Race, Inventory, Wedding Plans...OH MY!!

It was a very lonnnnnnnnng weekend. Friday I got my stitches out. I still can't kneel down on my knee and it's tender to the touch. Saturday was the Deer Chase and I spent my day back and forth between the race to get pictures (the above are not mine) and the scrapbook store to spend time with my friends. As you can see, Hubby and Daughter #2 raced the tandem and since they were the only tandem entered this year, they went home with some nice prizes. 

Son and his intended didn't arrive until later that afternoon. Just as they pulled in I was on my way back to the scrapbook store to help them do their final inventory. I hated leaving, but I felt I needed to help my friends and at home we'd probably just put in a movie which is exactly what they did because everyone was tired after the race and Son was tired after the drive. It was a long evening of emptying shelves and counting every piece of paper. It was so hard boxing up paper that I knew I could use on my projects...just watching it go to waste. I just couldn't buy all I wanted to. I left about 9:00 p.m. but I think they worked for a while longer. I just felt I needed to get home to my family. It's hard being pulled in two directions. I was so tired!! I'm very sad about this whole thing. They are my good friends now and I saw them almost everyday. I was always welcome to stop in and chat...wasn't expected to buy something every time I came in the door. Sometimes we'd just talk. We had a lot of fun and I learned a lot from them. It was my last place I could go relax and have fun. We're still going to try and keep in touch, it just won't be the same and it certainly won't be as easy. I even thought as I was driving down the street today...oh, I'll stop in and...then I realized I couldn't because they weren't there...just a bunch of empty shelves and a room that echoed. Someone asked if I taught the class I spoke of and yes, I did. It went very well...one of my "students" even blogged about it with photos...marji'sstuff.

Sunday after church I went with future daughter-in-law to get her dress fitted, then on to Shop-Ko where we found her shoes and then to Walmart to look for more flowers to go with the ones she already purchased, but we didn't find any. 

Monday at noon we met with Jean (my former boss at Curves) who is making the cake, then at 1 we went to the Heritage Center where the wedding will take place and got some of their questions answered and met with my Mentor about the music then on to the inn where they will spend their wedding night to pay for the room. We finally got lunch around 3 and then I took them to the church so future daughter-in-law could hear her march music again because when Mentor played it for her she was still left nervous about her entrance. He had a bad headache so I wouldn't ask him to do any more. I played it a couple of times and had her practice walking down the aisle. She seemed to feel a bit better about it but I won't be surprised if when they come up next I'll be doing that again. 

I did find a dress. It's not my favorite, but both the color and the price is right. It arrived today and it's a bit too big so I'm sending away for the next size down and will keep the one that fits the best and return the other. I wanted the jacket since it will be October, but now that I see it I'm not real fond of it. 

It's been raining all day and it's been quite cool the last few days...dare I say it..."fallish"...it's in the air. There have even been reports of leaves changing color. As every year, I'm not happy about the change, though I love fall, I have the feeling it, like summer will be short and cold and winter will come early. They are calling for a colder one than usual for us. After last winter and a cold summer, we're all going to go crazy!

I was back to the chiropractor again today...after several headaches I found out my neck was out. She also worked on my hips a bit. I'm always wiped out after an appt. and unintentionally took a nap in the chair this afternoon. I'll probably send out a few emails tonight and turn in early. 

A "Day Off"

Due to the business of this summer, I should be thrilled with a day to be home and catch up on a few projects and...in a way I am, but at the same time it feels so very strange.

Friday is one of my usual practice days but by no choice of my own I will not be practicing today. We are once again having car trouble. Daughter #2's car is in need of repairs to the front end, it got so bad that the tires were being worn unevenly and in one spot down to the cord. Hubby had her take our car and hers sits in our yard. Hubby and I are now forced to share his truck and since this is Deer Chase weekend, he needs his truck, so....I stay home. Unfortunately he is being forced to take me to the Dr. in a few minutes to get the stitches out of my knee, then I probably won't see him again until quite late tonight. It is nice to take a break from my normal routine, especially since I have nearly lived on the organ bench this summer, but at the same time, I miss it.

Our fur babies are not doing well. We don't know what for sure is up with Gilmore, other than he is 16 years old. He's very restless and we haven't decided if he's in pain or just anxious perhaps due to "doggyheimers". Suki has been diagnosed with fluid on her lungs and an enlarged heart. She is now on medication, but I don't know how long I can afford one of them.

I'm craving sunshine today so I'm trying to get outside as much as possible. I've been trying to do my computer work outside, but as we all know, it's difficult to see a screen outside and it's nearly too warm in the full sun on the east side of the house and on the west in the shade and cool breeze it's nearly too cool.

Time to leave for my appointment, so I will finish this later.

After my appointment I walked up to the scrapbook store for a bit...last 2 days of being in business. :(. Part of the process of closing the business is not only selling off the inventory, but also selling some of the furnnishings such as the racks on which the paper is stored. I'm always in need of storage for paper and I was one of the first to be offered one of the racks so I told them to please save one for me and I began setting aside some cash for it's purchase. Today they told me I should take it home and when I asked how much I owed them for it they said "well, we've discussed it and decided that since you have been one of our only customers who has stayed loyal from the day we opened the doors, we are giving it to you as a gift". WOW! I told them I walked up and fortunately since it has wheels on it, I could roll it home. They told me no, that they would take me and my new paper rack home.

Tomorrow I will definitely stop in for a while...several of us are planning to hang around and support our friends on their last day. Some are bringing snacks and cards. Tomorrow is also the Heritage Days Parade and it has been our tradition to watch the parades together from the porch of the store. Last one. :( I do hope we will be able to maintain our friendship apart from the store. Speaking of cards, I want to make a special one for them so I'm going to close this out and get that done.

Have a good night.

Time to put my feet up...

However, not by choice. If you've seen my Facebook posts, you're probably already pretty well caught up on things here, but I will expound a bit.

The concert went fairly well...I, of course didn't do as well as I had wanted. Despite my mistakes, it seemed quite well received, everyone else was amazing and the program content excellent. The photo above is of everyone who performed, including a guest violinist and a guest flutist. Hubby and Mentor both seemed pleased. This is what Mentor had to say when I sent him the pictures this morning: 

Hope you slept last night!  I was singing Praise to the Lord the Almighty over and over......  I did get to sleep,

Congratulations on every aspect of the recital; it was all quite wonderful. The organ really does sound good in the space; less is always more and then when you need the oomph, it is there.....  Lots of fun!

Corbin said, "The organ really sounds good....and she really can accompany a hymn, can't she?." and I was glad to hear that come out of him. 

Be happy.  Then get practicing ha ha.

DLS    

One of our music directors wants me to work up more chorale preludes so we can include them in our worship before we sing a hymn!!! Our Pastor wants me to play my grand finale for something....perhaps a "music night" for evening service? Both he and his wife loved it and one if not both of their children have an interest in learning something about the instrument. 

Several people are already talking about doing something for Christmas. 

On my way to practice this afternoon, I fell and put a gash in my knee. 

Six stitches later and I'm trying to rest with it elevated and iced. My music isn't ready for Sunday, the house is a mess and I have a full teaching schedule tomorrow! I guess I'm pretty much stuck in the recliner at least for tonight. On the upside, in all reality, I could have broken my ankle, hip elbow, knee...all were involved - so I'm considering myself quite fortunate. 

My unsung hero in all of this is Hubby! He spent hours and hours to see to it that we found the right organ, he arranged to get it here, he installed it, makes adjustments on it when necessary, advertised for the concert, listened and offered advice when I practiced, printed the posters, printed the program, set up tables and chairs in the gym, was MC for the concert, served in the kitchen for the reception and did all the clean up after! THEN when I fell today, he was right there to pick me up and drive me to the Dr., closing the business when he was already behind schedule. LOVE THAT MAN!!

Concert Day

The day I have been planning for and stressing over is here.

I apologize for being MIA for so long. Between practicing my fingers off, coordinating practice times between recitalists, typing up the program, teaching, helping with wedding plans and trying to keep up with the laundry, cooking, cleaning etc., I am spent. Most of my online time lately has been spent to try to find a dress to wear to the wedding (unsuccessful so far), emailing regarding the concert and typing up the program and program/composer notes. 

This afternoon I have to pick up cookies I ordered for the reception, let one of the organists in to practice, set up the reception area, and do a little light practice myself. My mentor came up yesterday to offer advice and to give me someone to play in front of - he said "you're fine, you don't need me."..BUT I DO!

Son and his intended were here this weekend to work on wedding stuff. I have to talked with my mentor yesterday about music as he has agreed to play the organ for the ceremony. Later in the week I need to call the lady we've chosen to make the cake and talk about design. 

I woke up nauseous - I know it's my nerves. 

I ask for your prayers for me as I prepare and for this evening as I play that first God would be glorified, that the church will be well represented to the community, for those coming that are not of our church family, that they will feel comfortable and at home and possibly pay us a visit on a Sunday morning, that our gratitude to God and to our church family would be displayed, that the music itself would be played well and received well and that the "dedication" of the instrument to God would be heard through the music that has been chosen.

I will return soon. I hope I'll have some photos to share.