Seven Years to Make a Piper

I guess it's a case of the best 2 out of 3.

Centerville
0900
It was overcast. I got to the DI/Fabric Store (the end of the parade) in Centerville about 0730, parked and started walking north to the start of the parade. There was a fun run happening, going my same direction. I figured somebody in a car would be along to give me a lift. Last year I parked at the beginning of the parade and was yelled at by Dennis for not having parked at the end of the parade and gotten a ride up. Well, I walked most of the mile-and-something, getting a blister on my heel that burst and bled, before Ginger, a friend of Jack's, picked me up. I did stop along the way at a Johnny-On-The-Spot because I'd had been hydrating, as per instructions of Jason and Sean, and was feeling the effects. By the time I got to the start of the parade, I had to go again, but because I was sort of late and there were no bathrooms there at all, there was nothing I could do. Got a bandaid from Erin to contain the bleeding on my heel, so that was OK. We tuned and got started. Because I was trying so hard NOT to pee, I was having a hard time focusing, and missed a cut-off for the drum break in the middle of the Mill Set, and messed up a couple of other places, like started the Mill on E when it's supposed to start on D in parades. By the time I got to the end of the parade, I was a mess. I called HH to advise, drove home, peed and changed, picked up family, and went to . . .

Park City
1100
We were to meet at the Dan's market at 1015, but didn't finish the Centerville parade until 1000. When we pulled into the parking lot, everybody else was loaded into the two vans. I handed my pipes to Dave and squeezed onto 6" of seat next to Dennis and we were bussed to the start of the parade, Swede's Alley. More tuning, some rushing up the hill to our place, some tempers flaring about where we should wait and how much we should tune. I wish Jack and Jason would work out who's in charge. I've followed Jack's commands in the past but got yelled at by Jason because he's the pipe major and nobody else, etc, etc. No mistakes. I made all the cut-offs. I played all the tunes (except for the 9/8's). I started everything correctly. No mistakes. My family met me at the end of the parade, we strolled through Dan's getting things for lunch, me in my stockin' feet cuz my shoes were pinching my little toes, then drove up into the mountains behind Park City. It was really beautiful. I did sleep some. At home, I washed my socks and tried to sleep, but it was too hot. At 1630 left for . . .

Sandy
1800
Grant and I were the only Grade IV's that showed up. I felt sort of intimidated. Jason told us we will not be doing the Sandy parade next year, as we don't get paid for it and it's too miserably hot and long, but that Ian was mad about it and was leaving angry messages on his voicemail. He was trying to stay calm. It was still miserably hot and long, and we were again behind the motorcycle cops doing their routines in the street ahead of us, but it was still overcast and only got to 95F, and even rained some. I used sunscreen, but still got burned all over my face. My arms are just browner.

Another perfect parade. I started to mess up a couple of times in the middle of tunes, I guess because I was tired, so I just quit playing and faked it. That seemed to work. Gave me a break, anyway, and Jason didn't say anything.

Now, my face hurts and my little toes hurt and my legs hurt and my lip is swollen. Some sand fleas took advantage of my standing around tuning and bit me all over my legs. Other than that, I'm still alive, not dehydrated, not heat stroked, a little tired, and fireworkless. I'd say it went very well, and for that I am grateful.

D#2 has set her wedding date for 18 Sep 2008. We are going to look for patterns and fabric this afternoon with Amy (sister of groom) and Paula (mother of groom) and . . . somebody else? I can't remember. Small Son likes to sleep in the family room anyway, so I will let him, and will move my sewing stuff into his room and sew between calls for the next 8 weeks until all the dresses are done. It's gonna be a roller coaster ride until then!

Update: I looked in the mirror this morning and discovered I wasn't sunburned on my face at all. I must have looked in the car mirror last night when I was still flushed from exertion. But, my face still hurts a little.