Cabaret with Miss W

 November 25th Miss W performed in Our Songs, The Lincoln High School Cabaret. Twelve songs were performed by the 19 high school kids who auditioned and were selected. 

She was a member of the three songs performed by the ensemble and had two other numbers.

she had the third solo in the song

her solo in "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" from Oklahoma

"Footloose"

having fun with "Footloose"

her duet "Stepsisters' Lament"

song from Cinderella

I love her facial expressions

finale "Be the Hero" from Big Fish

She asked Grandpa to take her to lunch that day. Then he surprised her with flowers after the performance.

Proud Grandparent moment!

Just an FYI: There were 5 songs (and choreography) to learn for this chorus event. She performed four songs in the Fall Choir Concert on October 24th. I am keeping track as she has two more performances in 2025.

Another FYI: Yes, we go EARLY to get a good seat. We're retired! We have nothing else that is more important!

Update on the Grandkids

 We have been enjoying the school activities the grandkids have been participating in this fall. 

The Lincoln High School Chorus groups had a Fall Concert, inviting 8th grade students who will be attending Lincoln next fall, to partipate with the choirs. Our 8th grade grandson chose NOT to participate. Miss W was in one of the 3 groups who did perform that evening.

the full Lincoln High School choir

Cadet Choir

Miss W, second row from bottom, in the center

Miss W, 3rd from right, in a special quartet 

Lincoln High School Band had their concert earlier this month. Again, 8th graders who will be attending Lincoln were part of the performance. McBe participated. Miss W is no longer in band.

McBe is in the blue hoodie

8th graders getting organized before the concert

8th graders with most of the band members

McBe on percussion, first on the left of the 4 percussionists

McBe waiting his turn to play the timpani

This one has nothing to do with school activities, but it was a proud grandparent occasion. McBe participated in a regional TKD (martial arts) tournament in Sioux City last Friday. 

He won 3 gold medals at the event in his class (brown belt), one in each of the 3 categories of TKD: basic technique (demonstration), sparring (most points in 3 matches), and breaking boards. His outstanding effort resulted in winning an invitation to the National Competition in Alabama next summer.

Lucky us that we get to be a part of our grands' performances and honors!

My Home Town

 Last week my home town, Java, celebrated 125 years with a Quasicentennial celebration.

current population

welcome sign at the city park

entertainment happened under the big tent

drone shot of Main Street where the action was

three food trucks to feed the attendees

another drone shot of Main Street

the blue building in the center is the Java Bar

the Post Office is to the left of the bar

insurance building is to the right of the bar

the Community Center (used to be the Legion Hall)

is across the street from the buildings in the above photo

photos were on display in the Community Center

the first Java School building 1903-1921

the school building I attended, 1956-1968

it does NOT look this good today, but it is still standing 

at the south end of Main Street

also on display were two Community Calendars

from 1964-1967

I am in the white outfit in each of the photos

band majorette

 display of school uniforms and 

other donated clothing for the Quasi Celebration

the class of '68 got together Thursday afternoon

9 of the 13 surviving classmates attended

4 classmates have passed away

a souvenir from the Quasi Celebration

a Java icon

the drone photo

I never climbed the water tower, but I had classmates and know of other foolish kids who did.

the photo of Main Street looking north to the end of town

in 1956 when we moved to Java, both sides of  Main Street

had businesses; there were no empty lots

no longer there, but a great memory from my teen years

still standing, but no longer in use, is the women's bathroom

it is just north of the Community Center

There is no way of knowing how many people attended the Quasi Celebration. I looked for people whom I knew were there, but did not find them. Sometimes, I saw a familiar name, but when I was ready to walk over and say Hi, they had disappeared. It was VERY HOT and HUMID Thursday through Sunday; temperatures were in the high 90s. 

This was the sunset as I drove to Mom's house on Friday evening. I pulled off the road to take some photos.

this band of clouds was on the north side of me

Three miles from this spot, the wind hit the area. There was so much debris (leaves, dust) blowing across the highway, I could hardly see. It was hard to keep the car in my lane as the wind was so strong. The area was in a tornado watch, but I did not know that until I reached the house. There wasn't a tornado in that area, but it is the same evening when tornadoes killed three people in North Dakota, destroyed farms, and tipped grain-filled train cars off the railroad track. 

(My photos have a watermark. Other photos were 'taken' from other public shared sources.)

A Trip Back to the Tundra

 Last Thursday we flew back to South Dakota to attend a very special event on Saturday in Rapid City. It was windy on our drive from Sioux Falls to Rapid City but the temperatures were in the 30ºs. There was hardly any snow (NOT like last year!) from the southeast part of the state to the west central area. The drive was uneventful, just the way we like it!

We were in Rapid City for the weekend to attend the 2025 SD Junior Honors Choirs. There were two, the Women's Choir composed of 7th-9th graders and the Mixed Choir, also 7th-9th graders from across the state.

Last year Miss W was in the Women's Choir of the 2024 SD Junior Honors Choir. Here is last year's post from the concert. 

Kyle Peterson, a SD composer, was featured in two of their choral numbers. The students met and conversed with Kyle through a Zoom call during their weekend rehearsal.

The former Rapid City Central High School was the location of the concert. 

The stage waiting for the singers.

The theater has balcony seating on three sides. The theater holds 800+.

waiting for group photo

Mixed Choir group photo

the Women's Choir

sopranos and tenors

the conductor for the Mixed Choir

a little clapping and some movement

some of the details in the auditorium

Besides the Performing Arts Center, the building also serves as the Alternative High School.

History of Rapid City High School :

• The building was originally built in 1923 
• It was the first site of Rapid City Central High School 
• The school was also known as Dakota Junior High School and Dakota Middle School 
• In 1927, President Calvin Coolidge announced his decision not to run for president from the school 
• The school was renamed Coolidge High School after Coolidge's visit 
• The school moved to a new location on Mount Rushmore Road North in 1978 
• The original location was renovated and reopened as Rapid City High School in 2013 

Features: 

• The school is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• It also hosts the Performing Arts Center of Rapid City