Newest Adventure

Just in case I thought I didn't have enough going on, I am the new Acting Director of the Prairie Winds Chorus of Sweet Adelines International. Our previous director quit about a month ago. The Chorus Board met and offered me the opportunity to serve the chorus as the director. I have been one of four Assistant Directors in Prairie Winds, and none of the other three were even remotely interested. I have almost completed the Director Certification Program with Sweet Adelines and was hoping to direct SOME DAY! Well, some day is now! I am having a blast. The good news is this job does not really take much more time out of my schedule than all the other chorus jobs I was doing before. Thankfully, those jobs have gone to other willing victims...uh, volunteers. Actually I have a terrific Music Team who have all been very supportive. I appreciate each of them and admire their willingness to share their talents and time!

Sadly, my quartet, Star Struck, has dissolved. Jennifer, the bass, moved to Houston back in February. She returned to Amarillo for several rehearsals before contest in March, but had to stop doing that after contest. Kim, Julie and I looked for a replacement, but one was not to be found.

On a happier note, I now sing in Crossfire Quartet. A couple of the girls in Prairie Winds had been singing together in a quartet, which broke up around May. They wanted to continue singing, as did I, and we got a brand new tenor in the chorus...so...we formed a new quartet. We have our "official audition" before the Music Team and Director's Resource Team on Monday. Richard has all ready done his thing and has us a couple of cute outfits to wear. (He is so good!)

The garden did make a comeback. We have enjoyed several more vegetables. I will try to add a photo of my very cute pumpkins that grew in the garden.

Last weekend we made a very QUICK trip to South Texas. The church where Richard grew up and learned how to lead singing had a Friends and Family Day and invited him to return and lead the singing. He was honored to do so. We made it to Alice in time for lunch with Richard's parents, Doyle and Ida Mae, his sister and her husband, Beverly and David, and his brother and his wife, James and Sue. We enjoyed a lovely meal together and a great afternoon of visiting. For dinner, we went to Odem Railroad Seafood Station. The fried fish, shrimp, onion rings, and avocado salad are AMAZING. I ate until I thought I would pop! Everything was so good. We headed home Sunday after worship and lunch. We stopped for a little while at the outlet mall in San Marcos, which put us home a little later than we intended!

This coming weekend we are going to Kansas City, MO. I have a cousin getting married there. She is the 9th of 10 cousins on my mom's side to get married. I have only missed one of the weddings (sorry about that Paige. I still hate that we couldn't make it!) Sure am sorry about the cousins that won't be able to be there, but looking forward to seeing the ones who will!

Let's see, looking at the October schedule, it looks pretty busy as well. In the middle of the month, I will be going to Nashville, TN for the Sweet Adelines International Convention and Contest. I am so excited. I have never attended an International Conventions purely as a spectator. The two other times I went, I was there as a competitor. I am looking forward to hearing some fantastic barbershop!

Enjoy fall wherever you are. It seems like such a short season on the way to winter.