School is out in ten weeks, and this summer may be the most
complex yet. Emily has a job unpacking and setting up at the middle school,
twelve hundred notebooks. Don’t ask. Laura has art classes, and works for Mrs.
P several days a week. Emily has college orientation. Laura wants one week at
camp. We all want to visit Ann.
Getting my grip was essential. I emailed the band director
and said I was resigned to being chained to the band from August until the
football team lost its last game; just let me know when in August it all began.
The reply: the first mandatory band practice is July 20th; band camp
begins July 24th; blablablablabla.
Laura, on the other hand, is so excited about learning to
march!
Tonight the annual Facts about Marching Band arrived. I
pushed “print” for fifteen pages, and I sent Laura to the studio to take the packet
from Aunt Jan’s printer. It fluttered over her head, coming back. “The stapler,
the stapler, before I lose any.” I sent her off to read it, but still had most
of it read into my ear, feigning surprise at each new page.
“Oh, no, gramma, it says ‘do not staple the medical forms!’”
I handed over the staple remover and Laura disappeared. She reappeared with the
packet rippling in the breeze, again, and returned it, announcing “I kept
the packing list.”
She may be packing right now!
Oh I remember those band days. There before sunrise to beat the heat for practice and waiting for their bus to return at 2 am with a toddler in the back seat sleeping. Do not miss them.
ReplyDeleteLol. Busy life but wonderful by the sound of it!
ReplyDeleteThose girls certainly don't have time to get into mischief! Perfect way to spend their summer!
ReplyDeleteWe keep calling you their grandma, but in reality, you are their mom. They are fabulous girls because they had you.
ReplyDeleteI remember Marching Band. I had it every year in high school. I played (still do) the cornet. I had a blast!
ReplyDeleteCrikey - and it's only mid-March :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad she's excited.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I think Laura's excitement is a GOOD thing! And for sure, you will be a busy lady between all those hats you wear! You are an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteHow do you keep up with it all?
ReplyDeleteI think Emily's job could be a good one, maybe a bit redundant, but it is better than perhaps freezing on the mountain when she worked at the ski place. It is good Laura wants to learn how to march; this may be the thing that helps transition her with not having Emily around. You need to clone yourself, perhaps even two more of you might be a good thing.
ReplyDeletebetty
Excited to learn to march...youth is great!
ReplyDeleteYou are always soooo busy.
ReplyDeleteBand is an alien concept to me. We don't have it, and precious little marching either. I have been fascinated over the years learning about it.
I like a chuckle early in the morning Joanne - and this did make me smile.
ReplyDeleteI never thought you had to learn to march. Thinking about it though I suppose there must be a skill in keeping in time and moving as a unit. Well, you learn something new every day....
ReplyDeleteI don't my generation would have been excited about learning to march - it was the first after WW2 not to have mandatory National Service.
ReplyDeleteMarching bands and American football, like bangers and mash.
ReplyDelete15 pages?! holy cow. who knew it was so complex.
ReplyDeleteMine aren't in the band anymore. I don't really miss it either! But she will have so much fun!
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteBusy folks have more room for doing things - ... or something... YAM xx
One thing about band: You make friends for life!
ReplyDeleteHe was in band and jazz band❣Has never taken his sax out of the bag since the last performance in high school. My son, the tenor sax player❣Wonder if he remembers playing next to President Bill Clinton? Glad we have a photo as proof ;) Linda@Wetcreek Blog
ReplyDeleteStrap on those roller skates. You're going to be a busy lady, and with college on the horizon, home will be frenetic, too.
ReplyDeleteWow, how easily my mind has switched away from summer activities for the kids. Reading this reminded me and I'm exhausted all over again. I admire your energy. I'm only a couple years from having done all that though. Perhaps I need time to reinvigorate before grandkids come into the picture. Fun read.
ReplyDeleteTheir enthusiasm keeps me engaged. Nothing else.
DeleteParticipating in marching band sure has become complicated. How many notebooks?! 1,200? Wow.
ReplyDeleteI was in a junior high band once. No football games to play. I learned to march in the Air Force.
ReplyDelete