The Big Benford Show

I promised I’d blog about my trip to Tyler so here it is. I am a woman of my promises (or try to be).

On Tuesday, I took our Drum Majors (Elyse, Jack & Aimee) to drum major camp at Tyler Junior College. I started out at 10 am and headed to the bus barn to pick up a school district suburban. I was really thankful they had one at such a short notice (I had requested one the Thursday before and this happened to be the week that the transportation department as well as several campus administrators went to various conferences, using almost all the suburbans). I went to fill it up with gas but the stupid gas tank didn’t accept the key fob swipey thingy that went with that suburban. Finally, someone came out with a master key fob swipey thingy and I was gassed up and on my way to pick up the kids from their homes.

After I made my rounds through the streets of Round Rock, picking up kids like a school bus driver, we were on our way! I had talked to Daniel Montoya about which route to take, since he had made that trip recently. Because he had various other people to pick up in other places, it worked better for him to go there via Waco. I decided to take the scenic route and go all the way on Hwy 79.

So, after about 4 1/2 hours, many little towns and a few stops we had arrived in Tyler. I’ve travelled with many sets of kids and AS a kid myself and with every road trip, there were always lots of observations of funny things (or things that just seemed to strike a group funny) made along the way. Not with this group. They chatted about all types of things and we listened to all types of music but most of the things they observed were the “Do not pass” then, not even a mile later, “Pass with care” signs. They found it ironic how close together those signs could be!

We got to Tyler and even without great directions, found our destination. Here’s a cute thing I noticed (maybe it was just cute to me) as I was leaving town: Elyse, one of our drum majors was named after the mom from Family Ties (with Michael J. Fox). Her real name is Meredith Baxter Birney (or was at the time). The dorm the girls were staying in is in between Meredith & Baxter streets! What’s really funny is, Elyse knows all about her name sake and she was navigating and it didn’t click to her. I’ll have to ask her later if it ever dawned on her….

So, I dropped them off, got them all checked in and situated in their room and headed back home. One the way out, I passed the school that Daniel Montoya does his annual camps at and recently blogged about so I decided to stop to see if their band director and my friend Bobby Castillo was around still. I figured he probably wasn’t (and he wasn’t) but how often is one in Tyler? While wandering around, looking for a door that might be open to the band hall, I found a spot that seemed very familiar and realized it was this spot:

Again, it was probably only funny to me but I chuckled a bit to think that my buddy Danny had just stood there only weeks before.

On the way to and from Tyler, going via Hwy 79, you pass through a town called Buffalo. The kids noticed the town on the way in but didn’t give much thought or observation to it. I guess they were really just anxious about getting to Drum Major Camp. On my way out, I realized it’s quite a ranch town and found shops they could have included the town’s name in. For example, they have a stock exchange there. I don’t remember exactly what it was named and I know a “Buffalo Exchange” exists as a company but wouldn’t that have been clever to include “Buffalo” as part of the name of the location? How about the feed store? Again, I don’t remember its name but including the name of the town would have certainly made it more memorable, don’t you think? I thought of some ideas (cheesy ones but still ideas) and chuckled as I drove through the town of Buffalo, TX.

I guess that’s about it for the Tyler trip. We had Music Camp 1 on Wednesday and Jazz Camp #1 on Thursday had a fairly good turn out for those (they’re optional). Connie’s birthday was Thursday and her party was way fun! Good food, good folks, good Pamaritas!!! I took my camera but for some reason it just didn’t make it out of my bag. I guess the party was too much fun to stop to pull out a camera, or something.

Last night was the 2nd Annual Texas Drum Corps Preview. Last year, it was held on the Riverwalk in San Antonio but this year, The Austin Stars sponsored it and managed to get the use of the Texas State Capitol grounds for the event. There were probably 150+ people there and lots of good music from the 4 drum corps from Texas. I was the announcer and was told I did a good job (I was nervous). What I really enjoyed (other than the corps themselves) was watching the crowd and seeing how enjoyable this art form is to folks other than us band nerds. I never see or hear people complain about a drum corps show. Pretty cool stuff. I had one of the kids take pictures so I’ll get them online eventually via the Austin Stars site.

And that was my week.

Happy Birthday, Connie!

I’ll see you tonight.

I lied about posting my adventures to Tyler today. I got busy being a bit domestic after work. To make up for it, though, I leave you with this little funny:

After getting all of Pope Benedict’s luggage loaded into the limo, (and he doesn’t travel light), the driver notices that the Pope is still standing on the curb.

“Excuse me, Your Holiness,” says the driver, “Would you please take your seat so we can leave?”

“Well, to tell you the truth,” says the Pope, “they never let me drive at the Vatican when I was a cardinal, and I’d really like to drive today.”

“I’m sorry, Your Holiness, but I cannot let you do that. I’d lose my job! And what if something should happen?” protests the driver, wishing he’d never gone to work that morning.

“Who’s going to tell?” says the Pope with a smile.

Reluctantly, the driver gets in the back as the Pope climbs in behind the wheel. The driver quickly regrets his decision when, after exiting the airport, the Pontiff floors it, accelerating the limo to 105 mph. (Remember, he’s a German Pope.)

“Please slow down, Your Holiness!” pleads the worried driver, but the Pope keeps the pedal to the metal until they hear sirens.

“Oh, dear God, I’m going to lose my license — and my job!” moans the driver.

The Pope pulls over and rolls down the window as the cop approaches, but the cop takes one look at him, goes back to his motorcycle, and gets on the radio.

“I need to talk to the Chief,” he says to the dispatcher.

The Chief gets on the radio and the cop tells him that he’s stopped a limo going a hundred and five.

“So bust him,” says the Chief.

“I don’t think we want to do that, he’s really important,” said the cop.

The Chief exclaimed,” All the more reason!”

“No, I mean really important,” said the cop with a bit of persistence.

The Chief then asked, “Who do you have there, the mayor?”

Cop: “Bigger.”

Chief: ” A senator?”

Cop: “Bigger.”

Chief: “The Prime Minister?”

Cop: “Bigger.”

“Well,” said the Chief, “Who is it?”

Cop: “I think it’s God!”

The Chief is even more puzzled and curious, “What makes you think it’s God?”

Cop: “His chauffeur is the Pope.”

Went to Tyler, Tx today to take our drum majors to camp. It was quite a long trip but I have lots of thoughts to share so I’ll have to remember to blog tomorrow. I’m exhausted and we have a music camp tomorrow so I’m going to turn in.

Just for my references:

Ah yes, Dads. A person, whithout whom, we would not be on the earth without. The person in our lives that does a lot of work, yet when someon gets 30 seconds on TV, we always shout “Hi MOM!!!”. Dads really don’t get the credit they deserve but today, this is their day.

My dad is pretty nifty. He taught me how to use power tools and multiplication and physics. He taught me to stick to my guns when I know I’m right and that fair doesn’t always mean equal…but to try to be as equal as possible. He supports me regardless of if he knows if I’m going to follow through or not (do you know how much sporting equipment he’s purchased for his kids? It’s all now in a closet…). He taught me how to write and how to not be afraid of anything I encounter. Don’t ever challenge my dad to a roller skating race because you’ll lose. But if you ask him to teach you to skate, he’ll stay right with you, no matter what his goals for that day are. I could go on about how awesome my dad is but that would take 33 years for me to really explain.

Also, I want to wish all the other dads a great big HAPPY FATHER’S DAY. I know your kids love you as much as I love my dad!

I know it’s summer and all but there’s something about making soup that is very nurturing to me. See, I’ve had a real bad case of allergies like I’ve never had before. Half my face and parts of my legs and arms have broken out in hives in the last two days. My dad & I are working to heal it wholistically and although it’s a process that takes longer than conventional medicines, I end up feeling better and more importantly, being better in the long run. These hives are coming from the new environment of this house and I’m sure the relief of a lot of stress I’ve been under the last few months (or even year) also helps a body release whatever toxins it’s been holding in.

So, soup. I went on a fruit and water fast for the past 24 hours and once it was up, I really felt like having soup. I had a few chicken legs in the freezer and decided that I was going to make myself some chicken soup. I cut an onion, carrots, and boiled the chicken until if fell off the bone. My house smells so good right now!

The swelling has gone down quite a bit but I still look like a wreck. I feel much better, although I haven’t eaten any soup yet. I guess making it was as good for my soul as eating it will be.

So, keep good thoughts coming my way as I get used to the new house. This too, shall pass.