November 17 - And Early Field Dessert is not a Crook

 MMm... baklava, tho' not my favourite dessert, it definitely is tasty.  I think I'll celebrate the US's National Baklava Day by running down to Royal Aleppo and grabbing some sweets.

It's never too soon for dessert, right?  Being born too soon tho' could cause complications, and there's a day for that to raise awareness, World Prematurity Day.

The day is also marked by the famous words of Richard Nixon: "I am not a crook".

He said this during a speech about the infamous Watergate issue in 1973.

One guy who isn't a crook, but the winningest Pipe Major Richard Parkes.  He is PM for the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, named after famous Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery.  

He was born today in 1887, and would have been 134 had he not passed in 1976.

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.

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!

Flinging @ the Foundry

So a while ago we thought up to have a 'fun event' some time in between the Holiday lull and the heavy parade season, and I've had the idea of a 'spring concert' on the back burner for a while.  That idea never happened, but we decided on "Fling @ the Foundry".

Been a packed week [62/90]

So, a pretty hectic week all things considering.
I got a new device to play with:

Kind of excited to play with it.  Review's up on the site...

Then I also got another toy to play with.

This one I even get to give away!

And also with the toys, got the Fantom as well.

Got a review for that one as well.

Aside from that work was pretty hectic as it's that time of the year where my eNewsletter and Quarterly newsletter overlap.

I even had a sick day, so that intensified the work load.

We readied this week for Dean's start of school, as he'd gone through the 'first rider program'.

And we have our first gig 'in the new season' as we'll be at Hymer's Fair tomorrow (well, today actually).

Gotta get ready for our info night on the 12th.

Centennial Last Week [49/76]

It's been a week since we held our centennial last week.

I haven't had the foggiest clue of how to even to start to write about it, so I'll just do it as I usually do best... chronologically.

band commitments [10/15]

Another Thursday night, and another fun filled band practice.


I get a little scared at how well we'll sound for the centennial... or am I just being cynical?


It's not that many practices away and we have some engagements that will remove us from regular Thursday nights... I worry.


Or do I expect too much?


And then today, an opportunity comes up that I immediately want to pounce all over, but then my PC side tells me to hold up... but in waiting it may be an opportunity lost.


But in pursuing it... will it be a motivator or a demotivator?


Also, do I have the time?


oh peanut butter sandwiches

Busy piping season thus far...

Unbelievably, this March has been a pretty active season for the piping realm:

• I had the online competition to record and submit (got 6th place for the MSR)
• TCTE Curling Bonspiel opening / closing
• Meeting with the dance groups to discuss piping for the May competition (which I'm deciding NOT to do)
• Al's funeral (hardest piping gig I've ever had to do)
• National Wheelchair Curling bonspiel opening / closing
• Several band executive / general / centennial meetings
• Bronwyn's birthday bash (a dancer who has found out she has cancer, and he fellow classmates were throwing a fundraising party)

[he did NOT like my F's or my fosgailte movement -- I've forgotten the D grace to C; was quite happy as it was the first real 'full length' piobaireachd I've done]

got 6th place for it

April shouldn't be too bad, only a few meetings... just heavy practicing.

May?  I would really like to try to do the Moosejaw/Regina competition... we'll see.