the start of a new musical week 5-7

I love teaching.  I just wish that I could teach as much as I use too, but with the reality of fibromyalgia and other illnesses, it just isn't possible.  I used to be able to teach 50 to 60 students a week and some of them were hour long lessons or the student took 2 instruments.  However, as much as I lament what I used to be able to do, I am very, very, very thankful for what little I can do.  It keeps me busy so it is a good thing.

I am so tired tonight.  I did get a nap in but I am still very tired.  I will definitely be going to bed early tonight.  My head isn't so bad tonight, just the usual headache.  It seems so weird to think that a headache everyday is just normal.  Really, it shouldn't be, but for me, it is.  I know so many that this is the normal too.

Isaac had both his lessons this afternoon.  He plays piano and sings.  For the spring concert, Isaac is playing "Hedwig's Theme" from Harry Potter and is singing "Be Kind to Your Parents".  I think he will do very well.  Antoinette had her piano lesson.  I asked her if she was working on the group song but she wasn't because I forgot to give it too her.  Yup, whoops!  I didn't mean to forget so I quickly printed off the words and gave her a disc.  I sure hope I haven't forgot to give the disc to anyone else.  I guess I will find out this week.  I am printing the spring concert info flyer right now.  I am excited about the concert.  Everyone only gets to perform 1 solo though because I have too many students for each to perform 2 solos.  We discovered that at Christmas.  There is the group song and one duet.  Natalie and Allison are singing "My Favorite Things" as a duet.  It should be rather fun.  Selma had her lesson this evening too.  She is almost ready for level 2 along with Laith, Emily, and Antoinette.  I will have to get the music tomorrow for Laith.  He is the closest to being finished with his books.

I am hoping by tomorrow I will be able to find out if my ulcer is from medicine or from bacteria.  I hope it isn't from my medicine because that will cause a big dilemma for me.  I need the medicine I take for pain management and digesting my food.  The medicine that may have caused the ulcer is the Meloxicam for Arthritis.  I sure hope it isn't from that because without the Meloxicam, I can't walk by the end of the day. I also, now, have the number for the physical therapy place that Dr. Aloot wants me to attend.  I will call them tomorrow and see if it is covered by medicare or not.  If it isn't covered, then I will not be able to get physical therapy because I can't afford it.  I do think it may be covered though so that is my hope.

I am going to read for a bit.  I hope your day is going well.

Family day Sunday 5-6

My Aunt Michelle, Uncle John, and cousin Jayson were here this evening.  We went out to Logan's Roadhouse for dinner.  Oh my gosh!  Was it ever good!  I had a rib eye steak and my uncle had a t-bone.  I don't eat steak to often anymore, but boy it is yummy when I do.  After that we headed to Walmart so Michelle could pick up a few things she needs for a birthday party next week.  The little lady who is having the birthday likes Dora and Cinderella so Michelle picked up a few things for her.  I think she will be really happy with what she is getting.  I thought they were cute.  Michelle ended up accidentally leaving her wallet in the cart when we loaded the car so when we couldn't find it here, she called the store and then went to get it.  Someone was nice enough to turn it in.  Everything was still in it, thankfully.

I really enjoyed the evening with my aunt and uncle.  I have an old photo album that I didn't know who was in the pictures.  They start in 1921 and end at my parents' wedding.  There are, to my relief, several pictures of my mom as a toddler.  She was 3 in the pictures and there are about 6 or 7 of them.  She looks so adorable at that age.  She was making faces at the camera too so they are just too cute.  I am so thankful that I have them.  I plan to take them and get them enlarged so I can frame them.  They are the youngest pictures I have of Mom.  I know that at one time there was a baby picture of mom but I am not sure where it is.  The sun was starting to ruin it so Mom put it in a drawer.  I haven't seen it since and I was a teen when this happened.  I am hoping it is in one of the many boxes in the spare room.  I hope the family home movies are in there too.  I would like to take the slides and make them into a disc as well as the home movies too.  That is a job for next year though.  I have to save the money to get it done in the future.  There are also some nice pictures of Mom with my Uncle when he was a little boy.  Mom adored her baby brother and took care of him until he was about 5 or 6 when she joined the air force.

Tomorrow I need to work on the subdivision newsletter.  I plan to work on it tomorrow afternoon and have it ready to be printed by evening after lessons.  Mondays are a good day.  I have just enough lessons to fill the late afternoon and rest in between.  We are 2 weeks away from the spring concert so that is our main goal for all the lessons of the students who are planning to participate.  Only a couple of students can't.  Selma is one because she has dance at the same time.  I am disappointed but I do understand she already has another activity that she is committed too.  Selma is a very nice young lady.  Jayson played the piano a bit today.  I had forgotten that my uncle also had lessons as a child.  he doesn't remember too much about it.  I asked him if he remembered my mother playing the guitar and he did remember mom's guitar.  He doesn't remember her playing it, but he remembers the guitar.

I had a regular pain day so that was good thing since I had company.  My aunt had a bad headache earlier, but she took some medication so it is better.  My head is just the normal pain right now so that is good.  Church was good this morning.  I love all the songs we sang during the service.  We also had communion today.  We have it once a month.  Our choir director, Lee wanted to be the one to service us communion so the choir went back to the choir room instead of going into the service.  After communion, Carolyn and I went back into the sanctuary for the rest of the sermon.  It was on stealing and working hard.  It is a good series they are doing right now on sins.  Last weeks was on anger.  I do have a lot of that that I am trying to work through.  I am very angry (still) at my father for not only leaving us but what he did to my mother when they were getting a divorce.  He was just so out of control and mean.  I had no idea a person could be so mean to someone they once loved.  It was just awful.  I also am angry at a couple of extended family members because of past events.  I am NOT as angry as I was, but parts of me are still angry.  I am working on it.

Saturday - 5 - 5

I had lunch/dinner with Laura.  It was alright.  I had a nice visit.  Afterwards, I went to get gas and go to Walmart to pick up some medicine and a few other grocery items.  I needed some mashed potatoes (I like the pre-made Bob Evans type), meat, pasta, etc...  $95 later, I was finished.  I couldn't believe I spent that much so quickly, but it was all on medicine or food (except for the Time Magazine special edition on the Queen of England and her 60 year reign).  I am working on eating at home more often so I can save a little more money and be able to pay both the tax payment and the rest of the new sink.  I know I can do this.  I am pretty positive that if I am careful, I will be just fine!  It will just take a bit of thought and discipline so I can do this.

I spoke to my friend, Donna on the phone this evening too.  We were talking so long, my phone died.  Yes, that long.  (It didn't seem like it was that long)  Apparently, we were on the phone for about 2 or so hours.  I need a new battery for my phone but I keep forgetting to get one.  There is a battery store right up the street from me so it isn't like it is far away.  I just don't think about it until the little phone dies like a while ago tonight.  What can I say?  Out of sight and out of mind with me!

Tomorrow my Aunt Michelle and Uncle John will be coming over.  I am excited about this.  I haven't seen them in a couple of months so this will be awesomely fun.  They are coming over after church tomorrow.  Their church is at 9 am while mine is at 8:30 am.  Next Sunday, I am picking my friend, Donna up at 7:15 am for church that day.  I have to pick her up super early because I have to be there an hour before the service.  She says she doesn't mind so hey, okay, I will pick her up early.  I am not sure if she will need her walker or her wheelchair.  I guess we will figure it out that day.  I am anxious to see my aunt and my uncle to have some good visit time and also with my small cousin, Jayson.  He is 5 now and such a doll.  He is really cute and pretty well behaved for a 5 year old.  I don't know if we will go out to eat or not, but I have food in the house if we don't.  I can make a pasta dish or a roast or chicken.  I did just shop a bit so that is good.  I am all set for company, I will just have to clear the table because, as usual, it is totally covered with music, DVDs, and bills.  I have a bill file, but I can't say I use it all the time.  Okay, I still find myself tossing the bills behind my computer on the table instead of opening them and placing them in the bill file folder.  yeah, I am working on that.  I am better than I was, but still not where I want to be.

Pain level is a bit higher than usual tonight.  I think it might rain tonight.  There is a possibility and my aching bones say so too.  My head is a bit sorer than usual tonight too.  I am getting bad headaches several days a week now instead of just once or twice like before.  I have the everyday headache, but I can usually work with it most of the time for short spurts.  If I rest in between lessons, then I am okay.  It is the days with the bad headaches and no rest between lessons that are bad.  Fortunately, I am able to schedule some down time on busy days and most days are only a few lessons.  I can only teach a few lessons a day because it is too much for me.  It is hard to believe that only about 5 years ago, I could teach 50 to 60 lessons a week, six days a week.  Now, a week full of about 20 lessons are just enough. I still teach everyday except for Sundays, and even then sometimes I have one student or a make up lesson, generally.  I do love teaching, I just can't teach as much as I used to.

I am also very tired tonight too so I will be going to bed early.  I plan to get up in time for church tomorrow.  I am glad I am back into the habit of going to church again.  The week always starts off better if I go to church on Sunday not to mention I simply love singing in the choir.  It is wonderful to be able to sing in a choir again.  I had to stop singing in the choir when it became too hard for Mom.  She loved me singing in the choir.  No matter what choir I was in, Mom could always pick my voice out.  She was attuned to my voice when I was young.  What else are Moms for?  Next Sunday will be the 2nd Mother's Day that Momma is spending in Heaven.  I wonder what kind of celebration they have for Mother's Day?

new sink in! 5-4

The new sink came in this afternoon and it looks so pretty!  It is very strange to have a white sink when the rest of the bathroom is the 60s green.  I don't mind though because I hope that some day I will be able to redo the whole bathroom (with the exception of the new sink, of course) with a white tub and a white toilet.  Right now, I am just thankful that they work beautifully and I am having no problem with them.  For that, I am one thankful lady!!!!!  God is good!!!!!  Even in this upset, He is good!  The company I had come and change the sink is a company we (meaning Mom and I) have used before.  They let me be on a payment plan, which I am not sure other companies would let me.  I am so glad about that.  It is definitely a blessing.

I woke up super early (for me) to wait for the plumber.  I forgot to check my phone and missed a call from the plumbing company telling me they would be there in the afternoon because of an emergency.  I waited and waited in the living room.  Finally, at noon I checked the phone and realized it was still on vibrate from choir the night before.  Yeah, they called at 10 to tell me and I missed the call.  They did leave a message though but I could have gone back to bed instead of sleeping in the chair with my feet propped up.  Silly me.  Anyways, he arrived in the afternoon before lessons and installed the new white sink.

I only had Emily's and Natalie's lessons this evening since the B-T family is ill.  Both Acer and Heather have pneumonia.  I do hope they get better rather fast.  Pneumonia is not good.  Andrew has had pneumonia about 4 times in his life.  I think he has had close shaves at least 2 of the 4 times.  I know when he was a tiny little baby he had pneumonia and both Richard and I were sick too that Mom got a call from the hospital he was at to come and see him because he was dying.  Mom quickly went and as soon as she walked in the door and called his name, his vital signs jumped right up.  Whenever she left the room, he would go down so poor little Mom had to stay in the room no matter what to help him get better.  With Mom there, Andrew got better in record time.  He is definitely a Mother's Boy just like I am a Momma's Girl.  We are not fools, we knew who would take care of us, Mom.  That was actually how Mom knew I was faking being sick when I was very young.  If I went to Dad (except in the middle of the night, for some reason I always went to Dad in the middle of the might) in the morning, I was faking, if I went to Mom, I was really sick.  Since generally, I was ill, I went to Mom most of the time.  One time though, I really was sick and Mom wasn't home, Dad did have me stay home.  Unfortunately, neither one of us knew exactly what Mom would do so when he had me put my pajamas back on, he told me to leave my undershirt on.  Well, that made me hot and sweaty.  When Mom came home, I had a fever and was a pile of sweat.  Within minutes, I found myself in the tub with fresh pajamas for when I got out and fresh sheets since mine were all wet with my sweat.  After that, my Dad and I knew what to do if it ever happened again.  It didn't since I think he left pretty soon after that.  I am not sure, I just don't remember.

Emily and Natalie are almost ready for the Spring Concert.  Everything is shaping up nicely for it.  We have set the group rehearsal for the group song at the end of the concert.  Natalie M and Hannah are working hard on the covers to the concert program.  I will figure out the order of the songs next week and start working on the program.

Tomorrow I will be picking up my friend, Laura for lunch/dinner.  We are going to hang out together for the first time in ages!  It has been probably at least a year since I have seen her.  I think I have seen her once since Momma passed away.  Laura was on vacation when Momma passed away so she couldn't come to the funeral.  I know she would have been there otherwise.  I am excited to see Laura for about an hour or so.  It will be fun to get together.  We should do this much more often than we do but she is busy with work and going to school.  She is taking culinary classes.  Laura loves to cook and is a good one.  I have eaten her cooking before.  The summer before Mom passed away, Laura invited us to have lunch with her.  Laura made some pasta type salad with some other stuff and boy was it yummy.  Even the little lady ate quite a bit for her.  I was rather impressed.  The only other person Momma would eat that good for (besides me) was when my Aunt Michelle would cook when we would go there.  Aunt Michelle even brought us homemade food during the summer that Mom would eat.  Mom really liked what Aunt Michelle cooked.  We went to my aunt and uncle's house about once every couple of weeks so my Uncle John could see and spend time with his big sister.  When Uncle John was born, my grandmother was so ill after the birth that when the new baby came home he went directly into my mother's arms.  My mom was responsible for the baby while her mom got better.  It is one reason my uncle has always said that my mom raised him through the first part of his childhood and it is true, she did.  Uncle John always said he broke her in for us.  We used to say, he didn't do enough. Mom was very strict but as an adult looking back, I am so thankful for that.  Mom was so particular about what we read, watched on TV, and what we saw in the movies.  I am glad because unlike some of my friends, I don't have some of those images in my memory and I am really glad about that.  Of course, at the time, I was angry and upset.

I am going to read for a bit.  Pain hasn't been too bad today, just the normal amount.  My cousin, Maia may have Fibromyalgia too as well as a few other things.  I have some books she can read if she is interested.  She has been waiting for a long time to find out what is wrong with her, just like so many of us.  I do hope she finds something that will work for her.  So far, the medicine I am on has been helping me.  It doesn't take away all the pain, but enough of the pain (most of the time) to make my day more manageable.  I hope your day has been good.

thursday 5-3

I had choir practice this evening.  Carolyn and I were the only sopranos for a bit before another soprano arrived.  I was thankful for another soprano.  One of the songs we are singing is wonderful and it goes rather hard because it is so high.  My high notes are gone.  They have been since I about 2008 when the steroids from the asthma medication.  I actually don't use my asthma medicine too often anymore.  I think the building my store was in caused a lot of the breathing issues.  Since I have been out of the building, my asthma has improved a lot.  I have had the odd attack but mainly it is under control.  I am thankful for that.  Anyways, we worked on the song we are singing on Sunday.  We were supposed to sing it last Sunday but when we ran through it, it just wasn't ready so we are doing it this week.  I love the song we are singing.  It is called "My Heart, Your Home".  It is so beautiful and simple.  I love being a part of the choir.

The new sink arrives tomorrow.  I have to get up early so I can let the plumbers in to do the work.  I plan to nap a bit while they work.  I think that is a good plan.  I also need to pay some bills tomorrow.  I am happy and sad at the same time about the sink.  I am happy that I will have one that doesn't have holes in it, but sad because it costs a lot of money.  This will completely wipe out the emergency fund.  It now no longer exists.  I have will have to work hard to get up back to where it needs to be.

I am going to read for a while.  I am getting tired.

I have the estimate - 5-2

I have the estimate and I have not fainted - yet.  It will cost about $400.  I can pay in 2 payments so that is a relief.  I also called the county this afternoon only to find out I should NOT have been putting my tax money in my savings account but sending it in.  Silly me.  So I will send a check to them tomorrow.  I kind of thought I should be able to make a payment at anytime, but I wasn't sure.  I guess I should have called in March, but I didn't.  I will take care of it so I will be on schedule.  I am behind one month of savings for payment but I will make that up this month.

The sink will be put in on Friday.  They will arrive between 9 and 10 am.  I will get up early so that I will be awake when they are here.  it won't be that bad because I will nap while they are fixing my sink.  I am anxious to see a nice sink in the bathroom that doesn't have rust holes, but hey, I am rather bummed that I have to do this now.  Then again, is it ever a good time to have to replace any type of plumbing thing?  I don't think so.  However, I am thankful I can deal with this and I have good company to work with.  We have used them before so I think that is what helped me be able to get a payment plan.

It was a light teaching day.  It usually is on Wednesday.  I don't mind because tomorrow is a full, well, as full as I get, teaching day although Breanna is absent again.  I am bummed but she says she will be here next week.  Bob had his lesson today since he was absent on Monday.  We worked on his Prelude by Bach.  We started the 2nd page.  There was a goofy fingering for the right hand on the first line.  We had to fix it.  He and I both agreed that you can't really slide finger one under finger two from an A natural to a B flat.  It is extremely awkward.  There was another awkward fingering, but there isn't anything we can do about that one.  We both tried and we came to the conclusion that he will just have to jump his left hand down.  There is just no other way to do this.  We didn't get time to play his Handel Sonatina, just ran out of town since we spent so much time on the Prelude.  It isn't such a big deal though.  I am sure it sounds good though.  Bob practices hard and works at making the music smooth without mistakes.

I need to have my bangs trimmed on Friday.  They are getting in my eyes and that is not good.  It bothers me when they do that.  I think I get the bangs cut every 6 to 8 weeks.  My hair grows kind of fast in the front, but slower in the back.  It is about 1/2 down my back right now.  My goal is to have hair long enough to donate but still be able to put it in a ponytail.  I like wearing my hair in a ponytail these days.

I am getting tired now so I am going to finish up a few things before I head for bed.  I do hope you had a good day.  I ached a bit more than usual today because of the dampness and mugginess outside today.    I did expect that I would ache more.  I have to remember to call the hospital tomorrow for physical therapy and occupational therapy.  My left hand pointer finger hurts a lot when I try to close my hand.  Sometimes it hurts even when I don't try to close my hand.  It is the arthritis.  I have it is several joints as well as my back and hips.  That is why I have trouble walking or standing for a long time.  I use a scooter for many activities because I can't stand or walk for a long while.  It is just the way it is.  I am hoping that the physical therapy will help.

the sink needs to be replaced, the pipes, and the trap

Welcome to May Day!  Yup!  It is May 1st!  I used to love this day so much!  Mom would make us May baskets and a Maypole to dance around when we were small.  However, today, my sink in the main bathroom is leaking and rusting.  I talked to the plumber we usually use about a payment plan.  When the plumber arrived he said we would work something out.  Thank goodness for that!  I will find out how much it will cost tomorrow when the lady from the plumber's office calls.  I will answer the call if I hear it when I wake up.  Since I do usually hear the phone in the morning, I am sure I will be able to answer it.  I am not looking forward to that call.  It is something that can no longer wait so I have to get it done since the pipes are now leaking too.  Yeah, it isn't enough to need a new sink, let's add some pipes and a trap (whatever that is) to the load.  Oh my.  Okay, I sort of know what the trap is.  I guess I shouldn't really complain about the work needed, I mean, it is the original sink and piping from 1966, so I would say it has held up pretty well.  It is just that I don't have the emergency fund in good standing as of right now.  As a matter of fact, I don't have an emergency fund right now.  I have had to use it for getting the toilet fixed, batteries for the scooter, and my brakes for my car.  Oh yeah, and the new battery for the old car, so it has been used but I will get it up again.  I will just be vigilant with my money in the next few months.  I also am in the process of saving for the taxes.  Ah, it could be worse though.  I do try to keep that in mind.  I could need all three bathroom sinks replaced and their piping and traps too, fortunately, it is only the one sink so I am thankful for that!

It was a decent teaching day.  I had a few lessons.  Charlie was here for his lesson.  I had some more cans for him.  Bob and Breanna gave me some for the young man.  He is such a good guy!  It is breaking my heart that he is graduating.  Of course, I have been through this before with other students who were wonderful and graduated.  You just want them to be small for so much longer than they can be.  I am lucky that I have awesome students.  I am so proud of him.  He is going to start college in July.  He will study for 3 months, work for 3 months, student for 3 months, etc.  Charlie is going to, as of today, study mechanical engineering.  He is so smart.

It was NCIS night again!  I am so glad they were new episodes.  I know the season finales are coming soon.  I do not plan to miss them if I can help it.  NCIS Los Angeles was a 2 parter that involved Hawaii Five-Oh last night.  It was good and I enjoyed it.  I like both shows.  I would say though, my 2 favorite characters are from the regular NCIS and they are Abby and Gibbs.  Abby is awesome.  She is the forensic scientist and Gibbs is the team leader.  Both are such good actors and the show is great.

Dance Moms Miami is on right now.  It is outrageous as the regular Dance Moms.  I have only seen one episode of this show and I don't really know what to think about it.  I think I am going to turn this off and read for a while.  That sounds like more fun.

I hope your day has gone well too.

Last day of the month

Another month is about to end.  May Day is tomorrow.  I read in my books how important May Day celebration was.  In Henry VIII's time, it was a wonderful celebration.  In ancient days it was a day to thank the gods.  They had bon fires and jumped over them.  It was a celebration for all people, no matter what their station in life.  Now, it is a day on the calendar.  Momma used to love the day when we were small because at school we used to have a maypole that we would dance around.  It was always a good time.  Momma sometimes made us a Maypole to dance around when we were very small.  I wish we had pictures of some of the things Mom made for us.  Mom was very creative.  Of course, after my father left she had to work 2 jobs and didn't have time for these small things.  I am glad I still remember some of this stuff, I just wish we had pictures but we don't.

Anyways, May means Spring Concert time!  I usually have the concert in April, but this year it is later than normal because of some of the students schedule.  So far, the students are doing pretty well and most are almost ready.  By the time the concert arrives, all of them should be ready.  I pretty sure about that.  Isaac is working on his "Hedwig's Theme" from Harry Potter.  He is singing "Be Kind to Your Parents".  I think he will be ready.  Little Rachel had her lesson today too.  She is such a beautiful little girl.  We had some laughs at the lesson today.  She is such a great little student.  Rachel is playing "Chim Chim Cheree" from Mary Poppins.  I asked her if she was going to wear a pretty dress or a costume for the concert.  She looked at me and smiled but said no, she didn't have a Mary Poppins costume so she is wearing a pretty dress.  I had to smile when she said that.  Rachel is a tiny blond hair/blue eyed young lady.  I love her laugh, it is so cute.  Rachel just started her level C books.  Today was a new hand position for her.  I think she is doing wonderful.

Yesterday was such a good day.  I went to church, as usual.  It was a good sermon about anger.  I do have a lot of anger at times.  I am angry about some things that happened in the last few years.  I am trying to work through the anger, but it is so hard.  Letting go of anger is one of the hardest things for me to do.  I am angry at some members of my family that hasn't gone away yet.  It certainly isn't righteous anger like Jesus and God.  It is really the sin kind of anger.  I am working slowly through it.  I am certainly not as angry as I was, but the anger does come up every so often.  I am not angry all the time either, just sometimes.  It mostly is when I think about it when it shows up.  I would say at times I am even angry at being sick.  It is hard to be sick some days because the hope of getting better isn't on the horizon too often.  I also get angry at being sick because I have family members who can't handle or deal with the fact that I am sick.  It is more like, you sleep too much, you never feel well, comments like that.  I can't help being ill, but apparently, to some of my family, I should be able to just take something and be immediately "normal" again.  Yeah, Mom used to get mad at comments family would say.  It is kind of weird, but my friends understand my limitations better than my family does.

After church I took a nap before I went to a MMA meeting.  Oh my, what a crazy day.  The meeting was supposed to be a closing the fiscal year and so much more has happened.  I don't know.  I should have handled a situation differently, but I didn't and it has caused major drama.  I sure hope the drama is over because I don't like drama.  I did learn an important lesson though, always deal with the situation right away instead of not because it snowballs and it always snowballs apparently.  The meeting lasted 4 1/2 hours.  That was a super looooong meeting although it didn't seem like it was to long at the time.  I had dinner with the Hubel family and watched a couple of episodes of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.  We had hamburgers and salad.  It was so good too.

I am getting rather tired now.  I am going to read for a few minutes.  Tomorrow I have to get a blood test for my protime.

A Fun Evening with Friends at Barnes and Nobles 4-28

Once again, Kelly Lynn, Star, and I closed the Barnes and Noble.  Star's friend, Chalaine also was there.  What a great night!  I really had a good time chatting and drinking tea with them.  Star brought some homework with her.  She is taking an art class.  She drew quick portraits of the three of us since that is one of her assignments.  I think she is an awesome artist.  I really do!  Anyways, we all met about 6 after we all ate dinner at home.  I did make the mistake of running through the Burger King drive thru before I thought about what I was doing.  Not only did I get a diet coke, but a chicken sandwich (the fried type) and french fries.  Well, while I was at Barnes and Noble, I got a bit of a tummy upset, but now it isn't so bad.  I had a bagel at the store along with a tea and it calmed my stomach right down.  We talked about so many different topics, it is hard to believe that I am about 18 years older than them.  Star has always been an old soul and I think Kelly is the same.  I really liked Star's friend, Chalaine.  She is a really nice young lady who is going to beauty school.  Eventually, she would like to do hair and make up for the movies and theatre.

I am watching Game Plan.  I have seen this one before.  Actually, I have this one on DVD.  Mom and I went to see it when it was in the movie theatre!  We both laughed through the whole thing.  I like this movie a lot.  Speaking of movies, I am planning to take my girls (Muglias) next week to see "Mirror Mirror".  We all want to see it and it looks rather funny.  I am not interested in the other Snow White movie that is coming out, but this one looks good and I think the girls would like it too.  Then we will get something to eat afterwards.  I love spending time with them.  They are such neat girls and fun too.

Tomorrow is a MMA meeting.  It is the end of our fiscal year so Diane wanted to have a meeting to make sure everything is just so.  The general end of the year meeting is after the board meeting.  I think Kelly will be sending students to MMA's competition next year or at least I hope so.  She is teaching at home now.  She was at a studio but really wanted to teach at home instead, which I totally understand.  I do like teaching at home now.  When I was younger, I preferred to teach in the student's home or the store, but now I like teaching at home.  It is so much handier when you need music or CDs or both.  I have some music I need to get ready for next week after the meeting.  I have to burn a few CDs and copy some music for students.

I think I am going to read for a few before heading for bed.  I have to be up early for church tomorrow. I do so love singing in the choir.  I sit on a stool during the singing part of the service because I can't stand very long anymore.  I just can't.

A Sunny Friday, 4-27

Just think, only 3 days left of April.  It is hard to believe.  I think the weather for March switch places with April because we have been colder than usual and in March we were hotter than normal.  The weather in this state is just insane.  I am not sure what summer will bring, but this year the weather has been very unpredictable.  I just hope it isn't super hot.

I only had one student today since Calli and Acer are absent.  Emily is almost finished with her level 1B piano book.  She is doing pretty well.  Emily has a bit of trouble remembering her notes at times but we are working on them.  I figure in about a couple of weeks the lovely young lady will be in level 2.  Laith will be in level 2 in a matter of weeks too.  I have to go and pick up Rahul's book so I will get Laith's and Emily's at the same time.  I seem to going to the music store quite frequently for books for the students.  I don't mind since I would rather be sure that they pick up the right books that they need than get the ones they don't need.  It works much easier this way although once in a while the parents forget to pay me back.  It is annoying when that happens but since it is rare or once in a while, the getting the books is better for them.  Whatever (within reason, of course) the students need, I will get.

I have been re-reading a lot of old books these days.  I finished reading the Anne of Green Gables book about a week or so ago.  I simply love those books.  I am so thankful that mom introduced me to them.  Once I learned how to read (in 3rd grade), I started reading faster and faster so keeping me in new books was rather difficult for the lovely lady.  Mom would take me to the library once a week where I would come home with a pile of books.  I also read most of everything in the school library.  During the summer, Mom, Andrew, and I would ride our bikes to the library.  Mom had put a rack on my bike and I had a bag that went over the rack with two pockets, one on each side of the bike.  I miss riding bikes with mom.  I wouldn't dare get on a bike right now.  Oh my, with my poor balance, can you just imagine?  I shudder to think what would happen.  I am wayyyy to heavy to be riding a bike.

I am reading the Friarsgate series by Bertrice Small.  I like most of her books, some I don't, but mostly I do.  I like her Skye O'Malley Series and her Skye's Legacies books.  She also has a 2 book series of Blaze Wyndham.  Those are good too.  I also really like Catherine Coulter's books too.  Although my absolutely  favorite author is Lucy Maud Montgomery.  I love ALL her books but my favorites are the Anne of Green Gables books.  I love Anne.  She is such a great character.  The scrapes she gets into and how she gets out of them are so interesting.  I think the next favorite is "Blue Castle".  This one is about a young woman who gets told she only has a couple of months to live.  She gets married to a man she barely knows and ends up falling in love with him.  At the end of the book, she goes back to the doctor only to discover that there was another woman with the same name and she was the one who only had a couple of months to live.  It is a beautiful book.  All of L.M. Montgomery books are beautiful.

I am hoping to meet up with Star and Kelly Lynn tomorrow.  I am not sure since I haven't heard from the girls since yesterday and they both weren't sure at that point so I don't know.  It is alright if I don't, I just hope so.

I am so exhausted tonight.  I just came seem to stay totally awake right now.  I am trying to stay awake for another hour before I head to bed.  I just have to, otherwise I will be up around 2 and not be able to sleep until about 5.  If that happens, I will have a hard time being awake tomorrow too.

I have a bad headache now.  I am so sick of being sick.  I think I have said that before, but it is true.  Usually, it isn't a big deal and I can't get through the few hours I am up, but today just isn't that day.  Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

Thursday, 4-16

I am not feeling so well tonight.  I didn't go to choir practice because I just don't feel too well.  I am dizzy and all over not feeling good.  My head is a bit more sore than usual, but not unbearable.  I am not sure what is up, but that is okay.  I will just go to bed early and hopefully get some sleep.

Breanna is ill today so she didn't have her lesson.  She got the cold that her nephews had.  Lucky girl.  Apparently, her mother has it too.  Poor kid, I sure hope she feels better soon.  Everyone else had their lessons though.  Benjy and Joiene have picked their songs.  They are playing songs from their books because they are still in the first book so they are not playing songs from movies.

I am hoping that next weekend I will be able to pick up my girls and take them to see "Mirror Mirror".  It looks good and I think they will all like it.  I just have to check and make sure it isn't PG13 or Sarah will not be able to go with us.  I just checked, it is rated PG so little Sarah can go too.

While I was commenting on a post for facebook today, I saw a name from the past.  It was kind of a shock to realize that this person was my friend until about 2004.  She, unfortunately, was the, I am your friend as long as you can do something for my daughter, type friend.  As a teacher, I come across people like that once in a while.  Fortunately, I don't have that bad experience very often.  Most of the people I have become friends with through teaching are true friends and are still friends to this day.  Julie and Ross are perfect examples of this.  I no longer teach any of their children (2 have grown up and Lily is too advanced in piano for me), but we are still good friends.  Sometimes, I am friends with the parents first before they take lessons, this was the case with Heather B-T and her children.  Heather and I were friends first and then I started teaching Calli and Acer.

I ordered a 2 part arrangement of "Double Trouble" along with the CD.  I don't know why I didn't think about this when I realized that the CD is missing.  I am upset with myself over the losing of this CD though but this will be just as cool.  At least the CDs are no longer $80 to $100 each.  They are down to $26 or so.

Laith will be moving into level 2 in a couple of weeks.  He is doing rather well when he doesn't guess his notes.  He plays smoothly when he reads his notes.  His Spring Concert song is coming along very nicely.  By the time the concert arrives, he will be more than ready.  I just hope that Benjy and Joiene will be just as ready.  Wama played all 3 of her pages instead of just playing the first page this week.  I was very pleased.  Deema is doing well with her song too.  I think all the students will be ready for the Spring Concert when it arrives.

I am going to read for a while.  Maggie finished the new book by Kristin Hannah, "Home Front".  She liked it too.  I knew she would.