I am fortunate to have visited some of the world’s most beautiful hotels. While most of them are somewhat predictable, the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo really impressed me. I stayed here for two nights in one of their Tatami Suite accommodations. I don’t know how I ended up in this incredible room, but it was one of the most unusual, comfortable, and memorable hotel experiences I’ve ever had.

Most especially since this suite is located in a high-rise hotel, one you’d never, ever believe had such a suite. When you walk off the elevator and open the door, you are momentarily stunned at what you see. To say it’s beautiful is an understatement. It’s subtle, calm, and unique. It’s on a very high hotel floor (I think it was the 40th floor), which makes this even more impressive. The bed was a traditional futon; the room was large enough to accommodate at least four people, and the traditional Japanese bath was, in a word, unforgettable. I’ll never forget this experience, ever.

I’ve always been a huge fan of Elton John. I stood in a line for nearly 7 hours waiting to purchase tickets for my friends and myself to one of his live concerts In Tucson (which was fantastic!). At the concert, he came on stage alone, with only a piano, and blasted his musical heart to us for nearly 3 hours. This man can perform, my friends.

His life has been examined under devices with the power of the Hubble Telescope; he has been adored, hated, vilified, and loved for over 50 years. No matter how you feel about Elton; where would we be without mega-hits like Candle in The Wind, Philadelphia Freedom, Crocodile Rock, Circle of Life, and, my all-time favorite, Rocketman.

The movie “Rocketman” is fantastic. Taron Edgerton brought Elton’s life story to motion and music. The movie brings the man and the superstar to life. Elton is an unbelievable person, a wonderful family man, and a colossal survivor.

He is an international treasure; I’d stand in line for a ticket for any concert, anywhere.

Growing up, I always looked forward to family meals, especially ones at my Grandmother’s house. She loved to cook, entertain her large and wonderful family, and have her daughters nearby to help.

My aunts were all amazing; however, my Aunt Dorothy streaked to the head of the pack when it came to specialty cooking. She was a creative (tough to do in the ’50s), imaginative, and excellent cook.

She particularly excelled at building Jell-O mold salads, all individual works of art. Almost anything imaginable found its way into her salads. Cottage cheese, tiny mandarin orange slices, minuscule carrot pieces, stuffed olive slices, pineapple, miniature marshmallows, and my favorite, banana slices.

I have no idea how she created these works of art. Other family members always brought their favorite dishes (my mom’s ace in the hole was some sorta’ garlic sausage dish), but no one could overtake Aunt Dorothy.

In childhood, she contributed many things to me; the Jell-O salads are near the top of a long list of her outstanding accomplishments.

Today, I learned about the passing of my friend’s wife after a long illness; it is, coincidentally, her birthday.

The couple have been married for more than 60 years. They have a wonderful family; she was a delightful person, a revered teacher to thousands of children, a mom, a grandmother, and a dear friend to all (she also loved banana pudding most of all.)

A passage from the Bible (John 16:22) beautifully reminds us: “So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again, and you rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” It’s a comforting message about hope and the promise of joy returning.

Her smile, laughter, and goodness will remain with us always.

Our church choir flew across the Atlantic to sing. The choir from St Stephen’s Episcopal Church, our church in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, brought the Evensong service of choral music, chant, and prayer to life in London’s Westminster Abbey. Our choir and supporters (50+ strong) were in London for a series of choral concerts and tour highlights for 10 days. While performances varied, Evensong, performed in this world-famous church, is a highlight.

Our choir (and our director of music) bring their voices and joy to us every Sunday. As a member of St Stephen’s, I feel proud when I imagine this group presenting Evensong in this prestigious church. The collective voices of the group filling the space remind me of the inspiration and passion this service brings to life. Whenever I go to our services, I will have my friends who went to London and their incredible performance on my mind. What an incredible gift.

We are so thankful to have a 24/7 car pass that allows us to visit Arlington National Cemetery around the clock, any day of the year. We received this two years ago when my wonderful, loving cousin Jean was interred there, and we attended the service.

This forever pass is something I treasure; as we drove through the gates of Arlington, I instantly felt a sense of calm and reverence. On our visit, it was a perfect spring day, with beautiful buds opening on trees everywhere.

We walked around Jean’s headstone, reading other inscriptions and awards for others interred there. The experience is like reading a roll call of the most amazing people you’ve never met. The awards are small reminders of the actions of people who gave their all in the service of our country; in many, many instances, people not even old enough to vote are in the company of 4 and 5-star leaders.

I look forward to another visit with my cousin and the thousands of others sharing her hallowed ground.

One of my wonderful bird friends stopped off yesterday morning for a bath. The bird flew towards me as I watched, landing directly in front of me. Seconds later, there was a flurry of wing action, whipping up the water. It was so fun to watch; I took a photo while the water was flying, but you can’t see the bird for the flurries. It was a simple pleasure of life for the bird and me.

Two weeks ago, I was in the Arlington National Cemetery celebrating the services of a family member. As I walked through the cemetery, I felt a sense of calm; all around me, more than 400,000 people are resting there.

Their grave markers tell who they are, yet not what they did. No matter, in every case, these are the true Champions of our Nation. They share a space with no bounds of discord, only a lovely, peaceful home where each one is honored. It’s a powerful place. It was my honor and privilege to be there with them.

Brilliant lights are shining when you least expect them to. One of them came to me yesterday in the form of a digital link to Handel’s Messiah performance; it is an audio recording of the Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys in New York City that they initially performed in 2019. St Thomas is a beautiful Church, and their music programs are outstanding. During my time working in New York City, I often visited the church. After moving away, I continued to visit, especially around the Christmas holiday season. So, here I am, in East Tennessee, listening to the full performance, envisioning the choir and the church’s comfort surrounding me.