Sunday Salon...December 15

Weather: Light overcast with occasional sprinkles. It was actually warm here today, around 50 degrees, 20 degrees warmer than last Sunday.

Friday night: We had a party for women of the church only. We ate, read a Christmas story, and shared holiday memories. It was a very touching and memorable evening.

Our choir director singing O Thou that Tellest Good Tidings to Zion during service at Mineral Presbyterian.

Third Sunday of Advent: today the candles were lit for peace, hope, and joy. Our choir director sang a lovely solo: "O Thou that Tellest Good Tidings to Zion" from Handel's Messiah. Cue up the YouTube video of the music and have a listen as you read the rest of this blogpost. So lovely. Erin did a beautiful job.


This afternoon: Our whole church choir drove up to a tiny church, Mineral Presbyterian, near Mt. Rainier and conducted a music program for them. This tiny church always makes me feel like I am in a Currier and Ives postcard, definitely a throwback to a bygone era. Usually there is snow but there was none today.

Mineral Presbyterian Church

Our church choir

Yesterday: my daughter, Carly, and I made cookies, wrapped gifts for the giving tree, and finished decorating the house for Christmas. Now we just get to enjoy the fruits of our labors. The house looks lovely and festive. We did have to go to the store to return one of the gifts I purchased. I read the tag as an educational gift for a 7 year old GIRL, so I bought a American Girl book and paper dolls. On closer inspection, after I got home, the tag said educational gift for a 7 year old BOY. This time we bought books about snakes, cars, and sharks. We also dropped off three packages at the post office. All packages are mailed now to family that live out-of-state. (That always feels like a major accomplishment.)

Book read this week:

• Boxers by Gene Luen Yang...a graphic novel about the Boxer Revolution in China in the late 1800s. Yang is a very talented artist and storyteller. I'll be shocked if this book and its companion, Saints, don't win all kinds of awards this January.

Currently reading:

• Saints by Gene Luen Yang...the companion book to Boxer because every war has too sides.
• Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver...I accomplished my weekly goal which was to get at least half finished with the audiobook, which is 8 discs.

From the kitchen: Gingerbread cookies and Mint Meringue Cookies for the church events.

Have a lovely week.