Emotional today

The last painting Timmy was working on when he died. His classmates put the finishing touches on it, and signed it. A treasured possession...

This morning one of my FB friends wrote about encouraging children to learn to play an instrument. Joy was a music teacher at St. Johns and is now touring periodically with my neighbor, Donna, doing lyceums in State of Florida schools, using music to teach history. 

Anyway, Joy used a quote from Dr. Suzuki that encouraged parents to get their kids into music, how their minds will be aided by learning an instrument, and so on. I could not help but remember Timmy, at 4 1/2 years old, taking his piano lessons at the Suzuki Studio, with Tatiana as his teacher. Oh my, that was brutal! 

He liked making faces at himself in the shiny black piano and kicking his feet against the piano while seated on the bench. In fact, at one point, she fired him, saying, "You don't come back here!" in her Eastern European accent.
                                                
The owner of the place disagreed and said he could come back, but it didn't go well. "I play it the way I want it!" I told Joy this story and she said, "I wasn't his teacher", meaning she would have been able to harness his free-spiritedness. We will always wonder, won't we?

He did learn a little song to play using "the black set keys", as Tatiana called them. He would start on the left end and walk his fingers up the black keys singing, "Mommy, I love you", all the way to the other end. My favorite song of all time....

Getting the 'all clear'

This afternoon I had an appointment to have my 'wounds' checked over after my skin tags and beauty marks were removed a week ago. Two of the six removed were being biopsied and I awaited, more calmly this time, the results. I could hear Betsy bopping around in the hallway outside the exam room where I was sitting, checking in on patients. She has to be seen to be appreciated. And I do appreciate her telling me both the biopsies showed benign. That is my new favorite word!

Last week she was greatly concerned about her own little girl, as she awaited test results for the preschooler. Before she gave me my news, I asked her how her daughter was, telling Betsy I had her daughter in prayer (I truthfully did pray for her), and she said her little one was just fine. Betsy said, "You have to pray for me", and I looked puzzled, thinking something was going on with her, too. She said, "I tell everyone else that 'common is common', but I don't tell myself that!", meaning she'd made herself sick thinking something was wrong with her daughter. This is what happens when you know too much---you fear all the more.

On my ride back home after the doctor visit I called Mom right away to let her know the good news. She was glad to hear this report. We talked about the weekend's church family events, as she had seen the pictures I posted in this blog. Our friend, Ethel, is undergoing more tests for her mysterious malady, having to consume hot tea while the rest of us dined on Italian food at The Pasta Market Sunday. I will call her tomorrow to see how she is doing after all that rigmarole.

This a.m. we had the pleasure of David's company at Bible study, coming with Judy C. to the class conducted by his uncle Mike. His car is in the repair shop, getting work done on a bumper damaged by catching on a landscape timber in a parking lot. Pulled his spoiler thingy right off. Once his car is fixed, he is heading up to North Carolina for his sister's graduation from college. Judy and Michael are leaving later in the week so she will be gone for Mother's Day. David went to lunch with us as well, a good sport dining with the seven ladies. 

Saturday morning when getting out of the car at Honey B's, I noticed my back was not up to snuff. Must have wrenched it when pulling the rug out from under the TV stand plus the tension of the potential leaking into my living room catching up with me. I used my ice pack all afternoon Saturday and the heat pad in the evening, plus ice Sunday morning before church. It is much better but still gives me reminder twinges to take it easy and to not make any sudden moves. 

                    

The good news is that I am able to sleep comfortably which goes a long way toward healing the tender muscles. Thanking God that the roasters and towels in the living room are all dry, thanks to the efforts of Deborah, my new upstairs neighbor, keeping up with the pooled water using the wet vac. Seemed to make all the difference. If all this rain were snow, we would have three feet of it since Thursday! So glad the sun came back Sunday afternoon!!!!

A weekend of picture taking!

Somehow I messed up and failed to snap a photo capturing Michael's actual installation even though the camera was right next to me. I was off my game and that's my excuse. Here's some other photos which might make up for it...

Here is the Chappell family before we headed over to the luncheon. Back to front: David, Suzanne, John, Michael, Dave, Victoria, Leslie, Judy, Lynn, Carter, Julia, Hanna, Daniel, and Morgan

Room shot of John's back, Julia and Daniel, Michael, David, and Mike

 Terri T., Kristin, Sue, Jim and Janet, the preschool staff, the back of my head, and Dave (click photo to see Dave). 

 Me, Suzanne, John, Hanna, Julia, Daniel, the head table, and Jacob

Mike S. made a special lunch just for Michael, as a joke, liver 'n onions. Michael had expressed his strong dislike for it a couple weeks ago so Mike had to take it and run with it. And ended up eating it himself!

Mother/Daughter Event

Today our church ladies and friends joined together to celebrate moms and daughters and even granddaughters at Honey B's Cafe. Janet and her team did a marvelous job putting the event together, one of our largest with over 35 ladies signed up at attend plus four kids. Three of the girls, including my goddaughter, Sarah, sang two little ditties Janet taught them, about loving their moms. Cuteness!

       

The theme of this event was "Pretty Flowers All in a Row" which the table decor nicely represents. In the foreground is Emily, granddaughter to Gayle, sitting right behind her. Betty is behind Gayle. 

I see Bonnie, Twila, Susan, her mom, Ethel, Terri H.(also Ethel's daughter), and Lindsey, who is Terri T.'s stepdaughter. Gayle and Emily are across from them, out of the frame. 

My friend, Judy C., with her daughter, Lynn, and granddaughter, Victoria, in town to help celebrate Lynn's brother's installation as Director/Teacher of Precious Lambs Preschool tomorrow.

Group shot of the room, more ladies than can even fit in the picture!

Laurie sent me a text message this a.m. asking me to be her 'surrogate mother' today, a role I am more than pleased to have. While those are mighty big shoes to fill as Laurie's mom, it was sure fun to pretend! Judy is on my left. I won a flowery prize for having the most flowers on my blouse!

..and it's leaking!

Here we go again...water coming down the walls in the river room, mine, plus the one above me and the one below mine. At least Tracy's is an exterior wall. Mine would be if it weren't glassed in. As of this writing, the water has stayed in the river rooms and not gotten into my living room---yet.

I had called my upstairs neighbor last night and left him a message to call me about the leaks. The fellow on the 5th floor, Herve, let me know he was concerned and offered to come help move the furniture and such. At that time all was well in that room so I thanked him for his offer. This a.m. I went up to knock on the door at 404, but no one was home, thinking it odd that Dick did not call me back.

Shortly after getting back in my unit my doorbell rang. There stood Deborah, wondering if I had water coming in. I told her I did, and she said Dick was in Ireland, golfing, which is why he didn't call me back. She came home from work and went right to bed, not even thinking about the river room. They were aware of the past problems with their river room floor but she never gave it a thought.

She went out there this a.m. to check on the geese who had a nest in the basin, and discovered the water standing in the river room. Hence, her visit to my door. We exchanged phone numbers so we can keep in touch. I told her about the towel duty I used to have when the place was empty and suggested she do the same. Connie brought up the wet vacuum for her to use to suck up the standing water. So thankful for Connie and the vacuum cleaner!

Deborah had made plans to go out of town with the other "golf widows" but decided she had better stay here to keep up with this water business. They might think the water is coming in from above and puddling on the floor, but I think we had enough evidence from last season that it's coming under the door and tiles. AJ, the handyman, assured me absolutely that he made the appropriate repairs to the door, caulking and sealing the tile wherever he could. I am sure he thought it was good...but, it wasn't enough!

A little bit later Connie and Heather came here to help me pull the rug back and move the TV away from the wall. I took the stuff up from the floor and out of the way in case I do have to position my roasters and pans to collect the dripping water, if it happens to escape Deborah and her towels and vacuum. I should sleep now in case I cannot tonight. 

***

Presently 7:00 pm and no significant rain here at my house. Thank you, Lord Jesus! The weather reports were the worst of it was coming between 4:00 pm and 8:00, and that time is nearly up. I am going to hold the weather folks to it! 

We are due for a thunderstorm tonight and again tomorrow but more intermittant showers tomorrow. We have a breakfast function for church tomorrow at Honey B's but the owner called Janet to warn her that her road might be flooded, and not able to get to the restaurant in the morning. What???? 

I told Janet that if this was my restaurant and I had over 35 people planning to come, I would stay in town in a hotel to make sure I had my place open for them! She is calling Janet around 7:00 a.m. to let her know if she is going to be open, and if she is not, Janet and I have to get busy making phone calls to folks. Such a business!

Rainy rainy rainy day

All the way to Victory and all the way back again it was nothing but rain. Not always heavy but relatively steady. A couple times I considered either not going at all or turning around but am glad I stuck it out. We had such a great class, with even greater conversation before we got underway. Still talking about the excellent seminar they hosted on the weekend about Alzheimer's Disease.

On the way to class, I pulled into the lot at Dunkin Doughnuts to get my bottle of Diet Coke, as is my custom. But, there was nothing there. The signs are gone, the interior bare, entirely deserted. When did this happen? It had to be after last Thursday when I was there...What's going on? 

Before I went home, I headed up Kingsley Avenue to the other end, to the Office Max. I had ordered replacement ink for my new printer and got three colored inks which are the right ones, but the black one I ordered was the wrong size. Nuts! Since I have stuff pending to be printed, I figured instead of reordering I would just go to the store to buy one. My mistake! No more Office Max----the entire parking lot in front of the store is dug up, no signs up, gone. I had heard that Staples was moving over there but did not expect the store to be undergoing renovations like this. Not my day, it seems!

I just came home, then, expecting to go out to Wal*Mart tomorrow to see if they have my size of cartridge. Not sure what my other options are other than to simply order it overnight and pay the extra fees for shipment. And send the other one back to Amazon. Ugh!

Since I was wet and cold upon getting home, I turned on my heater in my room to get the chill out. My lunch was leftovers from Sunday's Chili's visit, plus a reheated brat from the other night. Connie asked me to e-mail my neighbors to let them know they could use their A/C units again, as the water for them had been off for a bit while I was gone. She wasn't worried about mine running, knowing I didn't run it. 

My brother-in-law's mom passed away so several in my family were attending her service in Manitowoc today. I hope their weather is better than mine is. Some of my Victory friends are in WI for a visit, arriving in warm weather which changed overnight back to winter. May is a cruel month so far!

People are missing out!

At Bible study Monday, we had a side discussion which grew from our study in Thessalonians. We were talking about the things we do right in our church, our personal church, and Fran mentioned how many folks have remarked about the excellent food at the funeral luncheon when Andy died. The sandwiches are more or less prepared ahead but the rest of the food is donated by the members. It was marvelous, is marvelous, the bounty provided by those who love and care about this family.

Then, the conversation flowed to our good, Lutheran funerals. People are really robbing their loved ones (or the loved ones are robbing themselves) of this last chance of sharing the Good News, the hope that we have for eternity with the Lord. Michael had a lovely graphic (below) which pictured Christ's return for us, surrounded by saints and angels. Captured the sentiment of the lesson perfectly. 

                                   

Pastor Hoyer has more than once mentioned his sorrow over how many people are forgoing the 'traditional' funeral services held in church. Instead, folks are doing delayed memorials held at facilities provided by the funeral homes. This shift is likely due to the more frequent use of cremation, streamlining the entire process. 

I am also wondering if this might be so because the survivors are less attached to a church family where they live and might not relish the prospect of being reminded of what they left behind. This might be way off base, but makes me think....

Judy C. mentioned the services she attended at Moosehaven, rather generic ones conducted by the chaplain. Most of the format was singing the praises of the person who has died, rather than the praises of Him who gave His Son for us. Others mentioned going to funerals where folks jump up and give lengthy testimonials about the person who died, leaving there with little in the way of comfort, or assurance of a reunion in heaven.

To keep up with what is going on in my home town, I will check the local newspaper via the Internet, including the obits. Sadly, it seems Manty and the surrounding area has so many 'young' people dying. Folks in their 30's and in their 60's plus the ages in between. Now, in a small town, that seems to be lots of young folks, if you ask me. Perhaps to Justin, these would be older folks, but to one who is this age, they are young! 

More often than not, people have no mention of church affiliation, conducting the memorial service at the funeral home, making use of the house chaplain. This makes me put my sad face on, my sad heart, too, thinking these folks might not have had the Lord in their lives. Hopefully that is not the case. The funeral service gives a person yet one more opportunity to offer comfort to the survivors and hear the reminders of what God has done for them, and for us. I would hate to be robbed of this opportunity to do so.