How It Went

Weekend of Taiko over! I am very tired today. I am not scheduling anything for today. I am going to do my very best to veg. I need rest.

Friday - Zoo:

I left the house soon after my mother came and got the kids for the weekend. I thought Jake was going to stay at the house, but he hopped back into the car with the kids. So much for him being my dog and liking me best. I picked Michelle up, and we went to help load cars. Jaci left me behind at a stoplight when we were caravaning to the Zoo, but I eventually found my way. It took a long time to get all of our equipment moved to the performance site. There was also lots of waiting, lots and lots of sweating and some allergic reactions to doing stretches in the grass. The audience was small for our first set. We played Zoku and Tenchi. I got a terrible blister on my thumb because of the humidity, and it split open and was very painful. Our second set was Ashura only, because it is long. We were all set up for Hanabi when the coordinator came to tell us he was going to quit and start the DJ music. So we carried all that stuff and only played 3 songs. We didn't even use the miyake stands or the hachijou stands. We carried those for nothing at all. And we got mosquito bites as we waited another half hour for it to be our turn to pack up and leave. On the whole...very disappointing.

Saturday - Drunken Fish

I picked up Michelle, and we were the first ones to UMSL, so we got everything out. I followed Melanie this time when we were driving. When we got to Lecledes Landing, it started to rain! It rained on us as we unloaded, but the Drunken Fish also owns the empty apartment next door, so we had a dry place to put the drums and to wait until our performance time. By then, the rain had stopped and it was less hot, although still very humid. I taped up my hand, which helped a lot but made my bachi a little bit sticky. We played a half hour set, and it was fun. I missed the beginning pose to Tobihi, but otherwise didn't make any notable mistakes, and played the chuu part to Suwako just right, if I do say so myself. Very humid, but with a nice breeze. Josh was there eating sushi, and Heather and J showed up right after we were done. Sadly, there had been some road closings, and she missed our playing. We loaded up and then Drunken Fish gave us some sushi for dinner. Yum. We also asked for some non-seafood for Laura, and they brought hamburgers and hot dogs enough for everyone! Eddie decided to see if hot dogs were good with wasabi, and the WASABIDOG was born. Very Fun. And some potentially not all there guy told us we were better than Woodstock. After we went back to UMSL and unloaded, Melanie and I switched cars.

Sunday - Missouri Scholars' Academy

Josh took me to Burger King to meet Eddie and Michelle. This time I was getting picked up. It was a nice change. We drove to Columbia and loaded drums into Mark Twain res. hall. There was lots of down time at that point, because we always just play whenever the kids are done with whatever activity is before us. Our "stage" was inside, but sadly is was very hot, and we were sweating long before we got into costume. We set up a few different ways before deciding on a direction. Then we changed and I taped up my blisters with some tape from Eddie. The one that was so bad was under a band-aid and tape. We played the set, and I did fine, with the exception of Hanabi. Don't know what came over me, but I looked like I had no clue what I was doing. Must be brain exhaustion. A second blister on my right hand split during the set, but luckily I had time to grab a piece of tape for it between songs. The only song I truly sat out for was Tenchi, which was last. Then, just as everyone else was starting to get comfortable, Eddie and I did the workshop for the kids. So I played a 45 minute set, and then played kane for another 45 minutes. Plus, I had to look super enthusiastic at the same time. WHEW! I was so tired. We wanted Japanese food for dinner, but none were open, so we had Sub Shop. I was more tickled than necessary to have a psychedelic cup that said "Grateful Bread" and "Bread Zeppelin" on it. Eddie took me back to the house, and I beat the kids home. It was nice to have a minute to sit down and admire how trashed Josh had made the house in 8 short hours, especially considering that he had been gone for at least 4 of them, himself.

The kids came home while I was in Columbia, and Josh took them to a barbecue. About the time I got home, he took them for ice cream. It's a fathers day tradition for Josh to get ice cream with the kids. The first I saw of the kids was when they pulled up and I had to wipe all the ice cream off of Abbie. What she really needed was to be doused with a bucket, but I didn't think of it until after I had gone through 3 or 4 wet wipes.

I don't know what to try and plan for this week and next. Josh still doesn't know his schedule. I'm still trying to determine if I can make it to my grandmother's for the 4th of July. I'm also trying to plan Kansas City on the 10th of July, Grant's birthday party in early August, his first day/week of school in mid-August, and what to do with the kids during J-Fest in September. But I don't know Josh's schedule.

I think Josh had a pretty good weekend. At least I hope he did. He enjoyed the sushi and the show, and even went to the boat with J and Heather while I was unloading. And I think he had a good time on Sunday, too.

Well, I'm off to change Abbie. She did have one potty training success while at Mimi's house, but that's all. Oh, well. It's progress!

Hope you are about to have a great week!