Kurt Bestor at his best...

What a way to begin the Holiday Season. On Saturday evening, November 27, 2010, Dean and I were treated to a top-notch Christmas Special by Kurt Bestor. In our minds, Kurt is among the top Christmas billings.

We last saw Kurt in Boise, Idaho at the beautiful Cathedral in the Rockies and were lifted to a new level of musical expertise by a gifted craftsman. We have been hoping he would come to Oregon and finally, he did. The venue was a wonderful little theater in Hillsboro called The Venetian Theater and Bistro. It isn't as grand as the Cathedral or as elegant as the Schnitzer in Portland, but it was a beautiful experience.


We came early, so we could enjoy the Bistro for an elegant Italian dinner before venturing upstairs to see the show. When we entered the building, who do you think was sitting at the bar, visiting with his co-star, Jenny Jordan Frogley, but Kurt Bestor himself. I smiled at him in recognition, and he returned the smile. I was too timid to walk up to him and start talking. That's just me!


We enjoyed a wonderful dinner and then headed up the stairs to be treated with dessert. Yes, it was a show worth skipping dessert for. Kurt arranges all of his own music and does an outstanding job with many of the standard Christmas favorites. His gift on the piano is something to behold. We learned that he hated piano lessons and hated practicing as a child. Then, one day his mother put away all of his music and told him to "play me a sunrise." And he did! His words, "It wasn't perfection, but that's where I began to love the piano."


We were also treated with an amazingly gifted singer, Jenny Jordan Frogley. We had never heard of her before, but she can really belt out a song. She was a joy to behold.


All in all, the entire evening was well worth the hour and a half drive to get there (and home). We were well fed both physically and spiritually. And so, the Holiday Season begins in earnest for us.

Is Your Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

I once knew a dear, sweet lady somewhere in my past who was badly crippled with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Every day was another day of excruciating pain just as it had been the day before, and just as it would be the following day. And yet, I never once heard her complain or saw anything but a broad welcome smile on her sweet round face.

She would say that her glass was more than half full of great blessings and the empty half was reserved for blessings yet to come. She was a marvel to me. Her positive attitude and her ability to take whatever challenges life brought to her as easily as she would receive a beautifully wrapped gift from someone special in her life was beyond understanding. Her wisdom and courage was an example to me.

Over the years, I have tried to emulate this lady, but, alas, I fear I have fallen far short of that goal on more than one occasion. I have allowed worldly woes to fill the empty void in my glass and threaten to turn the filled part into "murky forgotten blessings." I have oftimes failed to see my half full blessings.

My life is fractured in so many directions, that it is no wonder that I can't excell at any one thing. I am so involved with my work (it consumes me sometimes), my family (near and far), my home and the management of so many facets of its survival, my writing of written words and music, my newly found love for piano lessons, my participation in the community with choral groups and Church music that I begin to wonder, "Where in all of this chaos is there time for my creative side?" Things that I used to love to do, like scrapbooking, reading, sewing, quilting have all taken a backseat to everyday living.

And, "Where is my time for self?"

And then I stop, look at my glass, start counting my blessings again and again, and I remember that beautiful bent lady of my past and my glass is transformed into something beautiful.



I pray this Thanksgiving day will find you all praising God and giving thanks for each and every blessing that fills your glass.

Always remember this little quote that I received recently in these "Thanksgiving thoughts: Happy moments, PRAISE GOD; Difficult moments, SEEK GOD; Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD; Fearful moments, TRUST GOD; and Every moment, THANK GOD."



Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Yes, family, it does snow in Lincoln City...

I know, I know! We live on the coast. But, we also live on the 45th Parallel and it gets mighty cold here in the winter time.

This morning, we woke up to temperatures in the low 30's and white stuff on the ground that wasn't sand. I love it! The thing I love most about it, is that at some point the sun will come out and it will melt and I don't have to shovel it.


Wouldn't Billy have fun on his playground now, when it is all white?


Oh, and we get some mighty big surf in the winter time. Check out these pictures of our November 2nd Surfing Competition, drawing some of the best surfers in the world.



And now the sun will set on another day in Lincoln City. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? I guess we will know in the morning!

Just call me the "Slug of Lincoln City"...

I cannot believe that it has been over a month since last I posted anything on my blog! And there were so many happenings in the month of October--what was I thinking? Rather than "catch up," I will just post a short recap of all of the fun pictures I received from my family with their Halloween antics posted on them.

Granddaughter, Jacki and her hubby, Mark were dressed so cute like "Woody" and his gal from Toy Story3. I loved it! And I bet little Dallen got a kick out of going Trick-or-Treating with mommy and daddy dressed in costume.

Daughter, Heather and hubby, Rich had an amazing Halloween party at their house. Everyone came in various costumes and appeared to be having an hilarious time. Heather looks like a pretty good copy of Gruella DaVille from "101 Dalmatian's" and Rich--well those short shorts on the "Cop of the Year" just might tell it all! Little Hailey was so cute as Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz" and what else could you expect from Parker, but a Ninja fighter! He's a hoot! Beautiful Granddaughter, Elissa, looks like she is some sort of cave woman. All in all, the Tusko's had a great time on All Hallows E'en.

Grandson Gerald and his sweetie, Lily did a little dressing up of 6-month-old Ezekiel for Halloween. From all reports, they had a wonderful Halloween party and a great time with little Zeke.

The witch? Well, that is just my standard contribution to Halloween. Some say, "Where is your costume?" And I just laugh, because I like to go in my true character!

Hope everyone had a fun and playful Halloween. Where would we be if we couldn't just let down our hair and have some fun once in a while.