Sushi Making 101

I recently treated myself (plus my friend, Celeste) to a sushi-making class at Sushi Yoko in Fort Worth. I purchased the deal on Groupon, plus making sushi is on my 2013 Resolution List. For $75, Celeste and I each had a cocktail, iced tea, an appetizer, sushi roll, and nearly three hours of personal instruction from the sushi chef and restaurant owner, Lamar. A couple from Dallas and two ladies from Fort Worth were also in the class. Together, we had a wonderful evening full of laughs and great sushi.

The boxes in the photo above are holding chopsticks belonging to families and individuals who eat at Sushi Yoko frequently. The boxes are arranged along several walls inside the restaurant and I think it’s the neatest idea for customer appreciation! Lamar promised me my own set of chopsticks on the wall if I bring more friends for another class …. I’m getting a box on the wall!!!!!

Making sushi is an art and it has quite the colorful history. What most consider sushi began humbly as a way of preserving meat and fish with vinegar-soaked rice. Sushi rice (the most important component) is carefully prepared according to the strict instructions of the itamae (or sushi chef), and every sushi restaurant has its own “secret” recipe using short-grain rice, sugar, salt, and vinegar. To appease our palettes, sushi rice in the United States is much sweeter than its counterpart in Japan, which is made with more vinegar.

After a thorough lesson in the history of sushi, and explaining different types of rolls and assembling techniques, Lamar showed us how to make a traditional California roll with sushi rice, nori (seaweed) paper, cucumber, avocado, and imitation crab. The first step is measuring a palm full of sushi rice and forming a tight, but not “squished” ball of rice in your hand, and retrieving a sheet of nori.

It’s important to not over work the rice as it could quickly turn the consistency of mashed potatoes. Lamar expertly demonstrated how to spread the rice on the sheet of nori, starting down the center of the paper and gently pressing it down, and pushed the rice over the edge about a quarter of an inch. To arrange the filling, Lamar began with the softest food (avocado), then spread the crab meat and neatly arranged several strips of cucumber.

With thumbs positioned on the bottom, and fingers holding the filling ingredients in place, Lamar lifted his wrists and rolled forward in one slow motion.

Without lifting the bamboo mat completely, reposition and roll a quarter of a turn. Then apply slight pressure to seal that perfect edge!

Done … except the edges need to be cleaned up. Lamar used the bamboo mat to hold the roll in place while he “flattened” the edge with the palm of his hand.

You’ve now reached the point in the post where we transition from the professional (Lamar) making sushi to the amateur (Yours Truly). =)

In case you had any doubts, sticky rice is really sticky. There is pomp-and-circumstance required when rolling a bamboo mat covered in plastic wrap too, it’s not as easy as it looks!!!

I pride myself in decent knife skills, but nobody can easily cut through plastic, fresh salmon, and several layers of rice, nori paper, and filling with a regular ol’ steak knife. Because I was a good student and asked questions, took lots of photos, and promised positive promotion for his business, Lamar let me use his chef’s knife. It sliced the roll like warm butter!

I wish I could tell you that my Alaskan roll turned out pretty, but the truth is I am not Picasso in the world of sushi art. But hey, it tasted great!

If you are a sushi eater, what are your favorite rolls? Have you ever taken a food prep class? Tell me in a comment!!!

Touring the Holy Land

I’ve made you wait long enough for photos from my trip to Israel. It took longer than expected to eliminate the blurry, over-exposed, and repetitive photos from more than 2,500 images on five memory cards and at least 400 more on my tablet. There was a minor major hiccup when I accidentally deleted photos from my camera before downloading them to my laptop. However, I’m not too upset because I have plenty of pictures to remember the trip, and even more memories to savor until I can return to Jerusalem.

Before I boarded the plane in Newark, New Jersey to Tel Aviv, Israel, I upgraded my seat from Coach Economy to Coach Plus (definitely worth $107) and swallowed a sleeping pill. I was asleep before take-off. Ten hours later, I watched the sun rise over Athens, Greece {thanks to a handy-dandy map app on the 10-inch screen attached to the seat in front of me}. Still tired, I slept through breakfast too. On the return flight (from Tel Aviv to Newark), I upgraded to Coach Plus again (this time it cost me $127 for a wider seat, more leg room, + a window seat) and slept 10 hours.

If you have plans to visit the Holy Land, may I offer these three suggestions:

1. lose all expectations
2. become a dry sponge willing to soak up all the sights, sounds, and experiences
3. wear comfortable shoes

In regards to expectations, it is important to remember that the Holy Land has endured battles, uproars, disagreements, wars, and power struggles for thousands of years. Modern ideals (i.e. religious law, gender roles, clothing, food, etc.) must respectfully take a backseat during your visit. I also suggest you dust off your history books and religious texts.

A long time ago, people with power and deep pockets ordered the construction of churches, cathedrals, and temples to be built on holy sites. I do not doubt the validity of these locations because in the big scheme of things, it doesn’t matter to me. Instead, I’m savoring memories like these: walking where Jesus walked; remembering my baptism at the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist (but I don’t think John was a Baptist); and praying in the Garden of Gethsemane beside olive trees confirmed to have been present in Jesus’ time. We don’t have to agree, but that’s just plain cool!

According to tradition, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (also called the Church of the Resurrection) sits atop Golgotha (Calvary). Visitors can kneel at an elaborate altar and touch the stone believed to have held Jesus’ cross. There is also a large stone slab in the Rotunda where Jesus’ body was prepared for burial, the Anointed Stone. Despite the extremely low light inside the church, photos of massive tile mosaics turned out better than expected. Another photo miracle came while standing in line to see the tomb of Jesus. I stared at a bronze angel for several minutes before taking its picture. The photo even has bokeh.

Once in Tel Aviv, we visited the coastal city of Jaffa. It was pouring rain so some pilgrims {fancy term for tourists in the Holy Land} stayed on the bus. Jaffa, I learned, is the oldest port in the world. According to the Bible, Jonah set sail from Jaffa before encountering the whale (or was it a fish?), and it was in Jaffa where Peter raised Tabitha from the dead.

Inside most temples, cathedrals, and churches were the most beautiful tile mosaics I have ever seen. Along the Via Dolorosa, I saw this incredible mosaic of Jesus carrying his cross. Every tile had to have been cut and polished by hand, then very carefully arranged to create this beautiful image. I’m still in awe.

The hill of Mount Zion, the highest point in Old Jerusalem, is dominated by the Church of the Dormition (bottom left photo). According to Christian tradition, it is the place where the Virgin Mary died. Nearby is The Upper Room, where Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and served The Last Supper before being crucified, and King David’s Tomb. In the main area of the tomb, before the split between men-only and women-only areas, a grandmother-like woman grabbed my hand (no kidding!) when she saw my camera. Afraid I might take pictures (which I would not do after instructions from our tour guide), she escorted me through the room and back to the exit on the opposite side. She didn’t speak an ounce of English, but she made sure I followed the rules!

The Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu (bottom right photo) is a stone’s throw from The Upper Room, located on the lower east side of Mount Zion. This Roman Catholic Church takes its name from Peter’s triple rejection of Jesus. The church has been rebuilt several times, the latest construction in 1931, and further connects Peter with the golden rooster on the roof. Inside are multiple underground caves and crypts. Some believe Jesus was imprisoned here. On the north side of the church is an ancient staircase that leads to the Kidron Valley and many Christians believe Jesus followed this path down to the Garden of Gethsemane.

There were so many wonderful, magical moments on this trip. I had a blast following the footsteps of Jesus and visiting places important to his ministry. However, walking along the stone streets of Old Jerusalem put so much into context. I don’t know if it was the conglomeration of three major religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) or the sense of old world charm in a bustling metropolis, but I loved every minute of it. Luckily, my tour group spent the last day of our pilgrimage in the Old City — and shared the Sacrament of Holy Communion in the Garden of the Empty Tomb — the perfect way to conclude our trip! Even though the final day focused on the Via Dolorosa, I intentionally stayed at the back of the pack (like I normally do in large group settings) to capture lifestyle shots. Anybody can Google the places I’ve seen, but I wanted photos that captured the essence of the people who live, work, and thrive inside the ancient city walls. There were open-air markets and street vendors selling shawarma (meat prepared on a rotating spit), brightly colored scarves blowing in the breeze, a variety of candies and sweet treats on display tables, and more fresh produce than this country girl could ever imagine!

Where there is water, I usually find a way in. I swam floated in the Dead Sea and now I’m a frequent shopper of AVAHA Dead Sea products. My daily skincare routine includes cleansers, toners, scrubs, masks, and hydrating lotions packed with black mud or saltwater from the Dead Sea. After dining on Saint Peter’s fish (similar taste and texture of tilapia) at a family-style restaurant along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, I snuck away from the group to dip my feet in the (very cool) water. The large rocks provided perfect coverage for my secret mission. Moments later, the group discovered my location as they began boarding a large cruising boat for another tour. The skies were a perfect shade of blue, the water was nice and calm, and the captain turned off the engines and played a soft melody of It Is Well With My Soul over the speakers.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When you have the opportunity to sit atop a camel, just do it already! There were 54 adults standing and gawking, talking about how cool it would be to ride a camel, but nobody was willing to get on the furry animal until Yours Truly demonstrated it was perfectly safe. I’m glad to take one for the team … and do something I’ve never done before!!!

I hope you enjoyed this post and perhaps you learned a few things too. I’d love to visit Jerusalem and the Holy Land again sometime, especially with my Mom. Have you traveled to the Holy Land? The Middle East? What were your favorite spots? What other destinations are on your dream list? Someday, I want to travel to Africa and Asia.

Lovely Ladies | my first “real” photo shoot

Last Sunday, I was approached by a parent in a desperate situation. His daughter, plus five of her friends, scheduled a photo shoot together but the photographer cancelled. They needed somebody with a camera.

I said yes (because that’s what people who can’t say no do) and agreed to take pictures. I called a friend who’s a professional photographer and she gave me suggestions and encouraged me to have fun. Thanks to another lovely lady, I borrowed her Nikon D5000 (like mine) with a super-duper-fantastic 50mm lens.

Dear Santa, please bring me a 50mm lens. I’ll leave your favorite kind of cookies *AND* cupcakes out Christmas Eve! =)

Here are a few of my favorites from the photo shoot at the Fort Worth Stockyards:

Considering this was my first “real” photo shoot, I’m pleased. I learned valuable lessons and gained a lot of confidence. For one, I must check my camera’s settings more often. There was an incredible shot of the girls’ boots, but my ISO was too high. The sun was bright and the photo was washed-out and overexposed. Bummer.

The best thing for me to do now is practice, practice, PRACTICE!

J, S, A, J, E, and M … you are each beautiful and wonderful. Thank you for inviting me to take your pictures. Let’s do this again – SOON!

Nature’s paintbrush

It officially feels like fall now that Daylight Saving Time ended and it’s dark by 5:00pm.

Last night, Husband called to say he was running late because of traffic and asked me to feed Blue. On my way to the barn, I noticed the sky and hurried back into the house and grabbed my camera.

I snapped this picture just in time. By the time I reached the barn, the pink and blue hues were gone and the sun was below the horizon.

The rest of this week will be quiet as I’m attending a 3-day Christian leadership conference in Dallas. However, you still have plenty of time to enter the current giveaway, sponsored by Shabby Apple. Good luck!

The Starfish Story

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy
picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”

The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up
and the tide is going out.  If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“Son,” the man said, “Don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach
and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf.  Then, smiling at the man, he said,

“I made a difference for that one.”

Several years ago, while vacationing with friends, I went to Cozumel
and visited ancient ruins, enjoyed local cuisine,
and snorkeled along coral reefs.

After going to Haiti for a second mission trip,
I realized starfish had, once again,
made their way into my photo albums.

The mission team and I spent two afternoons at private beach
resorts enjoying the sand, surf, and sun near Leveque,
where we lived and worked clearing earthquake rubble
and rebuilding the community’s Methodist church.

At one particular beach, the water was exceptionally clear.
Once again, I was living, working, and playing in
God’s playground … among His “starry” creations!

And, there was this little guy:
a baby starfish.
awwwwww

I know I cannot save the situation in Haiti all by myself, but I know I made a difference while I was there. Even more important are the “starfish” who made a difference to me. They have blessed me much more than I could have blessed them.

our cook, MADAM MONTAS

Pouring rain couldn’t stop the
THREE MUSKETEERS
(me, Mr. A, and Ms. L)
from enjoying a Haitian sunset

RODNY

CINDY
I want to live every day of my life with the bright-eye wonder of yours.

SUNGLASSES were meant to be shared and pink bandanas worn.

HUGS need no interpretation.
There are no language barriers.

AYLAYIA
a real Haitian tap-tap driver

JONAS
construction site worker, diehard “futbol” fan, and devoted father

Who are the STARFISH in your life?

I’m baaaaaaaaaack!!!!!!!!

Did y’all miss me?!

I’ve been in Haiti driving tap-taps (not really, but I got to ride in the back of one), sweating like crazy, and pushing wheelbarrows of dirt and base rock for a church foundation in Leveque. I’m glad to report that since I arrived home, I’ve taken 4 showers, soaked in the tub twice, washed my really stinky clothes (multiple cycles), and my backpack is washed and air-drying outside.

THE REUNION OF THE CENTURY ….. en route to Port-au-Prince, during a layover at Miami International Airport, I saw Jenny C. She and I went to elementary school and we haven’t seen each other since the sixth grade!!!! Believe me, neither one of us has changed a bit. =) She has traveled to Haiti numerous times over the years working and volunteering in orphanages and children’s hospitals. She also owns her own snow-cone stand in Bowling Green, Kentucky. She’s pretty much the bee’s knees in my book for these two reasons.

This trip to Haiti was incredible. While I wouldn’t trade last year’s trip for any amount of money, this one was different. We lived, worked, played, and worshiped as a family unit. Church and school leaders live on one side on the property and the Haitian construction site coordinator lives on the other. Students and church members live nearby also. The church, literally, is the center of community life.

Speaking of the work site, the Methodist School of Leveque was rebuilt in 2011. Earlier this year, UMVIM teams began clearing the demolished church and construction on the new building immediately followed. Until the church is complete, however, worship takes place inside a classroom and choir practice in a large hallway. The hallway also served as the site of our team’s impromptu nail salon. We packed several bottles of nail polish and it was a *HUGE* success with the girls in the community!!!!

When we arrived, base rock had been placed in the majority of the squares (each square measures approximately 10 feet by 10 feet). Needless to say, we had our work cut out for us.

At the bottom of the last square, each person on our team wrote a message on a rock. Since I’m an over-achiever, I decorated my rock with Sapphire Siren and French White Tip nail polish. My rock is really adorable. Don’t you think?!

By the end of the week, all squares of the foundation had been filled with base rock and a three-inch layer of concrete had been poured in section as well. I feel really sorry for future teams as they will be mixing and hauling TONS of concrete … that’s a LOT of work.

Whomever said mission trips were boring has never traveled with fun, fabulous, and friendly folks like us. I mean, we work hard and we play hard. Plus, while graciously supporting the Haitian economy, we had this amazing view …. go ahead, be jealous:

Yes, Haiti has beautiful beaches. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

The town on Leveque is also home to Haiti’s largest deaf community. Mission of Hope has built an entire community with permanent housing for the deaf and hearing-impaired. During an afternoon walk-about, we toured the community and met several of its residents.

THE FACES OF HAITI ARE PRECIOUS TO ME

Finally, I visited the site where I worked last year. Two other team members and I were on the 2011 Haiti Mission Team and seeing this school in its finished state was unbelievable.

The Methodist School in Puit Blains is complete with its second-story addition and basketball court. It is the most beautiful building I’ve ever seen!!!!!!!!! Standing in a classroom atop the second floor overlooking the property adorned with a full-size basketball court was the most rewarding, fulfilling, and gratifying moment of the entire trip.

I’m exhausted but grateful for the experience. Thanks to all the wonderful ladies who provided guest posts (told you they were awesome!!!) and took care of Three 31 while I was gone.

Take care!

Bloggers & Bluebonnets

Over the weekend, I had the most fun with a bunch of ladies from the Facebook group, Texas Bloggers (find us here).
We met in Fort Worth at A Piece of Work, a do-it-yourself art studio. The concept is genius, even for a non-artistic person like myself. Most of us, I think, live within 30-40 miles of Fort Worth, but some ladies drove a “fer” piece to attend this party. We ate snacks and drank wine provided by our hostesses, laughed (and Holli snorted more times than I could count), and even shared a few tips about the blogging world before painting. Every lady is just how I imagined them to be. When you visit their blog and read their posts, they are the same authentic person in real life.

In order to properly cover myself, I opted for a double-breasted apron ensemble — which means I wore two aprons, one to cover each of The Girls. Of course, the other ladies laughed but at the end of the night, I did not get a drip or splatter of paint on my bright pink shirt.

The ladies at A Piece of Work are very hospitable and they go all out to make sure artists (a.k.a. customers) are comfortable. Jenny (our instructor) and Leslie (one of the co-owners) were very reassuring too. I was very doubtful about my abilities!!!

When I arrived, the studio was prepped with every supply needed to paint our blank canvas. Since we are all bloggers from Texas, our project for the evening was a bluebonnet scenery. The cost to participate included a canvas, paint, brushes, and a professional artist’s instruction.

This event was co-hosted by a group of lovely ladies that I was very excited to meet in person. When I arrived at the painting studio, they were putting the finishing touches to the snack and wine bar.TAYLOR (wearing the cream shirt) blogs at Goings on in Texas, JULIE (black and white floral top) blogs at A Beautiful Day, and SARAH (coral sweater) blogs at City Girl Gone Country.

They went all out with trays of fruit, veggies, fresh salsa, and even had chocolate chip cookies (non-dairy!!!!) that were safe for me to eat. Several varieties of Texas wines were offered and everybody went home with a cupcake especially wrapped with the Texas Bloggers logo sticker. How adorable are these cupcake boxes?!?!

Following Jenny’s instruction, we began painting our masterpieces one specific step at a time. I have to admit, I was scared to death. Yes, a plastic tray of paint and three brushes intimidated me!!!!!! I dabbed, I flicked my wrists like Jenny demonstrated, and at one point I used my fingers instead of a brush to blend in the colors.

Finally, after three hours of painting, socializing, encouraging, laughing, eating and drinking, I had a finished product. Please don’t judge my artwork. I tried. REALLY HARD. I’ll probably have ulcers by Tuesday because I was so nervous and stressed. Jenny and Leslie were wonderful motivation and extremely patient teachers, even offering to add their own professional strokes onto my canvas and demonstrating a particular technique. No worries, I’m not quitting my day job.

We all took pictures (we’re bloggers, that’s what we do when we’re out and about ……. DUH!!!!) at the paint party and I can’t wait to see what everybody uploads to our Facebook page. Until then, enjoy this mini collage I created with pictures from APRIL (Red Dirt Mama), AMANDA (Princess of The Panhandle), and HOLLI (Holli’s Hoots and Hollers).

Do y’all remember this post about my pen-pal exchange? Well, KRISTEN (Few Of My Favorite Things) surprised me by attending this event!!!!!! She lives in McKinney, northeast of Dallas, and drove nearly two hours to get to our party. Rest assure, I gave her lots of hugs and we even sat next to each other while we painted. It was sooooooo cool to meet her. And, she’s the cutest lil’ thing ever!!!!!!

Independence Day | and my 100th post

Washington, D.C. | Smithsonian Museum & Dim Sum (the finale)

I spent my last day in D.C. at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Of course, I arrived minutes after the doors opened and quietly pushed myself to the front of the line in front of the larger school groups gathering outside. Being a party of *one* has its advantages, especially in D.C.

Admission to the museum is free, but I spent nine dollars to see an IMAX film on coral reefs. It. Was. Ahhh. Mazing. Watching IMAX films is a thrill to me. What’s better than watching a video on a screen that’s 66-feet-tall and 90-feet across? I felt like I was flying alongside the gliders and diving with the photographers on their quest to save reefs in the South Pacific.

To see a preview of the IMAX film that I watched, click HERE.

Of course, my trip to this museum would not be complete without a visit to the Harry Winston Gallery. In this collection of gems, is the itsy-bitsy jewel known as The Hope Diamond. It’s a tiny little thing at 45 perfect carats. You might have seen it before, it’s real ugly. I can’t imagine anybody wanting to wear such a dreadful piece of jewelry. (tee hee hee)

For a small fee, I think $129, you can buy a replica of The Hope Diamond in the gem store at the museum. No, I did not purchase one for myself ……. but I thought about it.

As a coal miner’s daughter, it was really neat to see the exhibit of items from the Chilean mine rescue. The 33 men trapped underground for 68 days were brought to the service with this capsule. The Chilean flag (top right corner) flew over the mine and contains numerous well-wishes for the miners and rescuers.

One of the exhibits inside the Smithsonian was the 2011 Nature’s Best Photography. It, in simple terms, was absolutely stunning. I stood in front of each photo and said *WOW*

To see all the photos in the gallery, click HERE. You don’t want to miss this!

After several hours in the museum, my stomach was growling so loud that people began giving me strange looks. I boarded the METRO train and made my way to DuPont Circle for lunch at Ping Pong, a dim sum restaurant. I had never tried dim sum (steamed dumplings) before, but this was definitely one of my *favorite* meals in D.C. I’m a serious fan of dim sum and hope to find a restaurant in the DFW area.

My waiter, Jeremy, is a native Texan (born and raised in Dallas) studying international commerce at George Washington University. He was a jewel at helping me order dim sum.
I saved the menu so I could share exactly what I had with you:

• lime and crushed mint iced tea
• spicy pork dumpling (steamed)
• crispy shrimp wontons with sweet and sour sauce (fried)
• chicken and cashew nut dumpling (griddled)
• chicken and black pepper spring rolls with spicy mango sauce (fried)

After lunch, I walked around DuPont Circle and eventually found myself in the middle of Embassy Row, an area of D.C. where diplomats and international institutions are housed.
I walked along Massachusetts Avenue, where more than 75 embassies are located, and stood in front of the embassies of Greece, Japan, Haiti, Finland, South Korea, and India. A green space in front of the Indian Embassy includes a statue of Muhammad Ghandi.

I didn’t realize that Massachusetts Avenue was (and still is) considered one of Washington’s premier residential addresses for its mansions housing social and political elites. It’s also been called Millionaires’ Row. The architecture is very beautiful and there were even some properties for sale (hint hint to Husband).

Well, I went to D.C. and I’m already looking forward to the next trip. There’s so much to see and do and experience and savor, and enjoy that a person cannot see it all in a few days. Perhaps the next time I’m at the nation’s capital, Husband can join me on the sight-seeing tours. My pictures don’t do the city justice.

Thanks for reading all about my adventure in D.C. ….. I appreciate it!!!!!!!!

Washington, D.C. | National Mall (part two)

Last Wednesday, I arrived in D.C. via the METRO and walked the entire National Mall (nearly four miles total!!!!!) by 9:30am. I saw the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial. The reflection pool (the huge body of shallow water …. remember Jenny and Forrest in Forrest Gump? Yes, that one.) was empty and closed due to renovations. There were also numerous tents and construction trailers parked everywhere. It was not very picturesque.

As I walked along Constitution Avenue towards the National Archives (home to the original Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights), I saw the White House, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and World War II Memorial.

Once I arrived to the National Archives, I stood outside and waited for the facility to open at 10:00am. I was in the first group of approximately 100 persons allowed inside. The National Archives does not allow photography, so you’ll have to trust that I saw the *original* documents that created this great country.

I bought a souvenir magnet, you’re more than welcome to come to my house and look at the sides of my refrigerator!!!!!

By the time I left the Archives, I was starving. And, because I was exhausted from the “trek” around the mall earlier, I hailed a cab and the very nice driver took me to a D.C. classic restaurant: Old Ebbitt Grill. My waitress, Helen, was fantastic. I enjoyed a house salad with citrus vinaigrette and two crab cakes that I wouldn’t have shared if my life depended on it. If you want to lick the computer screen, go ahead. I won’t stop you.

After lunch, I went to the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church and enjoyed their noon-time Wednesday service. I met many wonderful folks who welcomed me and appreciated me visiting their beautiful church. Thanks to my new friends, and their descriptive directions, I found my way back to the METRO train station and returned to “The Facility” later in the afternoon.

By the time Husband left his training classes, I was sound asleep taking an afternoon siesta.