First Post of 2009

The new year has begun with much joy, fun and sadness too.

Our New Year's Eve party traveling the neighborhood was a lot of fun. I came out a few nickels ahead. As you can tell we don't play for big stakes! I talked to a lady on Sat. at breakfast & asked her what they played for when they played Tonk. She said pennies. No inflation in Michigan!

New Year's Day was great! We really enjoyed the National High School Band Championships. It was a long day (11am - 10:30pm). Didn't get back home until 11:45pm. We did a lot of reminiscing and thought of the many band parents we had so much fun with during our kids band days. Looking at some of the equipment they hauled, I was really glad we did it in our "younger" years! Pictures are of inside of Univ. of Phoenix Stadium (where the Super Bowl was held last year) and a few of the bands and the formations.

The above band was Grove City High School, Grove City, Ohio. Because the color of their uniforms were red & white, several times they looked like peppermint candy sticks on the field. Certainly made for unique patterns.

Friday I finished taking Christmas decorations down. Saturday I cleaned out and cleaned the trailer good for the beginning of the year. It ended up being a sad day. Our friend down the street from Syracuse, NY passed away in the afternoon. Then that evening our good friends Phyllis & Tom called us over to say her brother in Minn. had passed away. She had been waiting since Christmas Day for the sad news. She is flying to Minn. tomorrow & while she is gone I will be Tom's nurse. Will help him with taking his blood sugar & giving him his insulin shots. Never thought I'd ever be brave enough to do it. It really isn't so bad. He's such a sweetheart he wouldn't tell me if I hurt him anyway. I guess I'm not too bad, he invited us to take him out to supper on Wednesday night!

Today Bill and I started our Country Western Two Step dance classes. We really had a lot of fun. The Texas Two Step wasn't so bad, but the next class was Pattern Dances. Bill has found he has 2 left feet, but with practice I'm sure he will do fine and we just need to keep going. The Pattern Dances are like line dancing only with your partner. So I feel like I have had a little more practice with some of the steps. Another challenge we will face together. I'm just so excited that after all these years, he has decided to take lessons to dance.

Well, now that I've brought you up to date, it's time to head down to the club house for Monday Night's Jam Session. Probably won't be brave enough to dance yet, but it's still fun to listen.

Until next time..............The Traveling Cardinal's