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I took by bike out for a spin for the first time this spring. It was lovely, but my legs got very tired quite fast. I only went about 4 miles.

I also painted the primer on the living room in New Auburn today. Dad textured it last night.  We keep getting closer and closer.

I gal I knew pretty well, who was younger than me, died last week. I was just shocked to hear about it. She had a brain aneurysm, which they referred to as a bleeding stroke, so I’m not sure if they are the same thing.  She was one of the sopranos that did a lot of the solos with the Red Cedar Community Choir at the college in Rice Lake, so I’d spent some time working with her on them over the years. She had a gorgeous voice. She was only 48 and had a daughter and two sons. Her mother was still alive, too, so this must really be hard for her as well as for her kids and husband.

It just reinforces the fact that we are all here for an indeterminate amount of time.

Another State music contest is over and done with. I had to leave at about 6:45 to get to Eau Claire in time to be ready for an 8:00 performance. So I was up at about 5:45 to work out. But that way I was nice and awake by the time the thing started. And a bit sleepy by early afternoon!

The kids all did great. Jamison Wendlandt got another “exemplary performance recognition”  for his vocal solo. He got one two years ago, too. I played for 13 events and when I left at almost 4:00, only the ones up until about 10:30 had results posted. So I don’t know how over half of the kids fared. But it really doesn’t matter all that much. They were well prepared and all did their best. If the judges didn’t like them, what difference does that make anyway? My two piano students each got a first, so I was very proud of them, particularly Jamison, since he went from having me really worried after Christmas vacation, when he didn’t have hardly any of it hands together, to getting a first at state. He played Claire de Lune. David played Golliwog’s Cake Walk and he had his totally learned before Christmas vacation, so the trick was not letting it get too fast and sloppy.

I went to the school play last night and it was hilarious. Most of the kids I played for today were also in the play. It was called “The Secret Case of Sherlock Holmes,” and it was the first case Sherlock Holmes had, before he was any good at it. I actually went because I thought the guy cast as Sherlock would be great, and he was. But everyone else was so good, too. Really a strong performance all around because the lesser characters put all their heart into their roles, too. And the story was just SILLY. Sometimes we need SILLY. Like when all the characters come in one door and run across the stage and out the other door and you just know they are going to come back in and do the same in the other direction, and they do. Bob Rogers and Rachel Westberg were the co-directors. This is Bob’s first one at school. Pastor DeYarman’s wife, Nicole, used to co-direct with Rachel, but she has moved, so I guess they asked Bob. Good decision.

I love elephants. They are beautiful, despite being huge and wrinkled. I can relate…

And a giraffe for Chloe. I think they are so beautiful and they move so gracefully. I have videos if I can figure youtube out.

How did they get INSIDE the meerkat exhibit?

We got to go inside the bird exhibit, too. Aren’t they pretty?

Today is a very busy day, with two classes (done already) and college kids coming to practice for Thursday’s recital up at the college, then piano lessons. So I don’t have time for a long post on our trip. Suffice it to say that I have oodles of pictures and videos to post.

How about a picture or two from our visit with Nathan’s family to the Nashville zoo?

Grandma Mick is somewhat better and will be going to Linden Grove Care Center in Mukwonago for regaining her strength. She is very happy to be able to get into a place so close to home.  I’m not sure where she will go from there. If it is up to Duncan (which it isn’t), she would go to assisted living, which they also have at Linden Grove, but I’m not sure how Doak and Laurie feel about that. At any rate, they are taking care of all the details and I’m not adding my opinion to the discussion since I’ve lived to far away all these years. I just get periodic updates from Duncan.

Mind you, she is in her 80’s in all these pictures. She is quite a gal!

But she can’t do any of these things any more and that is just as sad as the fact that she is not going to be around a lot longer.

Nothing new on Grandma Mick. I talked to Uncle Duncan on the way to the choir performance and he just said that when Uncle Doak visited she was really sleepy and rather confused – was telling him about his visit (as though he were someone else.) That is fairly typical in the elderly with bladder infections, so that should improve once they take care of the infection. And they kept her another day.

I’m pretty sure we are not in the 1 – 3″ area of the state. Hopefully just the 3 – 6″, but it is fast approaching that and shows no signs of slowing. I’ve shoveled three times already and this last time was quite a lot in just over an hour.

Yes, a Merry Christmas to you all!