"On my way home I remember only good days..."

Salutations!

It has been quite the busy week and now I'm finally home and getting a chance to relax. Not that I didn't enjoy the excitement, it's just that I can only tolerate so much time on the road before I go insane.

Last Wednesday I left for Cragun's Resort in Brainerd with the RCTC band/choir for the Community College Fine Arts Festival. To say the least, it was a lot of fun. The first night we were there we had the entire resort to ourselves, so I got a chance to go swimming in a humongous pool with only few people in it. Much happiness abounded. Then Thursday morning there was a showcase that featured performances by the various college choirs. After that rehearsals for the mass choir began. I was disappointed that members of the mass band didn't have any activities to partake in until 7 p.m. while the mass choir was practicing all day. So I decided to join the choir in their rehearsals until my evening band practice. The mass choir was amazing; there were at least 200 people in it and it was being directed by the choir conductor of the U of M. They had really fun songs to sing too, like "It's a Grand Night for Singing" and a ballad called "Innisfree". The mass band was fun too, though I don't know if "mass" is the right word to describe it. There were only about 40 members in it, but they were all talented musicians. We had three songs that we were going to play for the concert: two movements of a baroque piece, "Shenandoah", and "Hands Across the Sea". I hate "Hands Across the Sea". Actually, I hate most of what John Philip Sousa wrote, but that may because most of what he wrote are marches and marches don't do much for me. Anyways, Thursday we had rehearsals and in the evening the RCTC Aires (show choir) and jazz band did a performance by the poolside. Everybody loved it; people were cheering for Aires and dancing during the entire performance by the jazz band. Members of the jazz band even said it was one of their best gigs. On Friday we had dress rehearsals and the concert. After that we packed up and headed for home and Fudruckers. If you haven't been to Fudruckers, you should make it a goal to get there at some point. It's a burger joint, though they have other sandwiches/salads too (thank goodness- chemo has made me despise eating plain hamburgers). But the best part has got to be their milk shakes. I had just a plain vanilla milk shake and it was the best I had ever had. Nothing short of "amazing" could be used to describe it. =D

So I was home Friday night but left again Saturday afternoon to see Jase's play at her college in St. Joseph. It was really good. The cast performed well and the stage looked awesome. Mom and I spent the night in St. Cloud and came home Sunday. We stopped at my grandparents' house for brunch and then I finally made it home. Ben came over later in the evening and we all watched "Casino Royale"- the new James Bond flick. It was okay. I'm not really into James Bond movies: Any time I watch them, all I can think of is how it should be quite impossible that James Bond has not caught an STD by now.

Now it's Monday. And on a rating of 1 to 10 I think this Monday rates about a 6, which is pretty good for a Monday. I got to sleep in, which was wonderful and much needed. Then Mom and I went to the mall and I got a pair of shorts (also desperately needed), a shirt, and an adorable pair of slip-on sneakers. After that I went to the high school to help accompany people with their solo/ensemble contest pieces. I like helping people with music; I think I know just enough to be useful and give tips on things judges will be looking for. Tomorrow is the actual contest and I'll be going to watch and play piano for the two groups I'm accompanying.

I guess that's about it in news. I know this post is getting rather long. To finish it off I'll show you a super-cute photo I took of Claire and Zoe today. =D

The Claire-Bear and Zoeger-Ogre. Awww....

Much love,

Cheryl