Tag Archives: The Salvation Army

An Homage to My Past!

Good evening!

Saturday evening, my dad, his wife Trudi, my sweetie, and myself all went over to the Salvation Army’s Kroc Center to watch the Seattle Temple Brass Band and Songsters perform.

The band was really terrific. They reminded me of my youth growing up in the Salvation Army myself. Some of you may not know this, but I grew up going to the Salvation Army. One of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE part of all those years was singing, and playing cornet in the brass band.

I remember picking up a cornet to play for the very first time in Portland, Oregon, when I was something like 6 years old. It was very slow going, with a lot of squeaks, squawks,and blats, but little by little, I got a little better, and a little better, and pretty soon I was having the time of my life trying like the dicken’s to play with the big guys!!

I played all through middle school, junior high, high school, and I played until I was about 23 years old. I ended up playing in marching bands, symphonic bands, pep bands, and brass bands alike. We traveled all over the west coast doing performances just like the one we were watching! That was quite a while now, but listening to this band play made me think about picking up my cornet and start playing again!!

Oh the memories!!

I still have my cornet, bright, shiny, and ready to play at a moments notice sitting in my closet. Not to say that I WOULD be able to play again at a moments’ notice, that would take quite a bit of practicing, and possibly some relearning too!

You know I have been busy these past few months searching for my new art medium?? Well, it sometimes amazes me to know that I had an “art medium” all that time, and never once went looking for it, it just seemed to find me! Music is something that had always seemed to come naturally to me, although I am sure that it really helped being born into a musical family. Most everyone in my family either played a brass instrument, or could sing.

I wish I could do that all over again, knowing what I know now!! I am not sure I would have ever given it up!!

Anyway, we really did have a fun time, both the band and the songsters were amazingly talented and extremely fun to listed to – and Jason even impressed himself by not even remotely falling asleep once!! LOL! 😉 I was just dissapointed that we couldn’t purchase a music CD of them playing – that would have been GREAT!! and I am sure I would be busy driving Jason crazy with it playing over and over again in the car!! GOOD TIMES!!!

Have a FABULOUS evening! ;-)

Oh Em Gee!

Good evening!

I have had such a GREAT day!!! My time is so short this evening to get my blog posted before midnight tonight!! So, here is the VERY abbreviated version of my day with my dad and Trudi!!!

  • Got up early!
  • Rallied the troops late!
  • Went to The Original Pancake House for a yummy lunch!
  • Then back to JoAnn fabrics – just to return something from last night!
  • Made a stop over at Pier One Imports for a new scented candle – had so much fun there, even my sweetie picked out a scent for himself called Spiced Cake, which he said made him want Christmas early this year! I am ALWAYS game for that!! 😉
  • Went over to Catherine’s to see if I could find something I have been looking for – no luck
  • Went to sports store to find a pair of tennies for my dad – luck! 😉
  • Next off to downtown Salem to go antiquing, and had a BLAST searching for treasures!! DO YOU KNOW THAT PLACE IS HAUNTED??? I have it on good authority that any old building is haunted, and if there is any place in Salem that qualified as old, was the place we ended up at!! 😉
  • We headed back to our place for the world’s shortest mini/nap/break/pause before we headed out again to go to a brass band concert – SO MUCH FUN!!! (Made me want to start playing again!!!!)
  • Then Jason and I stopped – super late – to pick up dinner and then off to meet Dad and Trudi over at Cold Stone Creamery by our place.
  • At Cold Stone Creamery the owner came in, who Jason happens to know, and I ended up having the BEST chat with their 6-year old daughter, who is just as cute as a bug in a rug!!! SERIOUSLY!!! 😉
  • Then maybe the MOST AWESOME part of our day, we stood outside of the Cold Stone for over an hour just talking, and getting to know the Cold Stone owner and her husband!! I just LOVE her and her family!! I know that I have just met her for the first time this evening, but I feel we have known each other FOR EVER!!! I will most definitely be getting in touch with her again soon!!! OOH!! Maybe she would like to join me and my girlfriends for our next Girls’ Night In!!! That would be FANTASTIC!!!

Anyway, I have a whole BUNCH of pics to share with you but since my time is sooooo short this evening, I am going to make sure to take some serious time to get them posted tomorrow!!!

Have a FABULOUS evening! 😉

A Night of Worship with Family!

Good evening!

I have just gotten back from a Sunday night worship service at The Salvation Army in Albany, Oregon tonight!! I don’t know if you know this about me, but I grew up in the  Salvation Army church. My dad called us earlier in the week and asked me if we would come out this Sunday evening because they happened to have a combined service only about a 15 minute drive from our place – so of course Jason and I were in!!!

Jason and Trina

Myself and my Dad

Not only that, but my dad sang a solo this evening, and I was lucky enough to record him singing. My dad, and most of my family have been singers for as long as I can remember. But, my dad has, for the most part been the soloist of the family, and I haven’t had the chance to hear him sing for quite a while – so tonight has been a treat!!!

I did try and record it, but apparently my camera has a mind of it’s own and ate my video, and won’t spit it out!! DANG!! I know my Dad’s wife, Trudi recorded a copy of her own, so I will have to share it once I get a copy of that!!

Which is really a shame, because not only does my dad have a strong, rich voice, he plays guitar BEAUTIFULLY!! You see, my family is Hawaiian, and so my dad plays in a style that really incorporates the sound of slack-key. I can listen to my dad play guitar all day – it is Heaven in my ears!!

I have it on my life list to create a music CD with my dad in a recording studio. Tonight reminded me of that, and it also has inspired me to get on the ball and figure out how to make that happen! Hmmmm….

Here are some more pics I was able to capture this evening:

Trudi and Dad chatting up their peeps!

Faye, Lila, and my Dad

Jessica and Trina (they were so giggly, it was hard to get a clear picture!!!)

Jason and Trina being giggly!

Trina, Lila, and Myself

My dad waving his Salvation Army flag during a traditional upbeat hymn, a Salvation Army tradition!

Me “mothering” Trina, of course! 😉

Trina and I

and this guy is the guy I got to bring home with me – what a CUTIE!!! 😉

As I was posting pics this evening, I realize that I don’t really have hardly any pictures of Trudi, she is always so busy running around, setting things up, chatting with people!! I am going to have to be more stealthy and try capturing her next time I see her!! 😉

Tonight was a lot of fun, and I am so thankful that I was able to spend some time with some of my family! I can’t wait until next time!! OH, I will definitely post that video of my dad singing as soon as I can get my hands on a copy!!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!