Halloween Concert

After joining the Greater Cleveland Community Band and attending about four practice sessions, I played with the band as it presented a Halloween Concert in the Conn Center auditorium on the campus of Lee University, tonight. That's right. Tonight. As a matter of fact, I just returned from the concert about two hours ago. This was my first performance in over 35 years. I enjoyed doing it and have a good feeling about it. I was really rusty but I believe I will improve each week if I continue to practice most every day. I invited my youngest son, Jonathan, to join the band and on my second practice with the band, he and I both attended. He also played in the concert. I guess my age is crying out for some sentimental rememberences of my high school days when I enjoyed the band so much. Anyway, I think it has been good for me to join the band and I plan to continue.

Set Your Watches Back!

Hey everyone! Don't forget to set your clocks back one hour this Saturday night! That's right. It's that time again. If you remember, it was in October but that has been changed to the first Sunday in November at 2:00am. Now, there is really not many excuses for being late to church this Sunday, since you will get an extra hour of sleep if you want it. Here's an idea: Don't set your clock back and get up to the same time as it now is and that will cause you to be on time for church. When you get there on time and maybe before some of the others, the pastor will be all smiles to see you, and you can give him your biggest smile and walk right on into the church with your shoulders held high, just like you knew all the time what you were doing.

Personally, I would rather leave the time alone. Throw the daylight-saving idea out the window. It doesn't matter how early or late we get up and go to bed, nor does it matter how early or late we arrive or leave our work place. There will still be a predetermined amount of daylight and darkness. There will still be 24 hours in a day. Oh, I've heard the argument for it, but there are also some good arguments against it as well. I think the idea was thought up by some federal employee who had too much free time on his hand, and to make himself appear busy (so as not to loose his job because of idelness) he thought up this 'ingenious' idea. Well, it gives us older and hopefully wiser persons something to blog about. Besides, If everybody did everything my way, what would I have to do?

Get prepared for the winter! It's comming! Burrrrrrr!!

How'd The Surgery Go?

Just to let you know that Janis' "surgery" went well. Notice, I put "surgery" in "" because it wasn't regular surgery, but it was a procedure. It was done in the doctor's office. The procedure is called 'electrolysis'. I guess it is a lazer type surgery where the eylashes are zapped so that, hopefully, they will not grow again. The procedure has about an 80% success rate, and if it happens to be in the 20% failure rate then she will be a candidate for the more pervasive surgery. Your prayers will be appreciated. One thing Janis and I both have noticed, She has slept very good the last two nights. I think one night she didn't even wake up during the night. That is unusual. She has been restless and unable to relax her leg and/or hip muscles at night when she lays down, resulting in very little sleep. Once or twice she slept only about 2 hours. Now how that can be related to her eyes, I don't know, but it makes me wonder. This will be the third night. We'll see how it goes.

One more thing I want to add to this blog. Saturday, we went to Merciers Apple Orcherd in GA. We have been going each year for about three or more years now, with friends from church, Nathan & Tammy McConnell. It's just a fun thing to do and we get a supply of good apples, plus some other apple products - apple sauce, apple butter, apple cider, apple fritters, apple pie, you name it. Now, Janis and I didn't get all of that but it was available. By the way - apples are good for you, you know. Have you heard the saying, "An apple a day will keep the doctor away"? Well, I guess Janis and I won't need the doctor for a while. I usually eat at least one apple a day, sometimes more. Now it looks like I may have to eat two or three or they may spoil before we eat them. I guess we could cook some apple pies etc., but Janis works and doesn't have a lot of time to experiment, so I guess that means I could do it. You think maybe I could? If I give it a try and it turns out well, I'll let you know, but if I don't try it, or if I do try it but it flops, I probably won't even mention it again.

Apple Poems

Apples

Helen H. Moore

Apples, apples, what a treat,
Sweet and tart and good to eat.
Apples green and apples red,
Hang from branches overhead,
And when they ripen,
Down they drop,
So we can taste our apple crop!

Apples in Autumn

It's hard to eat apples,
Without my front teeth,
But apples in autumn
Are really a treat.
The apples are squooshy
Down under my feet,
But those from the tree
Are still crunchy and sweet!

Just Doing What I Do

Since my last blog, I have taken my wife to Dr. Abrams, an ophthalmologist in Chattanooga, in preperation of a proceedure that he will be doing tomorrow, Oct. 10. She has a condition called Trichiasis: Ingrowing Eyelashes. Hopefully, she will be able to see clearly, without discomfort and therefore be a happier wife, making me a happier husband.

I participated in the Walk-For-Life event at Cleveland High School. It was really a breeze. Walking! Not running nor jogging. Just walking. I completed the course and could have done it again, but I guess that was a good starter, being less than 2 miles. Who knows? You may read a blog one day about me doing a marathon!! Not likely, but you never know.

For 3 nights and 2 days, I stayed at Laural Crest in Pigeon Forge, TN to attend an Assembly of God ministers retreat which was held at the Park Vista Hotel in Gatlinburge. I'm not a credentialed minister with the Assemblies of God, but being on the staff at Grace Assembly, I had the priviledge of attending. Actually I am a retired ordained minister with the Church of God, serving on the staff at an Assemblies of God church.

I attended a Peacemakers (Senior Adults) Fellowship Meal at the North Cleveland Church of God.

I took my mother to a hearing specialist at the Chattanooga Healthy Hearing office in Ooltewah, to be tested and fitted for hearing aids. The test proved what most of us already knew, that mom needed hearing aids. She was fitted and one weak later her hearing aids were ready. I took her back to the specialist to get the aids and she is now wearing them. She has worn them now for about a week and she is happy. They are working great. It's amazing how those devices have changed in the past few years. They are now like little computer chips in the ear. She doesn't have to adjust them. She only has to change the batteries. From time to time she may have to have them adjusted by the specialist but I assure you, it doesn't require a screwdriver nor pliers. The aids are simply attached to a computer and a few key strokes are made for the adjustment and all is well.

Last Sunday night, I went to a party!! Don't turn me out of the church now, for you see, it wasn't a sinful party. No, it was a good 'sanctified' party. Grace Assembly had church at one of the members house and of course we had a great time of fellowship and food.

Monday was prayer meeting time in the NCCOG Prayer Center.

Wednesday night was church.

Now, here we are today. oooooops! I mean here we are tomorrow. I started yesterday and I'm finishing today. Or was it, I started today and I'm finishing it tomorrow?? I don't know but it's after midnight and I've gotta close out and see about going to bed.