pianolady831 Member

Cindy, when you start reading labels, there is so much sugar in almost everything! I used to drink coffee with lots of cream and sugar, then dropped sugar cold turkey to help with weight control years ago. I still use cream, just can't do it black, but I no longer crave sugar in it. I just enjoy the coffee taste, don't…

Connie, I hope you eventually get to visit the NE states, although you have visited a lot of states and countries already. I'd love to see Alaska and Canada, but am especially drawn to New England and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's a combination of the beauty, small towns, fall color, quaint islands, and historical…

Cindy, your travel schedule makes me dizzy! I'm sure you're used to traveling like that by now, but I would find it difficult. Now when I was younger, I enjoyed traveling to scenic places. Dwight always hated the business travel he was required to do, but I begged him to take me with him whenever he visited the New England…

You seem to be staying busy, Cindy. I hope things are going good for you, both at home and work. Are you having to travel much? Beth had planned to take me out to eat for my birthday yesterday until she came down with a cold. But that's one of the great things about living close to her, we can go anytime. She also plans on…

Hi, everybody! I've missed you all and am trying to make time for this team again. A lot of things have demanded my attention lately and it's been several months since I've read a book. I guess I felt bad about having nothing to report in that area. Dwight has a lot of health issues, but we're doing pretty good overall. We…

Back when I was in high school Glee Club, someone said that if you could read music, you would automatically be put in the alto section. Never knew if that was really true, but that's when I became an alto. And I've always loved to harmonize. It's funny how you can live in one place all your life, yet not have many local…

Thanks, Connie. I've found some great reads by checking out award finalists and winners, so I'll work through that list. Have you read most of them?

Time-travel Amish ... now that's a different genre, Connie! Would you have read it had you seen the description first? And is THE CHRISTMAS QUILT and older Carlson book, or her new one for this year? I am enjoying Sarah Sundin's very first book, A DISTANT MELODY. I like her type of WWII fiction and had never read that…

Connie, are you a soprano or an alto? I have always loved quartets, think I might have sung alto in one for a little while back in Bible college. Sang 2nd soprano in a trio for a time also. But I was a much better pianist than singer, so that's pretty much how things ended. Last week was pretty full, but enjoyable. A dear…

Taking baby steps here, but I have to start somewhere! Water - 2 glasses Walking - 20 minutes in the cool of the evening

Connie, I print out my music and put it in a notebook. Larger print and easier to see that way. But I have bought music from a website and opened songs on my Kindle. It works real good here at home for practice, but I'd be nervous playing from it at church, for fear I might mess up page turns. I didn't know there was a…

I'll read a few newly-released books, but at this point in my life, I'm more interested in picking up books that have been favorites over the years and reading them again. Also other books by authors I've greatly enjoyed - a blend of Christian fiction, murder mysteries, and general fiction. Just finished THE ISLAND OF…

I would love to read that book, Connie! One of my favorite treats growing up was shopping trips to downtown Atlanta with my Mom - which, after shopping at Davison's or Rich's, included stopping by Woolworth's and usually eating at their soda fountain. I'm back to where I prefer reading over listening, so I recommended it…

How true are these two quotes from THE ISLAND OF HEAVENLY DAZE by Lori Copeland & Angela Hunt! "The balm of forgiveness heals many a wound." "What we see as trial, God often intends as blessing. But we need to adjust our perspective to see the truth."

I appreciate the thoughts about Dwight's cough. He had several different types of tests when we were back in Atlanta, but never got a diagnosis. He can go a long time without coughing, then have a hard coughing spell and even throw up. A few months ago he couldn't keep anything down, which resulted in a hospital stay.…

It's so good to connect with you all again! Kim, thanks so much for emailing me. I was actually about to check back in when I received it. It's been a rough few months and I apologize for not keeping you updated. Like I told Kim, we've both been sick at different times, but thankfully not with Covid. Dwight's been in the…

What was the chorus, Connie? And were you playing without music in front of you? I occasionally help out a small church in Unicoi, about 15 minutes from where I live. I'm always a little reluctant to go because I'd rather be at my own church, but greatly enjoy it when I get there. It's a rural area, but they do a lot of…

Just finished FOREVER HIDDEN by the Peterson/Woodhouse duo. I listened to the first half, then changed to the ebook because it was going too slow and I was having trouble keep up with it. Ebook worked much better for me on this one. I loved the Alaska setting, but didn't get a good feel for it. Maybe setting is harder to…

Your Wednesday night service sounds nice, even without the meal, Connie. I hope Bill will feel like going next week. And Sunday dinner in the pastor's yard next door ... what could be better than that?! I will always treasure the hymns and am glad to be at a church that frequently sings them. Last Sunday, I played for the…

When it comes to Christian fiction, I would almost say that if it's been written, Connie's read it!

I am thoroughly enjoying MISSING ISAAC by Valerie Fraser Luesse. It's beautiful southern fiction, a favorite genre of mine, and the author knows her stuff because I read that she works for Southern Living magazine. I came across a scene that's too good not to share. The setting is an all-day church singing in Alabama, with…

Got it, Kim. Thanks for posting. This looks like stories I would enjoy.

Those weeks between cold and hot weather are really nice for getting out. I hope Wednesday nights work for you and Bill, Connie. The fellowship is just as important as the food. Our church just started Wednesday meals back after two years off, but I haven't tried going yet and probably won't. During the Covid break, Tim -…

Still loving my audio books! Can't believe it's taken me this long to discover that they will work for me. In fact, I'm like a child with a new toy. I bumped one of my Libby books up to 1.25x and that seems to be fine. Don't think I could go any faster, though. That's funny about you mom going up to 2x, Kim. It got down to…

I love eggs so much, Connie. While I don't think I eat one every day, I do eat them a lot. Omelets are so good, especially when I add cheese, green peppers and onions. I usually slice a tomato to go with my eggs, no matter how I cook them, which gives me a good veggie. Not sure how much damage grits do, though! Are you…

Thank you for this list, Connie. Isaacson is the only author I recognize, so there's lots to explore. This audio book thing is growing on me. I tried increasing the reading speed on my first book a couple of days ago, but found it hard to keep up with. I started a new mystery last night and the reader is much better, also…

Snow predicted to begin around 3 am, lasting for 5-6 hours. Possible 1-3". Hard to believe this can happen after all the mild spring weather we've been having! We'll have to see what tomorrow morning brings.

Have you already had the surgery, Connie?

Kim, you just might have a point about the text-to-speech thing. The reader goes slower than I could physically read, although that seems to work well for a cozy mystery. It's when she changes to the male voice that I'm not crazy about. Or maybe I'm just not used to it yet. I think this cold spell is short lived, at least…

"[Forgiveness] is so much less exhausting. You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all day, every day. You have to keep remembering all the bad things.... we always have a choice. All of us." -- THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS by M. L. Stedman This is a general fiction book, but it's clean and has some…