Trust in Me Song by Jen

Jen came over Wednesday to record one last song before I left town. She had written a song for her son Tommy, who left to serve a mission earlier this year. I helped her chord it and wrote the piano part, and it turned out very nice, I thought.

Jen has a gift for songwriting (as well as singing), and has written 4 or 5 songs since we've been in band together. I hope to hear more from her in the future!

The Song is called Trust in Me. If you'd like to hear it, click the link below!



If you'd like to sing and play it yourself, click this link!

Letzter Stammtisch

Yesterday was my last Stammtisch in Sykesville. The German club has been a great way for me to speak German at least once a month. The members are so easy to be with and happy to talk about their lives each month in German. It was terrible hearing how Tony's ladder fell over while he was trimming a tree last month, and how a broken leg can aggravate one's dormant gout!

I enjoy playing the games and doing the puzzles together. Danke, deutsche Freunde! Ich werde euch vermissen!

Last Weight Watchers

Yesterday was my last Weight Watchers meeting in Sykesville. I met a lot of nice people there. It was fun having another Judy there, as well! My Judy friend has lost 50 pounds and I lost 40. She joined about 7 months after I did, and it was fun seeing her come back every week working hard and experiencing success.

We met in the Optimist hall, which while although being very convenient, was not famous for its acoustics! Our lecturer, Deb, did a fantastic job of getting us to share our successes as well as our struggles during the meetings. The group of ladies was so welcoming that you felt like you'd let them down if you didn't show up every week!

Notice Deb's Daisy Duke shorts (foreground) that she brought to the meeting this week. She wore them in college and they are too big for her now!

I wonder if there is another group of Weight Watching ladies as nice in Utah!

Passing the Home Baton

We invited the buyers of our home over on Monday to show them some of the workings of the house. It took us almost 2 hours to get through everything! They were very appreciative and we were happy to get to know them a little. Paul and Denae and their two boys are going to liven up the house quite a bit! Maybe Denae will even convince Paul that they need a dog! Coda was a little insecure about the whole thing. Notice she has her paw resting on Ed's foot for this picture!

Happy Fourth PIcnic

Our annual ward Fourth of July breakfast went off without a hitch this year. Elder Benson started the entertainment with a patriotic trumpet solo.

The pancakes and sausage were great, as were all the sides and fixin's.

Helen and I led those the ward members in some America songs, and after we finished eating and chatting the rain came down! We were happily packed in the car just as the first drop fell!

Pearl Strings Farewell Bash

The Pearl Strings hosted a farewell party for the Bush and Batson families with a concert in the Bush backyard. With no rain and 72 degrees, it couldn't have been a nicer way to say goodbye!

We were so happy that so many of our friends and family stopped by and stayed for the music. It is so fun playing for a crowd that loves you! They laughed at our jokes. We don't get that a lot!

We had to bring in Ed for our big Celtic hymn medley! He was nice to provide some bass, and I was happy to play the hammered dulcimer on it.

We all had an opportunity to mix things up and play lots of different instruments this set. Reagan even got to play the accordion on Mr. Sandman. Barb Reger, (formerly of the Pearl Strings) is on the bottom left of this picture. Doesn't her hair look great?

Reagan outdid herself by making us t-shirts with quotes from the band. They made us laugh! Okay, band made us laugh every week! It was music, entertainment and therapy all wrapped up in one!

Thanks Pearlies! And thanks,  friends for listening!

Pool Party

Saturday we went to a pool party at the home of our next door neighbors, Kris and Charlie. It was a perfect day--hot enough to get in the pool, but cool enough not to be uncomfortable out of it.

The food was great, and Ed was pretty interested in getting himself a pair of these spatula tongs for his own BBQ.

It was nice visiting with Brian, whose big neighborhood Crab-B-Q in August has been one of the highlights of our summer for the past few years. We're sad we'll miss it this year!

We were happy to meet Sean, who brought his drone to the party. He was nice enough to go next door to our house and take a few aerial shots for us.

It will be fun for us to have some extra memories of our fabulous house in Maryland!