Friday, April 17, 2009

Friday's FIVE!













My friend Esther and I went to the Wagon Wheel Theater this weekend to see Sawyer Brown...
a group that has been performing for over 27 years. Iwas a fan of of the TV show, Star Search... and Sawyer Brown won that competition in 1983 and have continued with a long and successful run. Esther and I always have a good time together, and our husbands don't enjoy country music... so we make it a girls night to go to these concerts. It was a fun concert - and it reminded me of several other concerts that I have attended. I've been to many concerts - and many different types of music - from Arrowsmith and Kiss to Clint Black and Martina McBride to James Taylor... Hootie and the Blowfish, Dave Matthews Band...Sara McLaughlin, Elton John and Billy Joel - but this weeks Friday's FIVE! is Five of the 'stand-out' concerts I've attended...

1. Diana Ross - Steve and I went to Roselawn in 1982 to see Diana Ross and it was an AMAZING performance... it was truly chilling to see such a superstar!

2. Bette Midler - I have been a Bette Midler fan since 1972...before many people had even heard of Bette Midler. I've had the chance to see her a few times and I've never been disappointed by the show she puts on... The costumes...the music... the performances.... the stage.

3. Jimmy Buffett - FINS TO THE LEFT! What else can you say... ???? There is nothing like a Jimmy Buffett concert... Bruce and I saw Jimmy Buffett in Sept. 2001 - with Roger and Colleen. It was right after Bruce and I had started dating...and it was the first concert Buffett had performed since 9/11. He was scheduled to play at Deercreek on 9/11 and this was the re-scheduled event. It was a show I'll never forget.... We've seen him a few times since... but nothing has compared to that concert.

4. Ringo Star and his All Starr Band - with Ringo Starr - drums, vocals
Joe Walsh - guitar, vocals , Nils Lofgren - guitar, vocals , Todd Rundgren - guitar, vocals
Dave Edmunds - guitar, vocals Burton Cummings - keyboards, vocals , Timothy B. Schmit - bass, vocals , Zak Starkey - drums , Timmy Cappello - saxaphone.
We went to this concert with Laura and Jeff Farber...Laura was working for a radio company that had the security contract with Sunshine promotions. Because of Laura's connections...we had backstage passes...and we were able to meet Ringo Starr and all of the rest of the All Starr band - Ringo shook our hands and said - "very nice to meet you"... it was something I'll never forget!

5. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill - The concert was fantastic...and the couple put on a great show - but the best part of this concert was that this was a girls night. Mom, Katie and Betsy and I went to Indianapolis to see the concert at Conseco Fieldhouse. We had dinner in the Varsity Club and sat on the rail while were served dinner and beer and wine throughout the concert. It was such a wonderful evening...and a memory that we all hold very close and dear to our hearts...

Friday, April 10, 2009

Friday's FIVE!


Priest Bargaining Scene - Daddy played the Priest in the black and white stripe...


Palm and Garland Girls


Jerusalem Maidens



Katie...as Claudia
~~~~~~~

This weekend we celebrate Easter... Christians celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is a blessed time for the faithful to celebrate the life, death and resurrection of the Savior... This weekend we celebrate Easter by attending our local Church ~ Center United Methodist in Silver Lake, IN...and we took Mom to lunch and we gathered at Bruce's Mom's to celebrate in the late afternoon with the Lankenau family. This weeks Friday's FIVE! I am remembering Easters past...


1. Marion had been home to the Marion Easter Pageant founded in 1937. In the year 2003 the pageant was suspended due to issues with the building's plumbing system. The Marion Easter Pageant is unique in that no spoken words, lines from any cast members is ever used. The pantomime story of the last week of the life of Christ on earth is told entirely with song, dance and of great anthems and familiar hymns
As a child, my family was involved in the Marion Easter Pageant. My Pence Grandparents were involved in the first pageant and the tradition continued until the pageant ended a few years ago. My mother and my father were both involved in the pageant in high school.
As a child, I was a Palm and Garland girl - and can remember practicing at the YWCA. Little did I know then how deep of a traditions this would become for my own daughters. I was a Palm and Garland girl for a few years...and then later sang in the choir for a few years while in Jr. and High School. My mother was in the Ave Maria choir and Daddy was begger in the early days and later a Priest. My Grandma Alexander did make-up - Grandpa Alexander was a pilgrim on the floor for a few years and also built props. Katie and Betsy were both Palm and Garland Girls and Members of the Cross. Betsy was a pilgrim on the floor with me ~ while their Dad was Moneychanger and a Priest. Katie was also a Jerusalem Maiden. She carried the tradition into her own adulthood by being a member of Claudia Retinue and later played Claudia. It was deep strong community tradition that I am proud to have been a participant.


2. Our girls were raised in the First United Methodist Church in Marion. As a child growing up - my family were members of the church, but we did not attend regularly. It was different for my daughters - We didn't miss a Sunday ~ and we were often there several nights a week for many different commitees and activities ~ but the preparation for Easter and Christmas were the highlights of our Christian faith. Easter Sunday services at First United Methodist Church in Marion in that beautiful sanctuary - with the pipe organ made for a truly spiritual experience.


3. As a stay at home daughter of two daughters - I knew I would have to make their dresses myself if I wanted then to have the ruffled... crinoline dresses that I dreamed for them to wear.
The "Martha's Minatures" were too expensive for me to buy - so I would just learn how to make them... So- I took to the machine and with a McCalls/Simplicity pattern in hand...I would lovingly sew the girls Easter Sunday dresses. Mother would often make one - and I would make the other. We would carefully plan the colors and patterns to coordinate. We would spend hours and hours and hours with gathered ruffles and piping to make beautiful dresses that (If I do say so myself) put Martha's Minatures to shame....


4. Easter Brunches... We would gather with Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa Alexander for Easter Brunch after Church. In the early days, we would go to the Sheraton ... the downtown hotel in Marion for the brunch. Later, Mom and Dad joined the country club where we would go for our Sunday Brunch. The brunches were always a fun time - and at the country club, the Easter Bunny was present and often a clown or a magician. It was a special family time and I treasure the memories.

5. I've already mentioned the pageant... but it was such a huge part of the celebration ... and there are so many memories included with that tradition. Weeks and weeks of practice - the smell of the old Marion Coliseum... I still refer to that terrible tired feeling as 'Easter Pageant' tired...when we stayed up all night, or got only 2 or 3 hours of sleep to be able to arrive for the make-up call by 3:00AM - so we could be prepared for the one hour Sunrise presentation that began at 6AM. The smell of the make-up ... and the traces left behind... The hunt for sandals without buckles... the last minute run for panty hose - The quick, hurried change from the make-up covered faces... to our Easter Sunday best ... so we could make it to church on time at 9:30..... But the best memory of all...was the joyous sound of CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAY ~ followed by the Hallejulah Chorus...with the sun peaking through the windows of the Coliseum. We arrived in the dark ~ and left with the Sun shining down on us reminding us...


HE IS RISEN....HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!!

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Firday's FIVE!











This weekend we are celebrating Betsy and Debbie...
My daughter Betsy and her partner Debbie, were joined in a ceremony in Maui, Hawaii...
on November 11, 2008. This weekend on April 4, 2009 - we celebrated with a reception.
This weeks Friday FIVE! is a celebration of Betsy and Debbie!

1. Betsy and Debbie met in Muncie, Indiana... Betsy was working at her Dad's restaurant and Debbie was working at a local downtown store. Betsy was a student at Ivy Tech and Debbie was working on her graduate degree at Ball State. We knew when Betsy introduced to us to Debbie...that this was something special and she was going to be around forever!

2. Betsy and Debbie moved to Chicago... in the Lakeview East area ~ near the lake. The culture in the area was true match for them. They are able to walk most places... they have the lake nearby to satisfy their love of nature...and they have the city with all of the concerts, shows, arts and restaurants. The city is a perfect place for them to start their life together.

3. Betsy and Debbie love nature... They love to hike... to backpack...and to enjoy the outdoors.
The have enjoyed many backpacking trips...including a dangerous adventure to the Smokies one spring break that nearly left them stranded in the mountains with a heavy lake spring snowfall.


4. Betsy and Debbie love their kitty - Djembe. They have a beautiful, healthy...'handsome' kitty that enjoys the window in their apartment. He is a sleek, athletic cat ~ and he brings joy and harmony to their home.


5. Betsy and Debbie are a perfect match... They balance each other - they intuitively pick up on each others strengths and weaknesses...They bring out the best in each other. I am blessed with such wonderful children ~ and even more, that my children have partners that make them happy...and make them whole. I'm so blessed that I am the natural mother of two beautiful daughters ~ and because they have blessed me with their partners...I now am proud to have four wonderful children....We are so thankful to have Debbie in our family!!!!