Things are starting to get busy around here

I had my first two of four elementary school string presentations this past week.  I bring my violin, cello, bass (yes, I lug that huge thing) and a rented viola and unpack them from our Element and I play something on each one and answer questions.  Hopefully, there will be some kids interested in learning and their parents willing to pay the tuition and take the time to drive them twice a week to this extracurricular activity.  At the first school, I presented three times - once for each group of 3rd, 4th, 5th graders.  At the second school, they crammed all three grades into a commons area and I only had to do it once.  It is exhausting hauling the bass and I won't even be teaching beginning bass BUT I still bring it because hopefully, a student or two will really want to play it enough to take violin, viola or cello first and switch when they are allowed to in middle school.  You're welcome, middle school orchestra teacher!  My last two school presentations will be this coming week...

Steve and I spent a quiet Labor Day on Monday.  We didn't do anything special other than watch Jerry and Marge Go Large that evening after our dinner of grilled hamburgers.  It was an entertaining movie and based on real events.  It is about playing the lottery which typically we wouldn't be in favor of but this story had a slight twist.

On Tuesday, we picked up our rental car - a Toyota Corolla - to drive while the Kia's engine is being replaced.  It is nice to have air conditioning again, although we are still having lovely autumn-like temperatures.  The only problem is that it is even lower to the ground than the Kia so getting out of it takes more effort for our old bodies.  Civic Orchestra started up Tuesday evening.  It was great to be back!  We have a new rehearsal location that is not any closer than the previous one but not any further, either.  So, it still takes me 30 minutes to get there.  

We had Beckie join us for lunch Thursday noon and had a nice visit.  The sister missionaries came for dinner that evening and we fed the elder missionaries lunch on Saturday.  

Friday evening was our ward campout at Washington State Park south of here.  Because our bodies are old, and because we will be camping with Sarah in a week, we opted to just drive down for the evening.  We brought a simple campout meal of  hotdogs, chips, grapes, raw veggies and s'mores.  I looked envyingly, however, at the Dutch oven mac and cheese and peach cobbler that Karen Brandt was fixing and decided that NEXT ward campout, I will be doing some Dutch oven cooking of my own.  

Saturday morning, Steve and I loaded up our bikes and explored nearby Willmore Park.

That evening, we drove over to Southerlands to help Joe celebrate his 44th birthday.  We had delicious homemade street tacos and we brought chips and guacamole and fresh pineapple and watermelon.  We played a couple of games of Azul when dinner was over.  It was a nice evening and I will include some photos that Emily took when she sends them to me.  

Throughout the week, I have been watching in bits and pieces the Ken Burns documentary on the Lewis and Clark expedition.  I have the book that was printed based upon the film and I finished it about a month ago.  What an incredible adventure!