New Gym Outings, First Watch and Backyard Taco, Running a 5K, and Aunt Wendy and Uncle Bob

This has been a good start to a New Year. I'd say, after the first two weeks we improved on our working out and/or going to the gym from 0 times to 1-2 times a week. And believe me, it has been a challenge some of the days to even want to go, but we've done it, and that's quite the accomplishment. I've enjoyed walking with Sarah around the St. George Catholic church that is across the street from our house. It's also been good to walk at the gym, do some arm day or leg day work, and also swim. I'm very proud of our effort.

Soon after I wrote the last post, David asked me if I wanted to take on a commission of arranging three pieces from the Cantata from the Trefflich's childhood for the strings and for three woodwinds, flute, oboe, and clarinet. After thinking about the commission, it felt like a good thing to do and to challenge me. Well, I didn't know how emotionally draining it would be in the beginning, mainly because I still have pent of feelings from earlier last year about composing. I also didn't know if I didn't know all the capabilities of the Sibilius program to scan and transcribe the notes. It isn't a perfect program, and I had to do a lot of corrections, but it did take out the leg work for the first half of the project, which was just to get it down on paper.

The three pieces was a transposition of the song The Works of God, and rearrangement of the pieces Seest Thou this Woman and Gethsemane. After the initial setbacks of not knowing if I'd have to transcribe things by hand or through the program, and all my emotional problems with composing, it was actually not a bad gig doing the arrangments. He gave me two weeks and a half to do it, which really is like 6 whole days with my work schedule the way it is. But it all worked out, even with my feelings about time, and I was able to get it turned in to David yesterday. He gave me a whopper of a paycheck after I undervalued myself. Since turning it in, he's asked me for part tracks, and a minor change to one beat in the song Seest Thou this Woman. And he's told me that he likes it.

After we got the paycheck, Sarah and I chose to celebrate by going out to Denny's really late. She got a bourbon burger, and I got a Santa Fe Skillet. We also spent time in the booths paying more of our bills.

Today was a good day for our family. Sarah dropped me off early so that she could go run a 5K in the Family Fun Run. A couple of weeks ago, Sarah asked me if we could do it, but since it was on a Saturday, I couldn't because of work. Turns out it was a Mesa Alma Stake with Summit Point Ward and other churches fun run. Sarah saw many people she knew, including the McMullins. After the run, she went to Danny and Alison Fox's new house to shower because later that morning Sarah was invited to Zoey Jenning's baby shower. At the shower, she had a good time talking to Zoey but mainly had a long chat with Lindsay Chapin. Lindsay was super nice and helped Sarah work through hard feelings that I wasn't really able to help her work through the day before.

Another interesting thing about today is that I worked 7 hours without a break, because GSM accidentally filled up my whole scheedule without a break in the middle of the day. Even though it was 7 hours, the two new students that I got were pretty cool. It was a voice and a guitar student. I really felt good with the guitar student, even though she had long nails. She promised she would cut them by next week.

A week or so ago, Sarah's Aunt Wendy and Uncle Bob reached out to us to tell us that they were in town and that they wanted to hang out with us. We were ecstatic to hang out, and after our temple shift, which we were late for, we contacted them and arranged to meet with them at First Watch. We had breakfast with them and they paid for us and we had lively converasation with them. It was a nice time with them.

A couple of weeks ago, we began a long fast together. We made it through 40 hours before people wanted to hang with us. Sarah spent time with Jen Bunker, since she is her ministering sister. But they had a lot of fun, and they also went to First Watch and that is how Sarah broke her fast. I went right across the way and had a Al Pastor Quesadilla from Backyard Taco, and since then I have been obsessed with their food. Specifically the Al Pastor. We have gone 2 more times since that outing. It's also right next to the gym we go to.

Another thing that is new in our lives is that we discussed becoming puzzle people and what we would need to become puzzle people. Some of the requirements is that before we get a all out puzzle board, we would need to complete at least a 500 piece puzzle. Sarah then asked AJ buy nothing if there was anyon that would be willing to give us puzzles for free, and we got some. The one that we decided working on was a Lake Tahoe one, but the other puzzles are a bit hippy dippy with a tarot card one and a belly dancer one, and even Deadpool.

Another thing that we have decided to do was invite the Harpole's over for a Tea Party, after we found out that Brother and Sister Harpole love tea parties and everything to do with them. We're holding one tomorrow. I’ll post the invitation and pictures from that tomorrow.

Arizona Saints Chorale has started once again. This last Thursday was the first session of ASC for the Spring 2025 year. And it kicked off well. The two weeks prior to Thursday Forrest had Zoey and I do audtions for Mesa and Gilbert locations, with our managers. It wasn't too bad a task. I didn't have to turn anybody away, which was even better.

The last three weeks I have started therapy with a new therapist, Joel. He's a different person than Alex, but it still has been good to work with him so far.

I also wanted to mention that Briana sent me her Kindle, as promised. It was really nice of her to do that. And she sent a card and everything.