Awesome Awgust

I so enjoyed hearing from Annie on the blogspot. I am very familiar with the surge of resolve that comes with being away from home, then returning. Ready to shake things up, redo a few rooms, build a spa and hire a masseuse, build a better computer, declutter (yeah, right), start a traveling harp ensemble complete with a dance troupe, take in several families from the Katrina disaster. (We could put them up next door in that big house that has been vacant for going on five years. What a waste!) Then I settle down and settle in and rent a video and get over it.
We did have lovely visits from the waddoups, nancy and dave, and chris in August, and that was so enjoyable. We did alot but not nearly all we wanted to do. Loved being with the grandkids and their parents. Such a good time with such oustanding people. A brief visit with the lovebirds from Tucson. Nancy says she is still moving in and is feeling quite domestic. Chris reports that he is in Philadelphia to see Sochi, his good friend, who is very ill and they can't seem to find the cause or cure. Good man.
We had a great stay with Matt and Frank in their beautiful home. It has such great features with its old wood sliding doors, moldings, and a plaster floral/garland decoration on the ceiling int he dining room. Frank has been working on remodeling and restoring. He finished the upstairs bathroom while Matt was in Italy, which entailed some emergency plumbing in the process of tiling and putting up fixtures. He is getting into woodworking with an eye to making some fine wood furniture. Leona, Marcel and Juan were great, if somewhat laidback hosts. Cats. Sleep, eat, nap, be cool, bring grasshoppers and crickets inside to entertain and eventually eat, sleep, eat, nap, etc. They drew the lucky card.
We loved the concert where Matt played with a trio of pianist/harpsichordist and recordist (recorder player). Tellemann to Vaughan Williams. Very nice program. And Matt certainly does well on the cello (thanks, Frank, for having one). It was pure enjoyment. So Matt specializes in strings, and Frank specializes in pipes (water). Good combination. There was a lovely gathering at the pianist's home afterward for a select group of friends. Such warm and loving people. Gracious and effusive, generous and kind. And they adore Matt and Frank. So gratifying. We had to get to Cincinnati that night to catch and 7 .a.m. flight out. But we did have a wonderful time in the guy's good care. Thanks, you two.
We are going to Holdaway's tomorrow, for a barbeque. And that will bring summer to a proper close. We have to go to choir practice right now for the dedication of the chapel next Sunday evening. I will try to start up ward choir next week and see what we have here. We lost virtually all of our basses, and all but one alto in the new division.
Currently cinema deprived, but fall is here, and we can safely go back into the theatres for more than explosions and horror or silliness. We have rented Downfall, which is about Hitler (German made) but haven't watched it yet. Your dad heads for Baltimore on Tuesday for the week.
We would like to do something as a family for the hurricane victims. Do you each want to send a check into the Red Cross in your neighborhood? We could do a matching fund thing. If you will tell us what you send in, we will match it all. So sad, and so disheartening. Those who have the least seem to get the least attention. Our hearts are aching for them all. Contrary to what some may say, I don't think God has anything to do with natural disasters, but watches to see how we represent Him in the aftermath. Love you so, Ma