctor and gave birth to twins? Now that is just plain nuts!

Tagged by Bobby Valentine

2007-01-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

I have been blogging almost a year and have never been tagged. I now feel a part since Bobby Valentine has tagged me.

Here are the rules: 1) Grab the book closest to you 2) Open to page 123, go down to the fourth sentence 3) Post the text of the following three sentences 4) Name the author and book title 5) Tag three people to do the same.

Believe it or not this is what I have.
P123- The Easter meals shaped the disciples' understanding of the Lord's Supper.
Just as the Emmaus narrative moves from the non-recognition of Jesus to the recognition of Jesus at the table, so the church recognizes Jesus at the table. There we recognize the victory of the resurrection as we eat and drink with Jesus in hope."
The name of the book is Kingdom Come by John Mark Hicks and Bobby Valentine

I tag Beverly, Dina and Sandy

Fears

2007-01-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

Recently a friend of ours had surgery and we found out that he has a fear of having his blood pressure taken. I have been on medication for hypertension since I was 38 years old and know that sometimes my blood pressure would be high if I was anxious about it, but most of the time it has become routine. This man really has a phobia about it. My husband has a fear of heights and yet it doesn't bother him to fly. I love watching Monk because it is so funny, yet it is so sad to live with so many fears.

I have one fear and that is singing in a quartet setting getting ready to qualify for competition. Sweet Adelines is made up of choruses and quartets. At competition one day is set aside for quartet competition and one for the chorus. I am a CHORUS singer and not a quartet singer but before we can go to retreat next month (a weekend of coaching) each member of the chorus has to sing her part in a quartet. Now the other members of the quartet are section leaders so at least you are not singing with 3 other nervous non-quartet singers. You do this by going to someone's house along with 20 or so other people who have the privilege to listen while you sing. There are other people who have this fear so it can be difficult listening to them go through it. Of course not everyone gets as nervous as I do and maybe some people actually enjoy it - but not me. This is coming up for me next Monday night. The first group goes tonight and then there are three other nights set up. I wanted to go last but one of my friends who is a section leader encouraged me not to wait so I would have time to work on it if I mess up. Last year I passed both songs - an uptune and a ballad the first time I tried but we are singing the same two songs this year and I have changed parts - from lead to bass so I have the additional fear that I will switch back to lead in the middle of the song. I know the best way to conquer a fear is to do it but I don't really have anyone with whom I can practice singing this way. Please pray that I won't be too nervous. Do you have any fears?

Home, Tired and Cold

2007-01-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

The trip to Hawaii went too quickly. I could only find one downside of living in Hawaii. I would have to give up drinking milk. It is only $8.79 a gallon. Yikes!! My son and I go through almost a gallon in one day.

Sunday was our last day and we went to church at Honolulu Church of Christ to hear the infamous Scott Self. Thank goodness he is a good preacher because look at the view we had from our pew.

We wanted proof that we actually were at church with Scott so we ask a sweet older lady to take our picture.

Then we ask another person to take the picture.

We tried to talk Scott into lunch but he is so popular he already had a lunch engagement. Be sure before you go to see Scott you make reservations for lunch with him. (Just kidding Scott)

After church we changed clothes in the church bathroom and went on another drving tour. We are glad we rented a car this time. They say you can't get lost in Oahu - because the road is a circle. However this is more than one road and when we went to the airport Sunday night we drove up to the gate at Hickham Air Force Base and I ask sweetly, "Is this the airport?"
The kind young airman directed us to the U-turn.

Anyway on to our afternoon. We drove up diamond head to a lookout point - no we didn't hike to the top. By this time I was getting hungry so we had lunch at Hanauma Bay. This is a great place for snorkling - but we are saving that for next time. Here is a picture of the bay and then one of Tom, eating a $12.00 hamburger - oh, that included a drink and fries. Hint, stop at the McDonalds on the highway before you get there.

After lunch we drove a little further to the Waimanalo Beach Park. This beach was practically secluded compared to Waikiki Beach. The only problem was that after I got out of the water the sun went under a cloud and I had to drive back to the hotel wet. Thank goodness for the hospitality room at the hotel. We cleaned up, repacked a little and left for the airport. After our side trip to the base we got our car back and we were at the airport by 8:00 - for an 11:30 flight. We flew back to Salt Lake City and then to Phoenix where our son picked us up. We missed the snow, yes you heard right - it snowed Sunday night in Tucson. By the time we got home Mon afternoon most of it was gone but we did have a little patch left in our backyard.

If you are still reading this you have the privilege of seeing me in a bathing suit. Aloha

Another Day in Paradise

2007-01-20T21:18:00.000-07:00

When we woke up this morning it was raining - not hard and NOT cold. That was fine because I did a couple of loads of washing. This hotel Waikiki Sand Villa is a great place to stay. It is not fancy, but reasonably priced and close enough to walk to the beach. It has a hospitality room so even though check out is at 11:00 AM you can check your bags and take a shower before you leave, if you go to the beach. We don't leave until 11:30 PM tomorrow night so we plan to take advantage of that. We plan to check out before we go to church in the morning and I am not sure what we will do after that but I am sure we will not be sitting in the Hospitality room.

After washing a couple of loads of dirty clothes in the hotel laundry this morning the sun came out and we got on our bathing suits and we were off to the beach. We were meeting Dina and Tiki but first we stopped to have lunch at Duke's at the Outrigger Hotel. After lunch we settled in our spot on the beach and waited for Dina and Tiki. I had already been in the water when they got there but we went in again. Dina arranged for us to go on an hour long boat ride on a catamaran. She knows the captain. Thursday she introduced me to a lifeguard and she ran into someone else she knew today. She is one popular girl - and no wonder, she is so sweet. They didn't go on the boat with us because she had to get ready to to a party tonight. Tom and I volunteered to babysit Tiki (we're in love with her) but Tiki was getting to go to the party. Besides I think Dina thought Tiki might be too much for us - and after we were through with our boat ride I think she may have been right. We are about rested up and we are getting ready to go eat - maybe at Denny's - we are craving some bacon and eggs.

This is not the catamaran we were on but ours looked like this. The water was an amazing blue violet when we got out from the shore.

Me pretending to sail

Captain Kevin

This is me about 4:30 - after our boat ride

More pictures from Hawaii

2007-01-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the picture

2007-01-18T23:51:00.000-07:00

I don't have the best luck with posting pictures. That last post took me forever and I don't know why one was on top of the other so here is the one of Scott and Tom.

2007-01-18T22:38:00.000-07:00

We are having a wonderful time in Hawaii. It is so relaxing and the weather is perfect. We rented a car and yesterday we went to Walmart and had lunch. Instead of a McDonald's when you walk in the door there is L&L Hawaiian Barbeque. We had a typical Hawaiian plate lunch. It was good but today's lunch was more special because we ate with Scott. We had driven around yesterday before going to Walmart to make sure we could find Scott's church at night. I know it's not Scott's church it is actually Honolulu Church of Christ. We saw Scott and then we went back last night for Bible Study. He is a good teacher. Today he picked us up at our hotel and took us the Oceanarium Restaurant at the Pacific Beach Hotel. We sat right next to the huge aquarium and watched the diver feed the fish. Here is a picture of Tom and Scott. They were engrossed in conversation and didn't know I was taking their picture. Scott isn't really picking his nose. It is just the camera angle. Sorry Scott.

Tom and I on Waikiki Beach - waiting for Dina and Tiki

Dina and Tiki joined us at Waikiki Beach - Scott had to go back to work - poor Scott.

Tiki the "Sand Monster".
Dina, Tiki and I went in the water and Tom soaked up the rays. Tom did take a picture of us in the water but I'm not showing you that one. We are hoping to go the beach again on Saturday with Dina and Tiki and maybe go on a boat ride.

After the beach Tom and I cleaned up and ate at a Mexican restaurant within walking distance of our hotel - the beach is also within walking distance. It was very good but not as cheap as our meal in Nogales, Mexico last Saturday. But did I tell you the weather is wonderful? Tomorrow we are driving to the North Shore and to the Dole Pineapple Plantation. Oh yeah and the weather is wonderful!!

Escaping the Cold

2007-01-14T17:40:00.000-07:00

Our family had a great day yesterday. We went to San Xavier Mission south of Tucson, then to the Titan Missile Museum. That was very interesting. We went down about 85 feet underground and actually stood in the command center from which the Titan missile would have been launched. It was kind of eerie. Our destination was Nogales, Mexico and we finally got there about 5 PM. We found the restaurant, El Tule, that had been recommended by a neighbor. There was no menu, therefore we had no idea what the prices would be. The food is served family style and you have a choice of carnitas (pork), carne asada, (beef) or pollo (chicken) or a combination. We ordered the combination for four, but the waiter brought for 5, I didn't really understand - I think he picked up the wrong order. There were 6 of us, including the grandson. Anyway we each had lots of chips, salsa and guacamole as well as two drinks each. The meat, with jalepeno peppers and onions, was served in a sizzling bowl, like fajitas with corn tortillas. There was no beans or rice. Oh yeah, they also brought us a plate of lettuce, cucumbers and tomato - but no dressing. The salsa was delicious - hot enough for all of us and a little too hot for Harrison (grandson), so they brought him some chopped tomato, onion and cilantro. We wondered how much our bill would be. When it came it was 320 pesos which translated to about $32.00, evidently that included tip because our waiter didn't want to take any - we gave it to him anyway. We walked away full and amazed at the price. We walked around afterwards and went into a party store, looking at all the huge pinatas. We bought some Mexican chocolate. We got home about 10:00 last night.

I know you are probably wondering what this has to do with my title since Arizona is very cold right now. Well I was supposed to leave for Orange County, CA on Tuesday, but instead Tom and I are flying to Honolulu, where it is 80 degrees. We started checking the flights for our kids to go back to Atlanta tomorrow and the flight standby doesn't look real good for tomorrow leaving Tucson, but if they can't get out of here then Tom and Tom Jr will drive them to Phoenix where they have more flights going to Atlanta. I am singing tomorrow at noon for a performance at a mobile home park. Anyway while I was checking on the flights I asked Tom Sr. if he wanted me to check flights anywhere and he said HAWAII. So we are flying from here to Salt Lake City on Tuesday and then a direct flight to Honolulu. We didn't rent a car last year, but maybe we will this time. We hope to see Scott at church on Sunday - or maybe Wed night - and Dina I've got to meet you and Tiki. I know all of you freezing Texans are jealous - but oh well. Note: encourage your children to become pilots. Parents get great perks!

Here Comes the Family

2007-01-12T18:41:00.000-07:00

As I write this post my son, daughter-in-law and grandson are flying here from Atlanta. We will pick them up at the airport in about three hours. I got the room they are sleeping in all ready but now I have some stuff in my room I have got to put away.

Tom and Tom Jr helped Bobby move 53 boxes of books to the church office this afternoon. Their furniture arrived today from Milwaukee - but the moving company wouldn't take the books to church. I understand he purged before he left. How can one person have 53 boxes of books? Do you supposed he has read ALL those books?

Tomorrow we are thinking of driving to Nogales, Mexico. It's not that far - about an hour or an hour and a half. We've never been since we moved here three years ago so I am looking forward to it. The weather isn't cooperating though. Two days ago Tucson was the warmest place in the nation (continenatal US). It was 75, but it is turning colder and I think tomorrow's high is supposed to be in the 50's. Brr.

New Beginnings

2007-01-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

Bobby, Pamela, Rachel and Talya arrived yesterday, along with the hamster and dog. Several people helped them unload their car - furniture is due later in the week. Tom and I took them out to lunch to one of Tucson's finest - Peter Piper Pizza. If you have been following my posts that is where we had Tom's 65th birthday party in June. They actually have pretty good pizza. Bobby didn't preach today but he says next week's sermon might be about new beginnings. We are looking forward to his sermons.

I finally took down the Christmas decorations and tomorrow I will clean the living room before our LIFE group arrives. We didn't meet the last two Mondays and I have really missed our being together. I think we are studying about Stephen tomorrow. Before I had children I considered naming a boy Stephen Job. I think Tom Jr is glad I didn't.

I downloaded an Ugly Betty episode from the iTunes store for my iPod that I didn't think I had seen but I had so I'm listening to it anyway. If you haven't seen it give it a try - you might like it. Only a half-hour and a new episode of Desperate Housewives is on. Yes, I know I have wonderful taste in television shows. I guess I'll start a Sudoku game - I didn't play at all yesterday.

Sudoku

2007-01-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

For Christmas I gave Sudoku Live for the computer to Tom and now I'm hooked. That's why I haven't been posting as often. I have still been reading, but just haven't had time to write. Anyway about this game. It is supposed to be a game for logical thinking. At first I didn't think I must have any logic because I sure couldn't figure it out. But now that I have won a few I guess I still have some logic.

I have also seen three movies - The Pursuit of Happyness, Dreamgirls and Rocky Balboa. They were all good but Dreamgirls was my favorite. Our GA family is now planning to come next Friday - over Martin Luther King weekend. They will be here to go to hear Bobby Valentine preach. We are all looking forward to that. I have tried to get some housecleaning done - but I still have some more to do - as well as taking down the Christmas decorations. Maybe tomorrow.

Sorry this post isn't that interesting but I did want my faithful readers to know I'm still here.

Happy New Year

2006-12-31T21:15:00.000-07:00

Well here I am at home on New Year's Eve. We had a devo at church and a finger food party afterwards. Tom and I were at home by 7:00. Our son has been in CA and he is due home anytime. Our GA son was hoping to come with his family this Friday but since they fly standby the chances aren't real good. It was so much easier for them to visit us in CA because there were more flights from Atlanta to Orange County - or they could fly into Los Angeles. Of course living close to Disneyland was a better incentive than flying to Tucson. Tom Jr just got home so I will go visit with him. Happy New Year to all

Merry Christmas

2006-12-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

Tonight I sang at an outdoor mall with some of our chorus. This is our Christmas outfit. Some members of our group have sung there every Friday and Saturday night since Thanksgving. We sing for an hour in between the snow falling. Yes, its fake, but the kids really like it - actually so do I. Since this was the last night of the singing we had a little party at one of the members houses. Tom came too and we didn't stay too long, but it was nice.

I finally decided on our Christmas dinner. We are having Honey Baked Ham and I waited in line for about 50 minutes to buy a quarter of a ham - for $25. It better be good.

I actually am finished buying Christmas gifts for Tom and son, Tom - it's not even Christmas Eve. It seems every year we are buying something on Christmas Eve. There are actually some good mark downs at this time.

Yesterday Tom and I took the three next door neighbor's kids (ages 5, 7 & 10) to the Mall. We ate at evry kid's favorite place, McDonald's and then went to see Happy Feet. We are so happy to have neighbors with kids. When we moved here Tom said he didn't want to live in a retirement community - he wanted to see kids in the neighborhood. He got his wish.

Merry Christmas to each one of you. I don't plan to post anything the next two days.

Christmas is Coming

2006-12-19T20:36:00.000-07:00

When I was little all Christmases were at my house because my mother and I lived with my grandparents. I was an only child but my mother was the youngest of seven and all her brothers and sisters and my cousins would come home to Grandma and Grandpa's house in Los Angeles - my Texas aunt and uncle came some years. Anyway we would open one present on Christmas Eve and then Christmas morning Santa Claus would leave unwrapped presents - all for me of course. We were not wealthy, my mother worked for Bank of America (she became one of the first women officers in the late 60's - before that only men could be a bank officer).The point is that we didn't have a lot of money, but I always made out real good at Christmas. Several years ago one of my aunt's told me the story how her daughters (my age) wondered why Santa always left me more toys than he did them. She told them it was because I didn't have a brother or sister to play with, unlike them who had each other. I think that is a neat thing to have said - although I'm not sure they bought it.

I am now the oldest living member of my blood relatives so I guess that makes me the Matriarch of the Davis Clan (My mother's maiden name). It wouldn't be much of a clan if my cousins hadn't had children - and grandchildren and great granchildren. I have one cousin in San Antonio and one cousin's grandaughter and her three sons live in Maryland, but the rest live in Southern CA. One of my sons and daughter-in-law and grandson live in GA and the other one is with us. I say all that to say that we will not all be together at Christmas and that makes me sad. The majority of them will be together in Orange County CA and will be eating at my cousin's house who is a caterer and a wonderful one. Everyone chips in with the food, but Rhonda's house will be decorated to the nth degree and the presentation is always beautiful. We didn't go to CA last Christmas either but we went to New York and we did see the cousin with the three kids (only the twins last year) in MD but Tom was sick and we didn't even go to Church on Christmas Day. Of course going to NYC over Christmas time was special.

So what am I doing Christmas Day? Probably cooking something for 3 people. I am NOT going to do turkey. Do you have any suggestions? I am posting a picture of my pathetic tree - top doesn't show - with Murphy. He wore that Christmas T-shirt for about two hours and thought it was in a restraint and wouldn't walk in it. We put it on him to take the picture and our Monday afternoon LIFE group got to see him in it. Don't forget to give me suggestions for Christmas Dinner.

Good News

2006-12-15T16:40:00.000-07:00

Just before 3:00 PM today we got the results of Tom's MRA. It showed that he does not have to have surgery at this time. We are giving praises to God and we thank you for your prayers. Some how any other news seems trivial so I will not say anything else.

Changing Colors

2006-12-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

When I logged on to Blogger today it said I had to switch to the new Blogger, so after having to change my password because I couldn't remember what I used, I played around with it for awhile and all I changed was my profile and the color of my blog.

We had a chorus Christmas party at a restaurant last night and I changed my order from ribs to prime rib and that was a mistake. I originally wanted prime rib but thought since it was a large group I wouldn't get it like I wanted - which is rare. So I signed up for ribs. I figured they wouldn't mess that up. Then I got to the restaurant and switched with someone. When the waiter came he told us the only choice for steak or prime rib was medium and so I was stuck. I should have stayed with the ribs. I just don't understand why anyone would eat steak or prime rib any other way than rare or maybe medium-rare. I did order cheesecake, which of course was not included in the overpriced meal, and that was good.

Remember last month we went to GA- to Savannah, Augusta and Atlanta. Well when we got home my camera said there were no pictures. My son recovered them on his PC and then burned them to a CD and now I have them - or at least most of them - some were damaged. Anyway I am posting a couple.

A tree in Savannah with Spanish Moss

Cotton fields in Georgia

Me in Augusta at the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame and Botannical Gardens

I Am Tired

2006-12-09T15:33:00.000-07:00

This has been a busy week. I had a treadmill stress test - and did fine. Tom had two different doctor appointments and he has to have an MRA next Tuesday. He has had an aneurism in the abdominal area for some while and they said it hadn't grown (they had checked that last month, but they want him to have the MRA to check the aorta something and then he might have to have surgery. So please keep him in your prayers. I substituted two days last week, for a third grade class and for the librarian. I also sang twice with some of my chorus. Since we have so many performances around Christmas usually about 20-25 sing at one time - instead of the 75 member chorus. This morning we went to a funeral for the mother of one of our friends from church and then to Famous Daves BBQ after with another couple from church. Then we went by a rehab center to visit another member from church. He is 90 and fell and broke his hip last week. His name is Jack and he and his wife, June can also use your prayers. Now I am going to take a nap but I was told by my friend, Sandy that I needed to post on my blog. If you haven't read Sandy you should check it out. She is a much better writer than I. Night night

And the Preacher is.....

2006-12-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

It is official. The new preacher is Bobby Valentine. Tom and I went and looked at a couple of houses this afternoon that they are considering to rent. I have my preference, but we'll see what Pamella decides. I had been reading Bobby's blog for sometime and when I heard he was coming to try out I was so excited. My very own blogging preacher. I believe he has so much to offer our congregation. We have been without a pulpit minister since June and we love it when Clay Utley, our youth minister preaches, but he hasn't preached every week. He is happy being the youth minister. We are fortunate to have heard some excellent men from our own congregation - some of our elders, plus we have two chaplains who are stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. One of them is in Iraq right now and due back next month. But there is nothing like a full time pulpit minister. Welcome Bobby, Pamella, Rachael and Talya.

Just checking in

2006-12-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

I'm waiting on my hot artichoke dip to be ready. We ate lunch late today and we are going to have dip and french bread for dinner. I went to the Y this afternoon and walked 30 minutes, while listening to Randy Harris on my iPOD. I feel a little silly laughing outloud while on the treadmill, but sometimes I can't help it. I love my iPOD and I especially like listening to Randy and Mike Cope and Don McLaughlin and Max Lucado. Podcasts are wonderful. Tomorrow I am going to look at a couple of houses that might be possibilities for our new minister to rent. Maybe after tomorrow I will be able to reveal the "mystery man".

Weather

2006-11-29T21:24:00.000-07:00

We just got home from IHOP - our usual meal Wed nights after church. It is so cold tonight, I just put a blanket on my bed. I usually just sleep with a comforter, and not a very warm one. Yes, winter has come to Tucson. At least for the next few days. I think it is supposed to be in the 30's tonight. Of course next week it might be warm again. I kind of like being able to wear a sweater - or tonight, a jacket.

Yesterday I subbed for a resource teacher - which is the job I held for the last fifteen years of my teaching career. At this particular elementary school - which is the only one I sub at - I saw a total of about 15 students, ranging from 2nd grade to 5th. I saw them in groups of two to one group of 6. When I retired I had about 30 students in my program and had 3 large groups in the morning and a group a little smaller after lunch. Our school went through sixth grade. The resource program is a part of special education. It is for students with learning disabilities that are not so severe that they need a full day or self-contained classroom program. The goal of the program is to try to get the student's skills up enough to not need the program - so general education teachers work hard to get a student qualified for special education then it was my job to get them out. Some students will always need that extra help, but some don't. We had a teacher once that had been in a resource program when she was in elementary school - but both of her parents were teachers. One of my former students is now a department manager in a Target store. The stories do not all have happy endings - one student that I had had from 3rd to 6th grade was killed when he was in high school by a gang member - he was taking a date home and was in the wrong part of town. Another student who I only had one year- the one year I wanted to teach in high school (big mistake)- was arrested for killing a boy who had supposedly stolen his girlfriend. This happened after he had graduated from high school. I don't know what the outcome was. I do know that he was very hard to like. He was surly and I always felt he was capable of more. Yesterday for the first time I really missed teaching - but not enough to go back full time.

Tomorrow is dentist day - only a cleaning, thank goodness. I have crooked teeth, but they are strong. Well I think I will read a few blogs and go to sleep.

After Thanksgiving

2006-11-27T17:10:00.000-07:00

I had a great Thanksgiving. The couple from church that we invited seemed to enjoy it - they ate everything on their plate. Somehow after cooking for so long I am never as hungry. On Friday I even watched UT vs Texas A&M. I don't usually watch football but it just seemed like the thing to do on the day after Thanksgiving. I NEVER go shopping on that day. I did it once a long time ago and said never again! Anyway, I rooted for Univ of Texas and they LOST. I didn't get dressed until evening and then it was so I could go and get McDonald's. I was tired of turkey. I think next year we will go to Mississippi and have ribs with Dee and Tom. Or maybe Dina will have that great place in Hawaii and I'll go there.

We've Got A Preacher!

2006-11-22T23:04:00.000-07:00

I am so excited. I still can't tell you who it is because I don't know if he is ready to tell yet. Maybe he will reveal it on my blog - or his. Welcome and I couldn't be happier.

Sick Day

2006-11-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

I woke up in the night thinking I had heartburn - we had gone out for Mexican food last night. Then this morning I had stomach cramps and diareah (I don't think that is spelled right but I don't feel like looking it up). I haven't eaten anything today and it is noon. I have chorus rehearsal tonight and we are getting ready for several Christmas performances so I need to be there. Maybe I will feel better by tonight. No news yet on our new preacher.

The Weekend

2006-11-19T19:58:00.000-07:00

I just got home from singing at a Senior Center about 2 hours from here. We sang from 3 - 4:15, then some of us went to a guest ranch and had dinner and listened to a country singer and a guy who played guiltar and keyboard. We even sang for the people in saloon/restaurant. Now I am tired, but felt like I needed to check in. Yesterday Tom went to a clean-up day at a church camp and I went to see Stranger than Fiction with Will Farrell. I liked it. End of review. Last night we went to a small group gathering to visit with the "visiting preacher". It was great to meet him in person after reading his blog. I wish I could tell you who it is but I guess we won't know until after tomorrow night when the elders meet. If he is our man I'll tell you as soon as I know, If he isn't our man I won't tell you because you would wonder why we let him get away. I am really praying that he is the one. I like him and his family. Pray about it please.

Greetings from California

2006-11-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

Well, we took a little detour coming home from Atlanta. We fly standby and the seats to Tucson were full, but there were seats on the flight to Orange County, so here we are. Our son is driving up from Imperial where he has been working since last Wed and we will drive back to Tucson this afternoon. When we were leaving Atlanta going to Savannah last Tuesday night there were seats on a Delta flight to Paris and if I had had my passport we could have been in Paris. I lost it when we went to Mexico City a year ago in March. I didn't lose it in Mexico but in the taxi in Tucson. I never got a new one but I have the paper work at home and first thing tomorrow I am going to get that filled out and mailed in.

I got some good pictures in GA, but I forgot to bring my USB attachment for the computer so you will have to wait until I get home to see some of those. I will write more about our trip when I have the pictures.

Now for the exciting news. A fellow blogger will be preaching at Palo Verde Church of Christ this Sunday. We hope he will be the minister that we have been praying for. I will just say it is not Scott - nor Mike Cope, but there a lot of other ministers out there who blog, so its your guess. Please pray for us.

Off We Go

2006-11-06T17:28:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are taking off tomorrow. We are flying to Atlanta, changing planes and going on to Savannah. We are renting a car there and will spend three nights. We are driving to Augusta from there, spending the night then driving to Atlanta on Saturday. We are planning to worship at North Atlanta Church of Christ on Sunday. We are hoping Don will be preaching. We are hoping to fly home on Sunday night. I just noticed I started every sentence, except the first one with "we". I know that is poor writing, but "oh, well".

Friday

2006-11-03T16:18:00.000-07:00

I subbed today for Kindergarten. I had 14 students and I had a good day. One little boy had to have his card turned to red. They start with green, then first turn is to yellow, then to red. This partiular boy could have had "triple red". He just always seemed to be doing something he wasn't supposed to do - or was someplace he shouldn't have been. One little girl didn't make it to the bathroom in time, so she had to go to the office where they keep extra clothes for such emergencies. I really think K teachers have a special place in heaven - Bev, I'm thinking of you.

We were supposed to go the Y when I got home but Tom said he could pass it up and I needed to sit down and put my feet up. For some strange reason I couldn't see my ankles. You don't sit down much in Kindergarten. I am getting hungry so I better figure out if I'm going to cook or go out to eat. Decisions - decisions!

Halloween - the Day After

2006-11-01T23:33:00.000-07:00

I have just finished reading several blogs about Halloween and I didn't read of one that shared our experience - we had our Halloween candy stolen right from our front porch. We have a security door and a little entry and Tom had put a little table out there with the candy in a bowl, then he sat at the kitchen table and played on his computer waiting for the kids. I was in the bedroom keeping Murphy from barking at the trick or treaters. He had seen several cuties when our next door neighbors came over. When he got to the door he discovered we had been robbed- no candy and NO BOWL! At least they left the table. Can you believe that?

The Show is Over

2006-10-29T00:18:00.000-06:00

Boy, am I tired. My knee hurts, my feet are swollen, but we had two good shows today. Last night we had a dress rehearsal and we were at the theater until 10:00PM and had to be back this morning at 10:00 AM. The shows were at 2:00 and 7:00. My husband and son came to the evening performance and we went out to eat after the show. I have rubbed down with old lady cream - icy/hot. I am too tired to sleep but tomorrow afternoon I will try to catch up with my sleep.

BTW I got a new iPod video with a recording attachment and a lapel mike for my birthday. It is so cool. I even downloaded PacMan from the iTunes store. Before we have a show or competition we have to tape ourselves singing in the chorus. With my new iPod I can record and then email it to my section leader to review. No more buying tapes and batteries. I am so high tech. :)

Birthdays

2006-10-25T22:50:00.000-06:00

October 26th is a special day. It's my birthday. Tom has been treating me all week and I'm not sure what we are doing tomorrow, but he's been leaving me notes with #'s on them and telling me to choose. So far I've picked #'s 1,2 and 4. We have eaten at three of my favorite restaurants so far, Claim Jumper, Red Lobster - where I had jumbo shrimp cocktail, and On the Border. I am hoping a movie is part of tomorrow's plans. Tom only goes to the movies on special occasions, where I could go every week - and sometimes do. I think I've mentioned my age before but since some of you may have missed it - I will be 64. I am not sure how that happened, I don't feel 64. The only age I remember not wanting to be was 30. I was in graduate school at Chapman College (now University) and most of the students were going straight through so they were younger than me. So at 29 I was the "old" one. Now I am proud to be my age and would not want to be 29 again. so, was there an age you didn't want to be and/or do you tell your age? Now if we were talking weight - that's totally different.

Saturday

2006-10-21T14:33:00.000-06:00

I am sitting outside on my patio in this great weather. I just finished balancing my checkbook, or rather making sure I have written down all my checks and ATM withdrawals. The bank had $201 more than me, and I found a $100 sub error, in my favor, but I can't find the other $100. I don't add it in to my checkbook I just note it, then usually it works itself out eventually.I am such a great accountant. At least there is money in the account. YEA!

Acappella is performing this afternoon at our church. I am looking forward to that. Our show is one week from today and this morning as I was going over my music I found a couple of mistakes I have been making. It is so hard to unlearn wrong notes. I think I will be glad when the show is over. We have several smaller performances between now and Christmas, but they shouldn't be as stressful as this show has been. I don't know why I get stressed - I have been doing this (singing with Sweet Adelines) for over 20 years. I have taken a couple of breaks over this time period. I am afraid if I take another break I won't go back, so I will keep singing a while longer.

I like this picture better

2006-10-18T18:06:00.000-06:00

New picture

2006-10-18T17:54:00.000-06:00

I am not very photogenic and I really am getting tired of seeing my picture when I write in my blog..... so you now get to see my baby. This is Murphy, my six pound toy poodle. Isn't he cute?

Still Exercising

2006-10-18T12:01:00.001-06:00

We just got back from the Y and I walked on the treadmill for 25 minutes, did 5 minutes on the elliptical machine and lifted 10,000 pounds in weights. That sounds like a lot of weight but that its ten machines going around twice. I was on one machine that works on your outer thigh muscles and the lady who got up had her weights set for 162.5 pounds. I asked her if that was how much weight she did and she replied, yes, two sets of 20. I promptly changed the weight for me - 37.5 pounds and I did one set of 10. She of course was younger than me and a lot thinner. We feel so much better when we go and because both Tom and I go we hold each other accountable.

And the winner is...

2006-10-16T16:34:00.000-06:00

The chorus contest was wonderful - even watching it on the webcast. The International champions for 2006 is the Richtones Chorus from Richardson, TX. Because lightening hit a tower in Las Vegas several choruses were not able to be seen, although you could still hear them on the live webcast. So if you go here you can see and hear the winning performance. They were incredible! I am begging you to listen - esecially Scott. You can actually understand the words. The archived performance is even better than when I watched the live webcast. It is clearer. So you Texans can be proud of another thing. BTW the winning quartet is SALT. They were also incredible. Please go listen to the chorus.

Pay Day

2006-10-13T10:01:00.000-06:00

Yea, I got my three days sub pay today. It goes to my checking account automatically and so after checking my bank account online I feel a little richer. I was going to buy an i-pod with the extra money, then I thought about putting it toward a dishwasher and now that it is in the bank I will probably be spending it on groceries and eating out. I didn't work any this week but I have agreed to three differrent dates in Oct and Nov.

I listened to the webcast of the Sweet Adelines International Competition all day yesterday - from 10:45 AM until 8:30 PM when they announced the top ten choruses that will be in the finals on Saturday. They don't tell you what place you are in going into the finals, they just draw for placement. The San Diego chorus, which is representing our region will be in the finals. There are some really great choruses so if you possibly can tune in on Saturday do it. The link is here Now that I have figured out how to link things here is another great link my chorus We have our show coming up this month and you can see our great flyer as well as click on our competition songs from last regional contest. Today's quartet finals start at 12:00. Our directors quartet, SPARX, came in 14th place, not enough for the top ten but if a quartet scores in the top 15 they can compete at the next international without having to compete in their region competition again. The quartet, XTREME, will be competing today and the members of that quartet are from my former chorus in CA, Harborlites. Pam, the lead, is the director and she has won with a former quartet called PANACHE. I will be rooting for them today.

International Competition for Sweet Adelines

2006-10-11T23:33:00.000-06:00

This year's International competition for Sweet Adelines is being held in Las Vegas. In order to compete at the international level a chorus, or a quartet must win first place in their respective regions. My chorus, Tucson Desert Harmony, came in second in the spring regional competition and the first place winners, which was Harborlites, from CA (my former chrous) came in first. They will be competing next year in Calgary, Canada. I just finished listening to the webcast of the semi-final quartet competition. You can hear Thursday's semi-final chorus, or the finals for quartets on Friday or finals for choruses on Saturday. You just need to go here and check it out. If you have never heard Women's Barbershop I think you will enjoy it. The times are on the website as well as order of appearance.

Waiting for LIFE Group

2006-10-09T14:08:00.000-06:00

I did sub all three days last week - Wed thru Friday and the secretary knew better than to call me today. The house is clean and I have about thirty minutes before our LIFE group arrives. I hope it is not as controversial as last week. Of course we are still in Acts chaper 2 and will go through 2:38 today. We shouldn't have any controversy unless the couple who are not members of the coc want to discuss whether we are saved before or after baptism. Should be interesting.

Remember when I said I cut my finger and did not go have stitches. Well, it isn't healing right and I have an appointment this afternoon - even will have to leave LIFE group early to have it checked. Both Tom and I had fasting blood work this morning and the vampire lady (the one who draws blood) said I really should have it looked at. Of course no one could look at it while I was already in the office - that would have been too easy. I sure miss my CA doctor.

We had hail here this morning. It didn't last long. Last night we really had a lightening show. But the days are getting cooler - only about 80 right now, with a breeze. I don't even have the air conditioning on. Guess I will read a few blogs before group comes.

I Subbed Today

2006-10-04T16:48:00.000-06:00

You may or may not remember that I couldn't make up my mind if I was going to substitute teach this year or not. I hadn't subbed since last October. I signed up this year and then made myself unavailable. This morning at 8:00 I got a call from a school secretary at the Elem school I like. The Special Ed teacher for the 4th and 5th graders was going home. I said I would come in and now I have made myself available for that school only, with the understanding that I won't work more than 2 nor 3 days a week. We had an interesting day. Even though I knew some of the students when I subbed in their primary class their day was still different and most Sp Ed students don't deal well with any change. Just after we came in from recess where one of the boys had been given a time out that boy went off, and started beating up on the girl sitting next to him. While the two aides in the room eventually got him out of the class and to the office, but not until he had spouted a lot of obscenities I was wrapping my arms around the girl while she just bawled. The other students sat with their fingers in their ears. He had to spend lunch recess inside with another teacher and after lunch he was fine. He also apologized to everyone and shook our hands. After school the aides and I were talking to the Primary Sp Ed teacher and she was even surprised that this particular student had a problem. According to one of the aides - "This was a bizarre day". You might think I would not want to go back but I absolutely will, if the teacher is out again tomorrow. General education is so boring :)

Frustration

2006-10-02T16:48:00.000-06:00

Our afternoon LIFE group just left and I am feeling a little frustrated. You know how I am the oldest blogger in at least one circle, well I am the youngest member of our LIFE group. We have one couple who comes that are not members of the coc. The wife is Christian Missionary alliance and dresses very much like an Amish and the husband is Baptist. The wife never talks during group time. Anyway we were studying Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost and that went fine, but somehow we got off on instrumental music. You may think this is not an issue, but for the people in this life group, except for the non-coc couple and me, and maybe Tom, it is. I showed them the book, The Other Side of the Keyboard by Milton Jones and offered to let anyone borrow it. No one did. I really don't want to argue, but I wish we could just discuss it without someone saying that it is not in the NT therefore we can't have it and that's it. End of discussion. Tom told me he wished I would just keep my mouth shut, even though I was not the one who brought it up - I naturally jumped in. I prefer accapella music, but I believe it is not a sin to worship with instrumental music. The frustrating thing about this is that there are topics that I would love to discuss, not just about instrumental music, but women's roles, pattern theology, grace, and I don't feel I have an outlet for these. Maybe that is why I enjoy reading blogs from so many younger people - they talk about anything, and a lot of times it makes more sense than the typical Sunday school class, or Wed night class.

Blogaholics

2006-09-28T17:34:00.000-06:00

Here is the first meeting of Blogaholics Inc. If you wish to join please send your $100 application fee to Scott

ACU lectureship

2006-09-25T16:38:00.000-06:00

We got home from Abilene Friday afternoon, went to a wedding that night, which was beautiful - outdoors wtih twinkly lights - and cleaned up the van from the Texas bugs on Saturday. Actually the people at the car wash cleaned it up. I had a mini-detail with the carpets shampooed. We stopped on our way home from Abilene at Apple Annie's Orchard/Produce in Willcox, AZ. So Saturday night we had fried green tomatoes, fresh corn on the cob, fresh green beans cooked with salt pork and a Pork Roast. Tonight I will make fried okra and some more corn on the cob along with the left overs. YUM YUM.

Now about the lectureship. Of course the highlight was the blog party at Cole's on Wed. night. Thanks, Cole for hosting the party. Tom and I were a little late because we actually went to the lecture on Wed. night. We met Cole, Beverly, Candy, and Tracy. We had already met Scott when we went to Hawaii in May, but it was great to see him again. We missed Katie and Jeremiah - they had already left when we got there, but we had seen them at Highland on Sunday as well as at the lectureship.

All the speakers at ACU were good but my favorite was Don McLaughlin. We went to all three of his morning classes at 8:30 - very early for us - and heard him on Tuesday night. His main emphasis is on multi-cultural churches and what they should look like. He is very energetic and easy to listen to. We went to our first ACU lectureship in Feb and we definitely prefer September. It rained on Sunday but the rest of the week was beautiful.

Did you see Desperate Housewifes last night? It is going to be an interesting season.

Good Movies

2006-09-12T15:52:00.000-06:00

Over the last week I saw two really good movies. The first one is R rated for language and it is Little Miss Sunshine. If you can stand listening to a lot of vulgarity, the movie itself is excellent. A really great story. Alan Arkin plays the grandfather in a rather unusual family and he is hilarious. Of course he is the one who uses all the bad language.The other movie is Akeelah and the Bee - it is out on video now. I am probably one of the last to see it It is a family film - and what a story. You've got to see this one. I love movies! Oh, I almost forgot I saw The Mermaid Chair on Lifetime. I had not read the book but it had been recommended to me a couple of years ago. I liked this one also.

From Food to Texas

2006-09-07T13:59:00.000-06:00

Surprize! I actually cooked lunch. We had hamburger patties - cooked in the George Foreman grill, mashed potatoes and gravy, blackeyed peas, and some green peas. Oh yeah and some fried onions. Now I am resting up from all that work - before I clean up the kitchen. We eat out nearly every day - so any time I cook at home is a treat - for Tom anyway, even if it is just hamburger. I don't know why I don't like to cook, besides the obvious - cleaning up. I grew up with my grandmother making homemade biscuits every morning. My mother worked so she only cooked on Sundays. She used to stay home from church and her excuse was that she had to make lunch for my grandparents and me, while we went to church. I hated that she didn't go to church with us -sometimes it was just my grandfather and I, when my grandmother was sick. I remember walking to church with my grandpa and talking about Texas and living on the farm. My grandparents moved to Los Angeles when my mother was a senior in high school, so I wasn't lucky enough to be born in the great state. I always felt like a Texan though, since I grew up on red beans and cornbread. I have one first cousin in San Antonio. She was born in CA also, but stayed in Texas after graduating from ACU. I know I still have some more distant relatives still living there, but we don't keep in touch. Well, this was a rambling post. I guess I better quit procrastinating (another great trait) and go clean up the kitchen.

LABOR DAY

2006-09-04T14:45:00.000-06:00

I am getting lazy about posting. I have always wanted to read rather than write, but for my loyal readers I guess I better do some writing. I titled this Labor Day because it IS Labor Day, but that is all I am going to say about that. Holidays don't mean much to me since I have been retired. Every day is a holiday. We went to the Y this morning to walk and do our weight circuit. After coming home and cleaning up we went to Little Anthony's Diner (a local 50's diner) with our Monday afternoon LIFE group. Our Sunday night LIFE group had gotten down to two couples so we decided we would go to another LIFE group on Sunday nights. We went last night and the group has been going through Jeff Walling's book, Daring to Dance with God. I had read the book quite a while ago - bought it from Jeff BTW, when he was our preacher in Mission Viejo. Anyway we read the wrong chapter, but we were able to participate just fine. It was a good group and we are planning to go back. We have a preacher who is coming to try out on the 23rd. His name is Tom Washburn from Enid, Oklahoma. Do any of you know him? OK, I've done my posting now I can go and read -much more fun!

I got it Right

2006-08-28T20:01:00.000-06:00

I love these tests. I never wanted to be a nurse, but 34 years of teaching must have been a good choice.
I got this one from Kyle's post

Your Learning Style: Competent and Cooperative

You have a great head for facts and figures. You can remember and use any fact you've read.

You Should Study:

Dentistry
Education
Environmental Science
Finance
Nursing
Nutrition Science
Medicine
Law

What Should You Study?

I knew I shouldn't wash Dishes

2006-08-28T19:35:00.000-06:00

I only had a few dishes to wash up before our afteroon LIFE group was due. I planned to mop the kitchen floor after that. Somehow a glass slipped out of my hand and I ended up with a nasty slash on my little finger - right hand. I screamed - of course and both husband and son came to my rescue. They got the bleeding stopped, poured hydrogen peroxide on it and bandaged it - so tight the end of my finger was turning purple. I loosened the bandage, expecting blood to gush everywhere - it didn't, but boy did it throb. I got to the recliner and began barking orders. "Bring me some prescription ibuprofen - two please" Actually my first words were I need a morphine drip. I've never had one, but my husband did when he had a blood clot and he seemed to like it. If you haven't noticed from my comments I don't do well with pain. My son vacuumed the living room, but my floor didn't get mopped.

My pills kicked in and I made it through our group time. It was then time to pick up Murphy, our 6 lb poodle from the vet after his annual teeth cleaning and physical exam. He has to be put under for that, so he is still a little groggy. Of course with my major injury I couldn't possibly cook, so we went to Texas Road House where I comforted myself with a filet, medium rare, and a baked potato, with butter AND sour cream. I am feeling better now. Murphy and I are sitting in the recliner, writing about our adventures for the day. I love my Mac iBook. Tomorrow will be a better day.

This is Me

2006-08-27T20:45:00.000-06:00

You Are 35% Indie

You're a pretty normal person, with a few unusual streaks.
No one would ever call you a freak, but you've been called weird - once or twice.

How Indie Are You?

Decisions - decisions

2006-08-26T13:07:00.000-06:00

I just can't seem to make up my mind about Substitute teaching. I haven't done any since last October and I guess I don't really want to. I signed up this year, but then turned around and made myself unavailable. Monday will be the start of the third week of school and I can't bring myself to call that sub line and put in available days. Maybe I will just leave it alone.

Exercise is going good. We went 5 days this week. We skipped yesterday and went today. Why is it that something that is so good for you and does help you feel better is something we try to avoid?

Hail in Tucson

2006-08-21T21:42:00.000-06:00

Here is the picture taken about a half hour after our hail storm.

What's Been Happening

2006-08-21T16:52:00.000-06:00

I've noticed some of my blogger friends have not been posting as much lately. Our lives must be getting very busy. Our son is now living with us for awhile. It's nice to have him here. I have actually been doing a little more cooking. I made biscuits, bacon and eggs for breakfast - after going to exercise. Now I am waiting for my roast to be done for dinner. I've been slow cooking it and have just added the onions, carrots and potatoes. We had a hailstorm here in Tucson this afternoon. I took a picture of the hailstones left on my porch, but I haven't put it into my computer yet. We were in the middle of our afternoon LIFE group and we all had to go to the door and watch the hail. It doesn't take much to excite us old folks. :)

Shall We Dance

2006-08-12T22:49:00.000-06:00

I just got home from the first Church of Christ wedding that had a dance. The ceremony was held at church and the choice of music was beautiful - all classical, including the Wedding March. It was taped music. Then the wedding reception was held in a Lutheran church across the street. Someone recently wrote on their blog, I think it was Greg England that white Church of Christ dancing was something else. He is right. All in all it was fun.

My wedding was 45 years ago last Sunday. We got married at Vermont Ave Church of Christ, in Los Angeles CA. This was the church where I grew up. It was by the old Pepperdine campus. We were able to bring in an organ and my piano teacher played for us. I don't remember any of the music, except the Wedding March. We had our reception of cake, mints, punch, etc. in the fellowship hall - no dancing. I honestly don't remember much about the wedding, but we planned it in 2 months. Tom and I met in October of 1960, when I was a Freshman at Pepperdine. He was in the Navy and stationed in San Diego. We met through a guy I was dating, who reminded me of Gomer Pyle. As soon as I met Tom, George (Gomer) was out of the picture. Did I mention that George was good looking, tall and blond, but oh, that Alabama accent! Tom and I started "going steady" after knowing each other 2 weeks. He started asking me to marry him in Jan and I said "yes" in March. We originally planned to wait until Tom was out of the service and I graduated from Pepperdine, which would put our wedding date in 1964. By the time I had my engagement ring in June and we decided to marry in August. When we told my mother, she cried. It was not that she didn't like Tom but she really wanted me to finish college. She adjusted and I did graduate -in 1967 from West Georgia College in Carrollton, GA, which was Tom's hometown. I love weddings.

Drugs

2006-08-08T18:57:00.000-06:00

Did I get your attention with that title. I just got home from the doctors office and pharmacy and I've taken my antibiotic and 2 teaspoons of cough syrup with codeine, and I am in bed. I am missing Sweet Adelines rehearsal another night - two weeks in a row now, that is not good. We are learning a lot of new songs for our show on October 28th. At the rate I am going in learning the songs I may not be in the show. We celebrated our 45th Anniversay on Sunday and we ate at a Hunter's Steak House in Yuma, AZ. I really want to write about how we met but not tonight. Maybe I will feel like it tomorrow. Our son in still in CA but will probably be here this week. Please continue prayers for him.

Another Trip

2006-08-04T09:42:00.000-06:00

Well, we have taken another trip. This time it was not expected. We are in CA helping our son pack to move home. It is not a happy time, so please pray for him and our family. Thanks