Semi-retired?

Should have been posted June 5th, 2008, but got behind.

I went to the doctor to see him about my knee and he has put me off of work till Oct 1, 2008 as I have torn the the mimeniscus in my knee and he thinks that if I work and have to run to an alarm or wrestle an inmate, I could damage it beyond repair. So I'm temporarily retired. Boy does it get boring sitting around the house not doing much. Lori and I have talked about making swords to sell at the Brookings Renaissance Fair, so maybe I'll make up a couple and see how they turn out. Workman's Comp is suppose to cover this but they want an expert to check out the leg first. Till then I am burning up all my vacation, sick and any other time I have on the books so I don't lose any money. When Workman's Comp says they'll cover it all my time will go back on the books. Toward the end of July, if Workman's Comp doesn't pickup the injury as work related, I may have to start a time bank to help cover my time. I'll find out if I have any friends out at the prison who'll donate time to me. Till next time, it's the boring, easy life.

International Trombone Festival 2008

Should hve been posted June 3, 2008

Posted late, but this is the piece I wrote after the Trombone Festival in Salt Lake City. Joseph (my son) and I had a real good time as we saw a lot of great trombone players doing concerts, teaching clinics, and playing in an ensemble of about 25 trombones. Then for the finale, we had a mass choir of about 100 trombones playing together. There was just so much of artists playing, that we didn't get to play that much. Joseph and I skipped a concert or two so we could prepare a number for Alice's birthday party that was on Friday. On Saturday night, Joseph, Marinda, Lori and I attend the Utah Symphony, and listen to Concerto for Trombone played by Larry Zalkind, and directed by Joey Silverstein. The concerto was written by Christopher Rouse, and considered to be the most significant piece written for the trombone. This was the 2nd festival I've attended, but unless i come into a windfall of money, I don't think I'll make it to Denmark for next years festival.

Family Visit in Utah

Should have been posted on 30 May 2008

Being on vacation has been a blast and non-stop go, go, go. It started Friday afternoon, after work, with a drive to the Bay area (San Francisco,) where we stayed overnight and spent the morning with Jaime, Jason and the grandkids. Then about 1 o’clock, we got on Bart and traveled to the airport for a flight to Salt Lake City. There we went to Joseph’s house where Jared and Joel & families had gathered to spend Memorial Day weekend together. Saturday evening we spent socializing as most of the kids were asleep. Sunday after church, we had fun with the kids and playing on the computers. We set up a links system on Joseph’s computer and we had 6 laptops all online together. We played games and Suzanne showed everyone some of the tools and things you can use on our blog pages. On Monday, we took all the kids to the Treehouse Museum where they ran around and dressed up, made crafts, went to story time, slid down the tree tunnel, and got to sit in the President’s chair in the Oval Office (replica.)

We then had a picnic lunch, with sandwiches, fruit, and drinks, with desert, being frosted animal crackers. We then loaded up the kids and took them to Hill Aerospace Museum. There the kids (and grandpa) got to see a lot of the planes that were flown by the Air Force. The highlight was seeing the SR-71 (Blackbird) spy plane. Joel, Julie, Damon, and I got our picture taken in front of a Flying Tiger plane that was flown in China prior to the start of World War II. We were told that the teeth were painted on the plane, because there were stories that Japanese pilots were afraid of being eaten by Sharks. They got the tiger name because the Japanese said in their first battle they fought like tigers. Monday’s dinner was a BBQ with steaks, corn on the cob, and hotdogs for the kids. Tuesday, Jared & Joel along with their families, left for home. Grandma stayed for the rest of the week, while Grandpa left with Joseph for the International Trombone Festival. We’ll talk about that in the next entry.