This was a "combination trip". No RV this time, as Jack decided to stay home and work on some projects, while I had some of my own to attend to in Washington.
For years I've been involved with our community theater here, enjoying the lip-syncing and dancing in various numbers. For the past couple of years I stepped back a little as I was also involved in our HOA Board, with the last year being the President. My term was up and I decided not to run again. At the same time, the Theater's Diretor's also decided not to produce the next show...so, being at "loose ends" I decided to volunteer! My friend Sandi and I have been talking about doing it together for years and she kept telling me that we weren't getting any younger, so we decided now was "the time!" It seemed the membership agreed, and the "deed was done" as they say.
With that decided, we quickly put a team together of "experts" (costumes, choreographers, music editors, comic mentor, etc) and set up a place and date to meet. Since only Sandi and I were not in Washington during the summer, it was easier for us to go there, than the other six to come here. One of our group, CiCi, graciously offered her large home (that slept 7) in Ocean Shores, and we all accepted!
Since most of my family lives in Washington, I just tagged on another 10 days to my trip to see them afterwards, easy peasy.
Our "Team Meeting" was super. Everything it needed to be, and more. We worked hard, laughed a lot and got to know each other even better than before. We shared in the cooking or food prep, ate early and by 9am, started working. We would take a 15 min. breaks, a half hour lunch and stop around 5ish for dinner. We did this for 3 days. One night we went until 7:30. I'm sure the cast has no idea how much work it takes to put on a 2 hour show with 70 people and 33+ songs! We have over twice as many women as we do men and we've been putting on a show for over 25+ years! It was my goal not to reuse any song that has done in the past 7 years (which wasn't easy!) and to do our best to keep to our theme this year (Broadway & Musicals), also not easy.
After we all left here, I was kindly dropped off at my sister's for the remainder of my trip. My sister is almost 91, so visiting her and checking up on her is important now more than ever. I'm always amazed at how sharp she has remained! Her body is fragile, but she's still the same stubborn, wild ole' gal! ;-).
It was my niece's birthday that weekend, so they had planned on celebrating it by going to the horse races! I hadn't been in years! There were 6 of us that went. We sure had a great time! None of us are much into betting, so we would pool our little $$ together and pick our "winner" and in the end, I think I came out about $10 ahead! LOL. The buglers came and played Happy Birthday to my niece, which made her day, and she also came out ahead, the sun shined and we even had great seats, so what more can one ask?
I'm always treated to lunches and dinners by my wonderful nieces and my niece Shannon's partner Way. This times was not exception. The weather was lovely, sunny and in the 80's which is "just right" for me, coming from Arizona which has been in the 100+! So they took us to places by the water and we sat outside and had FRESH FISH - something I just can't get here! Yum!!!
I'm now a great-grand aunt! While I was there, I got to visit the latest member of the family, who is just one month old, miss Bryerose Delia. We each got to hold her...until she "had enough" of us and wanted mommy back, that is...lol.
All in all it was a great visit with a lot accomplished and a lot of fun squeezed in as well. It's now September and everyone here is praying that the temperatures will start to come down and stay that way, as we are all quite tired of this long, long hot summer we've had this year...
Staying inside in Arizona,
Marie
