EEK!

Maybe it's all this talk of goblins and spirits, but lots of odd things have been floating by me lately.  I'm hoping those smiley pumpkin faces chase all the weirdness away so I can continue on with my dull and boring life.

Weird things of the past week include:

• Two grown women in the middle of traffic in a full-blown fist fight on my way home from work.  And I don't think they were drunk as it was 2:00 in the afternoon. Well, maybe it was not-so-happy hour that got to them.

• Mayhem at work. Lots of goblins at play there these days.  Can't go into them here for obvious reasons. Just color it weird....and not so fun.

• Em and I were in the car at a stoplight when there was a knock on the passenger side window. Em screamed and found some haggard old woman wanting her to roll down her window.  She was lost and confused.  I went to help her and then I saw that she was behaving erratically and approaching other cars, so we sped away.  We live in Chicago--you get the heck outta there in those situations.

• After searching the entire Goodwill store for a music-themed white elephant gift (for a band party we were going to) for an hour, Joe just "happened" to look on the top of the shelves and found a 47 year old band trophy.  (Insert creepy music) I'm not kidding--we had been down that aisle 18 times and never saw the darn thing--it seemed to just "appear".  And oh, by the way, it was the rockinest white elephant EVER. 

Boo, you crazy evil spirits. Be gone with you!

I'm gonna be hunkering down with my bowl of Halloween candy until all this weirdness goes away.  Or until the bowl goes empty.

Does your face hurt? It's killing me

Day 7 and I can finally move my face. Seriously--I could not move my face without being in excruciating pain for days. Imagine trying to go to work like that.

Now imagine me going to work and having the support (or lack of) from my co-workers. Yeah/no. Nothing like those after-chemical peel words of encouragement:

• "Are you sick or something? You don't look so good." Yeah, thanks Janitor guy.
• "How much did you spend on that?"
• "Does it hurt as bad as it looks?" Yes. Yes, it does.
• "What happened to your face?! I didn't want to say anything on Monday."   Jackass.
• "Oooh. Are you gonna sue them?" My personal favorite.

Yes, it hurt. Yes, this is normal--although nobody will tell you that. And yes, my skin looks better. Although I'm hoping for even better results when I'm done peeling and healing. When that will come--who knows.  It's been an entire week and I'm just happy to move my face.  Aim high, I say. Ugh.

At least I kept my sense of humor through it all--even if it hurt to smile.

What Talent that Wee Toe Has!

Well, I went to the foot doctor for my surgical consult yesterday and it was very informative.  It's sort of creepy what they have to do to straighten your toe, but nobody makes a big deal out of it--kind of reminds me of that darn chemical peel I just had done. (Warning, Will Robinson)

So, my doctor shows me on a boney foot skeleton what they are gonna do and he draws on paper to make it feel like a football play.

"Okay, we are gonna make an incision on the top of the toe--here." He is explaining.  "Then we cut the bone off here and put a pin in there--here and here." And he draws a dark spot where my bone is no longer gonna be.

"Then we keep that pin sticking out of your foot for 2 weeks and you have to wear a surgical shoe..." Yeah...I've got one of those already. Good thing I saved mine, eh?

Then he drops the bomb on me, all nonchalantly.  And as he did, I died a little death. And the world got a little less bright.  My heart sunk and I wasn't so excited about my straight toe anymore.

You see, I am going to lose the middle bend of my toe during this process. Oh, I will be able to bend my toe at the bottom and very top joints, but that middle one will be straight forever.  And while I will be able to point my toes for my ballerina career, I will be forced to accept the most terrible thing ever......

I will never be able to pinch anyone with my toes again.

There. I said it.  This is the first step of acceptance they say.

While this may seem trivial to some, this is a big deal to me for this is my one and only talent.  Like if I was ever in the Mrs. America Pageant, this would guarantee me a win for the talent portion.  But after toe surgery, I will be forced to skip the talent portion and rely solely on my platform--which is bringing back cocktail hour--but that is a whole other story.  I'm really bummin' about not being able to pinch with my toes--it's just so darn cool.

So, you are probably thinking "who the heck cares about that?", but think of Julie Andrews who had throat surgery and can no longer sing.  What if Michelangelo had hand surgery and could no longer paint?  Baryshnikov not dancing?  See--it's awful when you think of it. An art form lost......forever.

And when I broke the news to my friend, Wendy, she just asked if I can't just do it with my other foot.  Sheesh. NO. I am right-footed and that is the only foot I can do it with!  This isn't easy, people. That is why it is a talent.

Emma and Joe were just about as thoughtful about my trauma--Em sang "Ding Dong the Pinch is Gone", which I did NOT find humorous.  Joe just asked what was for supper. Sigh.

My talent will forever disappear in the near future and nobody cares.  And when I'm dead, I can hear my family....

"Lin was great--to think she could pinch people with her toes........"  It ranks right up there with "She could make a mean meatloaf".  Sigh.

Even the doctor wasn't sympathetic.  When I told him why I was horrified, he just looked at me with big eyes like I was nuts.  He doesn't get it either.  Sheesh.

I'm gonna get in all the toe-pinching I can before my surgery. I mean, it's my last chance, right?  And I think my family should have to tolerate it because after a certain date, it's over. For good. Forever. And ever.

I love Hobbes Thursday

...and then, Goldilocks said "This sink is toooo small".

Is this not ridiculous that my cat thinks he fits in this sink and that nobody can see him?  Sigh.

Halloween at my house this year

I am soooo gonna do this to my house just to annoy the neighbors:



But why do I think this would be just as annoying INSIDE as it is from the outside?

It was a fine idea at the time.......

I'm an idiot.

Seriously. Where I get my ideas, I'll never know. I talk myself into the most ridiculous situations and then, well, I blog about them.

Last Friday, as a treat, I decided to drop $240.00 on a chemical peel for my face. (Commence chuckling)

Yeah, I know, ridiculous.  But I did and that is what I wanted to do for years. Seriously--years.

I'm not sure when, but over time, the sun damage caused by the lack of sunscreen when we were young (NOBODY used sunscreen back then, people.) left me with uneven skin tone and brown spots on my face.  They got so bad that I wore a lot of make-up on most days.  Well, every day actually.  And while all those smarty pants dames would make comments about my make-up at the pool and at little league games, they had no idea how self-conscious I was about those brown spots. I felt like a rotten apple.

So, make-up I wore--everywhere. The pool, horseback riding, to the gym, in the backyard, etc.  I didn't like it either--it was expensive and time-consuming.  Believe me, I missed those teen years of being naked on the face.

Well, here I am, 30 years later and I'm blastin' my face with god-knows-what and it's hurting. It's hurting damn bad.  I look like an idiot with a 4 + days of faux sunburned glory and peely skin to beat the band.  I'm freaking miserable.  Like $240 worth of miserable.

Okay, so all the brochures tell me that I'm never going to have to wear make-up again. Really?  Damn, I hope so because, today, I'm just lookin' like a raisin.  A bright pink raisin. A raisin who's skin is all peely and is all crabulated because her face hurts so stinkin' bad.

But a raisin with no make-up on.

A good end to the season

The last contest of the season is typically at the University of Illinois and this year was no exception.  It is a very long day, but a fun one.  We tailgate with the kids and enjoy the company of the other band parents and alumni, but the past couple of years have also included meet-ups with the pallies--last year being A.Marie and this year, Diana of Diana Rambles. 

Diana is not only a great blog pally, but she is also the designer behind my blog layouts.  While I am an idiot with such things, I turn to Diana to spiff up the joint every so often and she is chock full of patience, let me tell you. I tend to change my  mind a lot apparently. Whatever.

Oh, and her creativity doesn't end there--she also makes her poor kid eat these wacky "bento" lunches that she creates everyday--like she doesn't have enough stuff to do.  This week, poor Dori was forced to explain this to her friends at the lunch table.  I can just see her telling the kids "And she has this orange cat that is really big....".

Anywho, Diana is also the proud mom of a Marching Illinois Sousaphone player. This is a huge treat as the MI are very entertaining and the evening ends with a knockout performance by them.  It was fun to try to find him in the sousaphone line and to watch his proud mom photograph his every move. I don't blame her, I'd be doing the exact same thing.

I'm starting a new week ahead--one of no marching band, no contests, and (sigh) no colorguard breakfasts.  But that's okay, it just gives me more time to catch up with all of you.

It all ends too quickly

This weekend marks the end of Marching Season.  And while I'm sad to see Em's Junior year quickly passing,  I'm sort of glad to reclaim some of my personal time again.

Every season has its ups and downs and this one is no different, but it was still fun.  It always is.  And the second it is over, you are wishing it was starting up again.  I'm not sure what I'm gonna do when this is over forever.

Well, I'll be back in action after this weekend.  I'll be actually visiting and commenting on your blogs again, posting something interesting on my own, and relaxing.  I can't wait.

I wonder what next year's show is gonna be....

Au Revoir, Frog Friend

Aw, crap, my frog died.  Maybe it was the shock of cold weather/water or the scariness of Mr. Cuddles circling his lily pad--either way, homeboy is sunning himself in the waters under the Rainbow Bridge today.  And that makes me sad.

There are days when I can find hilarity in the simplest of things and events--such as the shoe-wearin' lane walkers IN the pool--but that pendulum also swings the other way--my mood can suddenly be brought down by the smallest of events as well.  The sight of a dead coyote on the road, smooshed ducklings, one of my praying mantis (who die every fall anyway--you'd think I'd get used to it) lying lifeless, or dredging up dead frogs out of the pond can render my mood somber in seconds.  I dunno, life snuffed out--especially animal pallies--has a deep impact on me and it takes its toll. Probably more than the average person--but that is me. I laugh hard, but I cry hard too.

Oh, to see that dotty belleh at the bottom of the pond--it just drove me crazy.  Hibernation is never done upside-down, and so I knew. I knew, deep in my heart, that my little taddy wasn't slumbering--he was dead.  And while I've been dealing with Miss Tinky Pants (Grace) peeing places she shouldn't be, G'ma Phyl's snappy new knee, major work changes,  and pure exhaustion at the end of a very long marching season, it just brought me down. Majorly down.

I went to the hospital to be with my mom for her surgery and I left Joe the dreaded task of scooping out carnage.  And let me tell you, it is not nice.  While frogs are gooey and slimy on their best days, death is not becoming for them.  And when I asked Joe if he was really dead, his face spoke volumes--Yes. Yes, he was dead. And it wasn't pretty. Joe scores points for handling funeral services.

I have a death/burial policy here:  Fish get tossed--unless you are the bigger variety--then you get a burial.  Frogs--buried....near the pond.  Hamsters, buried...out front. Cats--uh, you go to wear dead cats go, but we don't have a cat burial ground here--the lack of acreage prevents that.  Nobody gets flushed--it's too demeaning. Insects sort of stay where they are in order to have the earth re-claim them--it's their destiny.

I'm not sure what is more weird--that I actually have a funeral plan for everyone or that Joe sorta knows the deal.  I guess that is what you get after 23 years of marriage--you sort of know what the other person expects.

I asked Joe late last night, "Did you bury him?" and without hesitation, he said "Yes. By the shed".  Yeah, that's my Joe.  He knows.  He just knows.  Frogs in my pond deserve so much more than a target bag in the end.

And so he does.  Au revoir, frog pally.  My dear sweet taddy.  May you find warm sunshine, cool waters, and giant, yummy bugs for your dotty belleh at the Rainbow Bridge.

I love Hobbes Thursday

The only one who doesn't seem to think that orange and brown are bad school colors is Hobbes.  He's the Colorguard mascot--of course.

Hocus Focus

Try to find the one BIG giant difference between the photos:

And no, I didn't photoshop him out--Em booted him out of the frame on the second shot when she realized what he was doing.

Joe  thinks he's hilarious--we do not.

The Shadow of Me

Gees, my life has been crazy this year. The summer left me with a co-worker out on maternity leave, packing me up with work responsibilities and opportunity for growth.  And while I geared up for the challenge, I am finding it hard to gear down. I swear I can smell those brakes burnin' as I attempt to slow down the crazy train.  And do we ever really slow down? I don't think so. I have this habit of keeping the momentum running. It's an annoying habit.

Yesterday was not such a great day.  Lots of things are coming down and after a nice weekend, the events of the day wore me thin.  Nothing is horrible, but nothing is great either--it's all just things that need tending to--which is sort of exhausting.  I hope this passes quickly--I've got things to do.

It just happens that along with the chaos of my life, the pond needed to be shut down.  There is something sad about that for me.  I know that my pond friends are not all safe and sound for the winter and so I spend half of the year worrying about those pallies.  Oh, if every snail would survive, if every frog awoke each spring, and if all that damn algae would die off.  Funny how the things you want to survive don't, and the things you could do without, blossom. Sigh. That is just like life, isn't it? 

I spent half a day resuscitating my little frog yesterday.  Nothing like starting the day with a white belly facing you at the bottom of the pond. Sigh.  It's these little things that set me back--set my mood on "low" for the better part of the day.  I have this "frog test" which determines whether a frog is dying or if it is just hibernating, and it was put into action.  I think we have "hibernation", but I'm never quite sure--only spring will tell for sure.  I don't like that waiting stuff--I'm not very good at it.

I took some time last night to sit down and read some of my blog roll. I feel like I'm a shadow of myself these days--running through the have-tos and the routine without stopping to really enjoy.  I'm gonna work on that this week--and while I won't be flying through all your blogs, I am going to catch up and actually read all the posts I've been missing. I'm tired of being that shadow--even if it makes me look tall and thin.

Commence working a little less and living a little bit more.

Pumpkin Hunters

I spent the weekend with my three favorite people as we took a trip to visit Colin down at college.  It's nice to have us together every once in awhile and being that it was a lovely fall weekend, I think it made it even better. 

We found an honest-to-goodness pumpkin farm down there last year and we vowed to go back again this year.  In my 48 years, this is only the second time in my life that I have actually cut a pumpkin from the vine.  While that may not be a big deal to the farm pallies, this is big stuff for city folk--but we also dig rides on tractors too, so bear with us, please.  I'm sure we do things like hail cabs and take escalators at the mall that sound very exotic to you all too, right?

Anywho, sights like this are not common here in Weirdville, so I was very excited to see so many choices in the pumpkin/squash fields.  Of course, just one pumpkin won't do--we ended up with like 5 of them--we just kept wanting to cut those babies free of their vines.   It's very liberating.....well, for the pumpkins anyway.

I'm not sure why, but I have this need to get out into the country in the fall.  I love to be on the road, watching farmer's hurrying to finish plowing their fields, seeing the hues of the countryside making a natural quilt on the landscape, and feeling the fresh air on my face.  It's almost like I need to say goodnight to the earth before winter hits and our world goes barren for those long months.

It was good to see Colin and certainly good to have the time off of obligations and have-tos.  We come home to suitcases of laundry, Grace's continued battle with bladder infections, G'ma Phyl's upcoming snappy-new-knee surgery, and our final football game and band competition of the season.  Mix in there a mammogram, band concert,  hair cut, dermatologist appointment, and, oh yeah, work.

Sigh.  I'm thinking I'd like someone to cut me free of the vines in my life too.  Oh, to be a pumpkin!


(Please continue to vote for our band: http://www.gleegiveanote.com/vote_details.php?id=112)  Thank you!! We are moving up in the line!

Pumpkin Huntin'

We're off pumpkin huntin' today.  And no, we aren't going to the Walmart to dig one out of a bin--we are going to an honest-to-goodness cut-your-own-pumpkin-off-the-vine sorta place. 

While we are out there, I'm gonna be overloading on the smell of burning leaves, the colors changing, wooly worms trekking across country roads, and apple cider. 

Have I mentioned how much I love fall? 

Jaws and other stuff....

Cue the "Jaws" music....

EEEK! Look out, frog!!! Dang, that Mr. Cuddles got big, didn't he?  Yikes. He won't eat the frog, but I'm not sure the frog knew that.

Hey, if you are really bored and are looking for something to click on, won't you please go over to this site and vote for our school to qualify for some money towards our band program?   Search "Alan B. Shepard High School", watch the video and vote for us. Please?

We are a small band (around 90 kids total) and we do amazing things, but we can do so much more with some financial help.  Band equipment is badly needed and some new uniforms would be GREAT.  Imagine the current combo of orange and brown---blech. You can vote (and the kids would really appreciate it if you did) every day until November 7.  I rarely do pitches here, so you know how important this is to us.  Thank you, pallies.

Happy Weekend! We actually have the weekend off from band competitions, so no ridiculously-early colorguard breakfasts or hauling marimbas cross country.  Whew! I don't know what I'll do with all my free time, but I'm sure I'll find something.  I do hope you enjoy yours.

Now go on.....but watch out for giant orange fish. You never know where they are lurking.

Who doesn't love Autumn.....and Hobbes?

Do you know what is more fun than laying under a tree in the warm sunshine while watching the leaves fall?  Nuthin'--just ask Hobbes.  It never ceases to amaze me how he'll stay in our yard the entire day, never running away.  I guess life is good right here....for all of us.

I was thinking the other day about when we first got Hobbes--it was fall and he loved nothing better than to be out in the yard with us and chase leaves and bugs and the hose and anything else that dared to move.  It is something that hasn't changed in these three years--he still loves being outside with us.  It's like it isn't half as much fun without someone to share it with.  I have to agree with him--I can't imagine our life without him.

I realized that we celebrated Hobbes' Gotcha Day this week and it's been 3 whole years that he's been with us. Color us lucky.  He's a great guy, that Hobbes, and he certainly brings a lot of fun to this house.

It's hard to remember our house without him. Even harder to believe he was ever so tiny!

And the Winner of "Guess the Blob" Contest is........

Do you know who sort of guessed the Mystery Blob in my photo yesterday?  I'll give you a hint:  She is the biggest SmartyPants EVER and she knows like everything about goats and turkeys and stuff. AND she has a farm. And some laughing ducks. 

Melodie from Laughing Duck Farm!
(this is not really a photo of Melodie--she wears a bathing suit when she swims)

Maybe it's that Texas heat that fires up her thinkin' skills, but girlfriend figured out what this is:

She originally guessed that it was a praying mantis nest.  And then she guessed again saying it was bug poop or perhaps a bug egg sack.  While the poop was NOT a good guess, the bug egg sack is CORRECT!

This is a praying mantis egg case (or sack) known as an ootheca.  The female praying mantis creates this foamy stuff to surround her eggs for protection.  It  hardens after a bit and you can find them attached to stems of plants. Come spring, this bad boy will release a bunch of little baby praying mantids.  I've heard that these little buggars will eat their siblings to survive--which makes for a great story for your kids--you know, it messes with their wee heads a bit.

I was doing some gardening when I found two of these on our butterfly bush--which is very exciting in my book.  Of course, nobody in my family thinks this is as exciting as I do, but they all humor me and come running over to see it.  Well, except the cats--they don't find anything exciting.

It is small--about the size of a quarter or maybe a 50 cent piece and it is very light--like styrofoam.  It is vulnerable to wasps and so I may be cutting the branch and saving it in the shed for winter.  I'd love to see those little ones hatching come spring time. I'm like that about frogs and bugs and such--it's life and I feel the need to protect it. Once a mom.....you know.

Thanks for all the wacky guesses, pallies. You are definitely some creative guessers!

And if you think she's cute, wait until you see the babies!

Who's a SmartyPants?

Hey, look what I found!

Okay, I was gonna tell you all what it was and how cool it is and all that, but then I thought it might make a contest to see who can guess it.  But then I remembered I don't have any cool prizes to give away like Kathy at the Junk Drawer. Darn. I won some cool Jesus Band-aids on her blog for guessing a dryer accessory correctly last month.  And yes, they are very cool and people are always commenting how jealous they are when they see me wearing them--but alas, I don't have those here to give away. Bummer.

Anywho, if you can guess what this is, then I will just have to honor and say nice things about you on my blog and tell everyone how smart you are. 

Go ahead, give a guess.  My bets are on Sharkey--I'll bet she knows what it is.

Change.....again

I love seasons. I can't imagine living somewhere where you don't have them or a cycle of change in your surroundings.  There is just something about the change--in the weather, the air, the plants surrounding you, and the colors of the earth as we go from warm to cold, to warm again. It's refreshing--a re-birth, so to speak. We get to start new with every season.


As the seasons change, so do our lives. Like the tadpoles in the pond, change is inevitable and constant. And while some changes are subtle, there are some that are more pronounced.Em and I are headed off to a college tour today.  Sigh. I guess change is upon us once again as Em starts wrapping up her high school years.  This is a big change for all of us--especially for Joe and I as we start facing an empty nest.

It's funny how I have always loved fall--it is my favorite season. But I have mixed feelings about the autumn of our lives. On one hand, I love that the kids are nearly grown and starting to live independent lives, but I think I'm really going to miss all the fun and excitement around here.  Every so often we get a little glimpse of those leaves changing and we talk about what we'll do when both kids are at college.  And while plans are great--reality may be a whole different thing.  Sometimes it makes me sad.

So, off we go to two different campuses today--both of us excited to see if either of these schools will be her new home.  I don't think it is much of a reality for Em yet that she'll be going to college soon, so this ought to be interesting. I'm expecting some jittery moments as we first step on campus--and a few battles. This is one of those big changes--for all of us.

Who knew?!

I saw this and thought of you, Grace.

It's 9:00 a.m. on Saturday morning--I've fed 10 kids breakfast, derailed some drama with a band parent, vacuumed my entire house, it's 80 degrees in October and am heading for nap before 10:45 a.m. rehearsal.

Life is good.

Friday Random Thoughts

Hey, guess what I'm doing this weekend?  Go ahead, guess.

Yep, pushing the damn equipment on the field again for another contest. Sigh.  But at least the weather is cooperating--it's gonna be 80 degrees and sunny this weekend.  Guess I won't be wearing my snappy new Marching Season hat--I don't want my head to sweat while I'm pushing that beastly marimba to the 40 yard line.

I was driving home from the foot doctor today (yeah, I'm gonna get that toe fixed in December) and I heard they found a new theme song for Monday Night football. Why we are all supposed to care about this, I don't know--but it made me laugh.  I thank my afternoon radio guy for reporting the new song--and introducing me to this classic originally.  Don't hate me, Helene.

I love my foot doctor--he has the smallest office EVER. I mean, you literally sit toe-to-toe with the other patients there in the waiting room.  Which is interesting because everyone has foot problems and are very aware of anyone stepping on their piggies. It's hilarious to see everyone moving their feet when someone has to get up--they all but pull their legs up to their chests.

And as I went into the casting room for my snappy new orthotics, the nurse tells me to step up on the table and propel myself on my stomach. Propel? Really?! I got the giggles because I had this image of me running and sailing on my stomach like a penguin. You know--wings out, sliding on that white paper all wacky-like.  So I asked her if she wanted me to take a running start. She thought I was serious--it was great.

Hey, happy weekend, pallies! Go out there and find something fun to do and report back on Monday.  Find something good or funny in your ordinary day.  Breathe deep and have some fun. I know I am.


Did I mention I'm pushing a marimba again?  Ugh.  It almost makes me miss those damn metal bleachers.  Almost.

Who-the-heck-doesn't-love-Hobbes Thursday

This is my cat, Hobbes.

This is my cat, Hobbes, throwing a big baby fit because

he can't go outside because it is dark and some evil raccoon 

or skunk or coyote or the neighbor's cat, Mabel, will get him.

He has a definite flair for dramatics, doesn't he?

I don't know where he gets it.

Wordless Wednesday

Enjoying the last of the warm days....

Little Victories

This weekend, the Colorguard was down.  We had one girl in a boot and could only perform half of the show. We had another who apparently enjoyed Colorguard breakfast too much and was busy vomiting during warm-up and couldn't perform.  The last straw was our captain who sustained some sort of injury during the week and decided not to perform.  So, we were down to 5 1/2 girls out of our already-small group of 8. We typically have 15 girls in our guard, so you can see how we were at a disadvantage going into the season.

Being that the leader was m.i.a., Em was asked to step in and do her solo as well as her own.  No pressure--this only required Em to do a huge rifle toss before the music started--with the downbeat of her catch the start point of the show. Em was a wreck--dropping that toss would start the show on a negative. Ugh.

Poor Em was a wreck and no encouragement or coaching could put her mind at ease.  It was up to her and her only. And while the other girl sometimes drops the rifle, Em really couldn't do much worse--but she wanted better.......for herself.

Em came through--she flew that rifle in the air and caught it. It was very dramatic. And you could hear my "YEAH!" reverberating off the stands in front of us.  I swear I willed that kid to succeed--not for me, but for her. Parents do that sort of stuff--we're downright silly.

Not only did Em succeed in her moment of pressure, but those other girls pulled together, gaps and all, and took first place in their category for Colorguard. 5 1/2 girls rocked it. They beat full teams of colorguard and they did it by teamwork.

Sometimes it isn't the big things that matter as much, but the little victories instead.  It is the little triumphs, the personal goals, the succeeding in pushing yourself and achieving.  It is overcoming the odds and then, perhaps, winning.  It was Em nailing that toss, the remaining guard girls pulling together to compensate for the loss of team members, and then winning the category. It's those little victories that are so very sweet.

At the end of a long day competing, all of the Drum Majors from the various bands line up along the football field to represent their school at the awards ceremony.  Typically, the Drum Major is accompanied by the Colorguard leader and they do this little Drum Major/Colorguard salute when their school name is called.  It's pretty cool to see the various salutes--I was totally amazed the first time I saw this part of the competitions. 
Anywho, Em was given the honor of representing our Colorguard down on the field with our Drum Major on Saturday. The director let her go down because of how well she did--and that kid couldn't have been more excited.  Such a small gesture that meant so very much to her.

I took this photo when it was announced that the Colorguard won--you can see it on Em's face. There was that smile, the proud smile of knowing you did well.  And you scored a little victory for yourself....and for your team.

The View from the Cheap Seats

It was crazy how many parents we needed on pit crew for Saturday's performance--but we had plenty, which speaks volumes of the parent participation we have.  It's nice.  And it's fun too--I never laugh as hard as I do with the band parents. They certainly make the day fun.

The only downside of helping get the percussion equipment on the field was that we couldn't see the new and improved show this week.  After Lemont Guy came and made all those changes, we were stuck on the back end of the field and all we saw was butts--and lots of 'em.

But there I was, the good mom, taking photos anyway.  Here's Em's rifle solo--from the back side. I get points for trying, right?

Oh--we won second place in our category, with winning captions of Best Drum Major, Best Colorguard, and Best Music General Effect. It was a good day--the sun was shining, the air was warm, and the company good. I guess in the end, it didn't matter what view I had--I was just happy to be there.

I didn't sign up for pit crew, Charlie Brown

I'm not sure how it happened, but somebody volunteered me for Pit Crew at today's contest. I think it was me who offered to help whenever needed--but I didn't mean it.  Sheesh.

Pit Crew is the gang of parents who wheel all of the band equipment onto the field before a performance.  It is a crappy job because you can't see the performance from a height--you just see a crowd of marchers and colorguard from ground level.  And you have to push marimbas and gongs and stuff--which are on wheels and have minds of their own.  Sigh.

It is something that I have avoided for 6 years--until today. 

The worst part is that our pit configuration changes with every performance so we have to go "practice" with the band at 8:45 a.m.--which is directly after Colorguard Breakfast at 6:30.  I'm gonna need a nap before our 1:45 performance--which is highly unlikely.

Color me crabby.