Inspirational...

I can't express in words how touching this is

http://zenpencils.com/comic/128-bill-watterson-a-cartoonists-advice/

Mandy tries to race a soapbox [hint: unsuccessfully]

Posted with her permission...

I wrote up some of the details back when...

World Pipe Band Championships 2013 results

https://www.facebook.com/WorldPipeBandChampionship

Grade 1 Final

1. Field Marshal Montgomery
2. Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia
3. Scottish Power
4. Simon Fraser University - Canada
5. St Laurence O'Toole - Eire
6. Inveraray and District
7. Greater Glasgow Police Pipe Band
8. Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia
9. Manawatu Scottish - New Zealand
10. Dowco Triumph Street - Canada
11. Canterbury Caledonian Society - New Zealand
12. Cullybackey

Now, I didn't get to enter the pipes|drums draw/contest, as I forgot... but I think I had it as:  FMM / I&D / SFU / Scottish Power / Boghall & Bathgate / Shotts..

Interesting to see where I&D was.  I really liked their set this year, and thought it deserved much higher.  Was glad to see SFU finish as high, as it was almost unfair that kind of weather they had to play in.

Disappointed to not see Frasers or Peel or Toronto get past the qualifiers.

But what a hell of a show over the 2 days.

I had the page up with the results just a moment ago, but refreshed and now it's saying suspended:

www.rspba.org/html/results.php

Congrats Rob and Sue

Thanks to Rob and Susan for including us in your special day.

It was awesome weather and beautiful all around (seriously the sister who did the decorations could start her own business and give most of the companies in town s good run for their money).

For our part, Rory, Bill and myself were asked to pipe for the ceremony and... We'll it sounded good. Hope it looked even better!

We practiced several times throughout the week.

I piped down the bridal party and then the three of us played Susan down with Highland Cathedral (now that we have it and some seconds, we should have to play it in the band).

Then later in the evening we played a mini concert with Rob. It was awesome and very tight sounding!

Now, can't wait until that guy finds those photos (someone left their camera at a table so Rory took a few photos for him)!

A short canoe trip

So, as my nephew Iain turned 12, it was his turn to go visit my parents.  Kind of a tradition in our family.

While there, my dad wanted to take him on a canoe trip, and with my recent opportunity for scads of free time, I joined in.

Now, 3 people in my dad's canoe, was going to be tricky, but manageable.  So we figured.  But to be on the safe side we decided to just go into the pines at Quetico.

approximately 5.5km

Enjoying my time off

So there hasn't been a lot of writing on this blog in a while.

I missed telling you a lot of things.  But things got a little hectic, and all at the same time, not so much so.  It's difficult to explain.  I wonder if this is what it's like to be retired.  Although, after retirement you have a lifetime of work to look back and reflect on as a job well done.  Me, no to so much.

Mind you, I've done some awesome things, but nowhere near a lifetime of work at the point you would have at retirement.

Nakina doesn't turn 90 just every day

I could really get used to travelling on band trips in a coach.

Nakina turns 90 and they asked for our pipe band to play for the parade.  Like Washburn, this is one of those 'every 5 years' trips.  So you can't say no.

Butternut 2013

In an effort to get everybody caught up... I present to you... (better late than never)

Butternut

A simple parade, it's a bit of a drive, but really, super simple.  Drive out the Saturday, play the Sunday for the parade and then head on home.  We used to try to double up this parade with another, as it was a Sunday parade (we could do another Saturday parade, then hightail it to Butternut for the Sunday).

Minocqua 2013 - great times had by all

In an effort to try to get you all caught up with the escapades...

Minocqua?  It was fun.  The weather held so well that the 4 trips were a breeze.  It was still a marathon of playing, but compared to the crazy amount of playing we did in previous weathers, it was easy.

Next year will be amazing as it's going to be over the weekend.  Super party time!