Author: Benford

Back to work.

If you can’t tell, school has started again and I’m back to work. The postings always decrease as we ramp up for a new semester. We’ve had 4 days of school yet so much activity. Here’s what has happened in a nutshell:

  • We entered 175 or so solos & ensembles in UIL Region 26 Solo & Ensemble contest (getting in all the paperwork – acurately – is always quite stressful).
  • Took 4 students to Waco for Area D Band Contest. Everyone did well in their rooms and we even had 1 student become a TMEA All-Stater. (The 2nd in SP history.)
  • Had our first Band Booster Meeting for the Spring.
  • Had my first Jazz Ensemble rehearsal for the year (it’s a zero hour class).
  • Played at a basketball game last night.
  • Had a fundraiser night at Gatt-i-land last night.
  • We had a photography company take pictures for a composite last November and that company has been here this week to make packages available to parents.

    • It’s little things but they add up and I’m exhausted already. I’ve also taken down Christmas from my house and did some more post-New Years Eve gathering clean-up (there were a lot of champagne glasses to wash). So, nothing too exciting; just busy.

    This afternoon, I have an appointment with an orthopedic specialist to see what we can do about making my knees healthy. They’ve gotten to hurting too often and my regular remedies of pain relief aren’t working as well. It’s time to get this thing fixed. As good as surgical procedures may be now, I really don’t want to have to go down that road quite yet. Let’s hope whatever the solution is, it’s mostly covered by insurance (yeah, right) or reasonably affordable. Whatever happens, I’m excited that I’m going to be able to have a better understanding of what’s going on with my knees. Let’s hope for the best!

    New Years!!!

    New Years was a really fun night. I had some folks over, prepped a yummy spread of food and there is quite a bit of beer and champagne now left over. 😀 I didn’t get pics of everyone hanging out but there are a few in the gallery. About 25 people came and went and at midnight, there were about 15 of us here for the toast. Thanks to Tamitha & Jimmy for bringing over the champagne and to Sam & Monica for bringing over all the beer. If you’ve never had Naomi’s cookies, you need to go to a party where she’s been asked to bake.

    The New Bed

    The other day, Cathy & I (no, I don’t have an identity crisis) went to IKEA so I could get the bed & chair I’ve been wanting. The chair was out of stock but the bed was there so I got it! Today, I got a chance to put it together and man, it took some time. There was 13 simple steps and then 3 more than took longer than the first 13!! My fingers hurt because instead of making the screws all screwable with a normal screwdriver (or powered screwdriver), they include this allen wrench looking tool that’s short so you don’t get much leverage so my fingers are now very tender. Anywho, here’s the process in pictures:

    Stanley supervises my getting started.

    Halfway done!

    Here comes the part that really takes forever and hurts my fingers.

    Sticking out my tongue made it a little better…

    Now, to get the matress on and the bed made. Stanley still supervises.

    Ah, all done!

    You know, they should really include in the instructions that if the assembler has a power drill and bits, it would help because there are several “self-tapping” screws that be SO much easier to put in when a tap hole is drilled first…. Other than that, it was very satisfying!