I'm baaaaaaaack!

I made it home from the vacay and now I have to put my apartment into some semblance of order. I think I'm going to have to rent another flat for the clothes closet. (Quel suprise!) The trip was FANTASTIC and I think that Chicago will have to restock now that I've left town.

Tonight is the inaugural rehearsal for two new handbell ensembles that I've been spending a goodly chunk of time organizing. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all goes well and I don't fall over from exhaustion by the end of the night.

In other sundry bell-related activities, we did manage to move church rehearsals to Tuesday nights. I don't know how the old folks will deal with going to church on a TUESDAY (gasp!), but at least they didn't look at us like we were nuts as soon as the words crossed our lips.

As soon as my life returns to some kind of routine (probably Thursday at the earliest), I'll be posting regularly again. Until then, back to work with me--I can almost see my desk. WOOT!

(and to kill some more time, check this out: 15 Minute Lunch ... I tend to recall that there were at one time a plethora of similar pictures with girly themes in my early life. As my latent artistic ability never actually revealed itself to anyone but me, I'm sure that along the way, my artwork went the way of the trash barrel...but his pics more than made up for my lack. *gigglesnort*)

Cox Watch, Day 4

Well, my internet was fixed on Wednesday, broke again on Friday, was fixed on Saturday, broke Monday night, and was fixed yesterday afternoon. Let the countdown roll to zero and begin again. We're working on 12 hours so far, as it was still up and running when I left this morning...

I'm spending all my vacation hours and phone minutes on Cox. Maybe I should start billing them.

(But the guy who came out yesterday was HYSTERICAL...made it almost bearable.)

DB 2008

So the stories from Distinctly Bronze abound, but I'll share this one, as I think it's the funniest for the most people...

We were playing the Waltz from Serenade for Strings by Tchaikovsky (you've heard it before...click here). It's in the running for the hardest piece I've ever played on bells, and we were having quite the time with it sucking horribly. Finally, we gave up for the day, and the next morning when we got to rehearsal, the director had a gift on his stand.

It was a home-made doll that had the following note on it

Whenever things don't go so well...
And you want to hit the wall and yell...
Here's a little dammit doll
That you can't do without.
Just grasp it firmly by the legs
And find a place to slam it
And as you whack the stuffing out
Yell, "DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!"

...which was great, but the funniest part was that it was gift wrapped. In the cover for Waltz. HAH!!!

In other news, here are some photos from the event. I have tons of myself, but you'll have to see them on my facebook page.

My newest friends. We hung out a lot. Love these ladies!!!

My old friend. They're the best...


The whole group during rehearsal. (112 ringers)


The littlest and the (not quite) biggest

The town was gorgeous. Very old and historical. Great food.

If you want to see more photos, let me know, and I'll send them your way.

This is one that pretty much describes the airlines today. I was on the plane in 95 degree weather at BWI, and this was outside my window with no one within 150 yards. Everyone was successfully ignoring it...

Nice.