Fall, Fridays, Food and Football

I love Ed's 9-80 days. He works an extra hour each day and gets every other Friday off work. We enjoyed taking the dog for a walk along the fire trail yesterday. During the football season people in Baltimore all wear purple on Fridays. It is actually called purple Friday. We dressed Coda up appropriately for her walk.

It wasn't all play for poor Ed, he had to finish mixing songs for our Christmas CD, which I'm happy to say has been accomplished! I posted them all on the tab of my blog entitled Christmas by the Fire. We're pretty excited about this year's songs!

Our neighbor across the street had given us some chestnuts from her tree, which I roasted in the oven last night (not by the fire). However, it was a warm and cozy evening eating chestnuts and listening to Christmas music!

Bells, Bells, Bells

Trish, Mickey and I thought it would be fun to do some bells for church, as we've enjoyed playing in the community bell choir so much. So, we borrowed some music from our leader, and invited Carrie and Suzanne to ring with us. We had a good time sight reading through the music today, and found out we're not half bad. We used my set of bells to practice, but hope to borrow a set of real bells for our performance at the Relief Society Social on December 3rd!

Poor Trish had to sit between Suzanne and me, fresh from working up a sweat on our morning walk. We did 5.42 miles at 14.5 minute miles! Check it out at:  http://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/425181341

Down on the Farm off to the Printer!

Our new album is off to the press tomorrow. I spent the last month mixing the songs the Pearl Strings sang last May. It has been a huge undertaking, and quite a learning experience for me. I want to thank Amanda for recording the band and Ed for teaching me how to mix music, and for fixing things up when I messed up my computer! I have listened to each song over and over, and find it gives me great joy in hearing them.I can feel the joy in them, and remember how much fun we had deciding exactly how to do each song. I want to thank the Pearl Strings for all their hard work. Without your enthusiasm this CD wouldn't have been possible. Thanks! It's been a wonderful journey!

If you would like to listen to any of the songs, just click on the Down on the Farm Tab at the top of the blog!

Hospital Gala

Ed and I attended a fundraiser for the Carroll County Hospital last night, as guests of his boss, who had bought a table. It was fun to get all dressed up (and enjoy a prime rib dinner)! I thought Mom would enjoy seeing I finally got to wear the dress I bought when she and I were out shopping earlier in the year! Thank for helping me pick it out, Mom!

Five Six, Pick up Sticks

Ed and I went for a walk along the fire trail yesterday (between mixing songs), and he helped me pick up sticks along the way. There had been some wind last week, and there were a lot of sticks, big and small along the way. We did a lot of bending over and picking up bigger sticks, but for little ones, we were able to flip them out of the way with this nice pitchfork stick! When Suzanne and I go out on Monday we won't have to worry about twisting our ankle or tripping as much! I took this picture with my phone and have no idea why it is animated, but isn't Coda cute?

Puppet Shows Coming Up!

Does it get any better than this? Working with the Activity Day girls on puppet shows! They are writing their own plays and will perform them November 17th for their family and friends. I should have had 45 children and trapped them all in the ages between 8-12! They are just so, fun, animated and pleasant!

The girls who meet at the church have had to practice with a table, while the puppet theater, built by Ed 20 years ago, waits for an opportunity to renew its old glory days in its new setting in the Bush Basement of Maryland!

June is Back!

It has been a long, painful summer of 2013 for June. She's undergone breast cancer surgery and all the misery that accompanies it. She was so uncomfortable with implants that she's opted for a much lighter and easier plan--knitted knockers!

She met a complete stranger who volunteered to knit her a pair at no charge. They're light and comfortable, and help keep her warm, now that winter is almost upon us.

It's nice to have June, complete with her fun sense of humor and boundless enthusiasm back in the game again!