Welcome to my blog titled ‘Five Things’ where you can expect just that - five random musings or reflections from the previous week or so. I’ll also share a quote I find meaningful as a point of focus for the week. For photos of my books, kids, pets, and miscellaneous things I find interesting, you can follow me on Instagram @tabithalord.
So here are this week’s five things, starting with the quote of the week…
"The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible." — Dwight D. Eisenhower
Last weekend, our daughter presented her senior ‘showcase’ to a theater full of friends and family. A jazz musician and vocalist, her presentation was essentially a concept album containing seven songs which she wrote, recorded, and then performed live. Several local professional musicians including a drummer, a brass section, a pianist, and a harp player, accompanied her and filled out the sound. It was such an amazing experience to witness the culmination of her undergraduate learning. Her talent just dazzled us all, and it was definitely a ‘proud mama’ moment.
Speaking of showcases, Ray and I attended an entirely different kind of showcase last week–The Pasadena Showcase House for the arts event. Every year, an older estate-type home is chosen to be fully renovated by local designers, artists, and landscapers. There’s an opening party, where guests can tour the house while it’s in-the-works, and a private after-party, with a tour of the finished home, a fancy dinner, and a live auction. Finally, the house is opened to the public for a month. Along with a tour, guests can shop at the on-site galleries and booths and eat at the temporary bistro. All proceeds from ticket sales, auction items, and donations go to local music education, youth orchestras, music therapy programs, and nonprofit arts organizations in the area. The talented designer who helped us turn our new condo into a home participated, and he invited us to the pre-showcase party and the fancy dinner after-party at the Santa Anita racetrack, where the famous Seabiscuit won in 1940! In addition to being a fun time, I really enjoyed this glimpse into Pasadena’s storied history.
Sometimes, I just need to go into the woods. Yesterday, a friend and I did a big, fun, beautiful hike, the kind I really like, where you scrape your knees, hop over rocks to make it across streams, scramble climb, and otherwise get a good sweat going. The Switzer Falls hike was exactly that, and it helped get my mind ready for the week ahead.
In book news, my alter-ego, Maggie Clare, has a new release coming out on June 2nd. Blood Ties, a second-chance romance with some intrigue and danger thrown into the mix, is available for pre-order now. If romance is your jam, check out the first few installments in the Tactical Solutions International romantic suspense series. All the books can be read as stand alones, but the characters are connected, so I think it’s a more enjoyable experience to read them in order. Between finishing my school projects and getting this book ready to go, my head is spinning, but I’m really excited to have something new for my readers. Stay tuned!