June has become the big month of my life the past three years. This year as always things heat up at work as corporate tax deadline is typically June 30, and at church as July 4 marks the start of Stampede.
So, as the month nears its end and I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I'll pause for a few moments and write out my blog.
June saw a last minute trip to Edmonton to visit with Dad and Glenda. A big thanks to my friends for driving me up. I also found out about a trip to Winnipeg to visit my family there and am looking forward to that in July. It's probably not wrong to say I'm as excited about that week as I am about the week following where I will be off work and just hanging out at home.
June has also seen several changes at work with people leaving and starting and I'm reminded that part of what makes my job both interesting and challenging is all the new people.
June at church means getting ready for Stampede weekend. We march in the parade, do a carnival, BBQ, concert and celebration service. I love this weekend every year for a variety of reasons. Marching in the parade is hot, sweaty and grueling but the people are always so enthusiastic even after sitting on the sidewalk for hours beforehand. The carnival and the rest on Saturday provides a great opportunity for sitting and chatting with friends and neighbors (not to mention great food) and the evening program gives us a chance to play some really fun music. So even though my practices are tougher it's worth it. Another reason to love this weekend is it marks the end of my busy season and I get two glorious months of relaxation, and enjoyment.
So enjoy June and know that better is coming.
Jun 25, 2008
May 10, 2008
Thanks
I just wanted to say a big thank you to all my friends and family that came to my party and wished me a happy birthday. I felt and feel very spoiled.
The party was a great time. Lots of laughter, food, and talking. The various pictures of me through the years were both seriously embarrassing and a good conversation starter. May I never again have to see the picture of me in my tie-dyed outfit. Don't Ask!
Apr 30, 2008
Nothing Much
Well, here's my post for April. I don't have much on the go right now. I'm very excited about my birthday party on May 3. It may be bad form to plan your own party but I'm having a great time doing it.
I hope my parents are feeling their age with a 25 year old daughter.
I hope my parents are feeling their age with a 25 year old daughter.
Mar 27, 2008
Earth Hour
I'm not usually a big joiner on these things but turning off my lights for an hour is simple enough.
Kyla has committed to taking part in Earth Hour 2008. Like Kyla, you can add your name to the Earth Hour movement here. Once registered, you'll receive useful tool and tips to help you get even more involved. And Kyla will see that their efforts have inspired you to join Earth Hour.
http://earthhour.org
Kyla has committed to taking part in Earth Hour 2008. Like Kyla, you can add your name to the Earth Hour movement here. Once registered, you'll receive useful tool and tips to help you get even more involved. And Kyla will see that their efforts have inspired you to join Earth Hour.
http://earthhour.org
Mar 24, 2008
Band Trip
I was very happy this year when I heard that we were going to be heading to Rockford/Chicago with the band on the return side of a band exchange. The Rockford Temple band came to Calgary for Stampede last July and I was looking forward to going out to their corps.
So the Easter date was set, the fundraising has commenced and we got our itinerary. I flew out on the 6:30am flight going from Calgary to Denver to Rockford. So I stayed at Pete and Sandy's the night before, got all of an hours sleep and headed over to the airport. I had one suitcase, my carry on and of course my horn. We met the other three people travelling with us and checked in. I cleared customs, sent my horn and bag (marked for Rockford) down the chute and headed to the gate with my group. The flight to Denver was fine. Short and sweet with no problems. We arrived at gate 25 and had to walk down to gate 91 which ate up most of our layover in Denver. The plane from Denver to Rockford was considerably smaller and I noticed the change when my ears plugged and it was a painful experience. When the plane descended my ears did not unplug and the pain started again. It faded as we walked and I decided that a plugged ear can be lived with so long as it doesn't hurt.
We were greeted in Rockford by the bandmaster and headed down to their single luggage carousel. A few bags came out and then nothing more until with a deafening THUD down came Dave's tuba, and the rest of the bags....or so it seemed. Missing in the luggage was Dave's suitcase, Dani's suitcase, Pete & Sandy's garment bag and....my horn. We filled out the claim forms and headed to the corps. We were told by the airport that we would be receiving our things from Denver late that night.
So we grabbed some lunch, hooked up with the other flight group and had dinner at the corps with the Rockford band, their families and the rest of the billets. My billet partner was Bev Preston and my billets were Alan and Shirley Nelson. They were fantastic. I had my own room with the bathroom right across the hall. The Nelson's were lovely to stay with and I was happy to see my billet situation. We sat and talked for awhile that night and then I went to bed and slept very, very well.
Friday morning we got up and got ready for our trip to Chicago. Upon arriving at the corps I was informed that while the luggage had arrived my horn had not. It had been sent on. So, I borrowed a horn from one of the Rockford band members and off we went. Needless to say I was not in the most positive frame of mind and sat by myself on the bus. We played a lunch hour good Friday concert in a government building and then got changed for a trip to a large mall in Chicago as the weather was too nasty to tour downtown. We wandered around for an hour and a half and I got to go to my favourite store in the states which was fantastic. Then we loaded the bus and headed to Oakbrook corps for a good Friday service. Little did I know that Bill Himes my favourite composer attended Oakbrook and I got to meet him and he had dinner with us at my table. That was a very exciting moment for me (I can hear dad laughing at me as he reads this). The evening service went very well and we finished on an upbeat note singing/playing There is Power in the Blood.
Saturday Lindsay and I decided to go shopping in Rockford which enabled us to sleep a bit later, and spend some time with our billets. I had the most fantastic breakfast of swedish pancakes and bacon. I didn't want to leave that table that's for sure. However, the time came to head out and so we did. I met up with Linds at the mall and we wandered. There I got to go to my second favourite store in the states and that was also great. Saturday afternoon we headed to the corps for sound check, dinner and of course the big concert. Imagine my joy and surprise when I was informed that my horn had FINALLY arrived undamaged and ready to play. I returned the borrowed horn and played my own happily. The sound check went well and then it was off to dinner. I enjoyed the concert no end as we played, sang and played some more. Some really fun pieces to listen to like Western Fantasy and Praising, as well as some more thought provoking ones like Reflections in Nature were on the program. I was up there with the timbrels and we had a great time. Afterwards it was home with the billets to chat some more and then I had to pack up. Getting all my stuff into my suitcase proved an interesting challenge but I managed.
Sunday morning we brought all of our stuff to the corps (well not Bev because she stayed on a couple days) and got ready for a SonRise service and 7 o'clock in the morning. I don't remember a lot of it just that I was very very tired. Then it was off to the Swedish American hospital to do some Easter carolling with the Rockford band. They also fed us breakfast which we were very happy about. Back to Rockford corps for their regular Sunday service and then one more lunch with the band and billets. Then it was off to Chicago for our flight where I traded my seat for Sandy's window and managed to get the row with no chair in front of it which I needed for my incredibly long legs ;). We landed in Calgary and miracle of miracles my horn and my bag arrived as did everyone elses.
It was a great trip and this is a very long blog, but it's nice to be home.
So the Easter date was set, the fundraising has commenced and we got our itinerary. I flew out on the 6:30am flight going from Calgary to Denver to Rockford. So I stayed at Pete and Sandy's the night before, got all of an hours sleep and headed over to the airport. I had one suitcase, my carry on and of course my horn. We met the other three people travelling with us and checked in. I cleared customs, sent my horn and bag (marked for Rockford) down the chute and headed to the gate with my group. The flight to Denver was fine. Short and sweet with no problems. We arrived at gate 25 and had to walk down to gate 91 which ate up most of our layover in Denver. The plane from Denver to Rockford was considerably smaller and I noticed the change when my ears plugged and it was a painful experience. When the plane descended my ears did not unplug and the pain started again. It faded as we walked and I decided that a plugged ear can be lived with so long as it doesn't hurt.
We were greeted in Rockford by the bandmaster and headed down to their single luggage carousel. A few bags came out and then nothing more until with a deafening THUD down came Dave's tuba, and the rest of the bags....or so it seemed. Missing in the luggage was Dave's suitcase, Dani's suitcase, Pete & Sandy's garment bag and....my horn. We filled out the claim forms and headed to the corps. We were told by the airport that we would be receiving our things from Denver late that night.
So we grabbed some lunch, hooked up with the other flight group and had dinner at the corps with the Rockford band, their families and the rest of the billets. My billet partner was Bev Preston and my billets were Alan and Shirley Nelson. They were fantastic. I had my own room with the bathroom right across the hall. The Nelson's were lovely to stay with and I was happy to see my billet situation. We sat and talked for awhile that night and then I went to bed and slept very, very well.
Friday morning we got up and got ready for our trip to Chicago. Upon arriving at the corps I was informed that while the luggage had arrived my horn had not. It had been sent on. So, I borrowed a horn from one of the Rockford band members and off we went. Needless to say I was not in the most positive frame of mind and sat by myself on the bus. We played a lunch hour good Friday concert in a government building and then got changed for a trip to a large mall in Chicago as the weather was too nasty to tour downtown. We wandered around for an hour and a half and I got to go to my favourite store in the states which was fantastic. Then we loaded the bus and headed to Oakbrook corps for a good Friday service. Little did I know that Bill Himes my favourite composer attended Oakbrook and I got to meet him and he had dinner with us at my table. That was a very exciting moment for me (I can hear dad laughing at me as he reads this). The evening service went very well and we finished on an upbeat note singing/playing There is Power in the Blood.
Saturday Lindsay and I decided to go shopping in Rockford which enabled us to sleep a bit later, and spend some time with our billets. I had the most fantastic breakfast of swedish pancakes and bacon. I didn't want to leave that table that's for sure. However, the time came to head out and so we did. I met up with Linds at the mall and we wandered. There I got to go to my second favourite store in the states and that was also great. Saturday afternoon we headed to the corps for sound check, dinner and of course the big concert. Imagine my joy and surprise when I was informed that my horn had FINALLY arrived undamaged and ready to play. I returned the borrowed horn and played my own happily. The sound check went well and then it was off to dinner. I enjoyed the concert no end as we played, sang and played some more. Some really fun pieces to listen to like Western Fantasy and Praising, as well as some more thought provoking ones like Reflections in Nature were on the program. I was up there with the timbrels and we had a great time. Afterwards it was home with the billets to chat some more and then I had to pack up. Getting all my stuff into my suitcase proved an interesting challenge but I managed.
Sunday morning we brought all of our stuff to the corps (well not Bev because she stayed on a couple days) and got ready for a SonRise service and 7 o'clock in the morning. I don't remember a lot of it just that I was very very tired. Then it was off to the Swedish American hospital to do some Easter carolling with the Rockford band. They also fed us breakfast which we were very happy about. Back to Rockford corps for their regular Sunday service and then one more lunch with the band and billets. Then it was off to Chicago for our flight where I traded my seat for Sandy's window and managed to get the row with no chair in front of it which I needed for my incredibly long legs ;). We landed in Calgary and miracle of miracles my horn and my bag arrived as did everyone elses.
It was a great trip and this is a very long blog, but it's nice to be home.
Feb 28, 2008
Looking Back
I tend to be very reminiscent so as I've been looking back on my life I marvel at the stupid mistakes I make and realize the stupid mistakes I have yet to make. However, I also get to smile at the fact that I was influenced away from so many others - mistakes I mean. So, to those who have been an influence on my life you have my thanks.
Alright, that's as sentimental as it gets on something other people read. Hope everyone had a happy February.
Alright, that's as sentimental as it gets on something other people read. Hope everyone had a happy February.
Feb 1, 2008
Whoops
Okay so this isn't posted in January...so kill me. Just look on the positive now for those two readers this blog has, you get two postings in February....all things being equal.
I don't have much to say. January was a very normal kind of month which I enjoy.
Work is going okay and the rest of life is pretty good too. I had a wonderful New Years Eve and am right now very excited about the band trip to Rockford which pretty much sums up this month.
Really that's it! No trips anywhere so far. No events have happened only several in process. Basically my January was just the way I like 'em. Slow and Easy. Have a good one.
I don't have much to say. January was a very normal kind of month which I enjoy.
Work is going okay and the rest of life is pretty good too. I had a wonderful New Years Eve and am right now very excited about the band trip to Rockford which pretty much sums up this month.
Really that's it! No trips anywhere so far. No events have happened only several in process. Basically my January was just the way I like 'em. Slow and Easy. Have a good one.
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