Bits and Pieces of My Week
Whew! I've finally reached a familiar spot. I got a new computer on Tuesday evening as per Hiromi's and the Eldest Son's recommendation, and due to the tax refund having arrived in a timely manner. Since then I've been trying to master lots of new laptop and Windows 7 tricks. For those who care, here are the stats: Dell, 1 TB, 8GB RAM, Intel Core i5 processor, 15.6 in, 6 lbs. (That last sounds like baby stats.). We were looking for Windows 7, and this one filled the bill, unlike most of the others on display. The salesman kept telling us it was a real beast. He was clearly not tuned in to my preference for decidedly unbeastly computer qualities. Tame and controllable is all I ask, and the eldest son's help, of course. Poor him. He's in Texas this weekend, recovering--er, I mean, visiting his brother-in-law Angelo's family, with his own little family in tow.
I took the laptop to school today, in hopes that my students would be able to help me over some of the biggest hurdles. Wesley actually answered one question for me and Susanna and Michael Jon each helped me with something else that I hadn't been able to figure out. Go school friends!
********************
On Wednesday, April 10, we had an ice storm which caused some power outages and a limited amount of tree damage. It was vastly less damaging than the ice storm of December 2008, the effects of which are still evident in many strangely-shaped Siberian Elms. It reminded me more of April 10, 2009, exactly four years ago, when we also had a brief return of winter after some very warm weather. The damage from that event was also far in excess of this year's winter weather damage--largely because the weather earlier had been so much warmer in 2009. The wheat heads were already beginning to form, and the temperatures plummeted to the lower teens, as I recall. Most of the wheat crop was lost. Because it was less developed, and the temperature only went down to the mid-twenties this year, damage might be minimal. That's what we're hoping for. Many fruit trees, however, were in bloom, and likely did not fare well.
Clarissa told me this afternoon that they were waiting one more day to harvest the first cutting of asparagus, but after the cold nights, the first spears had toppled over limply.
**********************
I laughed out loud this morning at a video I saw posted on Facebook. This was an act of inconsistency on my part since I had exhibited some shock and uttered many cautions (Hey, someone has to act like a mom for these reckless young men at the high school when their own moms aren't around.) when Darren, who is a student and one of the stars in the video told me about the water skiing fun they had when the ditches held quite a bit of water after snow from the big snowstorm melted and the weather turned warm. (Time to come up for air after that long sentence.) The towing "boat" was Steven W.'s truck, the skis were the usual kind, and the "lake"was long and very skinny, along Trail West Road near Crupper's Corner. Nelson, Andrew, Eddie, and Kraig are Choice Books guys from other states. I'm not sure if they've been corrupted by the Kansas guys, or vice versa, but somewhere normal cautions seem to have gone missing. You can check it out here.
**********************
Tonight the MCC Relief sale begins. I am not there because my minivan is on the fritz. I'm glad that at least $10.00 of my money is making it into the till, thanks to my sweet 9-year-old niece Diana's pluck and persuasiveness. She is running three miles in the "hunger run" and called to see if I would help sponsor her. Sure.
I didn't offer to bake bread, even after Leroy reminded us that since Fannie Helmuth died, the main Center bread baker for the sale is missing. For that I feel a little guilty.
***********************
The second one of the high school programs is history. Cedar Crest and Center have had their turn, and Arlington remains. I don't think my extreme enjoyment of these programs is entirely due to a lack of musical sensibility, although I usually assume that some of this is in play. The theme this year is "joy,"and joyful it is indeed.
After the first program I heard some of the students talk about an older man they didn't know, who came up to talk to them after the program. "He has kind of a little head," is one of the only descriptors I remember. He asked, "Were you having fun up there?"
When they answered in the affirmative, he said, "You looked like you were just about to . . . [I can't remember what!!!! but it sounded like really joyful action]." So I wasn't the only one who noted the joyfulness being conveyed.
It's Lyle's last year, since he will soon be off to Indiana to head up the music program at the full-school-year venture growing out of EBI. To celebrate, part of the program involved an alumni choir and another part included also the students from grades 1-4 at the grade school. I don't know what staffing will look like next year for music, but I trust that something good will work out. We have been blessed though to have had a teacher for these past years with Lyle's giftedness, training, experience, and personality--which has produced some impressive results. A number of the songs in the program were songs Lyle wrote, including several under a pen name.
A shoutout to those of you from elsewhere who have read Tobias of the Amish or Emma, a Widow Among the Amish--You might be interested to know that Lyle is the grandson of Tobias and Emma. Lyle's uncle Ervin R. Stutzman is the author of the books. Three generations of that family have lived in the house visible two miles across the fields from our front door.
*********************
For our Friday afternoon activity at school, Norma told us about her trip to Indonesia during spring break to visit her friend Ruby, who is an English teacher there. She showed us a picture of herself, astride a motorcycle, wearing a jobob (sp?--Muslim headcovering) and a helmet. Rest assured this is not quite the persona on display at Pilgrim. She also drank civet coffee there, which you should look up if you don't know what that is. She said it was the best coffee she's ever had. The area she visited was the same area that had been devastated by the tsunami in 2004.
*********************
Marvin and Lois are in Bali (Indonesia) right now, en route home from Australia, where they had gone to visit the Kauffman family, one member of which has begun a friendship with Hans. It's Heidi, which could make things a tad confusing at times if she continues to be involved with the family, since Marvin and Lois have a daughter by the same name.
The spring has indeed seemed to turn several local young men's thoughts toward love, although it's couched in more formal terms, of course. Tim Y. and Margretta B. are engaged, and Ryan S. and Rebecca Y. from PA? are "in a relationship." No doubt many more such matters are brewing than I'm privy to.
*********************
Ón the Farmer's Market front, there is no shortage of drama. I think if Shane, who is the shoo-in (and reluctant) board president of the organization, can harness this unruly bunch, he'll be able one day to ride any bucking bronco of a board. I'll spare you most of the details, but will pass on one of the things that has provided some comic relief for me recently. Quoting from a Facebook post I did for the Member's Only Group page:
I'm still chuckling at something that happened right after the county commissioners denied our request for funding to help with paving the floor in the market pavilion. Last year, after the denial, I had communicated with all the commissioners--thanking Dan Deming, and expressing disagreement with the others. I got a polite response from one of them, but it clearly did not signal a change of heart. This year, when things turned out similarly and a donation was made anonymously immediately afterward in the amount we had requested, I suspected that one of the commissioners may have made the donation. So I wrote to thank the person I had the most contact with last year. The email began with "If you are the person who donated $2,000 to the Farmer's Market . . ." Not surprisingly, I didn't hear anything back. It all made sense when I learned later that he had definitely not made the donation. I don't know if I shamed him or not, but that's not what I tried to do.
*********************
Marian Y. and her sister-in-law, Susanna, left early this week for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa. I have not heard what has transpired since then, but my heart and prayers are with them both. Marian's sister Anna has been here for more than a month, and does not have a definite departure time that I know of. Her presence is a blessing. Continued nausea and pain ever since Marian's surgery six weeks ago is quite a trial.
When I took her to church to hear the Easter singing before the service a few weeks ago, she tucked a "kutz-shissel" (barf bowl) under the coat she carried into the sanctuary, in case the familiar urge came upon her suddenly. Fortunately she didn't need it. In spite of not eating well or feeling very well, she was taking short walks outdoors when the weather was nice.
*********************
My dad recently had a CAT scan, which showed slightly enlarged lymph glands. That can be an indicator of something as simple as inflammation or as serious as the spread of cancer. For now, we're banking on the first possibility. Additional testing will take place within the next few weeks, to evaluate the success of the chemo and radiation. Some tissue healing needs to happen before the tests can safely be done. He feels well and functions normally. He preached on the Sunday when most of the ministers were gone to the Beachy minister's meeting in OH.
*********************
Another shoutout, in celebration for the success of my high-school junior niece, Kristi Mast. She won a music writing competition sponsored by Shenandoah Music Camp. It was open to almost anyone, and 45 people entered. Anja M., also from Lyle's Music II class at Pilgrim, entered the contest also and did well, although only Kristi won the $300 prize. The Pilgrim students sang both Anja and Kristi's music at the program.
Every contestant wrote music for the same words, which had won the "lyrics" part of the contest earlier. Look for the song "A Resurrection Crowns the Cross"" and rejoice with Kristi's success. Mike Atnip wrote the words. (BTW, this may be the first time I've spelled Shenandoah right. Just sayin'. I thought that first vowel was an "A".)
I took the laptop to school today, in hopes that my students would be able to help me over some of the biggest hurdles. Wesley actually answered one question for me and Susanna and Michael Jon each helped me with something else that I hadn't been able to figure out. Go school friends!
********************
On Wednesday, April 10, we had an ice storm which caused some power outages and a limited amount of tree damage. It was vastly less damaging than the ice storm of December 2008, the effects of which are still evident in many strangely-shaped Siberian Elms. It reminded me more of April 10, 2009, exactly four years ago, when we also had a brief return of winter after some very warm weather. The damage from that event was also far in excess of this year's winter weather damage--largely because the weather earlier had been so much warmer in 2009. The wheat heads were already beginning to form, and the temperatures plummeted to the lower teens, as I recall. Most of the wheat crop was lost. Because it was less developed, and the temperature only went down to the mid-twenties this year, damage might be minimal. That's what we're hoping for. Many fruit trees, however, were in bloom, and likely did not fare well.
Clarissa told me this afternoon that they were waiting one more day to harvest the first cutting of asparagus, but after the cold nights, the first spears had toppled over limply.
**********************
I laughed out loud this morning at a video I saw posted on Facebook. This was an act of inconsistency on my part since I had exhibited some shock and uttered many cautions (Hey, someone has to act like a mom for these reckless young men at the high school when their own moms aren't around.) when Darren, who is a student and one of the stars in the video told me about the water skiing fun they had when the ditches held quite a bit of water after snow from the big snowstorm melted and the weather turned warm. (Time to come up for air after that long sentence.) The towing "boat" was Steven W.'s truck, the skis were the usual kind, and the "lake"was long and very skinny, along Trail West Road near Crupper's Corner. Nelson, Andrew, Eddie, and Kraig are Choice Books guys from other states. I'm not sure if they've been corrupted by the Kansas guys, or vice versa, but somewhere normal cautions seem to have gone missing. You can check it out here.
**********************
Tonight the MCC Relief sale begins. I am not there because my minivan is on the fritz. I'm glad that at least $10.00 of my money is making it into the till, thanks to my sweet 9-year-old niece Diana's pluck and persuasiveness. She is running three miles in the "hunger run" and called to see if I would help sponsor her. Sure.
I didn't offer to bake bread, even after Leroy reminded us that since Fannie Helmuth died, the main Center bread baker for the sale is missing. For that I feel a little guilty.
***********************
The second one of the high school programs is history. Cedar Crest and Center have had their turn, and Arlington remains. I don't think my extreme enjoyment of these programs is entirely due to a lack of musical sensibility, although I usually assume that some of this is in play. The theme this year is "joy,"and joyful it is indeed.
After the first program I heard some of the students talk about an older man they didn't know, who came up to talk to them after the program. "He has kind of a little head," is one of the only descriptors I remember. He asked, "Were you having fun up there?"
When they answered in the affirmative, he said, "You looked like you were just about to . . . [I can't remember what!!!! but it sounded like really joyful action]." So I wasn't the only one who noted the joyfulness being conveyed.
It's Lyle's last year, since he will soon be off to Indiana to head up the music program at the full-school-year venture growing out of EBI. To celebrate, part of the program involved an alumni choir and another part included also the students from grades 1-4 at the grade school. I don't know what staffing will look like next year for music, but I trust that something good will work out. We have been blessed though to have had a teacher for these past years with Lyle's giftedness, training, experience, and personality--which has produced some impressive results. A number of the songs in the program were songs Lyle wrote, including several under a pen name.
A shoutout to those of you from elsewhere who have read Tobias of the Amish or Emma, a Widow Among the Amish--You might be interested to know that Lyle is the grandson of Tobias and Emma. Lyle's uncle Ervin R. Stutzman is the author of the books. Three generations of that family have lived in the house visible two miles across the fields from our front door.
*********************
For our Friday afternoon activity at school, Norma told us about her trip to Indonesia during spring break to visit her friend Ruby, who is an English teacher there. She showed us a picture of herself, astride a motorcycle, wearing a jobob (sp?--Muslim headcovering) and a helmet. Rest assured this is not quite the persona on display at Pilgrim. She also drank civet coffee there, which you should look up if you don't know what that is. She said it was the best coffee she's ever had. The area she visited was the same area that had been devastated by the tsunami in 2004.
*********************
Marvin and Lois are in Bali (Indonesia) right now, en route home from Australia, where they had gone to visit the Kauffman family, one member of which has begun a friendship with Hans. It's Heidi, which could make things a tad confusing at times if she continues to be involved with the family, since Marvin and Lois have a daughter by the same name.
The spring has indeed seemed to turn several local young men's thoughts toward love, although it's couched in more formal terms, of course. Tim Y. and Margretta B. are engaged, and Ryan S. and Rebecca Y. from PA? are "in a relationship." No doubt many more such matters are brewing than I'm privy to.
*********************
Ón the Farmer's Market front, there is no shortage of drama. I think if Shane, who is the shoo-in (and reluctant) board president of the organization, can harness this unruly bunch, he'll be able one day to ride any bucking bronco of a board. I'll spare you most of the details, but will pass on one of the things that has provided some comic relief for me recently. Quoting from a Facebook post I did for the Member's Only Group page:
I'm still chuckling at something that happened right after the county commissioners denied our request for funding to help with paving the floor in the market pavilion. Last year, after the denial, I had communicated with all the commissioners--thanking Dan Deming, and expressing disagreement with the others. I got a polite response from one of them, but it clearly did not signal a change of heart. This year, when things turned out similarly and a donation was made anonymously immediately afterward in the amount we had requested, I suspected that one of the commissioners may have made the donation. So I wrote to thank the person I had the most contact with last year. The email began with "If you are the person who donated $2,000 to the Farmer's Market . . ." Not surprisingly, I didn't hear anything back. It all made sense when I learned later that he had definitely not made the donation. I don't know if I shamed him or not, but that's not what I tried to do.
*********************
Marian Y. and her sister-in-law, Susanna, left early this week for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa. I have not heard what has transpired since then, but my heart and prayers are with them both. Marian's sister Anna has been here for more than a month, and does not have a definite departure time that I know of. Her presence is a blessing. Continued nausea and pain ever since Marian's surgery six weeks ago is quite a trial.
When I took her to church to hear the Easter singing before the service a few weeks ago, she tucked a "kutz-shissel" (barf bowl) under the coat she carried into the sanctuary, in case the familiar urge came upon her suddenly. Fortunately she didn't need it. In spite of not eating well or feeling very well, she was taking short walks outdoors when the weather was nice.
*********************
My dad recently had a CAT scan, which showed slightly enlarged lymph glands. That can be an indicator of something as simple as inflammation or as serious as the spread of cancer. For now, we're banking on the first possibility. Additional testing will take place within the next few weeks, to evaluate the success of the chemo and radiation. Some tissue healing needs to happen before the tests can safely be done. He feels well and functions normally. He preached on the Sunday when most of the ministers were gone to the Beachy minister's meeting in OH.
*********************
Another shoutout, in celebration for the success of my high-school junior niece, Kristi Mast. She won a music writing competition sponsored by Shenandoah Music Camp. It was open to almost anyone, and 45 people entered. Anja M., also from Lyle's Music II class at Pilgrim, entered the contest also and did well, although only Kristi won the $300 prize. The Pilgrim students sang both Anja and Kristi's music at the program.
Every contestant wrote music for the same words, which had won the "lyrics" part of the contest earlier. Look for the song "A Resurrection Crowns the Cross"" and rejoice with Kristi's success. Mike Atnip wrote the words. (BTW, this may be the first time I've spelled Shenandoah right. Just sayin'. I thought that first vowel was an "A".)
posted by Mrs. I (Miriam Iwashige) at
6:16 PM
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