Busy week again - last Barbershop Chorus practice, attended Maundy Thursdy service, sang in Good Friday service and again this morning

 86 degrees with 19 mph wind out of the south here at La Feria, TX at 1:15 pm Sunday.

Just a few minutes to recount some of our activities.

Darlene's house (now Tom & Lisa's house) with outside of new Texas Room completed.  Tom & Lisa headed for Pensylvania this week.

I had to remove, add "stiffening" boards to back of drawer in camper and get a new slide for one side.  After some hassle (Working on the floor is not as easy on an 80-year-old as it was 20-30 years ago) I got the drawer out, replaced one ball-bearing slide and put screws in some 1"x1" boards to keep the floor from dipping.

Had to disassemble part of the hitch and grease the heavy parts just under the orange hitch piece.  Broken grease zerks makes it necessary to drop them down and slazzer with grease.

After watering the new bushes in back yard for last time this season, I removed the box containing roll-up real for the 100 ft hose and put it in the Texas Room for the summer.

Last Thursday was Phyllis' birthday and after Darlene and we went to Maunday Thursday service in Harlingen and then when we returned home we had the birthday cake Darlene had made and also had Tom & Lisa Urban come by to celebrate.

They are the couple that bought Darlene's house.

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Well, you probably didn't know it, but the last line was typed about 1:25 pm -- it is now 5:56 pm.

We took Darlene and went to Llano Grande RV Park where we had a great lunch with Izzy (from the Barbershop group --and originally from Marengo, IA) and several of her neighbors.  Very enjoyable afternoon with great food.

Great ham, green beans, baked pineapple casserole, scalloped potatoes, rolls -- and apple or lemon pie for desert.   And, several varieties of wine to start the afternoon.

Darlene took her weekly Sunday telephone call from her grandson after the meal was finished.

Got a lot of "treasure" from under

my recliner chair.

Thursday evening we took Darlene with us to the presentation of the "Last Supper" at the Methodist Church in Harlingen.  At right - our Choir Director and his wife performed a song during the presentation.

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At right is a screen capture from the Youtube video of Good Friday Church service.

Putting the roll-up box with 100 ft hose in it away in the Texas Room for the summer

We had our last practice for the 2023-2024 season of Men & Women of A-Chord on Tuesday.  Down in numbers as many have left for the north.

Well, is now 7:30 pm Sunday- 80º outside with a 7-10 mph breeze.

Will close up for now, Lynn

Performed in Easter Cantata

 Well, the blogger program did it again -- hang up so I couldn't finish it properly.

On our return trip from Progreso we had a delightful Mexican meal at Nana's in Weslaco.

The Care & Share (quilters) here in the park have a goodly number of quilts to cary over the summer.  The little wooden building they normaly store their things in is not the best insofar as bugs, etc., for keeping over the summer.  So, Phyllis had me help her bring them up to our place and store in the second bedroom.  Ended up with over a hundred quilts on Patty's bed -- 70 some large and 30 some small.

The dirty stuff

A week or so ago I cleaned the gutters of the leaves and debris, but failed to notice the mold on the edge of the roof.  Got up recently and cleaned that off.

The clean stuff

Have had Aloevera plants around
the house for 14 years, but this
is the first time I recall one blooming.

Also washed some mold off the north side
of the mobile home.  Been a couple years
since had to do that.

After many weeks of practice we did participate in the
Easter Cantata yesterday, at both services. 

I have edited a video of the 11 am Contemporary service to just

our portion of the service that morning

and you can view it By Clicking HERE

We were seated, in robe by 8:15 am for warmup for the 9:00 am church service.

We got a break between 10 am and 11 am in the basement area and then did the performance again.  Think both were about equal.

I have edited a video of the 9 am Traditional service to just

our portion of the service that morning

and you can view it Click HERE

Till next time, Lynn

Visit to Progreso, MX on Tourist Appreciation Day March 21, 2014

87 degrees here in La Feria, TX at 2:00 pm Monday.

Well, I left off just starting with our day trip to Progreso, MX

Quite an old truck

Cute baby sleeping

Lots of stands set up on the 5 or so blocks of
street we walked.  We were early, so not busy.

Got a couple hats for the
great-grandkids from this lady

Got a roll and Coffee at Rene's Bakery

Picture this!

After walking the streets for a while doing quite a bit of looking (And, Patty, she did not find that dress you saw with her several weeks ago) we went back up near the bridge and got to sit down for an hour or so to watch and listen to a lot of local talent.

King and queen of tourists were crowned.
One was from Canada, the other US

We had comfortable seats and enjoyed the
various dignitaries being introduced, then the
dancing and music by many.


Didn't have a line at the processing point.  Was
sure that the line was great later in the afternoon.

On the return walk over the Rio Grande Bridge,
there were many, many people camped on the
bridge waiting to be processed for entry into the
US.  Some looked like they had been there for
a very long time.

Men & Women of A-Chord last performance & year-end gathering with other activities

 Well, this is different -- it is 93º with a "feel like" of 89º (low humidity) here in La Feria, TX at 4:30 pm Friday.  Have worked several hours today and yesterday on photos; don't have them all edited, but will go ahead and post this blog.

Last Monday evening we had our last Men & Women of A-Chord Barbershop Chorus performance.  It was 42 miles west of where we live and with all the construction between here and there it took us nearly an hour and a half to get there.  I was supposed to help carry in and set up the risers and help with sound system.  They were already done.....but did help after it was over.

Our director took ill and was in the hospital on Sunday; got home Monday morning, but knew he could not do the directing.  We had a lady join our group just last fall who is a retired grade-school music teacher.  She also now directs choirs in two different churches here in the Valley as well as a Bell Choir.  She was quite nervous; she had not directed us, or any of this music nor us before.

With only about an 8-hour notice, she was very nervous, but pulled it off and we had a successfull show.  As she said, she new her part (which is lead-she normally stands in front of Phyllis and two risers in front of me in Lead section) and was not always at the right spot to bring in the other three sections.  But, everyone  worked with her and we did it.  The director had diverticulits and it isn't known how serious it is right now.  He has one more practice scheduled (will be working on a few new numbers for the 2025 performances) but anxious to see if he can make it.

Director Bob Lemkuil

On Tuesday we all got togerther for our year-end bash at a nice Italian Restaurant in Mission, TX.  About 40, including spouses, attended the lunchen at 1:00 pm.  Bob was able to make it, but was not feeling the best. He is 87 years old and doesn't come back from things like he used to.  He was very appreciative of everything the group has done this year.  We have built back up to around 30 at practices, but with many of them being new ones we have only had about 17 to 21 at performances.  Quite a few ladies have come to practice just the last couple weeks, will see if they return this fall.

Some random pictures of our gatheriing.

At left is Bob Wiese and his wife Mrcia.  They have had a mobile home in Snow to Sun RV Park about 10 miles west of us .  For the last 7 years Bob has car pooled with me (and a few others in his park and the last 3 years Phyllis also).  It is another .25 miles from his paark to where we practice very Tuesday from 1st of November to end of March.  Anyway, with his age (86) and some recognizable age-related slow downs, they sold their mobile home and don't plan to come back to the Valley next year.  He said the had been coming down here 17 years.  So it was his last time with the Chorus.  A bittersweet time.

Thinking I may need this sign at our place!

Lady had a frame for us to hold
and she took our picture.

Thursday was the annual "Tourist Appreciation Day" in Progreso, MX.  We went early and avoided the crowd.

This was the parking lot a little after 8 am
When we left about 12:30 it was closed as
being full and on other side of road was
full clear to the west side!

This guy was with some fellows collecting
for a Charity.  He couldn't believe I was
using a camera instead of the phone.

Well, it is almost time to leave for choir practice (9:15 am Saturday)  Will quit here even though not done.  More later, Lynn