A new adventure!

First, I'll bring you up to date on my travels, since the previous post about Archie doesn't tell all. I returned to Grand Rapids via Johnson City, TN (where Archie was adopted). I spent about 3 weeks in Johnson City, a place which you might remember I really liked back in August when I visited friend Nancy, and in February when I stayed there while traveling from Bay St Louis to Cortland and back. After my February visit, I submitted a resume to the Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist congregation, since they had posted the need for a choir director. When I visited the church during that visit, I was told that they were still figuring out whether they wanted a choir director and accompanist or a music director. After I sent my resume, I didn't hear anything, so I just kind of forgot about it. I didn't visit the church while I stayed in Johnson City in March. I guess I was just doing other stuff.

I also sent resumes to a church in Los Angeles - I found out after not hearing anything for a while that they had filled the position and failed to take down the posting - Albany, NY, where I interviewed but decided that, if I was going to make something work and live in a place where I had to shovel, I'd return to Grand Rapids - and some mega-UU church in Arlington, VA, which had also filled the position and failed to remove the posting. Come on, folks!

Anyway, I've been back in Grand Rapids, happily residing in Annie Beals' basement, since April 7. While up north visiting some of Chuck's family, including cousin Nancy from Johnson City, I heard from the Holston UU that they had decided to hire a music director, with a query about my continuing interest. I told them that, yes, I was still interested, and if they wanted to set up an interview I would be in the area at the beginning of May when I was driving south for my nephew's, Keaton's, graduation from ECU.

I did indeed drive south, and I did interview in Johnson City. I did not attend the actual graduation. I went to Greenville, had some of the great food that the moms of the graduates who live with Keaton had prepared, and then decided to return to Cary with my other nephew, Cooper, and watch his baseball game. It was rainy in Greenville. It was sunny and gorgeous in Cary. I was sorry to miss watching Keaton walk, but I did not regret my decision.

The graduation was on Friday. The interview was Sunday, May 7. I attended the morning service, met members of the Music Committee after church, and proceeded to the minister's house for a lovely lunch and a casual interview in his living room. Unlike the interview in Albany, which was very carefully organized with certain people asking certain questions, and me not asking anything till the end, this interview was more like an extended conversation. Nevertheless, nearly all the information needed was communicated, and I felt very much at home.

In order to time my visit to Cortland just right, I spent a couple more days in Johnson City, and then I drove partway to Cortland on Wednesday, arriving in time to have supper at home with the kids. Abby and I packed up and left the next morning for GR. We had to get there in time to have Kathleen Singh pin the hem on Abby's wedding dress so she could finish it when she returned from a trip to Albuquerque last night. We had a great time with my mom and dad at the zoo in GR on Friday, and Saturday bopped around together before the wedding shower that Abby's aunts Betsy and Ginny had planned for the evening.

The shower was a great success! It was attended by friends and family, and some of the attendees aren't able to make it to the wedding itself, so it was great that they could come and wish Abby (and Adam) well.

Abby stuck around for Mothers Day. We enjoyed a lovely, tasty brunch at Betsy's with Petersons/Flikkemas/Burrs. Later, we picked up some food at Schuler's and ate with my folks at Samaritas, where they live.

Monday, we were driving back to Cortland, and Tuesday, Archie and I drove back to Grand Rapids.

Long sidebar: because there is some question about the legality of marriages performed by ULC ministers in New York State, I have had contact with Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, who has been trying for a number of years to either get the language of the law changed or establish an "ordination for a day" like Massachusetts has, so that anyone can pay the state for a license for a day to perform a wedding. This coming Monday, May 22, her office will hold a press conference in Albany to, once again, roll out the latter legislation. I have been asked to speak at the press conference, so I will be returning to Cortland tomorrow, driving to Albany on Monday morning and back in the afternoon, and then returning to GR on Tuesday. Yes, it's a lot of driving, but it seems important to me to do this.

AND, as of this morning, I received an offer on the job in Johnson City, and I've accepted! I'm already nervous, but I know I can do this, and it will be a positive experience. There is a way to organize Sundays off so that I can spend a couple of months in Grand Rapids during the summer and work at Blue Lake, or take longer stretches off to travel. I find the area of Northeastern Tennessee absolutely breathtaking, and I look forward to being close to family that I've lived far away from for many years. Tennessee has its seasons, but the winter is shorter and less intense than it is in Michigan.

Sorry I'm not sharing any pictures in this post. I know that makes things more interesting. But I wanted to get you updated before I drive, and then drive some more. After the quick jaunt to NY for the press conference, I'll drive my folks south for Cooper's high school graduation and open house, then back to Michigan, and then it will be time to make the final preparations for the wedding, which is June 30. After that, I'll be house sitting for Elianna and Jeff for most of July, as well as working at BLFAC, so if you're here in W Michigan reading this know that we'll be able to see each other during that time. I'll get some pictures up soon.

Thanks for continuing to follow my adventures!

Archie's Joy-Love Tour

After the difficulties of traveling with Remy, I am having a whole new experience which I refer to as in the title: Archie's Joy-Love Tour. 

Archie is now almost 4 months old. He weighed 2.5 lbs when I got him at the age of 9 weeks. He weighed 4 lbs when we visited the vet on April 13. I guessing he might be up to 5 lbs by now. His heritage is Australian terrier (which gets up to 14 lbs), Pomeranian (up to 7 lbs), and Chinese crested (up to 12 lbs), so I'm guessing he might end up somewhere around 10-12 lbs. This makes him easy to carry!

I adopted Archie in Johnson City, TN. His coat is very much like the Chinese crested, so he's not too crazy about cooler weather. Fortunately, Chris and Jackie gave me a couple of sweaters which he is gradually growing into. 

Archie absolutely LOVES everyone. He's a little afraid of bigger dogs at first, but he seems to adapt to them sometimes more quickly than they do to him. While we were in Cortland, he and Adam's dog Jake finally played together a bit. Below: Archie with Abby, with Abby and Eloise, with a couple of Abby's former co-workers at Trader K's, in a pensive moment at Abby & Adam's house, and with Jake (L) and Eloise (R), keeping warm by the stove.

Back in Grand Rapids, we visited Chris, Jackie, Spencer, Jackson, and their dogs Buttons and Jake. 

We moved into Annie's basement, where Archie quickly made himself welcome with Annie, Ruby, and Hamish.

He even made friends at the chiropractor's office and someplace else with someone I don't even know.

Below, we stopped for introductions at The Morrisons. Their dogs weren't as happy to meet Archie as Carolyn was.

Rylee's Ace Hardware always welcomes dogs, but Archie made a couple of new friends who will look forward to seeing him again. And he will look forward to seeing them because they have TREATS!

In Grand Rapids, introductions are made to my niece, Vanessa, and friends Cynthia and Sue. 

In Cary, NC, a peaceful moment between Archie and Riley. Riley is a fairly elderly dog who was not pleased with the efforts of this young whippersnapper to get him to play. There was a fair amount of warning noise, but ultimately I think they understood each other.

An arts and crafts fair in Apex before leaving NC yesterday. Many more than these two stopped to admire and pet Archie and to receive his dainty kisses.

And what have I been up to, you might ask. I've been thinking about how to spend the next 40 years of my life, starting with this year. I'd like to write some more songs and make a CD, or whatever it is people do these days to get their music out to other people. To do that, I need to get familiar with different drum rhythms, so everything doesn't sound classical or folk. 

I had a job interview in Albany, NY, for a church music job. I liked all the people I met, and the community is architecturally stunning, but as I drove away I thought, "I could make that work." And then I thought, "Is that what I really want to do? Make it work? If I'm going to live someplace where I have to shovel and make it work, I'll go back to GR where my parents and many friends are." So I told them to take me out of consideration.

About 3 weeks ago, I heard from a UU church in Johnson City, TN. I'd sent my resume way back in February after visiting the church and seeing that they were seeking a choir director. At that time, the minister told me that they were considering how to spend their music dollars -- whether to hire a choir director and accompanist or a music director, or what. I told him I could do any of those things, so I sent him the resume. 3 weeks ago was when the church finalized its budget, including money for a music director, so the minister called to see if I was still interested.

I had the interview this afternoon. I'll meet a couple of committee members again Tuesday evening, but I think there's a good possibility I'll be spending at least this next year in Johnson City -- not as far south as this past winter, but far enough not to have to shovel And if you've ever been through here you know it's gorgeous. 

Johnson City is in the very northeastern tip of Tennessee, only about 25 miles from Bristol (of the Geico commercials -- "now I'm in Virginia, and now I'm in Tennessee ...) and about 45-50 minutes from Asheville, NC. Tennessee is very conservative, but Johnson City is much less so, and it's close to Asheville, a liberal enclave in NC. And I'm happy to say that I've already become familiar with the Earthfare market, the Natural Food Store, and the Natural Pet Supply, as well as the Barnes & Noble. 

Not sure where I'll live yet, but I'll start looking around before I leave in a few days, and I'm sure others will help me by keeping an eye out for places while I'm away in New York and Michigan.

In a few days, I will drive on to Cortland to pick up Abby and take her to GR for a wedding shower, then drive her back, visit Cape Vincent where the wedding will be held, and drive back to GR. There were plans to take my mom and dad to NC for my nephew's high school graduation, but I initially got the date wrong, so now there's a possibility that won't happen, or won't happen when we expected it to. 

I start housesitting on July 7, so from there till the end of Blue Lake session III I'll be in GR -- just in case you wanted to see me and couldn't figure out when I'll be around. 

If I get this job in Johnson City, I'll start mid-August, so as soon as Blue Lake is done I'll be packing up and getting on the road.