Whiplashing

So Dan went to Baltimore, and was back in 3 days. He is now planning to move to Vegas at the end of July. Hoping he finds a path to happiness one way or another. But the upside is that he can join us for the July4 parade! This will be the first time without Leonard, but nice to honor him by continuing the tradition.

I've been oboeing hard these days - lots of shows and random gigs. Jim is struggling with the front gate, something is not working right with the software code and it's giving them fits. We still havent made it up to Silverwood this year, too much going on. But (as I always say) next week will be calmer! HAHAHA

We are down to one cat now (Popcorn) and I've been thinking we should repopulate. It is nice to have the kitties even though they are outdoors only.

Hoping to kayak this summer, and get up to Silverwood, and do the Cathey reuinion in Cle Elum and some sort of Hooperfest in Leavenworth or Yakima, and my Alexander Technique workshop and the NW Oboe Seminar and finish up the run of South Pacific and Secret Garden and Sandpoint Festival How to Train Your Dragon! Before end of August. Also trying to plan my fall recital and go visit C in the Tetons. Sigh...

Empty Nesting

We took Dan and Ainsley to the airport Sunday, I am excited and worried but I think they are in a good position to make this work! The apartment is ready for them to move into on the 31st, so they have one day to clear Ainsley's studio. Fortuitously the lab where she works is closed this week so they get a little vaca before the big move. I guessing Dan will start active job hunting after they move, I think he feels pretty confident since he has saved a good amount from his job here. Really hoping he finds something he likes, maybe at a museum or one of the colleges? 

Jim and I played for a memorial day service in Fairfield - was kind of our 4th of July band (first time w/o Leonard) with a few extras. I think it came off pretty well, missed having our boy there.

End of an Era

Dan will be leaving home Sunday. I guess this

is really the second time, since in the fateful year 2020 he did go off to college (at the University of Montana) for about 18 months. But this time he's off to Baltimore, moving in with his best friend Ainsley and doing all the adulting sort of things. I'm excited for him and hoping he finds fulfilling work. 

We have a teenager

Hard to believe we have lasted through 13 years of parenthood! Daniel is doing great in his first days as a teenager, sleeping in, being generally grouchy, do you thing around, and of course being a lovable little dude- although he is 100 pounds as of today! I can't believe his first Spokane youth orchestra concert is next week, they are playing Carmen  among other things. 

My goal is to paint and put flooring in his room by thanksgiving. Since he is all big now, we got a new bed and he's spent a lot of time culling his things. All the Legos have gone (gasp)-- mostly he has books and bird items now. 

Life in the fast lane

Wow, I can't believe I'm back from Europe and my big trip is over! Had a great time, missed my guys but not too much. Loved something about each place-- Germany we went to the zoo and had great sauerkraut, Paris was amazing to look at and one of the best meals of my life, Luxembourg was so cute with its hilly old city that nearly killed me walking up it, and Brussels was maybe my favorite of all, yummy food and the amazing architecture. Many pix on FB so I'll just post one here. 

Hahaha- yes there were Starbucks everywhere we went, but never fear - I branched out and sampled local fare wherever we were. 

D has a new bird-- a conure, slightly bigger than a parakeet, supposedly more intelligent, certainly more expensive! His name is sunny because he likes sunflower seeds (will bite off your finger to get one), and he has a yellow sun on his belly. 

Jim surprised me by replacing the toilet (which had been languishing on the front lawn for a month!) when I returned. We has gotten stuck trying to decide whether to remodel the bathroom when he took it out to fix the pipe, but this is better- we can still remodel later but now the bathroom is functional! All ready for guests- Uncle P! Planning to be home at Thanksgiving and over the hill the day after Christmas for visiting/skiing! We all have new (to us) skis so all we need now is snow...

New chapter

We lost Ds little bird Herman yesterday. He is really taking it hard, but I think he was just an old bird. They say you never know when you get them at a shop like that (p@tsm@rt). He lived with us nearly 2years though, and was a surprisingly good pet-- I had never had a bird before.  They are more affectionate that I would have thought. 

D vows he will never have a pet again, but I'm hoping he changes his mind in a few months. 

School starts next Tuesday-- and our carpool schedule is finally worked out! Yay. D is going into 6th grade, and will have his same teacher as last year. Still planning to play the bassoon, and he is in the Lego robotics club. 

J fixed my new (to me) car. Very agonizing, but apparently good to go now! Saved us a bundle, but was it worth it? 

I am entering the insanely busy season, parks concerts, opera (Rigoletto), Les Miserables, symphony opener (Pictures at an Exhibition!) and Bach Soirée-- all before my exciting trip to Europe with the Cleveland Orchestra! No, I'm not playing with them (hahaha) going as a guest of the fabulous Auntie C! 

 

vacations!

Summer is the time to relax, right? So far we are failing at that - but having a great time anyway. D and I went to Washington DC for a week to see uncle P in his natural habitat - we stayed at a snazzy hotel in Dupont Circle (Palomar). For D the first time on a metro or city bus, first taxi, lots of awesome museum experiences including Nat Hist, American Hist, Space, various fine arts (who can keep it all straight?!) and sculpture gardens. Also the ZOO, which was in many ways the highlight of the trip! We did a harbor cruise (at night - lovely weather and beautiful lit up monuments) and the double decker bus tour. Fourth of July was spent in the parade at LaClede (tiny burg), we have done this 4 years from the back of a pickup, but this year we upgraded to our hay trailer! Complete with hay bales covered in festive fabric, our motley crew has expanded to 11 with D on the cowbell! He did great, Jim played cornet and I played baritone, other highlights were the accordian, banjo and tuben (not confused with tubA, which we also had). Fun times, but on to the next trip to the Tetons! Soon we will be home for a couple of weeks in a row, and I'll be playing for the Fireworks (chop killer). Then the opera (Rigoletto), Les Mis and symphony opener (Pictures!). My face is hurting already. And I am really excited to play Bach's Wedding Cantata in November, with a world class soprano, I am soooo lucky! In non musical stuff I am still trying to do the C25K (couch to 5K) but I keep starting at the beginning after our endless vacations! Oh well, at least I'm doing something. D is taking an online typing course, he's already faster than I was after a year of HS typing! Of course, they didn't have computer games back then for motivation. He is most frustrated that the course won't let him backspace to correct --- hahaha! I should drag out my old electric typewriter and see what he thinks of that!