End of April update

Hello!  How's everybody doing?   It's almost the end of April and I haven't had much time lately to post on my blog.  But, here I am...

* Last weekend I was more or less in charge of our church's annual garage sale.  I say that because it pretty much runs itself since we have done it for quite a few years now.  We have great church members who step up and help out.  Each year we pick a few local charities and take the money raised and give it back to them, to help our community.   It's a good day all around!  Lots of shoppers who get deals, money raised, and then the leftovers are given to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.  

Even though it runs smoothly it is time consuming. Thursday and Friday were setup and pricing days.  Plus I went to a few church members's homes to pick up items that they could not bring in.  Thanks to hubby for helping me with that!

*. I'm still going back and forth to spend time with my grandbabies and to help out their mama.  The boys are growing and are much more settled but the mere fact that there are TWO keeps it a busy household!  My daughter is doing a great job with them!  She has them sleeping through the night and next week they go in for their 6 month checkup.  I'm pretty sure the pediatrician will tell her to start introducing food and that will help even more.   They really are good babies!  I credit my daughter more than she knows!  She has learned SO MUCH these past months, and has survived the early months with two preemies, on little sleep, as she healed too. 

The boys are in a fun stage right now - discovering each other, giving lots of smiles, squealing to communicate, rolling over.   It won't be long til they start crawling.   Every day is a new adventure and it's fun to watch them learn.

* At the same time, we are planning a wedding!  Daughter 2 had an interesting week!  The wedding planner called her to say that their were major issues happening at the venue.   Daughter had booked the Litchfield Plantation home, and the grounds around it.  It's a beautiful setting, overlooking the marshes. Guests would arrive driving down the Avenue of Live Oaks with spanish moss.   BUT...  with the problems, the wedding planner encouraged daughter 2 to find another location.  It seems that the plantation home is owned by 2 people who live in the neighborhood, and the HOA has been paying the mortgage on it.   But, there have been disagreements and the mortgage has not been paid for awhile - so the home will soon go into foreclosure!  Lawyers are getting involved.  It's not good.   How very sad!    There are 10 weddings already booked for the fall there and now the wedding planner has to tell all the brides what is happening. 

Thankfully, the wedding planner called around and found other venues to consider.  So, daughter 2's wedding will now take place at the very beautiful Brookgreen Gardens near us!!   We are lucky that it is available and that we were not left high and dry, without any option.    We had not ordered the invitations yet.   So, basically we just need to make a few phone calls to let some of our vendors know the wedding is at a new location.

*  Tomorrow night hubby and I are going to a Nashville Songwriters Roundtable event.  4 songwriters will perform a short acoustic set each and will talk about some of the songs they wrote or co-wrote.  Some of the songs have been recorded by big names in country music and became hits.  The event is to raise money for a charity but it's an amazing opportunity to  be "upclose and personal" with these writers.  I'm a huge country music fan so I am really looking forward to it!!

* Speaking of country music... the CMA Fest is only a month and a half away!  I am in a group on Facebook - a group of people who are going.  Some are first-timers but some, like me, have gone for many years.  For us, the ones who have experienced the festival before, there is a lot of grumbling on line about the lack of some of the biggest names on the schedule.   It seems that in recent years more and more 'summer festivals' are popping up around the country.  We have one right here in Myrtle Beach.  The big names are booked for those festivals...  but not the CMA Festival.    Historically the CMA Festival was a time of year when the artists 'gave back' and thanked their biggest fans.  (It used to be called Fan Fair.). The artists play for free.  A portion of the proceeds is given to music education in schools.    But it seems more are performing where they get a paycheck.  I'm sure their record companies and agents have a lot of say about it, and do the booking...   but it's disappointing for us CMA Fest regulars.   And, of course, the price of the festival continues to go up.  

* So, in general, am I getting more impatient??    I have posted on FB about the crazy drivers here, and the fact some don't seem to know the rules of the road.  But, perhaps it is ME who has the problem?!?   Reality check!  I need to chill on the road, and I need to realize many drivers have their own issues.  Perhaps driving slow and in the wrong lane is the least of their problems!   ha!!!

*  Sum-sum-summertime!  It's almost here!  My favorite time of year!  I'm planting flowers, and spending more time outdoors already.   Are you?  What is your favorite thing to do?   I love having a book and a glass of wine on my deck.   I need to walk more.... in general.  So, I'm hoping to make it a daily thing come summertime. 

* I am only home for a couple of days... so if I want to get walking I better sign off. I have much to do!  I have a hair restoration day tomorrow.  I need to run errands today, make up layette baskets for the hospital, plant some hosta plants I ordered that have arrived, and I have a flute choir session this evening.  We are going to record a few of our pieces to make a demo CD.   (Gee, I should really practice and limber up the fingers ahead of it! )

Enjoy this time everyone!  Today is awaiting...