Bells will be ringing

Today - two performances - at 3pm and 7pm! Trinity Lutheran - be there! 

BRAVA, the community group we ring with, is having our Christmas concerts today. The music is great! Mr and I are also singing (with others, of course). Yep, that’s a scary thought. It’s good that we have some really good singers, because Mr and I are far more parrot than Pavarotti… 

In between concerts, we are having a pot luck. It seems not everyone is staying. I’m a little sad about that, but they live close, so… That’s fine. They will miss my yummy Brunswick Stew. 

I made a blanket for one of the ringers who is getting married in a couple of weeks. I hope she likes it. It’s one of my best! 

Crochet Time!

I love Wednesdays because I get to go see the Prayer Shawl ladies. They are such a sweet bunch of women. We talk about anything and everything while we crochet and knit. Granted, I can’t do any complicated patterns while I’m there because I’m too busy talking! I’m working on a triangle Road Trip Shawl in gray tones for the church. It’s easy, mindless, and I can talk while I work.
While I’m in town, I’ll run by Walmart and get a few groceries, get some gas, and I’ll stop in at the fabric store and get another yard or so of black fabric for the bell foam project. If I get the fabric I have cut out this morning before I leave, I’ll know exactly how much I need - I’d best get to it, huh?
Have a lovely day!

Ding A Ling

We had a local bell festival yesterday. It was really fun! There were 6 local choirs and we rang and laughed and had a great time. Ann Schmidt was our clinician. (I've known her for a while and she is a great teacher and is just so sweet!)

It was nice for me to just get behind the table and ring and not have to worry about who was playing what when or if it was right or not. There's nothing better than getting together with friends to ring!

Maybe next year we can get a few more choirs to join us.

Ring my bell...

I'm off to the discoveRing bell  festival in Richmond. Stop by and say hi if you're there. I'm the one with the camera - in case you need to find me.

My school bells will be there. My kids are excited, somewhat prepared, and ready for a fun weekend.  I can only hope that the other teacher (who I did not recommend to be hired) actually shows up and takes responsibility for the kids. Because I'm working the event on the other side, I cannot "be the teacher".  There's obviously more to the story, but since I'm supposed to be all sweetness and light over here, I won't get into it. I am worried - very worried.

My own children are headed to their final Marching Band Competition in Allentown this weekend. I'm heartbroken that I can't see them march and take their pictures.  Alas, the other parents will have to step up and do it for me.  Mr. is going to be with them, but the camera will be with me...  I have my cell phone charged so they can tell me how they are doing, how they placed, and any other little tidbit they want to share. I hate not being there with them.

So - if you need me, I'll be back tomorrow.

Ding Dong

I'm back!
We rang our fingers to the bone this weekend!
WOW!! What a great time!!

I have some nifty new exercises to try out with my school kids. They'll either love the challenge of the weave up the table or they'll hate me for it. Personally, I can't wait to try it out with them...

I have some wicked cool new music for my school group as well as my church group. I just need to see how much money is left in the budget. Gotta make sure I can pay for all this stuff I want for them.

I start my school group up tomorrow - I really need to start the Festival music. Some of it they're gonna love a lot... some of it they're gonna love not so much. But, as usually happens, the piece that they hate the most is the one they end up liking the best... I just can't wait to see which one that is...

The Concert

Yesterday afternoon was my final school bell concert.
The kids did pretty well. The first song was ok, but the second - Siyahamba - was terrific! They did a great job!
I just have to do grades and then my summer can start.
Those grades will be done this morning - trust me!

I'm off...

Like a herd of turtles...

I hope to be in Richmond by noon. I'll be the one in the blue shirt at the registration desk... That narrowed it down for you, didn't it? LOL! I know, it's always a sea of blue shirts behind the registration desk.

I'll be back to see the kids play tomorrow...

I'll be baking tomorrow afternoon for Sunday's 8th grade band picnic...

So - if you need me - now you know where to find me.

Little Bell Lost

When we were at the bell event on Saturday, I opened the cases to take the bells out and there was an imposter in there. It looked like a C#, it sounded like a C#, but it wasn't my brand new Schullie C#.

The label on the imposter's handle said PUMC. I brought the little bugger home and made some calls. It appears that C# belongs to my dear friend Ann who has located my sweet C# in her case. I think these impy C#s were attempting to pull a "Parent Trap", but WE can tell them apart. Their handles and disks are completely different. Silly C#s.

So, since the little PUMC# has nothing better to do, I figured I'd give her a taste of life in the country. She's sat on our counter and become part of the family. She's done laundry and dishes. She's made cookies and tacos. She's fed the dog and been rubbed on by the cats. She's had a real fun time riding in the car. She's been to school, the winery, the ice cream place, our favorite local burger joint, the dump, the high school track practice, the honor society meeting, and more. I even dressed her up in a lovely plaid ribbon. What a life!!

She's getting a little homesick and has requested to be reunited with the rest of her set ASAP. She will get her wish tomorrow evening when her siblings arrive in Richmond for the Area III Festival. She and I'll be heading down in the afternoon - I've got things to do and She is going to help me. We going to stuff packets at the registration table, put signs up, and generally help where ever we are needed until her family arrives.

I am ready to have my own sweet C# returned. I'm sure she's had quite a time and I can't wait to hear about all the wonderful things she did while she was away. Alas, her vacation is over. The school kids miss her terribly - the imposter is okay, but her handle doesn't feel the same in their hands and she just isn't as cute and shiny as their own. You know?

Ringing the bells..

This past weekend I was in Ocean City ringing handbells with 500 other crazy people who love to ring as much as I do. I was working, so I didn't get to ring as much as I would have liked, but it's okay. The clinician - Michael Kastner is phenomenal.

I drove with 2 lovely ladies from my church choir. They are really sweet and it was nice to get to know them a little bit better. It was a long drive and they kept me entertained the whole way both ways.

This weekend, we have another bell function - although it's much closer to home. Mr. and LLB will be joining me along with a few ringers from my church choir. I am hoping that a few ringers from my home church will also join me. The 6th Dimension will be there and they are going to ring for us!! They are awesome!

Next weekend I'll be in Richmond ringing at that Area III Festival. It's all handbells all the time around here in March!

Wanna ring?
Wanna try a festival?
Give me a jingle...
I can set you up!

Tuesday...

This weekend I'm off to Ocean City for a handbell festival. Do stop by and say hi if you are there. I'm the one in the blue shirt - that narrowed it down for you, didn't it?

Before I can even contemplate leaving on Friday morning, I've got to get all my ducks in a row around here. LLB has a million things going as does #1. Getting their schedules straight so I can give it to Mr. is top on my priority list. I am still not sure he's going to be able to get it straight in his head! Alas, if he follows the flow chart I'm constructing, he should be just fine... Well, as long as he doesn't deviate from the plan, he will.

I handed off 3 octaves of bells and foam to one of my ringers. She was NOT impressed with the quantity of crap we have to haul out there.

I need to purchase 3 large - okay large as in huge - space bags. Anyone have any idea where I can get them today? or tomorrow? What do I need 'em for? For foam. If I can suck the air out of the foam, we can actually fit people in my car! Imagine that?

Next Time I'm Not Being Nice

It seems that the powers that be found this particular post and they have asked me to take it down.
So... it's down.

My Weekend with Tim Waugh

(Hi Tim! I know you'll be reading this.)

We had the Area III Youth Festival in Richmond this past weekend. Tim Waugh was our clinician.

My school kids were pretty funny. They enjoyed Tim very much. They did say that they thought Tim was just some old guy until he turned around and they could see his pony tail. Then he became a cool old guy. LOL!

LLB came along with me just to ring under Tim's direction.

When I asked what she thought of the weekend, she told me that she would have liked the experience more if she could have had Tim Waugh be her teacher in a small group. (Yeah - and so would I...) She said there were too many people - you think 450 ringers is too many? - and that she would have liked to ask him some questions and even get closer to see better. She also told me she would have liked a little time to get to know him.

She enjoyed the way he made things fun and understandable - like that 5/4 - 6/8 sight reading piece. Tim showed us his thigh slapping, hand flipping, head nodding thing. She thought that even the kids back at school could understand that!

LLB is very slow to warm up to people.
Tim, you have made quite an impression and you have another HUGE fan!

Thanks for a great weekend!

Getting My Stuff Together

The snacks are in the car.

The music is in the car. Well, the music that arrived anyway. It seems that I am 9 copies short for one piece because that piece is back ordered. I have the original receipt from the supplier with me and I've written in ink on the rehearsal copies that that piece is back ordered. It took me a month to get the first 10 copies. It will probably take me until spring to get the next 9.

The box of things from the printer is in the car.

The suitcase is packed - for the most part. Toothbrushes and hairbrushes and a couple of last minute items - like the pair of pants that are in the wash have to go in.

The PTO meeting went well. I have the email version of the newsletter ready to go.

The camera is charging.

I guess you could say that I'm almost ready...

The poop did hit the fan again yesterday - it seems that the coach is upset that these 3 girls are going to miss the sports banquet. She was so upset that she swore at my DOM. My boss is classy, though, and didn't give her what she deserved. She was gracious and told the coach that music is an academic subject for which these girls receive a grade and that if they miss the rehearsal, they will be behind for the rest of the event. The coach could care less... typical - if you ask me... The head of the Athletic Department wants the girls to go with us. I find that refreshing. He told the DOM that the girls could be honored at another time. That this banquet is really no big deal.

Yesterday afternoon the DOM came to us and asked us how far we wanted her to take this thing on principle. I threw my hands up. I really don't care.. but, they aren't kids from my class. The other teacher is going to fix their boats. She is re-assigning their bells!! They will be assigned to bells that don't ring often. They are not going to be rewarded for missing a rehearsal. She's slick!! It's an excellent solution.

Watching this unfold is almost better than a soap opera!

Knickers Untwisting...

Well, it's amazing what 24 hours - or so - can do!

It seems that I was not the only one who was upset that 3 of our students would be arriving late. It looks like the headmaster got in on the issue and guess what? He didn't like it either.

Part of the problem with these 3 kids arriving late is the drive. It is a long dark deer ridden road which they have to travel. It's one thing to have a parent take the responsibility - a totally different thing to let a very young coach do that.

The coach was trying to make it so the kids could participate in both activities.

Unfortunately she didn't think about the commitment issue. The second part of the problem. The kids committed to the festival back in September. The paperwork went home to the families on the first day of school. I had the registrations in and paid, the hotel reservations made, and chaperones lined up on September 15th.

So, the room assignments have been changed again - I haven't seen the list and right now, I don't much care who is in what room as long as they are all in a room with a parent.

I retrieved my paperwork from the printer yesterday afternoon. It is perfect!

I am only waiting on music to arrive from Jeffers. I will call them at 9 to see where they sent it. I asked them to send it to the house, but I kinda think they sent it to the school. It is probably in the black hole commonly known as: The Mail Room.

The laundry is done. LLB's clothing is in a pile waiting to be packed. I will pack the suitcases later today and be done with it. Tonight, after my PTO meeting, I will pack the car and heave a sigh of relief.

Tomorrow afternoon I will retrieve LLB from school and head to Richmond where I will meet the other volunteers for dinner. We will laugh, we will stuff packets, and we will enjoy the calm before the storm that is Friday. The best part of these events - spending time with people we enjoy but don't get to see very often. My roomie is from North Carolina and I only see her a couple times a year. We usually end up staying up WAY too late talking - and we talk fast! There's a lot to cover in very little time...

The weekend will be a blast! LLB is going to ring with Kath W.'s group and Tim Waugh is the clinician for the event. Tim is the reason she is going to this event. I want her to experience ringing under this phenomenal director.

As I've told her:
It's one thing to be directed by your mom...
It's a whole other thing to be directed by Tim Waugh!

Ding...

Dong...
I'm off to a Handbell Directors' Seminar today.
I get to ring and ring and ring.
And then I get to shop for music 'til I drop.

In other news, my PTO chairmanship is off to a pretty decent start - considering I wasn't going to even contemplate being the chair. Our first meeting had double the attendance of any meeting last year. We have some new volunteers (thank the Lord above!) who are enthusiastic and willing to jump right in with both feet. I spent part of the day yesterday sending emails, ordering a pencil vending machine, and looking for bulk pencils. Call me cheap, but I want round pencils in bulk that don't cost more than 10 cents a piece. Is that too much to ask??

We had our first church bell rehearsal last night. I want you all to know that I'm just not a 4 in hand ringer. As much as I try, I'm just not. I prefer lower notes - you know.. ones you can actually hear and don't cause every dog in the neighborhood to howl. I'm just sayin'.

So, I best get my rear in gear.
I need to be out of here shortly.
Don't miss me too much!

Just Stuff

The children have no school today due to flooding. We are not flooding, but there are low lying areas of the county that I'm sure are under water. I don't know what this does to the last day of school, but I can't sweat it right now.

The funniest thing about this no school thing is that today was supposed to be the Honor Roll Breakfast. Do you remember the donut thing from last year? Every time we tried to have the HR Breakfast, it snowed and we had to cancel the donut order. (We smartened up this year and stopped doing donuts.) I can't even wait to email the principal about the HR Breakfast - LOL!!

I'm supposed to teach my bell class today. I have to find out if they have school. Part of me hopes we don't have school, but my kids NEED that rehearsal!

My church bells played yesterday. They were phenomenal!
As far as I can tell, I'm keeping my bell spot. But, until I hear from the new DOM, I'm simply there until June. That whole committee seems so secretive it makes me crazy. I understand that they need to keep quiet until paperwork is signed and such, but really... Do you want me or not?

While we were having coffee between services yesterday, I discovered that a bunch of the choir members would have left the church had I not taken over the bell choir. One of them even said, "If you leave, I'm out of here, too. If you hadn't come when you did, I would already be gone!"

Huh? Wow. In a narcissistic kind of way, that's wicked cool!

It seems that a lot churches around here are in flux. It also seems that the ministers around here give really boring sermons. I heard more chatter about boring sermons yesterday than I have in some time. (I think that the seminaries should really beef up their sermon writing classes or something.) Now, I did pay attention during the sermon yesterday. I've got to tell you - it WAS boring. It was not inspiring. It was not remotely interesting. AND, it was confirmation Sunday. That is not good for business!! Gram and Grandpa said that the sermon at our tiny church was not so hot, either. Gram said she even zoned out for a while and started thinking of really exciting things like her grocery list...

I've got a busy week ahead. I've got to put the middle school band slide show together... Wish me luck!

Ding Dong and Millie

I'm off to my handbell meeting today. Those of you who know me well, know how much I enjoy this particular board position. This is one of those meetings I don't mind one bit. The people are great, the work is fun, and the snacks are yummy! What more could a girl ask?

#1 has Millie tonight. Mr. is handling the running unless he gets stuck in traffic -- then Grandpa is doing the run to get #1 to town for 6:30. These Friday meetings that my Mr. has to endure are just maddening! They have a meeting scheduled for 3:30. Do you have any idea what DC/Northern VA traffic is like on Friday evening?? What moron would schedule a meeting for 3:30 on a Friday??

Ding Dong Drama

I have this new church job - a dream bell choir - a bell choir to end all bell choirs. OMG! They are terrific and I simply adore each and every member. They work hard, they are hysterically funny, and they are really nice people.

When I first took the job, I wasn't sure what I was getting into, so I told them that I'd feel it out to see if it was something I wanted to do long term. I told them weeks ago that I was staying forever and ever. The members of the choir wanted me to stay and when I told them that I would, they were all very happy. (They even asked me to take them to the 2 festivals next spring.)

I proceeded to submit my resume - per the church's request - to make sure I could keep this gig. My resume is a good one. (I won't ring my own bell, but you can just know that their $30 per rehearsal and $15 for Sunday services is far less of a salary than I should be getting.)

Last week I got 2 emails. One had a link to the pastor's personal blog where he gave the bell choir kudos. This has never ever happened before. The choir was thrilled and so was I! The other was from the Associate Pastor who was raving about the choir's performance on Sunday as well as my choice of music and my work with the choir. Basically, everyone is talking about how good the choir is and how happy they are with me.

Then I got a third email that said the church was going to be interviewing a new DOM (Director of Music). The kicker was that they wanted to see what she would do with the bell choir. Hmmm.... I wasn't too happy about that because I really like this gig. I don't want to give it up. But, after I told them that I'd only need about 10 years in therapy to get over the rejection, I gave them some suggestions about how they might have her audition.

I was told that chances are, I'd be working for this woman.
Sorry - I have trust issues and I tend to be a little pessimistic. I don't believe that for one second.

Last night at the end of the practice, the woman who is helping to coordinate this interview/audition asked if any of the members could be there early next week to play during the half hour before bells as her bell audition. There was a LOT of grumbling. Some said absolutely not. But I will be there. (I'm NOT missing that!) Then the person asked if we could stay until 9 so that the congregation could see her audition with the bell choir as well as the vocal choir. They all said no. (Secretly, that made me very happy.) I told the woman (and the members who had gathered around me) that I had a hard time staying late and keeping LLB out so I could help this woman take my spot. The choir members agreed with me. One of them even asked if they could play really badly so that she would look terrible. (See, I told you they were sweet.)

I got the bell choir back up and running and now I'm supposed to hand it over to someone who does not currently have a bell choir or a vocal choir for that matter? Someone who may or may not take them to festivals and workshops? If they were an average choir - maybe...

BUT, this choir - this choir is special... I'm not giving this one up - Not without a fight.

Ding Dong...

Yesterday, when I left the house to drive down to my church bell choir rehearsal, I really didn't feel like going. I was tired - okay, totally pooped out. I just wanted to curl up, spend time with my family, and veg. (I never got my nap in yesterday, but I did get a ton of laundry done!)

But, I got in my car and went. When I got there, I dragged myself in.

They started to play and wow! I was rejuvenated! They are excited to be ringing. They ring well! They laugh. They are just the best!

LLB is ringing huge bass bells with a woman, N. They are doing a great job with those heavy things! And the sound... oh the sound is just awesome!

I woke up this morning thinking I might do a cookout for them at the end of the season - that would be in May sometime.

Yup... I'm lovin' this church gig!

Big Time...

No - not the time change. I haven't adjusted.
I'm pooped, but that's okay.

I had a most awesome bell rehearsal on Sunday evening. LLB went with me to sub in for someone who can't make it on Sunday. She loved it!

You know you've hit the big time when your kid tells you that she likes the way you direct your choir and that she thinks you do it really well.

That's cool!