I admit - I'm a Ding-a-ling

I've been a Ding-a-ling for a long time, no question about that.  But last week we celebrated the music ministry of another Ding-a-ling who was retiring from her position as Head Ding-a-ling.  I'm talking about ringing handbells and choir chimes, an activity I've enjoyed for more than 25 years.

Karen has been our director for several years and retired as our director.  At our end-of-the-season gathering, we celebrated with a pitch-in dinner.  Good food, good friends and great memories of our times together.  And we haven't let Karen entirely off the hook - we hope to be able to call on her when we need a substitute ringer.

We had a smattering of token gifts for her, including a T-Shirt that proclaimed she was just "Lion Around," some musical socks (I need to get some of those!) and a table runner I concocted.

I took three separate pictures of our bells and chimes, starting with the larger bells and chimes on the left and graduating to the smallest bells and chimes on the right. 

On the back side is a signature page - current and former bell players signed and left messages for Karen.  Cynthia donated some music fabric to incorporate in the table runner.

Here's Karen reading the signatures and messages on the table runner.  Her daughter and husband are seated to her left.



Future bell players around the table with some former ding-a-lings seated on the couch.

It was great to have some time to catch up with former ringers, including Janie, a cancer survivor, and Sherri who is recovering from a double transplant operation.  Although only a month out from her operations, Sherri looked great and will soon be returning to her home in Arizona.

And the food was delicious!  Aren't pitch-ins always that way?

Cheers!
Margaret