The Weekend

Daylight Savings moved us into the dark time of the year, when the sun is just rising when I wake up at  6:30 a.m. and has set by 5:00 p.m., when it seems like the day is over.  When it's so dark like this I really appreciate holiday lights.  

So I was quite cheered to see the first of them appear just several blocks from our house on University Hill.  I guess they put them up so early because the college students will soon be on winter break.  In any case, I love them. 

Much to my surprise, the annual lighting of the Flagstaff Mountain star was on Veteran's Day this year.  Seems like it was lit much later last year.  We all love seeing the star, since it's right over our house and guides us home from wherever we are.

Flags were on the graves of soldiers buried in the cemetery down the street for Veteran's Day last Friday. 

And my brother, Jim, made this wonderful collage of photos of my Dad who served first in the Navy and then in the Marines.  My mother was also in the Navy.  I've always loved the photo of her and my father in their military uniforms which was taken on their wedding day. 

It's going to be a busy week filled with work for the Instrumental Music Parents Association at Boulder High School, for which I'm Chair this year.  Yesterday I joined a group of parents at an envelope stuffing party to get out the solicitation for the annual Instrument Fund Drive.  And this week there are three concerts that our group helps with, including a little speech at each by the Chair. Which is me.  Which means I have to talk.  Oh, well, it will be all right, but I'll be glad when it's over!  

As a reward for such good works, I'm signed up for a three day quilting retreat in nearby Longmont starting Friday.  It's an "in-town" retreat, so I get to come home and sleep, which is always a good thing.  I made this cute quilt block Saturday afternoon at a mini-retreat; isn't it cute?  It's the tenth of twelve seasonal blocks I'm making for a big lap quilt.

I have to show you this photo I took of Paul sound asleep on his bed one night when Ben and I came home from dining out.  You know how parents love to watch their children sleep!  You hardly ever get to do that when they are teenagers and we couldn't help but smile at both him and the phone nestled on his shoulder.