Day 27 in 2022

Auditioning into the Michigan All State High School Band is a big deal. Almost 2,000 kids from all over the state compete for around 100 spots. Blind auditions are held every fall, members are notified in November and music sent out so they can prepare. Finally, in January, the students meet during the Michigan Music Conference for two days of rehearsals before a final performance on the third morning. It is a huge honor to be selected as one of the top high school musicians in the state, and Calvin earned that honor, and a first bassoon spot, with hard work and talent. So here we are, masks at the ready, to take on a conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan...in the middle of a Pandemic surge.

And we couldn't be more proud.

Day 188 in 2021

Camp drop off, 2021.

We missed this horribly in 2020. I think I've talked before about how one of the hardest things about this pandemic has been the parenting. Even the most well-adjusted kids, even the used-to-be-homeschooled kids, need interaction and challenges outside the house every once in a while. This is especially true for parenting teenagers, who are just now at that moment in life when they are supposed to be getting ready to fledge and need the space to spread their wings. Calvin was such a trooper as he missed event after event, and we celebrated the return to, albeit very altered, in-person performances this spring. His beloved summer camp was something he had to give up last year, and it brought us great joy to be able to say yes to letting him go this year, thanks to vaccines, a relatively low R0, and really great precautionary measures put in place by the camp. This moment was joyous, but I'll admit that it feels like the eye of the storm, as though much of the threat has passed us, but a great amount is still out there and awaits just ahead.

Day 29 in 2021

Enjoying The Ark's streamed Folk Festival with family

Day 267 in 2020

Bassoon lesson. 2020.

Day 75 in 2020

We are spinning a little from the rapidity with which the situation keeps changing. A week ago I was questioning my decision to stock food and supplies, just a few days ago I was grappling with decisions about one-on-one contact like Calvin's bassoon lesson, or the piano lessons Jon teaches. The news this morning, and the continued urging to completely isolate, made the decision that much easier today. You know what else makes it easy? Modern technology. Skype and FaceTime are our friends! Actually, that's almost literally true these days, as they are the only way we will be communing with friends for the foreseeable future. 

Let me just say, although video chat isn't the ideal way to have a music lesson, it sure beats the alternative of no lesson.