Eastertide....

Here are the girls at the local Easter Egg Hunt:

Little Shop of Pictures...

Well, the Little Shop of Horrors musical went really well. Here are some pictures from right before and right after the show. The little guy on the drums is the son of the drummer.

On The Anniversary Of My Mom's Death....

My Mom died a few years back on April 28th. I honestly couldn't tell you the year right now, though it hasn't been long. Two, maybe three years? It's hard to tell. I still feel her present, so it doesn't feel very different for me unless I want to pick up the phone and give her a call (this hasn't happened to me in while, however).

For those of you who knew my Mom, you know I'm not being prone to hyperbole when I say she was probably the smartest person I have ever known, and I surround myself with pretty smart people. She had a mischievous gleam in her eyes, even in her old age. Her weapons and her anodynes were her words and her intellect. She was deeply religious, and deeply caring. I think she passed some of these traits on to me, and more of them onto my siblings.

For those of you who didn't know her, I hope now you do a little.

I usually tell a story about her at this time of year. Here's one: Imagine how cool this Mom had to be, when her 17-year old son, who had applied to West Point (and met entrance requirements), University of Illinois' Aeronautical Engineering Program (and met requirements) Millikin University (and been offered a full scholarship for vocal), and SIU (offered a full ride scholarship and been accepted into their Engineering Program) told her that he doesn't really know if he is cut out for college.

She asks him, "Well, what do you really want to do? What do you love?"

"Well, Mom," he says, "I love music, and I want to play music in a band."

There was no screaming match, no "You're going to college no matter what, young man!" Instead, she says, "If that's what you really want to do, then you should do it. But," she adds, "you need to know what it is like to be a working musician." Then she spends the next several hours talking about options and choices, and ends by saying, "Whatever you decide, I will support you."

Yes, I'm talking about my Mom and me, and yes, you don't have to imagine, she was cool. I decided that I should go to college, but music never left my life.

Although I don't think Mom liked the genre of music I played, I think she appreciated the musicianship that was displayed. She supported my artistic endeavors, especially when the message of my music was different philosophically than what she believed. I did write one song before she died that I know she liked. It's called Remember, a song I wrote as lullaby for my yet unborn son, Carl. When Mom heard it, she smiled and said that I was finally getting it.

I present it to you at this link: Remember

Did you listen? Are you all sad now? Don't you think I sounded a little like Kermit the Frog? I'll leave you with a song I wrote for Mom after she died, which summed up my feelings at that time.

It's called One More Time.

That's the best I can do for her (for now).

I Got the Music In Me!

This month, I received a nice write up in the local paper for my latest record, "From Obscurity To Global Domination In Three EASY Steps." I was recognized on the street as that fat bald guy in a band by some dork I didn't know. It made me feel special.

Next, out of the blue, I was asked to play bass for the pit band for the high school's production of "Little Shop Of Horrors." We've had a practice already, and the guys I'm playing with are really talented, so I feel a little out of place. Okay, that was me smiling to myself cuz I rock! No, a little humility is needed because these guys are seriously talented, and have played together for years and you can tell it. However, I think I fit in pretty good, and we seem to all have the right idea.

Anyhow, I'll let you know how that goes.

Old Friends and New Catchphrases....

This weekend, our super friends the Aimones (Tony, Annie, Isabella and Bruno) and our awesome friends the Rodgers and Smiths (Mike, Susan, and Molly) came to our house for an extra crunchy plate of happy fun good time. I heard that before. That's what she said! Oh my God! Aaaahhhhhh! Ting ting!

That's what happens when old college friends and their kids get together for a long weekend. That translates to "we had a great time, laughed ourselves silly, ate great food and drank some drinks." All the kids played their DS's, we stayed up late playing cards and telling stories, and eventually everybody retired to their rooms and slept like logs until morning.

Annie has gotten me interested in getting on facebook, which I probably will do. Annie, if you are reading this, please make sure to send me the pictures you took.

The Kids At The Park....

A few weeks ago, it looked like we had seen the last of the freezing weather. On a breezy, very mild March day, I took the kids with me to a function at my work. On the way to the event, we stopped at a terrific park in Carbondale. It is a memorial park developed by the family who lives next to the park. Their son, Jeremy, died on the busy road by their house. The park was set aside as a safe place for kids to play, and is based on the boy's drawings.

Nut Doesn't Fall Far From The Apple Tree...

or something like that. Carl went to the regional concert band contest, and played a solo piece on saxophone. He was rated a first, which means he will move on to state, which will involve playing the piece from memory. He is excited and a little nervous about that.

When he played his piece, he really displayed a good control over note, tone, and phrasing. That is hard to do at his age. I was really proud of how well he performed.

They wouldn't allow pictures or video of the event, so you'll just have to take my word for it. On the way back home, I took him out to eat, and then let him buy some Heroclix superhero figures. That made the whole trip worthwhile for him.

Was It Our Anniversary?

Saturday, March 14th was Lara's and my 18th wedding anniversary. We went out and saw a movie, then had a nice dinner. It so happens that our anniversary is also Lara's Dad's birthday, so after dinner, we called and wished him a great day. Although Lara and I were both tired, it was a good day.

We've Gone To The Dogs....

Okay, that was a pretty stupid post title, hokey and cheap, but I couldn't resist the cheap pun....

Here are Buster and Lucky, with a little extra thrown in at the end...

Thre Trees Are Gone But Spring Has Come

Well,

After the ice storm, our trees were badly damaged. We have taken at least six piles of limbs and branches debris (piles about six feet tall and 20 feet long)out of our yards. However, this last week, it feels like Spring has arrived, and the tree service people finally got around to doing the job we contracted for the DAY OF THE ICE STORM! (A little lesson I learned from this: When you hire for a job, get a specific date from your contractor for work, and then inform them if they don't get it done by then, you will call someone else).

Anyway, the trees are now gone, but life goes on. Spring flowers have begun to bloom.