Leaving for Competition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sorry about the picture

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.