October 2024

  • Vivian cheerleading the Hudson Hawks to victory

October 12 My week in Sachse was informative and fun, but it was busy. The first evening we attended Vivian’s volleyball game. We were a little late getting there because J&D wanted to minimize the time spent watching other teams play but things moved along faster than usual so Vivy was serving in their first set when we got there. I was told she made fourteen straight on that serve. The Hudson Hawks, Vivy’s team/school won that game and the next one. They seemed to be significantly better than that evening’s opponent. The following Saturday we watched her Hawks in a tournament where the competition was about level with the Hawks. These were eighth-grade girls and I was impressed by with their level of play. Vivy plays all around and never leaves the floor.

We also got to see Vivy and her mates cheer for a Hawks football game. They did such a good job their team won 28-0.

We also attended Garland High School(Kaylee)/Sachse High School(Sophy) football game where Kaylee and Sophia marched in their respective band’s half-time shows. Actually, Kaylee didn’t march; she directed, being head drum major and all. Both bands put on good shows. The student bands these days are more dancing bands than marching bands.

Sophia had a private trumpet lesson Sunday and invited me to go along, which I did. Sophy has her learner’s permit, and she drove us. Did a good job, too. I’m told she is interested in biology, more specifically marine biology, and is taking an advanced biology course.

October 14 Kari and I enjoyed an entertaining evening at the symphony last Friday. It was their 100th anniversary concert, going back to October 1924. The first number was Aaron Copland’s Appalachia Spring. That’s included in my set of classical music CDs and I have listened to it many times. I couldn’t tell you what orchestra performed the number, but all of the recordings are by various prominent orchestras around the world. I think the Amarillo Symphony delivered a performance equal to the one among my classical music CDs.

Next up was the world premier of Cadillac Ranch by Michael Daugherty. The piece was commissioned to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the Amarillo Symphony and the 50th Anniversary of the Cadillac Ranch. There have been world premiers by the symphony before and some of them were, well, I guess you could say they were an acquired taste, but this one was very good. The composer was on hand for the performance and got a standing O. Wouldn’t mind hearing it again.

The third performance was by three characters that call themselves Time for Three. Two of them played amplified violins and one play an amplified bass, and the orchestra backed them up. Time for Three had a lot of energy and their music was good, if a little unorthodox.

October 25 We are back on the rim above Palo Duro Canyon. We rented the same house we rented the previous two visits and the weather has so far cooperated. After dinner, we got outside to enjoy the sun and evening. The skies were clear and the air was calm; it was just cool enough to be pleasant. Kari went for a walk while A&R and I took advantage of the golden hour to work on portraits for next year’s calendar. I think we are getting better at posing and framing.

October 26 When we rolled out of bed this morning, the sun was well above the horizon. We hadn’t made any plans for the day, preferring to play it by ear. Chris managed to escape the gravity of SA and join us for a few hours. We may have disappointed him by being so lethargic we hadn’t ventured out doors yet and were unprepared to go on any extensive hike. (I was recently informed Chris not disappointed and enjoyed sitting on the porch enjoying the sunshine and view of the canyon.) We finally did roust ourselves and go for a walk but by then Chris needed to get back to his dogs and didn’t walk far before heading back to SA. Since we had had a late breakfast, we skipped lunch and continued our walk around the area.

One of the Master Naturalists sent an email calling for volunteers to help with the Halloween haunted trail hike in Palo Duro Canyon. They had to change the date because of unforeseen circumstances and a number of people who originally volunteered were unable to accommodate the change. I realized the new date was the Saturday we were there and I proposed that we see if we could help without jeopardizing our Palo Duro weekend. The ladies were not opposed and that’s how we spent the evening. As no good turn ever goes unpunished, we wound up as scare actors along the trail. We weren’t prepared, didn’t have costumes and had to adlib.

Abigail was already dressed in black and simply pulled up her hoodie and her head band over her mouth so that only her eyes were showing. Rebecca got from a young woman, a college student, some fake blood which she sprinkled liberally over herself. Kari and I couldn’t think of anything better, so I laid down and played dead while Kari kneeled down beside me grief stricken at my untimely demise.

Abigail hid in the bushes and came crab walking and snarling out at people walking the trail. I couldn’t see her because I was supposed to be dead, but she sounded scary enough and got the children screaming and the parents reacting with nervous laughter. No sooner had our victims endured the shock Abigail gave them than they encountered Kari and my carcass. As the people approached, Kari would lift my arm, and I would let it fall limply to the ground to prove I was dead. Several adults offered to give me CPR but none did, thankfully. I was only kicked once, inquiringly.

After managing to get past Abigail et al, Rebeca would accost them next by crawling out of the bushes all blood splattered and gory like any victim of ghouls would.

I was afraid I had sorely stretched my ladies’ patience by getting them into this but on the drive back to our quarters and later when we were marinating in the hot tub, Rebecca and Abigail were exchanging anecdotes and laughing heartily at the whole experience, even going so far as to say what they might do if they did it again next year.

Well, that’s it for October. Last week we had string of lovely fall days. This week it has been windy and warm, and dry, of course. Abigail and I have been painting the posts on my porch. We have gotten as far as preping and applying the first coat. Another day or two of decent weather and should be able to finish. On to Thanksgiving if the trick-or-treaters don’t get us.

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