Sewer Excitement, Part Poo

Just got back from the Kids' orchestra practice. As I drove down our street, I could see all sorts of lights: headlights, tail lights, spots lights. They're still here (see the post below).

Yup. Still at it. At least we've got water again.



So all the lights belong to the boss man's truck, the plumber's truck and the truck & trailer that hauled the digger-thing. Three guys watch while the guy in the digger digs awhile, then one will jump in the hole (which is now about seven feet deep) and do some hand digging. I'm not sure what that white pvc pipe is for, but as long as they clear up the sewer so that we can pee and poop without fear, I'm all for it.

Sewer Excitement

For some time now we've been experiencing some problems with our toilets. It's gotten so we've been using the plunger at least once a day. I've been meaning to get another plunger, just so that we can have an upstairs plunger and a downstairs plunger.

Luckily, a couple of years ago we took our water company's offer to buy water line and sewer line insurance. We knew we were due for trouble - our neighborhood was built in the late 1940s and almost every other house has had to have their sewer line dug up. Most of the other houses used to have a tree or two in the front yard that were cut down because of root problems. (The newish neighbor across the street planted a willow tree in his front yard, which is supposed to be the worst thing to plant on a residential property with lines of any sort.)

So, the plumber guys came and rotored the sewer, ran a video down, and saw a blockage. Well, DUH.

As you can see from the photo above, our sewer line (the green line) goes right under one of our trees. Blue is the water line, yellow is gas. White marks where they anticipate digging. BTW, what looks like writing in white IS writing - Ted the plumber called the borough about getting permission to dig, and he didn't have pen and paper on hand, so he spray painted a phone number on our lawn.

The plumber guys left around noon - without telling me. I didn't know if they had gone to lunch, to take care of the permit from the borough, or what. Waited and waited. Did some stuff around the house, but was afraid to go on any errands. Mom and Dad came by; my van was at the shop and I had one of the parental cars. Mom drove me to get the van while Dad stayed at the house. Came back. Waited some more. Geeesh, where are these guys and what are they doing? Finally I called around 2:30 and was told that they were coming to dig up the yard and would be here in half an hour. After another hour I called again. Ted came back to explain that the equipment was coming from Hershey (about 15 miles away) and that they would get this done today. Really? It's going on 4:00.

So, these younger guys with the digger-thing show up. The weather here is pretty windy from the Katrina effect. They don't particularly look happy to be starting a job this late in the day, but the boss has told them to do it.



The hole is ... let me go check {runs to look out the front door} ... oooowheeee! it's close to five feet deep, but the excitement builds -- they've broken into the water line! I missed the mini-geyser, but my neighbors, who have been watching, told me all about it.

Well, the water's off for sure, now. DH has arrived with McD's for dinner, and the Kids have orchestra practice at my church.

Later, y'all

Oh, btw, in case you haven't already noticed, I'm Doug's guest today. just sayin'

Real Life (Pez) Adventure

Hey, sis! A cartoon from today's paper!

Real Life Adventures is by Gary Wise and Lance Aldrich.

Mural, Final Chapter?

Here's how the mural at our church looks now. I may do some minor work on it in the future - I guess I'm never satisfied, but it looks pretty good at the moment. BTW, there is one switchplate, one outlet plate and one blank plate there somewhere. Mom did a great job painting them to match!!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Yup, it's my birthday. And I've got homework - still have reading to do that I should've finished days ago. DH sez that I'm not a good example to our children - but boy, oh, boy, does he enjoy asking me if I've finished my homework!!

This little bit of artwork is by Real Musgrave, who creates "Pocket Dragons." Very cute - I have one of his ceramic dragons that's trying to hide a cookie behind her back, but the cookie is too big. I met Real at a fantasy art gallery in Annapolis, MD, many years ago. Very nice guy. Some celebrities (whether they be of international, local or specific type of fandom) are quite nice and others are quite snobby. But that's another blog. So that's all for now!

Painting

DH and I exhibited our artistic wares this weekend at an art show 20 minutes down the pike. Mostly DH's photographs, I don't much time to actually create artwork these days. (yeah, what about all this time on the PC?)

On Saturday, a woman parked her van across from the show and got out paints and brushes.


The van already had a good bit painted on it - she told me that it was all started last April. She is a partner in a downtown art studio. She and others were organizing an arts alliance for the downtown, incorporating galleries, restaurants and other businesses interested in promoting the arts and generating traffic and patronage.


So, today I came with my painting pants on and painted a bit myself for about an hour or so.



I painted this green dragon with the orangy background. The paint was weird - it was indeed for painting metal and the van won't need to be clear-coated to protect the images. Andrea had brought the basic primary colors, along with white and black, but it didn't mix well (or like you'd think they should) and I had some trouble getting the colors we needed. And it started to dry quickly, but will actually be very tacky for days, so we had to work pretty wet and quickly.

It's not as finished as I would've liked it, but hey, it was fun and she was happy to get another section filled. If I lived in York I would stop by her place and work some more on it. Maybe next year!

Band Uniforms

Wow, two posts in one day! Here's a sample of the band uniform:

Lurking Brings Its Own Rewards

Feeling like you just don't know what to post? (Besides whining?) Lurk at the blogs of those that comment on your blog, and you'll probably find something to emulate.

At Bastet's blog there's a photo of her cat in a box. So here's two photos of our Salem, one as a kitten and one as a young adult. He sure loved to sleep in that napkin basket. Loved it to death.


















So, that's my post for now. See ya later!

Lately Lurking

I think the mural is done enough for now. Mom took photos last night, and today I forgot to take my camera for slightly updated ones. I'm sure we'll have some more up soon.

I've been mostly doing some quick looksies at everyone's sites lately, just too darn busy to do serious commenting. (in fact, I should be at the grocery store right now, getting something for dinner ...) Mom was talking about all of your blogs while we were painting and I feel like I've been missing out on good stuff - I'll have to go back and read for myself.

Here it is Thursday and I still haven't read my chapter for my class. I did set up my GS troop meeting at the church, have gotten the okay to have GS flyers distributed at the elementary schools. DH and I have an art show in York, PA, this weekend, to prepare for (inspecting framed pieces, cleaning up, etc.) My desk and "office" area were cleaned up and organized last week, but now it's all back to several confusing piles, so that needs to be done.

Ooops, I've slipped off into whining-mode. Did I mention my MIL?

And I've still got dinner to buy and make ... better go now.

TTFN

Cardinals

Some months ago I posted about a bald-headed cardinal that was in our backyard. I had found info on the internet and asked at the local wildbird feed store about it - they all seemed to think that he had molted and would get his head feathers back.

Well ... he didn't:


I call him Phillip Diller, since he does look like Phyllis Diller's brother.

This morning I saw four birds that look like young female cardinals around our feeders. Then Phillip and a larger female cardinal joined them. I think these young ones are Phil's kids.

So bald is sexy among birds, too, eh?

Mural I

Mom and I worked on the mural at church for a while this afternoon.

Here are a couple of photos.

This is how it looked when we got started. Mom has taken some earlier versions,
but she's been having PC problems and hasn't uploaded them.

This is near the end of our session today. I'll be going back tomorrow to work some more on it.

Class Begins

Just another quickie (really!) post. Just got back from my first college class in 21 years. And yup, I think that I'm the oldest one there. There is one woman who is four years younger (we did an interview and sharing exercise and some told ages) and two other women who are older than the rest. But I'm thinking that they're still younger. We'll see.

I'm not looking forward to the two projects and exams. But the professor seems like a good guy. I seem to be the only one there who isn't there for a degree, but there is at least one guy who isn't an elementary education major. Prof. Miller asked everyone about their educational influences - and most of these people really disliked school, especially high school. I enjoyed school. Sure there were specific times when things weren't so great (moving three times in 8th grade, from Los Angeles to Pennsylvania, being one of them) but overall I have a positive memory of school.

Well, I'm still tired from the weekend and have lots to do this week, guess I'll go look at what needs to be done, then ignore it and go to bed.

I'm Baaaaack

And waaaay too tired to post much. It was a good conference. I'll post a few photos for now.









I took a workshop on Breadmaking. Here biscuits are made on a griddle over the fire. I and my partner Sharon also made Grill Bread, which was laid directly on the grill over the coals and fire.


Here muffins are baked in a "Wine Box Oven." This particular "oven" wasn't made like they usually are, but still works - you line a box inside and out with foil. Hot, grey coals are put in a pan. Around them are four empty aluminum cans and sitting on them is a wire rack. Whatever it is you are cooking sits on the rack, over the hot coals. Each hot charcoal briquette equals a certain amount of temperature (I forget - maybe 40 degrees each). We had the inside of the box ovens at probably 350 or more. Sharon and I also made Peanut Butter biscuits (they looked like jellyrolls) and these in the photo are Zucchini Muffins. Several other kinds of breads were made, and homemade, handmade tortillas, too, and we ate them at lunch.

I didn't take many photos this time - there were several other people with cameras and everyone is supposed to post them at the event's Yahoo group site, so I'm hoping to get more that way.

I did snap a shot out the window (no, I wasn't looking, I was driving) when I was just about home. Took several, this is the only one that turned out okay:















This is Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. You can just see the capitol building itself - it's the greenish dome. Look at a picture of St. Peter's in Rome, they look pretty much the same (I'm NOT joking - clicking on the photo should result in a bigger view of it). The river is the Susquehanna, a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. The river is really low right now - there's not normally grass growing where you see it (tho' there are numerous small islands with trees).

As you can see, it's a really beautiful day right now. The drive back was wonderful - the camp is just about in the center of Pennsylvania, and the route there is through farm country. The old cliche of farmland looking like a quilt is really true - all the different colors of green and gold, the textures of different crops. It's been a dry year - the corn is five to six feet tall but should be taller by now. It's also looking dry; a much paler green than normal. But it's still green, and the silk (tassels) at the top are darkening from gold to red-brown. These farms are in the valleys of the low mountains of Pennsylvania, so the fields go right up to the tree line. There are a good many Amish in the center of Pennsylvania, besides the famous Lancaster County area. I saw an Amish man tying his horse & buggy to a gas pump in Belleville. I wish I had stopped and gone back for a photo, but I'm so used to knowing that the Amish are not to be photographed that it didn't occur to me that he probably would not have objected to his horse being captured on film.

Well, this is longer than I thought I'd be able to get out. I've my dirty camping stuff to clean and put away - but that'll be tomorrow's chore, not tonight. Hoping to catch up on Stargate before someone spills the beans . . .

Notes

A few notes ~

• My headache seems to be subsiding a little. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it stays away for awhile.
• Mom and I worked on the mural at church for a few hours, it's progressing nicely. The newly formed orchestra (Tok'ra and Goa'uld are in it) came in later to practice, so we got to hear that. Mom did take photos, I expect they'll show up on her blog soon.
• I'll be away until Sunday night for an adult Girl Scout outdoor conference. I forget what I signed up for, but I'm giving a workshop on new ways to make Sit Upons. I have my camera packed, so I should have pics later, too. But I can't promise that I'll be sleeping that well in a sleeping bag! You'd be amazed how loud the woods can get - all those critters chirping and so forth.
• Thanks for all your kind comments about my participation at the sleep clinic. Besides the photo, the other souvenir I have is a sore spot where the technican rubbed a spot so raw I've now a scab. Right where the seatbelt's shoulder strap sits. ow.

Later, Y'all!

Sleep Clinic

Or not ...

Spent last night and today at a sleep clinic to find out why I'm not sleeping well. Or just not sleeping at all. Turns out that my sleep last night (despite 30 things attached to me - 12 on my head alone - a finger-pinch thing and two nose tubes) was "good" and "over 90% efficient". Yet I felt like it was a miserable night, that I woke up several times and had trouble getting back to sleep. So the others that had apnea were sent home (to return at a later date to do it again with oxygen tubes). I got to stay and take four naps throughout the day. My headache, which had never gone away, got worse as the day progressed. I go back in six weeks to find out what they found out. The doctor in charge of the clinic is a family friend, so perhaps I'll find out later.

More later, I've got "older adult" student orientation to get to ...

IN ADDITION: I didn't take a camera - the staff took pictures of all of us. I jokingly said "oh, good, I can post it on my blog!" and it turned out that they printed out a picture for me. As for diagnosing my problem, I've definitely don't have sleep apnea. Since I'm waking up tired and perceiving that I'm sleeping poorly and end up taking naps during the day, it may be mental.

Hey, I already knew that!

New Day

Well, still have the headache. Did get some stuff done today, anyway.

I asked mom to help me paint a mural at church. It's a small wall outside the preschool classroom, about 8 feet tall and 11 or 12 feet long. I had to first get the paint, so I went to the Home Depot on our side of the river. Picked out about eight different colors and went to the paint counter. It was already hot and the store was very busy. To my dismay, it looked like the paint guy was alone and there were three people in front of me. So I waited until my turn, dreading giving this guy all these colors to mix. At 10:45 I presented him with the swatch cards. He said apologetically that it would take awhile. Eyeing a pregnant woman in line, I told him to feel free to slip in some others' paint inbetween mine. I stepped to the far end of the counter and leaned for a moment. The preggo woman and her husband give Jeff the employee their color swatch, then walked away, coming towards me. As they passed behind me, she sez "it's going to take awhile, he's got like 80 gallons to do." I said quietly to myself "no, only 2 gallons and 6 quarts."

Geeez. Don't get started on me, sister. Sorry that your pregnancy ain't sittin' well with you, but I delivered 12 1/2 pounds of babies and we changed over 200 diapers a week for over three months (we had a diaper service, so I know the number!!). If you can't stand the line at the counter then stay at home.

So I decided to go off to gather brushes and the rest of the stuff.

I wander around, checking back now and then. Others were getting their paints. Saw one man get three. Two guys got two five gallon buckets of stains done. Saw another get a group of three gallons. And so forth. I wander around the who paint island and see my swatches and the computer print-out stickers sitting back there. Checking my watch (well, the clock on my cell phone), I see that it's getting close to being an hour since I gave him those colors to do. I return to the counter and when he gets there I ask him how many more of mine are still to be done (suspecting, mind you, that he hadn't started yet). He admits that he hadn't gotten to them because of all of the other customers. I let him know that he had done more gallons for others than I had given to him in total, and some of those were groups of threes and one of a group of four. He apologized and said he would get on it soon. (soon?!)

Now I'm steaming. I went to the Customer Service counter and told them my story. The woman there told me that I needed to speak to the manager, Chris. I said that I just thought that Jeff, the paint guy, needed someone to get over there and help. Turns out that they had asked other employees in the building, but no one else could do it. The woman practically begged me to complain to the manager, because under-scheduling was a chronic problem.

So now I'm off to look for Manager Chris. Found a tall employee named Jim. Asked where Chris was. He offered to find Chris for me and asked for the specifics of the problem. He returns, saying that Chris was handing another problem and Jim was now empowered to help me out ... and he said that there would be NO CHARGE for the paint.

WHAT? I truthfully was flabbergasted. Never expected that (but inside I was as tickled as could be). Told Jim that I didn't expect that, just for Jeff to get some help. It still took awhile for the paint to be done because Jeff was still alone.

When I finally got the last of the paint, a woman who had been at the counter for a while said "it's MY turn now, I've been here a long time!" in a rather nasty voice.

I turned my head toward her and said quietly, "I've been here for an hour and a half."

"You had a lot done," she said without sympathy and a bit of a sneer.

Looking at her and wondering if that plush belly was holding a baby or just fat, I said, "He didn't even start my stuff for an hour after I had given him my colors."

She just made an impatient nose and turned away, clearly dismissing me.

Meanwhile, mom had been waiting for me at church. We didn't get a start on the mural until after 1 pm and I had planned on getting there before noon. But we're a good team and got alot accomplished. Naturally, neither of us thought to bring a camera, but we'll try to remember next time (mom, keeping notes?).

Too Much

Too much has been going on, on top of too much of a headache. I've had this one for one week now. Sometimes it fades a bit, but mostly it just is there.

I have been taking a gander at all of your blogs, but my state of head has kept me from commenting much. Certainly nothing clever.

The girls continue with band on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday for the rest of the month, plus sectionals. Tok'ra has been there an hour early each time so that she can catch up on what she missed last week. They have uniform fittings next week.

Friday night we girls saw Sky High. The local film reviewer (and others) gave it a bad rating, but we enjoyed it. Oh, it ain't going to be a classic by a long shot, but we thought that it was fun and cute. Nice light fare. Then we went out for ice cream.

This morning I participated in my first session as a Trainer for Girl Scout leaders, as an apprentice. I was paired with an experienced Trainer and we were covering "Going Places", which is about troop travel (or going that is not at the usual meeting place). It went okay, despite being nervous and with the headache. As for so many things these days, the attendees were given evaluation forms. There were seven women in the class ~ five gave us good reviews and two gave us poor ones. Interestingly enough, we could tell who it was - they chatted together for most of the training and then listed on the form what we missed. We did cover the material (as dictated by our Council), they just missed it because they were talking! I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I was, that two adults would act that way. Suzi was soooo angry about it.

Currently I'm working on my church's newsletter and will be updating the website, too. There is going to be a fundraiser this fall, and I'm creating a site for that as well, and it includes alot of images that I have to work on and post. Earlier this year I was asked to create a small mural at church, which I intended to do earlier this summer. Tomorrow afternoon I'll get a start on it, and have asked mom to help me.

This coming week I'm off from the Call Center because I'm teaching the last summer session of Art Camp. It's a large group - 16 kids. Tuesday I have a Girl Scout Service Unit meeting and then I'm participating in a Sleep Study 'cause of my insomnia (sisters, I'll let you know if it helps). Thursday the Call Center is having a Five Year Brunch for those of us who have been there since it opened. Also that day my daughters have an orchestra rehearsal at our church to get to (they're missing school band that night).

And then Friday I'm off to an outdoor conference/workshop for Girl Scout leaders and other volunteers for the weekend. I'm giving one of the workshops. Last year I cooked an egg in its shell on a stick over hot coals. THAT was kewl!!

I'm the one in the yellow raincoat - it's dark because we're under the trees and it was raining. The white spot is the egg. The other women are cooking ham steak with pineapple on slabs of wood (they were nailed on). The woman who taught this workshop can get a fire started in ANY kind of weather.

Anyway, that's my whine for now. Salem has jumped on the back of my chair and is trying to climb down over my shoulder to my lap ....

Just Like Your Mother . . .

Tok'ra (aka Book Worm) just informed me that she has recently realized that she sometimes does and says things that she's picked up from me. Then, jokingly, she covered her face with her hands and let out a small sob.

I had to laugh out loud. I know that I echo my mom sometimes, too. I'm sure that's where I got "nekkid".

Mommy Dearest

In case you missed it (HA!), take a gander at my Mom's post about cute ol' me. Yup, I bet Art Linkletter would've loved me.

And ya know, I don't really have any ammunition to fire back at her. Hmmm ...

She said that once when she was a teenager babysitting, the kid got away, stripped hisself nekkid and ran down the middle of the street ... um, no, I don't think that really qualifies.

She went to a Hershey Bear's hockey game with her co-workers. Wasn't really all that interested in it, but they were going. Got hit by a puck - never got it because everyone else around her dove for it, while she sat and bled all over them. And my coat that she had taken to wear that night. No - not her fault. It was a shock, however, to see her come thru that door all bandaged and bloody. Oh, where did it hit her? On the eyebrow. That's why she got it tattooed on later.

She and her LA County co-worker wild women friends enjoyed themselves. We kids would get to stay with one of the dads at one of the houses while they went to Las Vegas. And come home late Sunday night, still drunk. (Well, Dora was. She was loud and funny.) I don't think we ever heard what went on ... Oh, I forgot. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

And one of these friends pierced Mom's ear in the restroom at work. With a needle or straight pin. Got one done and Mom said "enough!" But somehow the other ear got pierced there, too. (Can't ja just imagine it? You want to take a whiz and there's a piercing going on.)

Pretty tame stuff, eh? She gets to observe all the juicy stuff and report it to the world. She already told the story of how she got two dates for the same hayride, right? And the time she got her hand stuck in Elvis' fence in Memphis?

One story that I like: when I found out that I was pregnant with twins, I called Mom at work before I left the doctor's office. She was ECSTATIC! I went back to work, too. When I got home, there was a twin stroller in our garage. She'd gone out and went shopping immediately!

And hasn't stopped shopping since.

btw, I've created a new Pez for me!

Life is Interesting

Life is always interesting ~ and certainly more interesting for some than others.

Yesterday I spoke with a woman from Alabama who must live a really interesting life. And it ain't gonna get boring for quite a while. When her daughter was four, this woman gave birth to quintuplets. And to make it even more interesting, there was another little surprise three years later. Yup. Three pregnancies = seven children.

And yet she seemed all together. I've met others of her ilk, mostly the triplet moms that I know. Perfect makeup, hair and nails. Calm, great company and fun to be with. Normally, you'd think that they'd be hated for their perfection, but somehow you just can't bring yourself to feel that way.

They had just gotten back from a trip to Williamsburg, VA. A family of nine driving all that way. She said that there challenges. Can you imagine going to a restaurant and asking for a table for nine? Taking seven young children to the breakfast buffet in the lobby? They stayed at a rented condo so that they'd have a kitchen to use for their large brood.

Naturally, there are the downsides to having multiples. We've experienced this to a small degree ~ it hurts a little when one child gets invited and the other doesn't. A parent compensates. But it can get difficult. I have a triplet mom friend whose triplets are made up of identical girls and a fraternal boy. The girls got invited out all the time, but the boy was usually not included. This Alabama mom had this problem in a much larger sense. Naturally, there aren't too many other parents who can or will invite five kids to her singleton's house for a playdate or party. Logistically, it just won't happen very often.

I can't imagine how this family is going to send so many kids to college - but this woman inspired me to think that somehow, some way they would come up with some solution. She obviously loved them all and wouldn't trade any of them in for anything.

Life Goes On

There have been such wonderful comments left on our blogs - mine, Tan Lucy Pez, Aral Peppermint Patty Pez and Actonbell's. Thank you for your kind words and thoughts.

Yes, life does go on.

It goes on in a different way. Things affect you differently - for many years there were songs I could not bear to hear, and whenever the Life Lion medical helicopter flew by I was reduced to tears.

But life does go on.

Mom and Dad were and are towers of strength. After Nivek died, they attended a suicide survivor support group. Not long after, they helped start another survivors group at a nearby town that didn't have one and needed it. They are an inspiration to me and others.

And life goes on.

Now I've got to go to work and take catalog orders from people who have too much money and I get to help them spend it. Some of the other people at the Call Center really enjoy it and have great Revenue Per Call. I don't particular enjoy shopping that much, but I do enjoy helping people find what they're looking for, or help them with a decorating dilemma. Today that RPC number especially doesn't matter to me.

'Cause RPC isn't what life is about. Our connections to our families, friends and our communities ~ bloggers included ~ are what life's about.

Let's go out there and LIVE.

My Brother

Flashback, 1991: We had the family over for Goa'uld and Tok'ra's first birthday. My brother, Nivek, was drinking a beer and Tok'ra was interested in it. Nivek asked if he could let her have a sip, to which I said "sure, but she isn't going to like it."

From the kitchen, my mother called out, "Oh, yes they will! Babies like beer!"

Sure enough, after one sip, Tok'ra was reaching for more! Nivek got a big laugh out of it, as did I, but my DH wasn't amused. I can still hear Nivek chortling over a baby liking beer.

Eighteen days later, Nivek was dead.

Bright and sensitive, he had long been plagued with depression. On the evening of August 6, 1991, in his room at home with Pink Floyd playing, he decided that he could go no further and he ended his life. We'll never know what finally pushed him to do it. Flown by helicopter to Hershey Medical Center, he was kept on life support for awhile, but the damage had been done. On August 7 he died, age 26. Some of his organs were donated to others. Ironically, Nivek was agnostic; his heart went to a minister.

I still miss Nivek terribly. Every time I see things that he liked (Three Stooges, Benny Hill, the Blues Brothers and more) I am reminded of him. I am still confronted by things I would have bought as gifts for him. Sometimes I am angry at Nivek, because my daughters will never know him. But I have to remember that life was painful to him. It was his decision.

He suffers no more the cruelty of the world; he cannot be hurt. He will never grow old, bald or ill.

Nivek is forever young.

Happy Birthday, Sis!!

Happy Birthday to my Sister, Actonbell!

She and her hubby are at Sea Isle City, NJ, at the moment, where they're shore to be having a good time!

Being a Band Parent

Just came from a New Band Parent Meeting. Learned about the band's schedule (football games and tournament of Bands), how often we have to chaperone, what fundraisers we have to participate in & how many points the kids have to earn from them in order to go to march at DisneyWorld next April, what checks to write (they get fitted for band shoes tomorrow), what is expected of the kids, what is expected of us . . .

I knew that being a band parent would mean a lot of involvement. I just didn't realize that I would have to sign my life over to the Band Director and the Band Boosters.

Excuse me, I'm going to the State Store (that's where you buy liquor in Pennsylvania). See you in four years.

(Oh, remember that band director from Funky Winkerbean? I can see now that's too true to life to be funny anymore.)

EDIT: The band performs at 10 games and 7 TOBs. Twice they have a game AND a TOB on the same day. Four times they have a Friday night game and then a TOB the next day. And that's just Marching Band thru November. At least one TOB is a two hour drive. Then Concert Band starts.