October

Almost a full month since the last post, and it's been a big month. So in true Instagram/Pinterest fashion, get ready for a bunch of pictures. First, a trip to Louisville for the marching band regional competition. First time on a major stage, University of Louisville. Too much cheering to worry about taking pictures during the event (and no appearance in the finals), but there are a couple noteworthy pictures from the day in Louisville. First, over coffee while waiting for a place to watch the football game to open, Eva stretches out and waits.

The place with the game also doubles as a great beer place. I mark over eight weeks without a beer with a good one (photo credit: Eva Peloza).

On to Southern Illinois (aka SoIll) after the competition for a break while the kids are out of school. Before the day gets going, time for some exercise to license the indulgence ahead.

 So much licensing going on.

 Just unable to stay out of the air.

 

Ala Elaine on Seinfeld, correct me if I'm wrong but I think I see your...

 

 So many places to pose in this park.

 

On to winery number one. The day when Levi beat me at chess. A legit beat. Now here come the photos.

The latest in a long line of action shots in a row. It's not possible to choose only one or even three or four from this set. What would you do in a situation like that?

Enough of this, on to winery number two. 

I call this next one "My Hero."

Believe it or not, all of that happened between around 10:30am 5pm. 

Back home, the Kentucky fall showed up, leading to time outside in the front yard with the dogs. Oh, the memories of Spring 2020 and COVID.

 

In other news, we went to Europe. Again. This time for a bit of work but mainly to go see the Cure in Copenhagen.

Same shirt, 35 years later. From July 1987 in Detroit to Copenhagen in October 2022.

While in Copenhagen we did some stuff. Ate very American BBQ and beer in the meat packing district. Ate at a Michelin star plant-based restaurant where you not only drink the liquid, you lick the outside of the glass.

And we laughed. Boy did we laugh.

Back home, Cole just relaxed and waited for our return.

Not to be overshadowed by marching band, the Morton combo 7th/8th grade band put on a memorable show, including a four movement piece about dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs notwithstanding, the big Super-regional was in Indianapolis this past weekend. That means another team dinner.

At the big show, in an NFL stadium no less, the band put on what I thought was their best show of the season. So far.

 

 

Now that's a shot.

The event was broadcast which lead to the best video of the complete show so far.  A couple captions from the broadcast...

 

 

Also pretty cool to see the band on the big stadium screen. A long way away from the first competition on the field at Lafayette.

It's a strange thing to think back only three months ago to the first week of band camp in the summer. Three months. And this show, starting from a bunch of kids who'd never played together, got to this level. Playing on the field at an NFL stadium. Just wow.

 Given the scale of this event, it is perhaps not surprising that the band did not get to perform again in the finals. I still think our show is the best one ever made, but apparently I'm biased. But no final meant heading Eva and I headed home the same day. Here we stopped here at quite a beautiful rest area somewhere in Indiana on the way home.