Marathon Day

Today in history: The 67th anniversary of my parents' marriage. The church where I grew up celebrated with a memorial Pancake Breakfast. Many years ago my parents started having the breakfast in their home and it grew and grew and grew. Today my Mom, Nannie to our family, was so pleased that more than 60 people attended the breakfast. One of the members arranged a table of memorabilia and the handbell choir of mentally challenged students performed Christmas carols. It was all festive and delicious and full of fellowship. And made Nannie cry.

Nannie and Dubbie photos; a box of dominoes; a bowl of pecans; barber tools; a cross.

A hymnal; a guitar; more photos, and the flag that covered Dubbie's casket.

Leaving the breakfast in time to play a three hour rehearsal, I decided to show you my vantage point from my chair in the orchestra.

My stand partner's gorgeous new boots

My view of my music and of the conductor.

Vocal soloists chilling backstage with their Starbucks

A member of the dance company warming up before the matinee performance. She was one of the dancers in the Pine Forest scene from the Nutcracker.

Two dancers ready for the matinee opening number, Kyrie Eleison.

After the matinee performance I had fifteen minutes to change locations for a wedding. The church was beautiful with poinsettias, candles, and lovely ladies in black gowns and men in tuxedos. Our quartet played all the prelude music, the bridal procession, and the recessional and postlude--all Christmas music except the Canon in D and Ode to Joy.

After the wedding I met Muffin at Taco Bueno for a salad and then we both drove our cars to the concert venue once again for the evening performance.

We had a wonderful choir--the A Cappella Choir from University of North Texas. Here they are under the shell at the rehearsal.

Volunteers decorated the stage with layers and layers of garlands and poinsettias. It was a marathon day, about thirteen hours from breakfast to final performance, but full of blessings.