UPDATE!!

My Aunt Margery passed away on March 8th of this year. I have been writing her letters - about every other month - to keep her updated on our lives as she lives (lived) in the south and we are in the north. This letter was to go into the mail when I got the news. This covers from about mid February to early March. Margery was a shut-in in the later part of her life and lived into her 90's, I can imagine that those last years were not so happy. Anyway, she never read these words and the letter was never sent. Here is the edited update letter to update you on what all has been happening in our lives.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012 

Good morning Aunt Margery! I am sitting at my computer and thinking that I need to catch you up on all the comings and goings…and there have been quite a few lately! First off, I have to say that I hope this finds you well. I get so little information about you I prefer to think of you getting along and finding some joy in your day, however large or small it may be. I hope that my little newsy letters can be considered a little break in your day. It does come with love!

What has been happening with us.. Hmm! These last couple of weeks have been filled with music! I was asked to perform at a benefit for a friend of ours who is also a theater organist like Stephen. This is an annual event at a small theater in Royal Oak that is home to the Stagecrafters – a local community theater group with a great reputation for really good productions. This was a concert of “Love Songs, sweet and sour” with 8 singers participating. We had two performances of it bracketing Valentines’ Day. The second show was on a Sunday and that was also the kick off of Mallory’s Winter Break week so her and I headed off for our annual trip together. 

This time we decided to cut up the time and visit two cities. So, after the afternoon concert, we got in the car and drove to Chicago to stay with and hang out with my best friend, Michele. We had a great time with her. She lives in a community called Pilsen in the Latin area of the city which borders on Chinatown. We spent one whole way walking around the city, shopping, riding the public transit (Mal loves that!) and poking our heads into all kinds of places. The second day we went to the Adler Planetarium and had a wonderful time spending the morning looking at all the amazing exhibits. We headed back home Tuesday night.

Wednesday I worked all day teaching at the Montessori school and teaching 7 hour long voice lessons! Thursday morning Steve and I drove to Grand Ledge (Lansing area) to rehearse for our recital that was to be held on that upcoming Sunday. I drove back, gathered up Mallory and we were on our way to Cleveland. 

Stephen’s brother lives there and we always stay with him but, this time, we stayed with another old friend who is working in the city during week and rents an amazing 3000 sq. ft. loft in the warehouse district. It’s a truly interesting place to be. It’s in a turn of the century small car factory that has been renovated into business and loft spaces. His kids were down for the school break too so we hung out and hit some of our favorite places – Westside Market, Malley’s Chocolates and, this time, the brand new City Aquarium. Open only a month, this attraction has opened in the city’s old power plant. Very cool indeed! We drove back home on Saturday afternoon in time for Sunday church and then our recital. A childhood friend of Steve’s was in town from Traverse City as he was playing several pieces with the choir – alto and soprano saxophone – and so he was able to come to our concert as well as keep Mallory occupied. He is like an adopted uncle for her and she loves to spend time with him.

After such a whirlwind of activity it was great to get back home. The week back from school was busy as we were auditioning our next Youth Theater show – “Seussical, the Musical”. It’s a fun show featuring the characters and stories of Dr. Seuss whose birthday I share! Speaking of that, I spent most of my free time getting the house in order and shopping as I was throwing a birthday party on Friday March 2nd. I decided the best way to celebrate the grand FIVE OH was to have my friends near.

We had a great time and I went on to have a great weekend as my friend Michele drove in from Chicago and another old friend flew in from New York. All stayed till Sunday - including Michael, my brother-in-law who drove in for the party as well and stayed nearby at his cousin’s place... Really nice weekend! We ended it with Steve, Mallie and I going to a local Finnish hot tub place and relaxing before coming home and having pizza. Ahhhhh!

This week we get back into the swing of things. Now I go back to running between both show rehearsals –“The Wonderful World of OZ” in Farmington and “Seussical” in West Bloomfield. Mallory is back to rehearsals for her school musical, “Once on this Island” where she has a lead. She had Piano Achievement Testing day on Sunday as well so after the girls headed out we took her over to the local community college to run her through her paces. In the 4 areas of testing she received, as a final score, a 99.5! We had lots to celebrate Sunday evening.

So now we jump into work. The house is coming along as we continue to pull Mom and Dad’s things out of the garage and incorporate them into our home. It sure is a good feeling to be surrounded by the things I used to see everyday. I am working on my student voice recital that I will hold on March 31st. Stephen has a meeting with a local organ technician who seems keen on handing over his business to him. He is an established name in town and the two will meet tonight to see what all can be done. Stephen is getting to be known in the organ circles as someone with a lot of knowledge and skill and I am so proud of him.

Where we are now................

 The Student Vocal Recital was a success! Eight singers performed for an enthusiastic crowd. Mallory went on to Solo and Ensemble Festival and played a cello piece with Mr. Stephen as her accompanist and received a ONE rating along with an A+ in tone and interpretation. We are currently running "The Wonderful Wizard of OZ" and all is going very well. I return to the "Seussical" cast next week to push on to a late May opening. Mallory opens, next weekend, in her show ("Once On this Island") and I will so enjoy being in the audience watching her instead of seeing her from my position off stage.  Stephen produced lovely music to deepen the walk for our congregation through Holy Week and Easter. He has booked a few more silent film presentations as well as recitals and is busy working on new music. 

Thanks for checking in with us!

A Smidge of Kashmir!!

If you had told me, back in the 70s, that my child would be playing Led Zeppelin in her middle school string group.....HA! Here is a tiny bit of the group. Again, my camera didn't have alot of memory left AND I had , inadvertently, erased the performance of "Clocks" - a cool Cold Play tune. Arrggghhh! Ah well...enjoy!

Looking for new music

This is a very cute video by Jim Gill! We love his music in my Montessori classrooms!

Mallory plays at her first Solo and Ensemble Festival

Although the memory in my camera ran out I think you can get a feel for how well she did! She got a ONE rating for her performance. GO MAL!

Friday 13

When is a Friday NOT a TGIF? When you are a musician that works all weekend....;) Today is Friday the 13th.....run for the hills!!!

Dumb, dumb, dumb. I have this great black ("fluffy") cat named Amy..great luck. My Dad was a working musician who always left the house with $13 in his wallet...worked for him. I kinda like the number 13. You? I feel it's had a bad rap. Kinda like some swear words that can be very comforting in a stressful situation when you are not around others.

(The photo was shot within the American Cemetery in France to honor those that fell in the WW11 Normandy landings and just up from Omaha Beach. Okay...that is bad luck there for those buried there. Nice photo, Elise N.!!)

I digress. Friday of a rather uneventful week, for me. True, I am only working on one show instead of the two - March, it was - but it has been a little quiet. Last week was Holy Week coming on the heels of my student recitals and running between two locations/productions, heading up rehearsals. I long for time off and it seems that, when I have it, I have a hard time feeling "entitled" to it.

What was that, Tony Robbins? Right! I am repeating the "story" I tell myself. I need to create a new story to get to the next level of my life. Workin' on it, bub.

Maybe I am just a cat-like person with regards to relaxation. Just do it.

Hope your "13th" is groovy. And I'll throw the weekend in the deal as well...;)

To good not to share..again

What Love means to a 4-8 year old....

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined See what you think:

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'

Rebecca- age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'

Billy - age 4

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'

Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'

Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'

Terri - age 4


'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'

Danny - age 7

'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'

Emily - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'

Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)


'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'

Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'

Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'

Cindy - age 8


'My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'

Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'

Elaine-age 5


'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Brad Pitt.'

Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'

Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'

Lauren - age 4


'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)

Karen - age 7


'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'

Mark - age 6


'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'

Jessica - age 8


And the final one...

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,

'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

Are you stocking stories?

I have been reading Eckhart Tolle's book "A New Earth". and I have to say it has been resonating with me. The idea that really hit me was the concept of a "Pain-body". The idea that we are all born with some DNA-like human pain of regret or shame or...undefined pain. It can cause some babies to cry and cry for no reason. It can cause normal people to look at life and seize upon the unkind word, the feelings of shame and holding onto stories that hold deep emotion. Mr. Tolle says that the emotion is something to sit with ...to allow. It's the story connected to it that is unnecessary and what feeds the "Pain- body".

We all do it. A memory of some slight or action against you that can bring that pain and emotion to the surface in an instance when you recall it. Or something someone said that you replay over and over...even if the incident happened 20 years ago. The body, not knowing the story is 20 years old, reacts as if it were the now, happening this moment. How can that be good for us??

On the eve of my 50th birthday - one that make me fully an adult (and I can't tell you why I feel that way) I am pledging to stop the stories in my head. To take the emotion, when it comes up, and sit in it. To take a moment to examine it and to think through the possible trigger. TO TAKE A MOMENT TO NOTE THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT.

I don't know about you but that was a big point for me to understand. What do you think?