jennlk: (esme)
Last week, Esme and I trundled off to Adult Band Camp at Interlochen. As usual, it was a heck of a lot of fun. Very hot at the beginning of the week, and I was way down in the hotel at the other end of campus -- walked a few miles a day, much of it with Esme in tow. There were more sax players than ever, so they put together two quartets. And then the bass clarinet player didn't show, so the other barisax player swapped over to that, which meant that there were two quartets and only one barisax. So I got to learn the bass line for *two* sax quartets in four days. yeah, my hand still hurts a little -- mostly when I'm typing, so I'm going to be quiet for a while. The octave key is bent again (it actually broke a few years ago, and I think the braze cracked), so I get to take Esme back to the shop and hope that the new guy can do a more permanent fix on it.

I got an extra bonus brake job, too. Whee. One of the rear calipers on my car seized up sometime between Lansing and Interlochen, so I found a local shop (referral from the front desk clerk), and got that fixed so I could drive home safely.

I came home Monday, and Ji kept an eye on me for the rest of the day. Not actually watching me, as that would be far too unfeline, but lurking about in whichever room I was in, facing me. Then he slept on my feet Monday night and everything's back to normal.

The weeds took off while I was gone. Something about three or four inches of rain, with another couple on Monday night.... DB kept the birds, fish, and cats fed and watered.

And now it's back into the swing of things, with a funeral meal to host on Saturday.
jennlk: (me + Esme)
Back from band camp! Wow. I'm tired, and my brain is buzzing. A somewhat different experience than the first time I went, partly, I suspect, because I had a better idea of what I was getting into. Well, and I actually played bari sax parts! OTOH, the staff keep telling us that the quality of the band has been getting better every year, and so their expectations keep getting revised up. Lots more walking this year -- woodwind sectionals were way at the other end of the camp (about a mile away from my room), and I usually skipped the shuttle ride and left the space for the elderly folk who were having real problems with the walk. Stayed up late at the afterglow last night/early this morning, and still managed to leave around 9am. I will sleep well tonight. (assuming that the dog lets me on to the bed -- she's had my spot all week, and she doesn't share well.)

Esme was admired by many, and I didn't make any horrible mistakes in the performance. They tell me I need to play louder, though. sigh. Don't wanna -- I just got my reed & mouthpiece balanced, and now you want me to blow more air through the horn?!

In my email this morning was a instrumental arrangement of a hymn that the new minister wants us to play this weekend (and next). This weekend is scheduled to be flute & barisax, and next week she wants to add in clarinet, as well as the HS kids (trumpet, trombone, tuba). The Sunday before I left for camp, we did it as a vocal trio - SSA. (I bet you can guess who was the alto.)

The cat is still stinking of skunk. The cool damp of the last week hasn't helped, as the kids haven't been able to leave the windows open.
jennlk: (me + Esme)
Back from band camp! Wow. I'm tired, and my brain is buzzing. A somewhat different experience than the first time I went, partly, I suspect, because I had a better idea of what I was getting into. Well, and I actually played bari sax parts! OTOH, the staff keep telling us that the quality of the band has been getting better every year, and so their expectations keep getting revised up. Lots more walking this year -- woodwind sectionals were way at the other end of the camp (about a mile away from my room), and I usually skipped the shuttle ride and left the space for the elderly folk who were having real problems with the walk. Stayed up late at the afterglow last night/early this morning, and still managed to leave around 9am. I will sleep well tonight. (assuming that the dog lets me on to the bed -- she's had my spot all week, and she doesn't share well.)

Esme was admired by many, and I didn't make any horrible mistakes in the performance. They tell me I need to play louder, though. sigh. Don't wanna -- I just got my reed & mouthpiece balanced, and now you want me to blow more air through the horn?!

In my email this morning was a instrumental arrangement of a hymn that the new minister wants us to play this weekend (and next). This weekend is scheduled to be flute & barisax, and next week she wants to add in clarinet, as well as the HS kids (trumpet, trombone, tuba). The Sunday before I left for camp, we did it as a vocal trio - SSA. (I bet you can guess who was the alto.)

The cat is still stinking of skunk. The cool damp of the last week hasn't helped, as the kids haven't been able to leave the windows open.

Profile

jennlk: (Default)
jennlk

July 2025

S M T W T F S
  12 345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  

Syndicate

RSS Atom

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 5th, 2025 08:45 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios