2015
So far this year its been mostly work, snow, ice, work…
I did get to go to a Rare Disease Conference at the NIH last month. That was just a day trip but it was a good one. I always like going back to NIH. I spent so much time there when I was being diagnosed with Cushing’s and post-op that it feels like a second home to me.
We had lunch in the real cafeteria – more memories. When I was an inpatient, my DH and young son would come visit most nights and we’d have a late dinner there.
Last November 30, my son and I got to play a 2-piano duo in the Steinway Hall Rotunda in NYC. As it turned out, we were the last ever people to play there before they moved to a new location in Manhattan.

Steinway Hall, November 30, 2014
Here’s a brief video of him playing his solo and one of us playing 2-pianos:
We are currently getting ready to play a duet (1 piano) at the temporary location for Steinway in early June, 2015 …the same day we leave on a cruise to Bermuda. Talk about a tight schedule!
After the November recital, we went to see the Intrepid in NY Harbor. Across the water, a couple berths over I saw a cruise ship departing. I didn’t know/didn’t care where they were going but I found out.
For Christmas, everyone’s gift was a cruise on the Norwegian Breakaway to Bermuda. More on that later.
Also, this summer will be a trip to Scotland to see and hear the Edinburgh Tattoo. This has been on my bucket list for a long time. My grandfather was in the Black Watch and I just love to hear bagpipes. Even my cellphone ringtone is Scotland, the Brave.
A bit more about him here.
This weekend is a Handbell Festival in Maryland – kind of exciting, too 🙂
Panama Trip, a Day Early!
Our trip was scheduled to start Monday with a flight to Fort Lauderdale, FL.
On Saturday, we realized that there might be a lot of snow where we live, so Tom was able to reschedule our flights for Sunday instead. Really fast packing on Saturday, only 3 hours sleep on Saturday night.
Sunday was iffy, though. You wouldn’t believe it possible but I played handbells at 2 services of my church yesterday, left after ringing at the prelude to the second service, got a cab to Reagan airport, and made it to Florida by 4:00 PM!
While still at the Fort Lauderdale airport, I took these 2 screenshots:
About 8:00 last night, we got the notification that our flight for “today” was cancelled. I think we made the right call by coming a day early!
After the hustle of getting to the airport on time, the flight was fairly calm and I could nap some.
We even got into Ft. Lauderdale about 30 minutes early.
In the airport restroom, I saw 2 young ladies dying their hair. I guess they were away from home and maybe didn’t want their parents to know. That’s a sight I’ve never seen before, though!
A cab ride to the hotel. I think I fell asleep almost immediately.