Serving, Being Served and Singing My Heart Out

This morning Max and I drove up to Greenhill Lake Camp to help out at a seniors' dinner. I wrapped fudge for an hour and Max organized the product table. Doris was working at various tasks as well. She goes to Greenhill every Tuesday to volunteer. At noon, about 70 seniors came in to dine, and we were ready for them. I walked and walked, and served their dinners and their pieces of pies, and loved every minute of it. I love being a waitress – the whole thing – serving AND cleaning up, and joking with the patrons, and making sure everyone is well taken care of. After the seniors ambled out, we ate a wonderful lunch of chicken, vegetables and parslied potatoes. No pie for me, though, since it has wheat. Sometimes I'm thankful I can't eat dessert like everyone else. I cleaned up dishes and tables for the next hour and a half, and then Max and I wearily poured our bodies into the car. "I'm going to have a nap when I get home," I said. "Me, too!" Max retorted. Alas, I did not have a nap, but got on the phone, returning messages.

At 4 o'clock, it was time to go to the gym (Nubody's) for an appointment with Saffire, my personal trainer. She put me through some good stuff, let me tell you, and I left there an hour later with weary muscles. Squats, lunges, V-sits, tricep work, biceps, and worst of all – SKIPPING! I HATE SKIPPING! Haven't done it since I was a girl trying to jump Double Dutch or something. I didn't give up during my work out and told Saffire that if I could go through cancer, I could do exercise, even if I was panting a little. She said I was a fighter and did a great job.

I came home and tried to have a nap, but alas, it did not happen. Too much on my mind and I kept emailing people. You see, I do my first retreat this weekend at Camp Tulakadik. I'm calling it "More Than a Survivor II" (I did a similar weekend in 2007). Some of my friends are going with me and helping me. It's the least prepared I've been yet, but I know that it will turn out OK. We are going to share what we've survived this year, how we got through it, and what lessons we have learned.

At 6:30, I hightailed it down to Mom's, where Beth picked us up. And off we went to the first fall meeting of the Fredericton Ladies Choir, which I was allowed to join this year. I sang my heart out and loved every minute of it. Oh, it felt good to sing challenging music and be led by such professionals – Dianne Wilkins and Peter Steeves. And it's something I can do with my mother. We sit beside each other and we both sing second soprano. There are 80+ people in the choir. Remember me telling you about this choir earlier in the year? Well, I'm in it! Dianne told us that she gets requests all the time for us to perform – even the Vatican in Rome! They told us tonight that they are organizing a trip to New York for next June, so who knows, I may make it to New York City yet!

Well, must go and talk to my friend, Doug and find out about his day. He's been raising a pile of money for Run for the Cure. He asks his co-workers to sponsor him for the run, and tells them he promises not to run because if he did, he'd have to ask them for money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. He's so cute. I love him.