Mid-December update

Life is busy and it seems I hardly ever have time to blog (that is, check in on friends' sites or write anything on mine).
Tonight I'll just throw down a quick update:

I switched over to the new Blogger beta just a few minutes ago. I'll see if it works any smoother in my Safari browser; the old one didn't allow me to use most of the editing features (as I'm glancing up in the window here, I'm not seeing the buttons there for bold, italic, etc., just one for spell check and one for pictures. Hmm. . . So, looks like I'll have to remember to use IE or Firefox on my Macs.

My program last week went pretty well. Our school gym was standing-room only as the 2nd & 3rd graders did there musical and the 4th & 5th grade choir sang. It was a successful first program there, I believe.

We went last Saturday morning to cut a Christmas tree -- and ended up cutting two! Our new house actually has a large window upstairs in the living room and a matching one below in the family room, so we have two trees. I put up a few lights outside, but nothing like usual and I don't think I'll have time to worry about putting up any more. It was nearly nice to return to our old tradition of going to a Christmas tree farm and choosing our own tree; and we went with the McDonald family, just like old times!

I've got three rehearsals this week with Portland Symphonic Choir before we do our double-concert day on Sunday. Anyone in the area that might enjoy hearing us, let me know and I'll pick up some tickets for you. Lani and several friends are coming to the 7:30 p.m. program, but we also do it at 2:00 p.m. -- that's on Sunday, Dec. 17 at St. Mary's Cathedral (between NW 17th & 18th just a block N. of Burnside). Should be a lovely program (and I'm doing a solo!).

Lani has either the flu or food poisoning -- yuck! She was up in the night last night throwing up, etc. and stayed home today. We went to my staff Christmas party last Saturday night and apparently a whole lot of people from there have come down ill (we had 13 staff out yesterday and 10 out today at work -- all with the same stomach ailment).

Brian & Eryann Maki (Lani's brother & wife) have been staying with us since last Friday and leave in the morning. They came over from Missoula to help Troy & Shauna with moving and construction in their new home's basement. We all helped over there on Saturday & Sunday this last weekend, with much more work still to go.

Three more school days until we're on Christmas vacation! My choir has a field trip in the morning and I'm also supposed to play the piano and sing in the school lobby before school. Should be a fun day!