It is significant that I have almost never bothered with makeup in the last six months but I had reason to put on moisturizer, foundation, and powder yesterday and today. Two days in a row! I hesitate to say life is getting back to normal because it isn't but I have laid some groundwork for activities for the future.
Thursday I had a scheduled phone conversation with Lauren McFeaters, one of our church's pastors. I had hoped to get ideas about places to tutor adults. That did not really happen but she did suggest two places to help with middle school kids so I will follow through on that. It really is not a time to volunteer at most organizations in person. But while we were chatting and available, she asked if we would deliver care packages to the elderly of our congregation. I agreed to do so and asked Jim if he would help me. I kept in mind our vows to never volunteer each other for things without asking!
Then I went to Kingston Presbyterian Church to practice their organ--for the second week in a row. I have asked and scheduled a noon practice time every Thursday. It was time to get out my organ shoes and my music again particularly because I agreed to be on a committee for the local American Guild of Organists. I had hesitated to say yes to that request as I am definitely not a professional. But Katie Connolly, the organist who called, convinced me to reconsider and told me that there was a need for input from amateurs also--trying to be more inclusive, I guess.
And then later Thursday afternoon, Jim drove me to the Blawenburg Reformed Church to meet Katie and get introduced to the organ there. It was a small but lovely organ and did sound more like the Johnson pipe organ from South Bend that I have missed so much. If I do request practice time there, I feel I should volunteer to be a substitute for their services. That is a daunting prospect after a year off and unfamiliarity with a service and an instrument. So we shall see. No request on my part yet and no commitment. 
But what a treat to see their historic church built in 1830. It amused me that in keeping with its being so historic, there was no bathroom facility in the building so Katie gave me the code for the building next door!
Wednesday evening I had joined in on an "Adult Choir Gathering"--aptly named because it was not a rehearsal. I went into it thinking that participating in a virtual choir performance was beyond my technological ability. I left the rehearsal thinking I should give it a try.
So I emailed our grandson Michael, a junior at Princeton High School who had participated in such enterprises with his trombone. I made an appointment with him for 11:30 today on his deck.
I purchased earbuds in preparation for our attempt and that in itself was another adventure. Who knew that there would be two dozen to choose from just at CVS? A very helpful clerk checked her iphone to get me a pair that would be compatible with a Chromebook.
And that brings us to this morning where we had a backyard coffee date with our friends from Raleigh days, Jim and Cynthia Moorhead. We met another couple there Deborah and Gordon Thomas and it was a good conversation--even if mostly about the sad commemoration of 9/11 today.
And then on to my IT appointment where Michael was extremely helpful and we uploaded one of the anthems. There was one last snag. I sang the hymn "God is so Good " using the pronoun "he" as in "He's so good to me." But in our church we avoid the masculine pronoun so it was "God's so good to me." Old habits prevailed and I sang it wrong. So I considered the first video a rehearsal and tried again. It may have been successful! (I just checked the video and saw that I had an Oops moment and my hand went to my mouth--ugh! Maybe they will cut that part off!)
I was so pleased with myself that I emailed Noel Werner, our choir director, and he responded saying it gave him such encouragement that he thought he would frame my email! I guess my pride came through clearly! Now I need to do the second anthem (after learning my part) and trying to upload it on my own. I think I can--I think I can (like The Little Engine That Could!). But if not, Michael is willing to help me again. I hope he feels pride too in that he could help his aging grandmother during these "unprecedented" times of Covid19!
What's left for today? Getting a library book from the curbside pickup at the Plainsboro Library and shopping at the Dollar Tree hoping that they no longer have empty shelves for soft soap. Both those errands are part of the new normal these days. Two full and relatively busy days with contacts with others. I am grateful for the anticipation of more such days this fall!
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