Spring!! And storms!

Last week we started to have much warmer weather.  It was marvelous!! I had not walked at all this winter, so I made myself get out there, even if it was just around the block.  I couldn't believe how slow and stiff I felt.  But I was SO happy to be walking in warmer, sunny weather.  I even thought I saw tiny red buds on this tree.

I decided the time had come to get our new porch rockers.  I found these on Sam's Club's web page, and the reviews were all very positive.  Besides, since we are plus members, the shipping is free.  So we ordered two of them.  

I spent many hours last week preparing arrangements of songs for the choir and the band.  We would be singing/playing at both the Sunday morning service as well as the next Tuesday evening District Lent service.  On Thursday evening we had a long rehearsal.  

I really do love what I do. I'm still using a computer program called Noteworthy Composer - ever since 1998!!  It is no longer supported, but it's what I'm familiar with, and it works for me.  On a phone call I was telling Jeremy what I had done with one of the songs.  He suggested that  I could have gotten ai assistance to make it easier and quicker.  Hmmm.  I don't think I feel like learning any new tricks.   

The boys didn't have school last week because of Spring break.  On Friday Hunter was my boy.  We played Monopoly and Scrabble.

Then we went to Talleyrand Park.  Ahhhhh!!  It was so good to be there again, but oh, how I missed Elizer.  Hunter missed him too.  

When we came home he wanted to go to the little playground behind our house. 

On Saturday Lori went by train to a women's conference in Brooklyn.  She was one of the speakers.  She came back that night.

I got some things done around here.  I enjoyed watching the birds as I was folding laundry. 

Later in the afternoon we went to Get Air with Hunter. He couldn't believe we didn't have any other grandchildren along!  Eventually some kids from his school came, so he had a good time. 

Meanwhile at their house Anthony posted this picture and said, "Sometimes it's hard to watch TV."  That's Austin doing a hand stand in the middle of the room!  

He is ridiculously strong!  He works out after school several days a week.  Here's a selfie he took. Yes, he is putting all his weight on those two dumbbells!!

And now to our Sunday.  It was wonderful to have the band there.  You can see my little white head behind the piano, lol!

We went to brunch with friends after church for the first time in quite a while.  I enjoyed the St. Patrick's Day decorations.

When we got home we were greeted by our first crocuses!!

There was a tornado watch in our area that afternoon.  When sideways rain started hitting the house I went to our closet for the first time since we live here.  It's the only place in our house without windows.  I lay on the floor for about then minutes.  It truly sounded like a train outside. When I came out of the closet, there was Dick sitting in the kitchen where we have four big windows!  I guess if houses and trees were going to blow around, he wanted to see it, lol!!

As we were to find out, we were very fortunate.  Just a mile or two from here there were trees and a lot of electric poles blown down.  On the other side of State College, Anthony and Lori were without power.  Not far from their place a young man was electrocuted to death when he got out of his car due to a tree across the road.  He stepped on a live wire.  

In the evening we drove around, partly out of curiosity and partly because we needed gas and a few groceries.   There was a rainbow in the sky.

Anthony and Lori found out their power might not be restored until Wednesday.  They do have a generator for the first floor.  But her 89-year-old mother lives with them now (in the apartment over the garage that used to be an airbnb and then was Lori's office during COVID.)  So they were keeping that warm with a space heater that was plugged into an extension cord from the first floor.  

On Monday evening Lori stayed with her mother while Anthony and the boys came here for dinner and the evening.     

That night the propane for their generator ran out!!  It was a very cold night.  We had 28 degrees, they probably had lower than that.  And they had no power at all!  

After the boys went to school Tuesday morning Anthony reserved two hotel rooms for the rest of the day and night.  And of course, then he got a message from West Penn Power that their power was restored!  Thank God!!!

On Tuesday evening our church hosted a district Lent service.  It was WONDERFUL!!  Very uplifting, worshipful, and inspirational.  We led the music.  Our pastor and  pastors from other churches participated in the service, our district superintendent preached (she is SO GOOD!)

Afterward we gathered in the social hall for cake and coffee.  

Pastor Jim had gotten a big cake with this symbol on the middle of it.  

Well, here it is Thursday already!  Gotta go to church to update the choir books before practice this evening!