That Wierd Feeling...

Something seems strange today. We went to our youngest daughter's soccer game, which her team won, 4-1. The other school didn't bring a JV team, so after just over one hour, we were done. Our daughter score one of the four goals for her team, off a set of beautiful passes that put her right where she needed to be. After the game, we decided to go get the mail and some cat food.

  

On the way from the Post Office, we saw a yard sale sign, which in our town doesn't necessarily mean anything good, but it had been so long since I'd been to a yard sale, I decided to turn around. My wife found some decorations that fit the lighthouse theme she wants for one of our bathrooms, so we got those, then started talking about houses that was up for sale. Yes, we would like to move, but no, it's not going to happen soon. But we decided to go for a drive to check out these homes, just for fun.

   

On the way we saw another yard sale sign, and stopped. We got a canopy for a great price, and a child door gate, which in our house will be a keep-the-dog-out-of-our-room gate. The we stopped at a sale that really had nothing and went to the store. After filling our van's gas tank, we finally reached home, where my wife cut my hair after we ate lunch.

Now, I find that I have nowhere to be, nothing to do, nobody to meet. It's bizarre. I haven't had a free afternoon in a while now, so I feel like something is missing. 

   

Then I realize, nah...I'm ok. I'll just go fishing.

Mistaken Identity

So last night, we decided to go to the drive-in movie, since it would most likely be the only time we'd be able to go this season. The movie which I refuse to give any credit to online was a HUGE disappointment. But the real excitement didn't start until the movie was over.

We needed some gas, so stopped at one of the few stations still open at that time of night. There were several other customers, including several law enforcement patrol cars. As I was finishing up with the gas, one of the patrol cars that had just left the premises turned back into the lot and directly behind us. 

I cheerfully greeted the officer, since I have many friends in law enforcement. He asked if we were coming from up north. I said, no, we lived in a more southern town and had come for the movie. I then asked if they'd had some problems. He replied that there had been an incident in a canyon to the north of us involving a vehicle closely resembling ours. We have stickers on the back of our car that indicate our school mascot, so the officer thanked me for my time and pulled to the side, where he opened his computer as he watched us drive away.

I didn't think much more about it until we got to the next town. We were in the middle of town when I saw a set of red and blue lights in my rear-view mirror. I pulled over, realizing what was happening. I had forgotten my license, but with my SSN and our vehicle registration the officer told us he just had to check, but that we would not be detained very long. A few minutes later, he came back and said the vehicle in question even had plate numbers similar to ours, and that the driver sort of matched my description! He said he was sure it wasn't us, but the Sheriff deputy would be there in a second and needed to talk to us.

  

Mere seconds later, the deputy pulled up. He walked to the window, peered in and with a half-grin, said, "No, I don't think you're guilty." He said the other vehicle was a darker color, but I think too, that I didn't fit the suspect's physical profile as much either. I said, "Well, if the other one is darker, could you radio ahead so we don't get stopped in the next three towns?" He replied that he would make sure they knew we were coming!

  

Our kids thought it would be cool to see just how many times we could be pulled over before we got home, but we felt we had already had a good enough laugh, and since it was late, we would prefer to just get home quickly.

  

On another subject, today we had our family pics with our three youngest, since #1 is in Canada right now, then we took #3 to her new apartment, with #2's help. He then left to go back to his apartment. #4 had top stay home because she worked today, so we went to a pizzeria for lunch (#4 hates pizza right now). So now we only have one left at home, for another two years. I'm sure we'll see the three oldest quite often (summers, laundry days, etc.), but we are almost in an empty nest. Of course if they'd pack up ALL their junk, it would be even emptier! Also if they'd quit using us as a storage shed...

The Beginning of the End

So tomorrow is Friday: the beginning of the weekend. The last weekend before our school year starts in full. We have had teacher prep days, including our annual turkey BBQ, complete with corn on the cob and watermelon. We have had our annual faculty meetings, and I am MOSTLY ready to start. The fact that I have Lunch Duty next week has not daunted me too greatly. The new elementary is very nice, and things are already running with my auditioned group.

Then, bright and early Monday morning (at the hour one of my former students would call "The Butt-Crack of Dawn"), we begin. I wish I had greater numbers (can you imagine TWO choirs of about 10 each?), and I still need to get a few things ready, but we will soon be at full boil. Oddly enough, I'm sure this year will go even faster than last. 

 

Wednesday, I even get to go to the local college for a meeting with all the students who will be music majors this year. I am hoping to get between 8 and 10 private students to fill in a few evenings for the next 9 months! I will once again be singing, singing, singing, all day long, every day of the week but Saturday (and sometimes even then), and loving the fact that I get PAID to do this!

The Good Crowd

This morning at the prison, we were finished with choir practice and waiting for the worship service to start. As we do this, we have the chance to visit with our guest speakers and the members of the bishopric. Our speakers today just returned from a mission to Brazil. They sang part of a song in Portuguese, so we did not need our choir to sing, which was good, because we didn't have a song prepared.

The inmates started filing in, and I noticed toward the end of the line that, like last week, we seemed to have a few more men attending than usual. I commented, "Wow, looks like a pretty good crowd."

Without missing a beat, the last inmate going through the door turned and said, "Actually, we're a very BAD crowd!" He turned and went into the chapel, accompanied by the chuckles from everyone still in the hall.

My Own "MINIONS"

I made these from the "Despicable Me" webpage:

Summer Vacation Pics

Karl Jenkins: The Armed Man, a Mass for Peace

 

This past week, I had a very great musical experience. Every summer, a University in our state holds a series of choir workshops. I attended last year for the first time. Normally, I attend the Tuesday sessions, during which we spend three hours, first rehearsing, then singing through great pieces of choir music. 

  

This year, another opportunity presented itself. There was a weekend session in which we spent three hours on Thurs. evening, three on Fri. evening, and a couple of two hour sessions on Saturday, then perform the piece Sat. night. Yes, that's a total of ten hours from sight-reading to performing a large choral composition--in other words, great fun!

  

We sang Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. I have included a video of Jenkins directing a performance of the opening song. We did not record video of our performance, but do have access to a CD recording. this was such a great piece of music, and I'm glad I did this, even though it nearly wiped me out, since there were several nights this week where i was not home until midnight, but I had to be up early each day to get to work. 

    

Then, during the performance, under those bright lights, I started sweating. I had worn a shirt which was comfortable, but I now know has a tendency to darken with moisture. By the end of the concert, I looked quite splotchy. I wasn't sweating because I was nervous, because I don't really get nervous to sing. it was just hot, and they had turned off the air conditioning to keep the noise level down. >:o(

  

I did have the opportunity, though to sing the bass solos in this piece and the other pieces making up the concert. Over all, it was a very musically fulfilling evening.

Oh Say, Can You See?

Alright. I'm not as good a photographer as my nephew, nor as my sister, but I just got back from an Independence Day fireworks show at the neighboring town, and thought I would share part of the view with you. The show was VERY short, but some of the fireworks were cool. This photo was taken with my cell phone, so you will have to forgive me. This time of year makes me proud to live in this great land, even if I don't agree with all of our leaders. It's nice to be ABLE to disagree and not be harassed for it. God Bless America!

Walking for a Cure

This past Friday night was our valley's annual Relay for Life. This is an event which raises money for cancer research. Teams from all over the valley pay an entrance fee, then raise money. Each team should raise $100.00 per person. They sell anything you can imagine before and during the relay. We ate hotdogs, pulled pork sandwiches, brownies, cookies, cake, pizza, had water and sodas, scones, funnel cakes, and other various drinks and treats, including fruit, doughnuts and juice for breakfast. 

    

There was an auction, featuring quilts, saddles, beds, a swingset, clocks, gift certificates, and other items. I won a wooden decorative bowl on the silent auction for $5 (I was the first and only bidder). All items were donated by businesses, craft-workers, and people from around town. Several items went for $500.00 or more. There were also several raffles, including quilts, jackets, a Dell Netbook, and a high-powered carbon fiber rifle from Christensen Arms (worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $1700 or more). I haven't won anything in the raffle yet, but considering the cause (and the prizes), I continue entering.

    

Once things got going, all cancer survivors walk a lap around the track, accompanied by the cheers of the crowd. They are then joined by the caregivers. then everyone walks one lap. For the rest of the night each team must keep at least on person on the track. Some people walk just their time, the leave. Others walk all night. One of my students kept count and determined that she had walked 116 laps. That's roughly 29 miles. I walked about four miles, and am really feeling it. two of those miles was while they were playing Scrabble. Each lap around, you stop at the table and pick up scrabble tiles. After seven laps, you make as good a word as you can with the letters you have. I had the word "teddy." Not the longest word, and not fitting the theme of the evening.

   

Last year, our county was only one of two that met their goal, with $31,000.00. This year, we raised about the same amount. That is just in our little valley. It is always a special experience to be a part of this, but since our family has been touched by cancer in the past two years, it has meant even more.

   

In one special part of the evening, they turn off the lights (though this year they left one on and it wasn't as effective), and we all walk a silent lap in memory of those who have either been taken by cancer or have beaten it (or are in the fight). There are white paper bags set around the track. each bag is weighted by dirt and has a candle glowing in the center. Written on each bag is the name of another cancer patient. Some have pictures or messages. It is a very emotionally moving part of the evening.

   

The whole event ends twelve hours after it started, at 6:00 a.m. when breakfast is served. After getting everything cleaned up, we go home and sleep away most of the rest of the day. And some of the next. And massage our sore feet and legs. And avoid eating for a few hours to let what we ate all night settle. Maybe by next year, I'll be able to walk more. Maybe I'll save up for the auction. Maybe I'll take a cot and sleep a bit more. And maybe we'll find a cure and make this all worth it.

The Mormon Miracle Pageant

My familt and I went to see the Mormon Miracle Pageant tonight in Manti, Utah. This has become a tradition with us, though we have not been able to attend every year. This pageant is cast with dozens upon dozens of volunteers from the town and surrounding communities. They perform several nights a week, excluding Sundays and Mondays. Their last performance for 2010 will be Sat. June 26. 

   

This pageant depicts the Restoration of the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the history of the American continent, and Christ's visit to the ancient inhabitants of this land. It also portrays the martyrdom of the prophet Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum. The show starts at dusk and lasts for almost two hours. There are vendors within walking distance of the temple grounds in Manti (where the pageant takes place) where you can purchase food (everything from funnel cakes to BBQ turkey!), drinks, and souvenirs. We bought some old-fashioned rootbeer floats tonight, then some home-made cream soda in a decorative bottle. Delicious!

    

I am always grateful afterward for the time and effort put into this pageant. The costumes, acting, directing, scenery, lighting, and props are all up to professional standards. The message of the show transcends all of that, however, and stays with you as you leave. Several years, I have also helped take down chairs. The volunteers in the county can set up 23,000 chairs in just under two hours, and can take them back down even faster! It is truly a miracle to see! And you will see people from all over the world come to watch the show. If you go, however, be sure to take a blanket and a jacket. It gets cold very fast after the sun goes down. You might want some bug spray as well, and a cushion to sit on, since all the chairs are metal. I hope you get to see it some time. It is worth the effort.