March 2008

 

     Spring is here------my tulips are up!  We had the longest, awful Winter I ever remember. So we welcome the warmer weather!

 

     The Zahina sisters had wonderful Easters with our families. My favorite gift was a beautiful big white bunny from my husband. Now, don't think it's real. I'm actually afraid of animals. It sets on our bed and called "Fluffy". That is my kind of pet!

 

     We have just about completed the work on the new CD. After listening to hours of Zahina music, the choices have been made on the songs that will be on it. There will be some really cute ones, even a duet on the piano called "Piano Roll Blues" by Jannan and me.

 

      On April 27th, we plan on going up to Camp Courageous to the breakfast and having a few words with Leo Greco on his radio show. Our new CD should be ready by then, and we are looking forward to seeing Leo and the camp. The breakfast is from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

Please support this wonderful camp!

 

      During these cold months, I have been working on some new lyrics for music to use for the polka mass this year. I would like to replace some of the songs we have been playing for a long time. There is just so much music, I don't know where to start!  I also enjoy playing my Hammond organ. It was my Dads', so it has special meaning to me.

 

      There was a good time to be had at Briggsville for the St. Patricks dance. The Maggie Mae band played, and Jannan entertained the crowd with Irish songs on the fiddle. Wish we could have been there, but had other commitments.

 

           More next month--------Darlene

February News

 

      This month seemed as if it would never end. The snow and cold was just depressing! We did attend the Valentine Ball at the Fairgrounds in Dubuque, Iowa. The Eddy Howard Orchestra played for it. It was a lovely dance and the dinner was very good. But it was a really cold night to be out.

 

      I recently received the demo tapes of our next CD. Now it comes down to selecting the tunes we will want on it. Jannan and I will make the decision soon. So , it won't be long before you can order the new CD. Watch for the information on this web-site. This whole project has been such fun! I can't believe in a little over a year we have come out with three CD's and one on the way!

 

      Give a listen to Leo Greco on Sunday mornings (600AM) at WMT in Cedar Rapids. He has been getting requests for our music. Thanks Leo!

 

      Jannan and her husband Gary attended an American Legion dinner recently and Jannan was asked to lead the singing of God Bless America at the event. She is busy this week getting ready for their annual chili supper at the Legion in Briggsville, Wisconsin.

 

      Mary Jane returned from her trip last week and back to her hectic schedule. While she was gone, I received a post card from all the states she traveled through. I like to collect post cards, and I think I ended up with eight. Thanks sis!

 

       Carol has been looking at furniture for her new home. Some theater furniture arrived last week for the movie-watching room. All she needs now is the popcorn machine! What fun that will be.

 

       My son Chris and his family will be leaving for a Carribean Cruise in a week. They so enjoy taking the kids on these trips. They will be on Spring break from school. They lead a very busy life with the jobs and sports the kids are involved in, so they are really looking forward to time away with family. Bon Voyage!

 

                                Can't wait for Spring----------Darlene

January 2008

 

     Happy New Year to all our fans out there! The New Year has brought entirely too much snow. Seems as if my husband is always shoveling. I can't wait for Spring.

 

     It was basically a pretty low key month. We did attend the Eddy Howard dance at Buck's Barn on January 13Th. (See pictures below). It was a good time and the dinner was wonderful. It was a fund raiser for the museum in Savanna, Illinois. As you have probably guessed by now, dancing is my second love. Of course, music is first! But my husband and I have been ballroom dancing since we met when I was 17. It's been a big part of our lives.

 

     We also attended the Martin and Lewis show at the beautiful Grand Theater in Dubuque.  I actually won the tickets answering a question asked by Dick McGrane on his radio program. He has a super show every morning from six to nine AM on WDBQ. It's 107.5  FM. It's oldies music and such fun to listen to the great older songs. A few weeks ago, he spent some time remembering our Zahina Band days, and played a tune from our Daddy one CD.

Thanks for that Dick!

 

     Mary Jane had a hectic month at work. And she and her husband are getting ready now to take a trip to the East coast and then on to Texas. She needs the break from her busy schedule. She teaches piano every night after her day job. I don't know how she does it all.

 

     Carol is still unpacking from the move to the new house. She has almost as many totes as her sisters. What did we ever do without those? We can never seem to have enough, but maybe we shop too much!

 

     Jannan is having fun with her grandaughter, Darian. We saw her when we went up there over New Years. She is a cutie, but gets all over now and can wear Jannan out! She loves going up and down stairs.

 

           More next month--------Darlene

December, 2007

 

Hi Friends:

 

      Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends! We had a very busy month. We attended the Christmas Dance at the Col in Davenport. Ken Paulson provided the wonderful music for it. Then we went to the Christmas play our Grandaughter was in at the Fine Arts Center in Maquoketa on the 18th. Brooklyn did a wonderful job. We also attended several basketball games .Our Grandson Alec plays ball for Marquette high school in Bellevue. We enjoy his games and very seldom miss one.

      It took me a whole day to put my tree up. With a dozen sets of lights and over 300 music ornaments, it's quite a job. Most of my ornaments have been given to me over the years by friends, family, choir members, musicians and even some priests! They mean alot to me. The shopping I never complain about. I love it. And I love to wrap and put gifts all over the house! My hubby decorates the outside. We have lights everywhere!

      I also spend alot of time baking cookies, candy and preparing food before the kids start coming. By Christmas Eve I'm pretty exhausted. But it's all worth it!

     We spent New Years Eve in Wisconsin Dells this year. My Sister Jannan and her husband Gary and a few other friends had a wonderful dinner at the Cove. Then we went to Ho-Chunk to do more celebrating. They had five bands there. But we prefered to stay in the most beautiful ballroom with big band music. The ballroom was like a picture out of a magazine. Everything was red and white. It was breathtakingly beautiful. About 5000 balloons came down at midnight. It was a great night!!

     My sister Mary Jane spent New Years at a motel with her family. They do this every year and make a mini vacation out of it. My other sister Carol and her husband Tim were invited to a semi-formal house party in the new neighborhood they just moved into. A good chance for them to get aquainted.

 

      More next month----------Darlene

November 2007

 

     Thanks to all of you who e-mail me and keep connected through the internet! I love answering your questions and hearing from you.

     The month of November is very special. It is the time for reflecting on our families and being thankful for all the wonderful people in our lives.

     We had a great Thanksgiving this year. Our daughter Roxanne and family were here, also Chris and his family and Mark and his family. Our daughter Sheila and her family celebrated at their home in Las Vegas, Nevada. But we did have a good visit on the phone with them after dinner. My turkey was brown and delicious, but more importantly my dressing was as good as my Mom use to make for our Thanksgivings. I have always made my dressing with no recipe like she did, but always hope it turns out ok. We ate too much, but isn't that what we all do?0000000

      My sister Carol isn't in her new house yet, just waiting patiently to move in hopfully before Christmas. Her daughter Erin had Thanksgiving at her home this year. My sister Mary Jane spent two weeks in Arizona with her daughter Kelly after she had surgery.

     Jannan and family had Thanksgiving at her home in Briggsville. By now she and her husband Gary had all the Christmas lights up for the holidays. They started in October, and have quite a display.

     We plan on attending the Christmas dance at the Col in Davenport this year. Ken Paulson plays for it. He has good dancable music! We always enjoy his band.

     Have a very Merry Christmas and remember------------

 

 Make the moments matter, for the memories you give your family will be with them forever!

      

                  Darlene

 

 

August 2007 update from Darlene Zahina Manders to those who remember Clarence Zahina and His Barnstormers:

 

     From time to time, you will find an update here on what the Zahina sisters (Janaan, Darlene, Mary Jane & Carol Ann) are doing. Our CD's are selling very well. Thanks to all of you who want to remember and enjoy our music.

 

    I have had a very busy summer. I played and sang many polka masses. I wrote the liturgical lyrics for the old songs that we played with the orchestra. It was alot of fun putting it together. This was back in 1985. People never get tired of it. Jannan and I played a mass last week in Briggsville, Wisconsin where she lives now. We had a packed church! This was for their annual festival at St. Marys. Then we played after mass for the entertainment. It was alot of fun. This was the third year we had the polka mass at this church. I also sang for an outdoor mass on Friday evening before the festival.

 

    I play on a regular basis at my church in Bellevue. I play the pipe organ and love to fill the church with beautiful music. I have been doing this for 20 years. But I have been a music minister in the Catholic church since I sang my first wedding when I was all of 8 years old.

 

   Jannan played for a festival in Endeavor, Wisconsin this summer. She also likes to play fiddle at many events the American Legion has in Briggsville. People enjoy listening to those great tunes. She plays a mean fiddle! Whenever Jannan and I get together and we are at any social event, we are asked to sing or play something.

 

     When we were in Baraboo, Wisconsin recently, we met Tommy Lee, who has a radio show in Reedsburg. He has been playing our CD's on his radio show. We had gone over there for a polka band that was playing in the park. The music was super. We really enjoyed it. I will have pictures at a later time to show you of us and the band leader. There were alot of pictures taken that night when people found out who we were. We felt as if it were 1957 again and we were teens!

 

     If you want to check out a polka mass and have never been to one, our parish is having their annual festival September 2nd. This is where the mass originated and I have been playing it every year since 1985! There is wonderful food and entertainment all day. The mass is at 11:00 AM. You must get there early. Every year it is packed.

 

              God bless---------Darlene