My daughter & son-in-law (in the military in San Diego) flew into town a few days ago for a visit and for a very special occasion... Have my granddaughter Baptised at our United Methodist Church down the road from us!
Here is one of the latest photos of her at 7 months old. What a little cutie! 
And here she is this morning in the Pastor's arms being Baptised. Such a wonderful, Blessed event!
Being a Grandpa is such a wonderful feeling! Who else on here is a Grandpa?
I found my way back to playing Trumpet and Cornet all over again, after major, major, oral surgery, complete full dentures, etc... and re-learning how to play all over again.
Where there is a will, there is a way! It can be done! 
Wow... I owe a world of thanks to the user "Newell Post" for offering to sell me his Bach 10ÂūCW mouthpiece!
Tonight at the Shriners Band rehearsal (first time we got back together since December 9th at our Christmas concert), I showed off the Bach 10ÂūCW mouthpiece to my buddy Steve (1st chair trumpet - plays a Schilke 13A4a) and he took my Bach 10ÂūCW, wiped it all down, put it in his trumpet, and proceeded to go to town on it, from the very low G, up to the high C above the staff, and continued to D and E above the staff! 
Then he tried to descend back down, and "bottomed out" or something within the mouthpiece. He took it out, wiped it back off, and handed it back to me.
Anyway, what I learned is that one mouthpiece might work for you, but not someone else. Everyone has their own particular playing style and embouchure.
In closing, I had a very enjoyable evening tonight, and the best part was, I had no problems, no issues, no pressure on my upper denture plate, and best of all - no pain! 
I like trumpetboards a lot more than TH (or what was TM). I took the some time off from various boards, Facebook, etc... and have returned to a really nice, friendly, forum!
Update (Part II)...
Wow, what a mouthpiece! I just got home a few minutes ago from the Shriners Band rehearsal this evening (Monday night, Jan 13th)...
For whatever reason or another, Lord only knows... The other trumpet players were "no shows", leaving me as the sole trumpeter for tonight's rehearsal. Great, just great, thanks a lot guys! 
You have to understand The Shriners Band from an organizational type of aspect. We are TINY compared to other "community bands"! We have to rely on "help" from guest musicians who are not Shriners to come and sit-in with us to help augment our sound! Honest and right from the heart? If you took away our guest musicians, we would be a concert band with only about 10 members at best!
Anyway, what I was getting at is, tonight for some reason, I was the only trumpet player at rehearsal. My buddy Ray also was in the same boat as the only clarinet player! Tonight, we only had 2 trombones, 1 euphonium, 1 tuba, 2 saxophones, 2 percussionists, me on trumpet, and Ray on clarinet. And of course, the director... 11 people all total.
I (obviously) had to play 1st trumpet all by myself, carrying the main melody along with Ray on 1st clarinet, and we held it together. I was up in the top of the staff for most of the evening, playing high G's, E's, F#'s, and holding a pair of high A's tied together at the end of one of the pieces.
THAT NEW BACH 10ÂūCW MOUTHPIECE ALLOWED ME TO PLAY FROM 7:00pm - 8:30pm WITH NO TROUBLE AT ALL! NO PRESSURE, NO PAIN, NO PROBLEMS WITH MY EMBOUCHURE! WOW....
Who would have thought... A simple change of a mouthpiece would totally save my a$$!! Thank you again, Newell Post, for the mouthpiece! I owe you big time!
You all know that I am active with the Shriners and a Past Master of a Masonic lodge, right? I play 2nd chair trumpet with the "Million Dollar Band" and also cornet (flugelhorn part) with the Sauerkrauts (aka the German band) here in Richmond, VA at the ACCA Shrine Center. During our quarterly business meetings, the band plays a number or two, along with the National Anthem, when the color guard presents the flag. Anyway, during the meeting when the "Grand Poobah's" are all giving their speeches, presentations, etc... I always get called on to play "Taps" during the memorial section of the meeting, which is why I decided to buy a real bugle instead of playing it on trumpet or cornet.
---------- My amusing post that I wrote on Facebook on Friday -----------
I forgot to mention about last night, over at the ACCA Shrine during rehearsal with The Sauerkrauts (aka the Shriners German Band)... John Conover (Tuba) was busy attending a meeting in the other room, so we all setup on the stage for rehearsal. Anyway, to my surprise, John came out to chat with us after the meeting was over, and looked at me and said, "You played 'Taps' this past Tuesday at the main business meeting, right?" I told him, "Yes, and I brought along my real bugle too". Well, to my surprise John said, "Uh... They were talking about you". {Me - surprised look, pointing to myself like, "Who? Me?} John continued, "They said you did an excellent job too. Just so you know, and keep this as a reminder... You are, now, and forever, will be the ACCA Shriners official bugler!" 
Anyway.... Does anyone else think it is more appropriate to play "Taps" on a real bugle, live in person standing at attention, rather than have someone hit the Play button on a CD?
How about the ultimate, mind blowing, music from the legendary band Pink Floyd -- especially the You Tube clip from their DVD concert called "Pulse" which was from their 1994 concert at Earl's Court in England?
Comfortably Numb... Sit back and listen to David Gilmour's incredible guitar solo (along with the laser lights and their famous stage show) starting at around 4:55 or so until the end:
Wow... Excellent photos of fish you guys have shown!
Honest - I have never been saltwater fishing. Never been out in the Atlantic, out in the Chesapeake Bay, etc... and gone fishing. I don't have the equipment (rods & reels) for it. I grew up a freshwater fisherman, all over various lakes, ponds, streams & rivers, etc... The best, most relaxing experience, is fly fishing in a shallow stream wearing waders, and nobody is around to bother you, no boats, no jet skis, and it's just you and the rushing water.
I made my "toxic rum balls" if anyone wants one! LOL...
Edit:
<disclaimer>
I am not responsible for any DUI's or anything like that. Do not drive, do not operate machinery, after you have a few of these!!! 
</disclaimer>
Looking over various "set lists" from people, I have noticed that George's music is on par with The Shriners Band here in town. We are sort of a "community band" type of arrangement, but yet we're Shriners as well as Freemasons.
Here's a sample from our "set list" (Note: it is mostly marches, which --no offense-- can get rather tiring/annoying after a while. I mean, like, "another march? seriously?": 
)
Alamo
Chimes of Liberty
The Saint's Hallelujah
Colonel Bogey
Covington Square
Battle of Midway
The Happy Wanderer
Allied Honor
Hoop-Dee-Doo
E Pluribus Unum
Gallant Marines
The Longest Day
The Footlifter
Just A Closer Walk With Thee
Highlights from My Fair Lady
Highlights from Man Of La Mancha
Highlights from South Pacific
The Klaxon
......................................................................
As the new 2019 VP of the band, I am trying to persuade the "older guys" to lighten up a bit and have some fun. Let's play something more lively and more towards the jazzy Big Band type of sound. Enough with the marches already, sheesh...
I am pushing for us to get copies of:
It's Only A Paper Moon (full arrangement, not the basic HS jazz band setup).
Here's That Rainy Day (again - full arrangement, not the basic HS jazz band setup).
I know so many of those songs that you posted! Maybe (if you feel up to it) you could take a whack at "Vehicle" by the Ides of March. Remember this hit song from 1970? Everybody in HS Jazz Band has played this ever since!
I was always a Mets fan. My whole family was. Before I was born (1961) everyone rooted for the Brooklyn Dodgers. If you rooted for the Yankees, you were almost ostracized and cut out of a will! LOL!!
I have been to Yankee Stadium only one time when I was a kid, and that was just for historical purposes, just to say "I've been there". We didn't root for either team, but were there marveling at the stadium and how rabid the fans were.
See, in New York, you can only be a Mets fan or a Yankees fan -- you can't be both. I have seen the Mets so many times over the years, and sat all over the stadium. The best seats (going back to the days of Shea Stadium) we always tried to get were the 2nd level above the Mets dugout, along 1st base. We always brought along our baseball gloves too, in hopes of catching a foul ball. Plus with me playing varsity baseball in HS (right field), I always watched the 1st baseman (lefty) and the right fielder (lefty), since I was sort of an odd-ball in my baseball stance, where I batted righty but threw lefty. It always threw the opposing team at first, since they assumed I batted lefty, but I'd step up to the plate righty and their fielders would immediately have to reposition themselves. LOL...
So many fond memories of baseball! What I wouldn't give to be here!
@GeorgeB said in My precious baby granddaughter was Baptised this morning....:
I'm not only a granpa of 2 grandsons and 1 granddaughter , I am also a great granpa of 3 beautiful young ladies.
Grandchildren or great grandchildren really make life sweet, don't they, Butch !
That's awesome, George! Congrats!
Being a grandpa is incredible... My granddaughter has me wrapped around her finger, and I think she already knows it! 
I doubled on all sorts of brass instruments when I was in school, and probably was the main reason why I was never 1st chair, all district, all county, all state, etc...
#1 rule of all: Stay with trumpet and become the best you can be.
In my case, I had a bizarre interest in fiddling around with other instruments out of curiosity. The 7th grade band director caught notice of that, and handed me a french horn and said, "Here you go... play it..." and stood in shock when I play a major scale in F.
Trumpet fingerings Bb scale (written as C): C=0, D=1&3, E=1&2, F=1, G=0, A=1&2, B=2, C=0.
French horn fingerings F scale (written as C): C=0, D=1, E=0, F=1, G=0, A=1&2, B=2, C=0.
Go up higher....
Trumpet C=0, D=1, E=0...
French horn C=0, D=0, E=0... 
(it's all in the lips/embouchure!)
I got braces in high school and that ended my trumpet playing (briefly). I ventured over into Euphonium and also doubled on trombone as well. Didn't get into tuba as the mouthpiece was bigger than a shot glass and I didn't have the wind power to play it properly.
How about a little "Flashback Friday" type of theme...
Can you imagine a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner for $2695? ...And it has a "4 on the floor" and a 383ci V8 engine!
Greetings everyone!
I am still around and haven't fallen by the wayside. COVID-19 really hit community bands hard, and NOBODY is out playing at all. No rehearsals either at with my Shriners Band here in town.
My trumpet and cornet haven't been neglected though, as I still practice on them, along with my other instruments.
How have you all been doing?
For years and years, I have struggled with my embouchure, played with a "smile" which is actually wrong. It causes way too much pressure, and, at age 58, has contributed to my weakened bottom teeth, upper denture plate, etc...
So... I decided to read some articles on proper playing technique, embouchure, and basically said to myself, "what the heck... lets see..." and believe it or not, it worked!
Check out my excited video that I just shot....
Wow... Sticker shock isn't the word!!! The Harrelson mouthpiece kits are incredible, but cost almost about the same as a common "school band" trumpet!
I know I haven't been a frequent contributor to TrumpetBoards as much as in the beginning. However, as George asked in the another thread:
@GeorgeB said in Finally, I am playing a Conn Trumpet again:
Thanks, Butch. Hope all is well,
Cheers,
George
Well, back on May 15th, things WERE NOT well... I got "that phone call" that you never really want to get, no matter what age you are.
My mother passed away in the nursing home back on May 15th, at the wonderful age of 95. God Bless her, she lived an amazing long life. After my dad passed away back in 2002 (at age 80 from congestive heart failure), my oldest sister who is a retired RN from a major hospital in upstate NY was the logical choice to care for my mom. As the years passed, my mom slowly developed dementia and required 24/7/365 care. We (my sisters and I) made a unanimous decision to put mom in a nursing home for her remaining time. It was so heartbreaking to call her, as she wouldn't know who you were. Other times, she'd remember your voice, know who you were, and actually have a conversation with you. But then, suddenly with no warning, she would think I was my Uncle Doug (her younger brother), and she would start complaining about the cost of gas going up to .32 cents a gallon and that she needs my father to check a tire on her 1962 Ford Falcon... All you can do is just sit there, listen, and agree with her and think back to around 1964 or 1965.
Another seriously annoying issue is with my sisters (all older sisters - I'm the baby of the family and the only boy). They are constantly arguing and bickering about mom and her belongings. One sister (every family has one! 
) is rumored to want to get lawyers involved to contest the will and do some type of shenanigans....
Sorry to post something like this, but, who knew that with regards to the death of a parent, the children start arguing over things. It's just not right!
Eventually we'll have the burial up at the family cemetery plot on Staten Island, NY City, where my family's roots are, since 1855.