Concert February 4th

I thought I had written a few things down about the concert I played in in February.  I guess I didn't.

This is the second time I had played with the Teeswater Pipe Band.  My dad has been in this troupe for the better part of 10 years, and really enjoys playing and parading with them at various events.  The first time I played with them was on St. Patrick's Day in 2016, or rather is was during a St. Patrick's Day concert. This time it was a Robby Burns themed concert with some piano, poetry, dancing, chanters, drumming, electric guitar, bagpipes, indoor bagpipes, singing, and me on an acoustic guitar.  In all there was about 15 pieces, and I accompanied on 5 or 6 of them.  The concert was in Teeswater, ON at the town hall.  The crowd wasn't very rowdy, but at 80 strong they proved to be willing listeners, and non judgmental which is important to me.  My dad and I practiced mostly at home, Shelly also helped out by playing the piano for me, and after 2 formal rehearsals it was time to break a leg on the stage.

It was pretty fun.  It was a bit of a challenge, but like anything after sustained, mindful and repetitive practice I got the chords and their sequence memorized well.  I felt as if it sounded and went well.

One of the other highlights of it all, besides doing this with my dad, was seeing an old Windsor Lancer T&F friend.  She was Julie Lisle back in the 90s, but is now Julie MacDonald.  Her two girls aged 9 and 7, give-or-take, were the highland dancers who stole the show with their cute ensembles', crisp taps', and superb leg lifts'; just like their mom did back in the day as a hurdler!  I knew Julie was in the area, and saw her a few years ago at a wedding we were both at, but it was neat to see her and reminisce about the good-old-days.

As for us at home - we are great.  We were out to the farm on a good old nature walk, and testing the limits of our body weight versus the frozen ice this past weekend.  Molly had no confidence despite being one of the lightest, Shelly's wasn't so sure either, yet Wally and I were as optimistic as can be.  I knew the deepest section was only about knee high, and although a wet boot wouldn't be great, it would have been deserved based on my lack of fear, and made a better story.  In the end I crashed through some ice, but my Bogs repelled the cold icy water which was well past my ankle at the time.

This is how we get ready for bed!