What Passes for Normal

We're in the middle of August, and we're supposed to be halfway through the first week of band camp. If there were a band camp this year, which there isn't. At least not until maybe sometime in September. I've taken the week off anyway, as time is going by quickly, and there's no particular need to take days off, but I need to take some eventually, so, yes, this week is vacation. We should have been at the beach last week, and helping with band camp this week and next. Instead, we are home. Again. Like always.

In lieu of band camp, there will be socially distanced outdoor sectionals next week and the week after. I spent much of the morning today cutting wind instrument bell covers of all different sizes from exercise fabric (82% nylon and 18% spandex), which is the recommended fabric for homemade bell covers. It is said that you learn something new everyday, and over the last few days I have learned that the bell diameters of various musical instruments are (typically) as follows. Trumpets 5 inches. Clarinets 3 inches. Alto saxes 4.75 inches. Tenor saxes 6 inches. Baritone saxes 7+ inches. Baritones 10 inches. Trombones 8 inches. Mellophones 10.5 inches. Sousaphones 25 inches. And that the GV band this year has roughly 27 trumpets, ~35 saxes of various types, 7 trombones, 1 baritone, 2 sousaphones, 5 mellophones, 17 clarinets, and who knows what all else. It's a big band for us, with a big incoming freshman class. And fraught with uncertainty. The district and the volunteers are all doing a lot of work in the hopes that we can have some sort of band season this year.

On the home front, we are all still healthy. The company I work for still continues to be doing more Covid testing than any other commercial lab in the country, so that feels good. Amp still works in a dialysis clinic serving Covid patients, so that feels good too. The kids are starting to climb the walls a bit, which is to be expected. But no serious complaints.

I haven't been feeling much like creating any art recently (i.e. painting), but hopefully that will change with my sister in law's family staying with us this week (since she is a watercolor painter). I've been writing a little, but not much.

The biggest news here, I guess, is that Grace passed her learner's permit test and is now beginning the process of learning how to drive. She and I go out at least a little bit practically every day. She needs the experience of time behind the wheel, but she is doing fine, and our driving sessions have been remarkably stress-free thus far. Fingers crossed.

It's hard to believe that my little girl has turned 16, and is the tallest female on her Mom's side of the family. Mom is 5'4+". Julia is 5'2" on a good day. Her two aunts are less than that. A lot less... She is a shade under 5'6", and growing fast the last couple of years (a good 6 inches+). It's a remarkable thing to watch. And funny as well. I laugh on the inside when I find myself saying things like "where's the rest of your shirt?", "are you planning on wearing that outside the house?", and "what's with the green hair?". Most of which is just giving her a token hard time to let her know that we care, and that we are paying attention. I figure as long as she's taking all Honors and AP classes and getting fantastic grades, she can color her hair any color she wants.

Anyway... We forge ahead, doing the best we can with what passes for normal these days. School in the fall is still up in the air, with at least the first month being entirely virtual. Beyond that, who knows. The current occupant of the White House is still a worthless moron. So, same old same old. Hopefully in the not too distant future, things change for the better. I wish you all peace, health and happiness.

Appreciate the simple beauty in the world

Stay safe and wear a mask.