So, how's your Fourth?

Kehaulani

When I was in the military, involvement in Fourth of July ceremonies was par for the course. Later, I spent every Fourth playing in a community picnic at the end of a parade. In both cases, cookouts followed.

Then, in the evening in my city wind ensemble, I played a dusk-to-dark 4th concert on the shore of a lake followed by a fireworks show. Chilled canned drinks and pizza waited on the bus. Nice way to spend the 4th.

Unfortunately, due to my immobility and lack of interest in the festivities by those who could help me, today consists of no marching or playing gigs but just eating in the community dining room. Whoopie.

Do any of you have any playing events, today?

Dr GO

Mowed the lawn, swept the patios and pulled weeds. But have plans for late afternoon to smoke burgers, brats and hot dogs in my Big Green Egg. Then the top goes off of my Jeep and we put the dog in the car and head out to Englewood for fireworks. No playing today. Just relaxation with the Missus and Man's Best Friend. One version of an American Celebration.

Happy 4th of July from one Gary to another!

mrhappy

@Kehaulani said in So, how's your Fourth?:
Chilled canned drinks and pizza followed.

'Chilled canned drinks'... now why didn't I think of that!!

Kehaulani

@mrhappy said in So, how's your Fourth?:

@Kehaulani said in So, how's your Fourth?:
Chilled canned drinks and pizza followed.

'Chilled canned drinks'... now why didn't I think of that!!

Uh, Dr. G - it's not burgers you smoke while watching the fireworks show.

Newell Post

Played yesterday for a city event. They left today for families.

Tobylou8

I just got in from playing. It was a good concert in the rain, we where protected. It went better than I thought it would just a few days ago. I had been struggling recently and it made NO sense, I knew all the music, done it for years. Everything just felt too tight. So I was concerned. I thought, "Well my horn will be shiny and clean". WOW, just WOW. I got so much junk out, really "chunkage"! I can't explain why or how it got so chunky but it did. It was like playing a new horn. 1812 went very well and the howitzers and Carillon just made it a great concert for those that had braved the thunderstorms that had and still are in the area. Earlier, did a pool party and picnic with the family. Twas a great Independence Day celebration!!

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Kehaulani

I cleaned my horn once and my range dropped a fourth.

administrator

I did a 75 mile bike ride, starting at 4 am. No joke.

SSmith1226

@Kehaulani
I’m in Massachusetts for the summer and I am playing in four Community Bands. Three are on Cape Cod and one is on the South Shore. One had a rehearsal Monday, played in a concert July 3 & 4, and will play in concerts July 6 & 7. Similar schedule until the middle of August when only two of the bands continue until the end of the month.
I feel like a traveling minstrel. It’s great!

BigDub

My community band plays a concert in Yardley, Pa. 45 minutes from me. Out of all the concerts we do, this is the most enthusiastically received.
We are a very patriotic group as it is, but for this we pull out all the stops.
This is the only concert that charges admission, which may well be why the audience is so receptive and enthusiastic. It is quite a sight to see a packed house with seemingly everyone waving an American flag to some of our more patriotic songs. They never disappoint.
This is about the 6th year I have done this one.

BigDub

@Tobylou8 that same thing happened to me a couple of months ago. Best cleaning job I ever did and it was clearly noticeable to me. I am happy for you.

@Kehaulani looks like your present day life is pretty depressing. Immobility and a community dining room has to cast a shadow on any holiday. My heart goes out to you. Makes me grateful to have gotten to my seventies still in mobile condition and living in my own home. My wife and I had some family over for some streaks on the grill. They wanted different cuts of meat and all of them wanted them cooked differently....Rare, medium rare, medium with a pink middle, well done but not too done. ! Talk about a tune that was hard to sight read in getting them all grilled approximately right.

Tobylou8

@BigDub said in So, how's your Fourth?:

@Tobylou8 that same thing happened to me a couple of months ago. Best cleaning job I ever did and it was clearly noticeable to me. I am happy for you.

Thank you kind sir! I should have suspected something was amiss when high C's became erratic, and we had a lot of them this program. I had been very busy and figured I wasn't practicing enough, even though my routine was the same. It's been one of those springs when everything ran together. Maybe it was left over granola bar?? Anyhow, long, long brushes from Harbor Freight saved my keister!!!

Kehaulani

"A lovely grill is like melody".

BigDub

@Tobylou8 said in So, how's your Fourth?:

@BigDub said in So, how's your Fourth?:

@Tobylou8 that same thing happened to me a couple of months ago. Best cleaning job I ever did and it was clearly noticeable to me. I am happy for you.

Thank you kind sir! I should have suspected something was amiss when high C's became erratic, and we had a lot of them this program. I had been very busy and figured I wasn't practicing enough, even though my routine was the same. It's been one of those springs when everything ran together. Maybe it was left over granola bar?? Anyhow, long, long brushes from Harbor Freight saved my keister!!!

First reference to keister. Good job with that.
I don’t think a cleaning like I mentioned was ever as significant as this last one a couple of months ago. It was like releasing a caged animal back to its natural habitat. Or something like that.

Robrtx

@Niner That looks like a wonderful day, grilling with family.

Just an aside, I recently bought an "Inkbird IBT-4XS" grilling thermometer off of Amazon which has solved any overcook/undercook issues I may have had. Monitors up to 4 meats simultaneously and can link to a smart phone...........I'm not a paid endorser, I just think it was a really cool purchase for someone who likes to grill......

Tobylou8

@Robrtx said in So, how's your Fourth?:

@Niner That looks like a wonderful day, grilling with family.

Just an aside, I recently bought an "Inkbird IBT-4XS" grilling thermometer off of Amazon which has solved any overcook/undercook issues I may have had. Monitors up to 4 meats simultaneously and can link to a smart phone...........I'm not a paid endorser, I just think it was a really cool purchase for someone who likes to grill......

I just cook until the smoke alarm goes off or someone calls the fire department. I don't get asked to cook often.

BigDub

@Robrtx said in So, how's your Fourth?:

@Niner That looks like a wonderful day, grilling with family.

Just an aside, I recently bought an "Inkbird IBT-4XS" grilling thermometer off of Amazon which has solved any overcook/undercook issues I may have had. Monitors up to 4 meats simultaneously and can link to a smart phone...........I'm not a paid endorser, I just think it was a really cool purchase for someone who likes to grill......

Well, I had to use an oven mitt to pick my phone up off the grill and it didn’t work very well after that. So, there’s that.

flugelgirl

I actually didn’t have a gig this year, and it’s a good thing because I was sick with the flu all week! I stayed home and comforted the critters - multiple fireworks shows close by made them unhappy.

flugelgirl

BTW I don’t miss any of the 4th gigs with the Navy - so much work for so little reward. I’m also not fond of fireworks, so the celebrations are kind of wasted on me.