Today after church service and the congregational meeting, a few of us stuck around and decorated the altar to slightly resemble a bee hive. Before we left this morning, I mentioned to John that I'd like to do something "fun" next weekend, like, say.. go to Itchetucknee and go tubing. He agreed. Now, I'm back tracking. Once I realized I'd be gone from 7am until 10pm every day this week, i realized I will want down time on Saturday. Sunday, we will be having the 10th anniversary celebration for our church's preschool. Being the oh so involved member that I am, volunteered the Chappell family for setting up and taking down the fellowship hall tables, bringing food AND I agreed to head up games. WHAT was I thinking? I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed now, as I realize I haven't prepared very well for this week's VBS music (up next, after blogging) then of course the rehearsal on Thursday. I found the time to go over the music once, and I am feeling way out of my league. I'm hoping once I get back into an orchestra environment that a lot of "it" will come back. It's not like I haven't been playing, I just haven't been playing this type of music.
I think once I get past this week, then I can really focus on the music for Trinity.
Have a great week everyone!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Going to be a busy week...
Hmm, haven't blogged in a long time. I seriously need to get back into the groove. I mentioned to my boss (The GM of First Coast News) about a month ago that I would like to blog our 'weekend adventures', when we go camping, and call it "Weekend Explorers". If that comes to play, I really better get back into blogging, huh?
This upcoming week is going to be a busy one, and I suspect I will spend most of my afternoon tomorrow planning it. Monday starts vacation bible school for the week in the evenings. I'm in charge of.... yep, you guessed it! Music! Thursday, however, I'll be taking a break from VBS and taking the first step in fulfilling a long-time dream. Thursday will be the first rehearsal of the Trinity Chamber Music group. This is a chamber music group being founded by Trinity Episcopal Church in St. Augustine. We will have 5 rehearsals, and a performance on my 40th birthday, August 13th.
I am very much looking forward to the music group, but I am also feeling very anxious about it. I haven't played chamber music in nearly 20 years. What kind of caliber of musicians will I be playing with? Will I fell like the novice that just needs to go play somewhere else? Do I have the stamina to play a long concert? So many "what ifs". Do I have the technique to play this kind of music again? I will have to find the time tomorrow to practice, since I will not have the time this week.
Wish me luck!
This upcoming week is going to be a busy one, and I suspect I will spend most of my afternoon tomorrow planning it. Monday starts vacation bible school for the week in the evenings. I'm in charge of.... yep, you guessed it! Music! Thursday, however, I'll be taking a break from VBS and taking the first step in fulfilling a long-time dream. Thursday will be the first rehearsal of the Trinity Chamber Music group. This is a chamber music group being founded by Trinity Episcopal Church in St. Augustine. We will have 5 rehearsals, and a performance on my 40th birthday, August 13th.
I am very much looking forward to the music group, but I am also feeling very anxious about it. I haven't played chamber music in nearly 20 years. What kind of caliber of musicians will I be playing with? Will I fell like the novice that just needs to go play somewhere else? Do I have the stamina to play a long concert? So many "what ifs". Do I have the technique to play this kind of music again? I will have to find the time tomorrow to practice, since I will not have the time this week.
Wish me luck!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Finally, a post!
Okay, my apologies. I know it's rude to go MONTHS without posting. Seems like I have been in a tail-spin since mid-July, but I think things are finally settling down. My spell of unemployment came to an end on August 31st, when I went to work at First Coast News. Been there ever since, and I'm enjoying it. What's First Coast News? It's a "duopoly" of tv stations, here in the Jacksonville area, and I'm the Accounting Manager. Sounds important, doesn't it? Really, I'm just the middle person between the Business Manager and the Accounting Clerk. "Middle management" is what I'm called. Okay, I'll take that.
Oddly the same time I started my job, I also developed an auto-immune disorder. Well, I should qualify that statement. I haven't "officially" been diagnosed, but my doctor is reasonably certain "it" is auto-immune. I started out, actually early this summer, complaining of an itchy nose. The itch progressed across my face, then around my eyes. My mid-September, I was starting to look like a red-eyed raccoon. I went to the doctor in October, and they put me on prednisone along with lots of other meds. Not sure if it was the prednisone, or the usual progression of the disease, but a few weeks into that, it blossomed into a full body rash, and then severe muscle burning, pain and high fevers. Only just a few weeks ago, my doctor and I have together come to the conclusion that I have an auto-immune disease known as dermatomyositis. The bloodwork done in September was showing high sed rate and high levels of CPK, muscle enzymes that are present when muscles are being damaged. My last visit to the doc, I asked him about this auto-immune disease I'd found online, which had a "signature" of a heliotrope rash, which is the red rash around the eyes, as well as the rash across my arms, legs, shoulders, hands and face. I thought when he started to laugh that maybe he was thinking I'm an idiot and should stay off the internet. that wasn't the case. He laughed as he turned my chart around to show me he had written the same diagnosis down already. We were on the same page. He said he'd like to continue with treatment as is currently, and ween me off the steroids to see where this develops from there. His suspicion is that it will flare, and we'll be treating it again with steroids and other meds. By then, the hope is I will have active insurance, since I've been self paying from the beginnning, and then he can run the necessary tests to pinpoint this "stuff".
Total change of subject now... Thanksliving! This week John and I are taking the kids up to southeastern Georgia to Stephen C Foster state park. We made a run up there this past Sunday and felt we really loved the park. There were many deer out and about during the day, so we're sure the nightlife will prove to be interesting. There are signs warning to not feed bears, and pets are not allowed in or around the water, including in the canoes because of the high populations of alligators. Well, Callie's not going to be happy about that, is she? I've planned fried chicken, along with fried turkey wings, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, green beans and corn. Dessert, well.. we're camping, so marshmallows, of course. I've also purchased Jiffy Pop to pop on the camp stove. There's a warning (yes, one I read!) on the packaging to not pop it on a campfire, darnit, but gives directions for a camp stove. The kids will no doubt be fascinated by the whole process of popping this corn.
We haven't been camping since spring break, except for one trip in September, when Judy my mother in law, and I took the kids to Anastasia for the weekend. In good Chappell tradition, it is going to be cold, and possibly rain. I am looking forward to sitting around the camp site without a thought in the world about home or work. I'm looking forward to watching my children enjoy their environment, as they spot deer in the woods. Our visit ths past Sunday, produced a rattle snake crossing the road as well. I'm hoping this was a freakish event, and we will not be seeing another of these creatures!
I'll keep you posted to our progress ...
Oddly the same time I started my job, I also developed an auto-immune disorder. Well, I should qualify that statement. I haven't "officially" been diagnosed, but my doctor is reasonably certain "it" is auto-immune. I started out, actually early this summer, complaining of an itchy nose. The itch progressed across my face, then around my eyes. My mid-September, I was starting to look like a red-eyed raccoon. I went to the doctor in October, and they put me on prednisone along with lots of other meds. Not sure if it was the prednisone, or the usual progression of the disease, but a few weeks into that, it blossomed into a full body rash, and then severe muscle burning, pain and high fevers. Only just a few weeks ago, my doctor and I have together come to the conclusion that I have an auto-immune disease known as dermatomyositis. The bloodwork done in September was showing high sed rate and high levels of CPK, muscle enzymes that are present when muscles are being damaged. My last visit to the doc, I asked him about this auto-immune disease I'd found online, which had a "signature" of a heliotrope rash, which is the red rash around the eyes, as well as the rash across my arms, legs, shoulders, hands and face. I thought when he started to laugh that maybe he was thinking I'm an idiot and should stay off the internet. that wasn't the case. He laughed as he turned my chart around to show me he had written the same diagnosis down already. We were on the same page. He said he'd like to continue with treatment as is currently, and ween me off the steroids to see where this develops from there. His suspicion is that it will flare, and we'll be treating it again with steroids and other meds. By then, the hope is I will have active insurance, since I've been self paying from the beginnning, and then he can run the necessary tests to pinpoint this "stuff".
Total change of subject now... Thanksliving! This week John and I are taking the kids up to southeastern Georgia to Stephen C Foster state park. We made a run up there this past Sunday and felt we really loved the park. There were many deer out and about during the day, so we're sure the nightlife will prove to be interesting. There are signs warning to not feed bears, and pets are not allowed in or around the water, including in the canoes because of the high populations of alligators. Well, Callie's not going to be happy about that, is she? I've planned fried chicken, along with fried turkey wings, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, green beans and corn. Dessert, well.. we're camping, so marshmallows, of course. I've also purchased Jiffy Pop to pop on the camp stove. There's a warning (yes, one I read!) on the packaging to not pop it on a campfire, darnit, but gives directions for a camp stove. The kids will no doubt be fascinated by the whole process of popping this corn.
We haven't been camping since spring break, except for one trip in September, when Judy my mother in law, and I took the kids to Anastasia for the weekend. In good Chappell tradition, it is going to be cold, and possibly rain. I am looking forward to sitting around the camp site without a thought in the world about home or work. I'm looking forward to watching my children enjoy their environment, as they spot deer in the woods. Our visit ths past Sunday, produced a rattle snake crossing the road as well. I'm hoping this was a freakish event, and we will not be seeing another of these creatures!
I'll keep you posted to our progress ...
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
John said the TV came on...
Just a quick post today.. but John told me this morning as he was leaving at 5:30 that the tv came on. He said, the tv came on, so I'll move it tonight. Of course at 5:30 this was very confusing and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what I was supposed to do. I sat up in the bed, and said "What? What's wrong with the tv?" He explained again, that the 36 inch water logged tv seemed to come on this morning, after having dried out over night, and that he will put it back on the entertainment center this evening when he gets home. Oh, okay. Now I understand.
It's good news for all of us, but especially Daniel. It would be quite the tale to carry for life, that he fried the living room tv at the young age of four, costing our family many hours of entertainment. Just kidding! I'm relieved, because as we watched the season finale of Deadliest Catch, it was really hard to see the captions on the 19 inch screen from all the way across the living room. When it was over, and I had gained control of the remote, I moved to the larger sofa that is much closer to the television so I could actually see the screen!
It's good news for all of us, but especially Daniel. It would be quite the tale to carry for life, that he fried the living room tv at the young age of four, costing our family many hours of entertainment. Just kidding! I'm relieved, because as we watched the season finale of Deadliest Catch, it was really hard to see the captions on the 19 inch screen from all the way across the living room. When it was over, and I had gained control of the remote, I moved to the larger sofa that is much closer to the television so I could actually see the screen!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Daniel strikes again!
My beautiful 4 year old son, decided this morning while I was still in bed that the television in the living room needed to be cleaned. It had dust on the front of it. So, he went into the bathroom, soaked a wash cloth, then wiped the front of the tv off. It is clean, I'll give him that. But, it was the phrase "Mommy, the tv just turned off by itself" that got me out of bed this morning. Yes, it did turn off by itself, but it had a little help. The water dripping from the front speaker holes was a pretty good clue what the problem was. I've tried several times to turn it back on, but it's just not working at all. I have lots of laundry to do today, and the only way I can fold it is by sitting in front of the television. Otherwise, it's hopelessly boring! Time for "musical tv's". The 19 inch television from our bedroom is now sitting in the hole where the 36 inch tv that no longer works was. The 19 inch television that was sitting on a table in Daniel's room (for movies only, it was not hooked up to cable) is now sitting on the armoir in our bedroom where our television was. The space that was once occupied by a television in Daniel's room is now empty, and shall remain that way indefinitely!
I guess I should add, he's grounded for the day!
John had hopes in the near future of purchasing a flat screen television for the living room, and once I obtain a steady job with income flowing in, we will make that purchase! Until that time, it's not as critical to have a big tv in the living room, as the necessity for my getting my tooth crowned a few weeks back! That was critical, a big television is really a modern convenience that we have convinced ourselves is a necessity! Some may argue that crowning a tooth is a luxury, but to me it is a necessity!
I made the mistake of staying in bed this morning, because I woke up at 2:30 with the sinus headache that I went to bed with getting much worse. By this time, my sinuses were getting stuffed up, and my head and teeth were throbbing! Lots of nasal saline spray, a Zyrtec-D, 3 ibuprofen and a steamy washcloth did the trick finally around 4:30, just in time to hear John's alarm clock go off! Next time, I guess I should just get up!
I guess I should add, he's grounded for the day!
John had hopes in the near future of purchasing a flat screen television for the living room, and once I obtain a steady job with income flowing in, we will make that purchase! Until that time, it's not as critical to have a big tv in the living room, as the necessity for my getting my tooth crowned a few weeks back! That was critical, a big television is really a modern convenience that we have convinced ourselves is a necessity! Some may argue that crowning a tooth is a luxury, but to me it is a necessity!
I made the mistake of staying in bed this morning, because I woke up at 2:30 with the sinus headache that I went to bed with getting much worse. By this time, my sinuses were getting stuffed up, and my head and teeth were throbbing! Lots of nasal saline spray, a Zyrtec-D, 3 ibuprofen and a steamy washcloth did the trick finally around 4:30, just in time to hear John's alarm clock go off! Next time, I guess I should just get up!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Pranksters.. so true!
I'm diverting you over to Jenny's blog today, because she pretty much says it all! This is the story of the pampas grass bordering Jenny's yard, and our "in between neighbor". I'm so glad she took pictures!
http://flutterbyechronicles.blogspot.com/2009/07/pranksters.html
http://flutterbyechronicles.blogspot.com/2009/07/pranksters.html
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Taking Jenny's photo challenge...
This is Daniel on our friends' Hughey and Leanne's horse. We went to see the pigs, but as always the kids had to ride the horses.
Here are the rules:
1) Go to your photo files…Select the 6th photo folder
2) Select the 6th photo in that folder
3) Post that photo along with the story behind it.
4) Then challenge 5 blog friends to do the same!
***Anyone up for a challenge***
Here are the rules:
1) Go to your photo files…Select the 6th photo folder
2) Select the 6th photo in that folder
3) Post that photo along with the story behind it.
4) Then challenge 5 blog friends to do the same!
***Anyone up for a challenge***
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