Gray and COLD!!

Wow....this is the type of weather that Missouri seems to have ALL winter long......GRAY..GRAY...GRAY...COLD! I really do dislike the winters here.

Met a former student this morning for coffee down in Fredericktown's "city center". We had a great conversation which covered many topics.....she is returning to Truman State University to do her Master's in Education.....music education. She is extremely talented and a very intelligent young lady who has always had her head on straight........I am so proud to be able to say that I was her teacher. She will be highly successful in any endeavor which she pursues!!!

This afternoon I reprogramed my TiVo so that the cable movie channels, which are part of our Charter cable plan, can be picked up by TiVo. As usual, this entire procedure took way toooooo much time to get completed, but what else do have but .......time???

It was a light weight supper tonight.......fresh cut veggies and a piping hot baked sweet potato with a glass of my dark red medicine to wash it down. I've GOT to reduce my food/fat/calorie intake...along with more exercise. I have somehow.....SOMEHOW....added 10 pounds to my sagging body since summer!!! UGH.....10 more pounds to SAG and HANG on this aging body......UGH!!!! Do NOT try to visualize that.....!!!

This evening I had to write a recommendation for one of my private music students......he is applying for the summer Missouri Scholars Academy. This took quite a bit of time......but I wanted it perfect as this young man is highly qualified for this Academy and it would be a very positive experience for him.

Then I had two different phone calls from former students who are/were high school band directors. One is in his second year of teaching band....and the other has been in education for 17 years and is now an Assistant HS Principal. It is always great to hear from both of them.....and the discussions with each of them centered around the news that a restaurant in Chicago was closing after 107 of serving incredibly good German food to thousands of people. We all three LOVE to eat there and we are all very upset that it will be closing. Not only do they have such excellent food, but they make their own DARK beer and it is soooooooo good. All of us are discussing making a run up to Chicago for a weekend next month to eat there ONE MORE TIME!! For those of you who are close by......it is the Berghoff Restaurant which is located right downtown about 1/2 block from the Palmer House hotel where we always stay when in town.

Soooo, today and this evening was much busier than I had anticipated.....and nothing wrong with that. I have all the time in the world. For those of you who have not yet retired, let me clue you in.......it is NOT retirement, but it is REBIRTH!!!

Sooooo, on that last statement it is obvious that I will say.......

Life is Great......and I sure hope it is for all of you, also!!