First Tuxedo

This is the elder grandson, wearing his first tuxedo (which he needed for his musical commitments this coming year), playing the Adagio from Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

July and all is well.

Since our wonderful trip to the North Country, things have been very quiet on the Sound. Watering has been the order of the day as the rains have ceased for a couple of months and the gravels and bedrock filter and seep away the moisture. Our big event was an evening in Tacoma for an a cappella peformance of music from the times of Henry VIII through Elizabeth I. Because the music was for church, it was mostly in Latin (translation was provided.)

One Saturday, recently Stidmama and I went to a Pampered Chef party and found some wonderful items to add to our kitchens.

So far, vacation has been placid. I have been enjoying the Lyric Pieces of Edvard Grieg on my recently-tuned baby grand. All I have to do is become more fluent with the music.

Vancouver Island Adventure

Here we are in Sidney, B.C. on vacation. Babble Convention!

YES! An Endless Summer Vacation

This is stidmama posting for stidgrandmere who is still recovering from nearly 30 years of teaching...

She is well, enjoying the prospect of a long summer unburdened with the need to consider next year's curriculum when she shops for souvenirs on her travels, unworried by the little nit-picky things every teacher faces at the end of the year. This year, as she cleans her classroom, she needn't keep anything for "just in case it comes in handy" in a year or two...

Here are a couple pics from Thursday:

The last calendar wall day... the kids had been so excited since the end of May to see the "days of school" strip gradually grow shorter!



Here she and I are with stidkid#1 at the buses, blowing bubbles as the kids leave for the summer...



Here she is with her husband, getting the food ready for her retirement picnic (held in the gym, in case of rain):



And here is the principal presenting stidgrandmere with flowers and a lovely garden plaque for her retirement present.

Sunday June 1

Gray day and time to head out to the Farmers' Market. Today I have in mind a nice cup of coffee. Yesterday I also waltzed through the market. Practicing to be fancy free.

Later, I'll practice some of my Beethoven Sonatas that are so challenging.

First Retirement Project

Making Beautiful Music



on the new piano! A retirement present... here is what it looks like opened up.



It has a full, rich tone, but clear. Will post a mini-concert after it's fully tuned.