A Christmas Dragon

 We were at the house while Ron and Clayton worked on a Roof Project while Andy

was at Home Depot buying parts. He called and said he wanted to buy an inflatable Christmas dragon ... Faith likes dragons. Joan likes dragons. Apparently, Andy does too.

    Andy was in such a good mood having got some sleep for a change. “I’m going to buy it.”

Faith: "No, Dad, save your money."

 "But I WANT to buy it." 

"NO, Dad, save your money!"

"But, Faith, you like dragons!"

"Dad, don't buy it, save your money!"

[This went on for some time and with much laughter at the house.]

"I think I'll buy it!"

“No no, don't spend the money!!”

A pause.

He said, “I’m buying it”... and he did!

He blew it up (electric air pump) and put it in the yard – it’s 8’ tall. 

Everybody loves it.

But that’s crazy!

It has a Santa hat no less!

And a coffee cup! (Well, this is Seattle.)

But during the day, it's dead!

But so nice at night, even from the road.

Thanksgiving Weekend

 We picked up Clayton at the airport (SEA).  He brought a tuba in order to practice.  JetBlue doesn’t charge for oversized baggage for musical instruments.  But we found out there wasn’t much security with the baggage!  The tuba came down the oversized ramp and no one was around it, we walked over and picked it up.  A $5,000 instrument without security?

The family came over for Thanksgiving dinner, and it was fun.  We used Faith’s “Jungle” dishes, that we gave her (but store in our apartment since there is no room in their house.)   Here are Faith and Clayton on our antique couch (Joan’s great-grandmother’s!)

Faith's "jungle" dishes.  She loves the big cats.

Another Trip to CA

We decided to fly down for a quick week to see Clayton’s orchestra concert and visit Natalie.  Not driving (especially in the northern CA mountains with possible SNOW!)  We stayed at Seong’s Airbnb for the week, and in fact, they went on a trip so we were “in charge” of the dogs, etc.  It worked out great.

     Our flight on Saturday was much cheaper than Friday.   We can borrow Clayton’s car for the week but there was not time to meet with him upon arrival, e.g. if he picked us up as then he’d be too late for the concert call.

       We could take the shuttle but it’s $51 and slow (they always have to drop off people) so we checked with Costco to rent a car... $18 total for one whole day!!!! So we can get to concert in time and Clayton said he could take us Sunday to return the rental and then use his car for the rest of the week, and he’d take us to airport the next Sunday morning.  This plan worked fine.

     The band concert was great Saturday night and Clayton’s new horn was shining!   Clayton’s teacher, Beth, said he needed a new horn .. and a big one .. to be able to win auditions …  just needed a big sound. 

 Andy got a great deal on this big tuba, instead of $30k only $8k .. it was $10K  but they gave him a discount…

we couldn’t believe it ourselves!!!  

They had to make it after he purchased it. 

                                    And it really has improved Clayton’s sound!!! 

Natalie had just returned from Korea and finished her school projects so we were able to visit her on the 19^th in her new apartment.  We arrived before her physics test was over so we went to the UCLA Botanical Garden and then met her there.  It's big and very beautiful.

We went to Chic Fil-A for dinner and then to Ralph’s grocery store to get her some groceries.  It was fun and then we watched “Sleeping Beauty” on her Disney+ account while we waited for rush hour to be over being venturing out onto the freeways again.

We had a little birthday lunch for Clayton Saturday the 23^rd before the orchestra

concert was on the 23^rd .  Natalie didn’t get there in time for the lunch but was there for the concert.

Picture after the concert

Where To Rehearse? Where To Perform?

EMAIL:

From: EastsideYouthConcertBand <eastsideyouthband@gmail.com>
Date: November 11, 2019 at 2:14:10 PM PST
To: Philip Dungey <eastsideyouthband@gmail.com>
Subject: Nov 12 Performance is at Blakely Hall, Issaquah Highlands!

Hello EYCB Members!

     Our concert for tomorrow, Tuesday, November 12 will be at Blakely Hall.  Call time is 6:30pm.  Be prepared to help set up chairs for the band and audience as we cannot get into the building before then as there is an event right before. 

     Allow time to find street parking.  We will do a brief "soundcheck" and rehearsal until 7:10pm when we will open the doors to your adoring fans. 

     Concert starts at 7:30pm and we will be finished by 8:30pm.  Spread the word!

     We will use the music stands from PCMS; let me know if you can meet me at PCMS at 6pm and load some into your car.  We need 35.  Right after the concert we will need to return them to PCMS.  Reply to this email if you can help with that.

Andy has had a hard time finding places for his Eastside Youth Concert Band to play and even rehearse.  He was so frustrated last week, he had his own band room reserved for every Tuesday evening for rehearsals, then the choir suddenly had a concert so they couldn’t practice (the sound would carry into the gym). 

     And as he checked all the local high schools, they have halls for concerts reserved for their drama teams for weeks at a time as they rehearse. 

     He finally did find a school band room to rehearse last week. 

     And he also found a new place for tonight ’s concert.  We got this email yesterday.  Imagine.  Dragging all the stands over from his band room and his helper (a percussion teacher at another school) has to rent a truck and bring all the percussion over, including tympani!! 

     We answered that we would help if he needed us.  So we got an email from him this morning, saying he’d only had one parent who could help, and he’d need our car too.

    We got to the school and could only get 11 stands into our sedan.  Andy could get 13 in his sedan but a parent had a van so she got the rest.  

In our car

Andy unloads stands from his car - in the dark

 We drove to the hall and unloaded and helped set up.  Did not need the percussion since the percussion player couldn’t come.  Andy announced the band was playing “unaccompanied” – that is, without percussion.   

All players helped set up

After the concert, we needed to take the stands back, but the van actually got all 35 in it!!!

      Lots of work for this very special band!!!!