Drought Conditions prevail...
Not only in terms of water, and lack of rainfall, but also in terms of blog postings on my site. Yesterday my dearest youngest daughter reminded me that blogs are to be frequently updated, without 3 month interludes in between. So, on this extremely hot Saturday morning (already approaching 100 degrees outside), I am sipping my coffee and posting the latest of my thoughts and adventures.
So....what has been happening in my life since I returned from Longwood Gardens, Philadelphia and Chattanooga?
I enjoyed three wonderful weeks of companionship with middle child, Sarah, who was teaching and coaching a strings workshop for The Insitute for Strings at SMU. I attended two concerts at the end of the institute, one in which Sarah performed with a quartet of her longtime music buddies, and a second which featured her own students' quartet which she coached. So, I ask this question...does a mother EVER stop glowing with pride? The answer is..."no"... I loved hearing Sarah perform. I so miss her music...having her at home practicing on a regular basis was a delight, not to mention the superb chamber music concert.
Sarah's little students were amazing....strong bow arms, great sound, confident expression! She was proud of them and I was hollering my "bravos" from the audience as they took their bows. I'd name the piece they played (it was
Telemann) but I don't have the program in front of me.
After the institue ended, and Sarah was packing for her next summer commitment in New Hampshire, we decided to "splurge" and do some shopping and playing around the metroplex. That included movies (The DaVinci Code....yes, we liked it very much, and it did NOT affect our personal faith and doctrinal stand), dinners and lunches, and.............SHOPPING! We totally enjoyed the new array of store offerings in the expanded Soutlhlake area. My favorite stops were Talbots Petites and Ann Taylor Loft. Sarah's favorite stop was Black and White.
Next, I tearfully bid Sarah adieu as she packed her Alero and drove back to Chattanooga, only to fly to New Hampshire a few days later. But...I had much busy-ness ahead of me. IKEA furniture to assemble (darling youngest daughter is helping me...still have much to do....this story for a separate blog); garage to clean; junk to purge; weeds to destroy; plumbing fixtures to repair/replace; and business trips.
On June 21st, I was in Portland, Oregon enjoying a wonderfully beautiful climate on the banks of the Willamette River. I was making presentations at a Company event (I did an amazing job...so pleased with myself); and then I did some visiting with very dear friends from the late 70's and early 80's. What a joy and blessing to rekindle previous Christian relationships. The ties that bind the Christian hearts truly last forever, despite time and distance. I love you all...Mary Ann, Paul and Ruthie, Joe and Kathy, Al and Miriam, and dearest Sue (I loved spending the day with you).
Three days of work back at home, and then off again on an airplane. This time I surprised my adorable, petite little mother by secretly appearing at my sisters house in Southern California for Mom's 78th birthday celebration. She was tickled to death, had no idea I was coming, and couldn't believe that my sisters and I could pull off this kind of surprise! Brother-in-law, Tracy, almost blew it when he told Mom that he "....cleared out part of the guest room closet for you and Angie..." but Mom didn't have her hearing aids in so she missed that blooper! Ha!
Debbie and Tracy have a beautiful home; so typical of Southern California. We had coffee on the patio every morning, enjoyed the dogs - Winston, Tillie, and Trixie - ate amazing food and drank the best of Southern California wines. Staying at Deb and Tracy's is the best resort experience in the world. Their backyard is gorgeous...and their outdoor furnishings comfortable and lovely. I'm going back as often as the invitation is open to me!
Mom, Me, and party guests pictured below.
Lovely sister, Debbie, and affectionate Winston
Mom's Party guests...Debbie on the left of Mom and i'm on her right. Mom's in pink!
Hard to see all the lovliness of Deb's backyard...but this is the patio area (it's dark outside)
One of several warm, comfy sitting areas in the backyard. Tillie is on Mom's right; Trixie on her left.And, of course, Debbie is sitting next to her, too!
And now home again, back to work, exploring new opportunities for career advancement, and enjoying life.
Lots more to share....but I'll save it for the next post... and it will be sooner rather than later!
Love to all of my faithful friends, family and readers!
