A busy week and a half....so much to report.

I hardly know where to start today because it's been so long since I wrote anything and so much has happened.

Let's start with my phone story.  Long story short... I have a new iPhone8.  The long story is why.

Back on January 23, I reported that my Otter Box phone cover failed.  When the phone was accidentally knocked off the kitchen table, landing face down on the hard tile floor, the screen cracked.  It was still usable, so we put off trying to fix it until we had more free time.  Now, I'm glad I didn't spend the $129 to do that!

Monday night we had gone to a lovely dinner and show, featuring one of the hair stylists from Nature Hair who used to be a professional piano bar/lounge singer.  She was awesome, and we really enjoyed our night out.  When it was over, I only had 10% battery life on the phone, so I had planned to charge it in the car as we drove home.  I laid it on the roof of the car as I got organized to go home and stow away some stuff.  BAD IDEA!  NEVER PUT YOUR PHONE ON THE ROOF OF THE CAR!!

That was actually the second time I did that, but the first time nothing bad happened.  Anyway, I got in, and Mark drove off.  Miraculously, the phone stayed up there for about 3 miles, but about 3 miles from home, I heard a thud hit the window next to me. I had the window cracked slightly because it was a lovely evening.  I mentioned to Mark that it sounded like a bird hit the window or maybe a kid through a rock.  Neither was likely as it was already nearly 10 p.m. and dark.  I thought no more about it until about 15 minutes after we got home.  I remembered that I had not charged the phone, so I went to my purse to get it out and put it on the charger.

SURPRISE!!  No phone.  I immediately got that sinking feeling that you get when you know something has gone horribly wrong and it's all your fault.  Mark used our Find-a-Friend app, and said, "Oh, look.  It's on Marigold between Fairway and Genoa."  So that's about 3 miles back.  We got flashlights and took off.  Mark found it right away, but it was demolished.  It had hit the asphalt shoulder of the rod and really got smashed up.  No more iPhone6 for me.

Tuesday afternoon we went to the new AT&T store in our neighborhood and bought the iPhone8.  The experience was excellent.  The salesman was low key and not pushy.  I also got a great new case, and the best thing of all is that the plug jack is the same as the 6.  We don't have to replace any wires. Of course, our bill has gone up about $50 a month as the phone is financed over two years and the plan terms change....they always change.  Still, all's well that ends well, and I'm happy with the new phone.

Secondly, we have two upcoming concerts with our choirs.  The SOJC choir is performing in downtown Orlando on Sunday, April 22 with only four rehearsal to get ready.  We have not been able to meet since December because of a conflict with another synagogue activity, so we had our first of the four rehearsals day before yesterday.  It was ROUGH, but they are doing songs they have done before.  Hopefully, it will all come back.

The Cove Singers have a big concert next Thursday night, so we are down to two dress/tech rehearsals next week on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I have two solos as well as directing 11 songs with the choir.  Mark also has two solos, one of which includes a costume change.  We are a little stressed with this, although I think it will be a great show.  We have been having Tuesday and Thursday afternoon rehearsals for weeks, so it will be nice to get those days back to ourselves.

And Passover is coming.  We have done three shopping trips already.  The freezer is cleaned out and done.  Frank isn't coming this year (his choice), so we are going to use the spare room as a walk in closet for food and supplies instead of clearing everything out of the kitchen. That will save a lot of work.  We need to save some work because the day of the Cove Singers concert is also the day I have to change over the whole kitchen.  The first seder is the day after the show, next Friday night.  By Friday morning the kitchen has to be all ready for me to cook a seder dinner.  We are totally stressed. We still haven't been able to find a shank bone, although we have been to the kosher Winn Dixie twice.  This morning I called, and they have reassured me that they will be in on Tuesday.  We are going to drive over there again Tuesday evening after the dress rehearsal to see if they are really there.  I'm charged with picking up two extras for my friends here in Solivita.  If I don't get one for us, we shall use the alternate, a beet, but I don't know how my friends would feel about that.

Last week we went to the Solivita theater performance of the female version of The Odd Couple, starring lots of our best friends.  As usual, they were AMAZING.  They were FAR better than the semi-professional performance we saw in the fall at the Garden Theater in Winter Haven.

Last Thursday, we had a day long bus trip to Tampa/St. Pete to the Dali museum, lunch, a boat ride on the Hillsborough River through Tampa, and a tour of Ybor City.  It was all delightful except lunch.  The restaurant was new and not prepared to handle a large group.  They had a three-choice prix fixe menu that had nothing for vegetarians.  We insisted they provide something, and what they gave us was horrible.  We made our displeasure known to the tour operator and the Solivita lady who had organized the day.  Otherwise, we did have fun that day.

Tonight we have tickets to see an Elton John impersonator in the ballroom.  I'm sure it will be lots of fun.  We saw the movie Marshall last night up there, which I highly recommend.  Tomorrow afternoon we have a play, Tennessee Walk, at Garden Theater and Sunday we have the musical, Waitress, at Dr. Phillip's Center followed by dinner at a Thai restaurant in Celebration with Susie and Ed.

Topping all of this off, our synagogue is in the throes of finding a new rabbi because our current one gave his resignation to move back up north.  We are all sad to see him go.  We went to the synagogue last Saturday to see one of the candidates and then Sunday afternoon and evening for two services, a learning session, and dinner with the second candidate.  They were both very different, but very good.  We filled out our surveys, and it was hard to put a negative thing about either one.  I'm so glad I'm not on the committee that has to make that decision.  There is a Congregational Meeting this coming Wednesday, so I think the decision will be announced at that meeting.

Now for the weight report.  The last number reported was in the last blog, Wednesday, March 14.  I reported 277.6, which was a little up from before.  This morning, I am 275 even.  That's a loss of 2.6 pounds for 10 days.  Not bad considering I admit that I was not trying at all.  I'm actually pretty out of control, which I am chalking up to all the stress going on with the two shows to do, Passover shopping and cleaning, and generally feeling a little overwhelmed.  Once the Cove Singers show is over next Thursday and the first seder starts next Friday evening, I think I'll feel far less stress.  On the other hand, I love matzah and always gain over Passover.  We shall see how it all goes.