Monday, July 13, 2009

My Day Off

Life is insane at the moment. In addition to work, I am busy with the band every Saturday and every Sunday between now and the middle of August (and most Saturdays and Sundays after that and until mid-September). Not to mention my hectic schedule in the evenings: I'm out at one thing or another four out of the five evenings this week. (Though this week is particularly hectic.)

So, it was with some anticipation that I was looking forward to last weekend. The band had a fund-raiser in Grangemouth on the Saturday, which would take only a few hours, and nothing on the Sunday. I was getting a whole day off!

I staggered through the end of work on Friday, leaving with that annoying sense of failure that always comes when you don't quite solve the bug that you've been chasing. It happens.

Friday night was then spent engaging in one of those traditional but nerve-wracking landmark events, followed by watching Torchwood, and finally a return home for some well-earned sleep. My plan to buy some bookcases for my many RPG books remained incomplete.

Saturday arrived, and I immediately found myself running late, of course. Compounding the difficulties was a text from the Pipe Major, saying that he was going to be late himself, and that I should get things started without him.

Somehow, I managed to make it to Grangemouth on time, or as close as makes no difference, only to find only two other members of the band there. So, we had to wait a while for some others to arrive before we could start.

In the event, we had quite a small turnout, of six pipers (two of whom were learners), two snare drummers, a tenor and a bass. The Pipe Major never did get there. We played for three hours, on and off, and made £156, which is not a bad return on investment.

I then went and bought the ingredients for the burgers, and then went and bought the bookcases I mentioned previously. While battling these into the car, I suffered a mishap, and so went immediately back into the store, and bought a new watch to replace the one I had just destroyed.

Saturday evening I spent collapsed on my sofa, curled up with not one but two books. I still haven't actually assembled the bookcases. (I have no idea when I'm going to put these together, except that it has to be before Friday morning, and the only evening I'm not busy this week is in fact Friday. Perhaps I'll put them up in my sleep.)

So, Sunday. My big day off. No band engagements to play, no pressing tasks, nothing immediately in need of doing. Fantastic.

Except it didn't quite work out like that.

The reason I was due a day off from the band was that there was an event on, but it required only a mini-band, rather than everyone. Since I hadn't been told about it, I therefore assumed I didn't have to go. Said delusion lasted until about four on Saturday, just after I put both pairs of band socks into the wash, when the text arrived asking for volunteers. Sigh.

And so, it was off to the wedding, my first for some months. Fortunately, my socks had dried overnight, which proved to be a pleasant surprise. We played, and it was good. Then we played some more, and it was a bit less good. Then we played some more, which was a bit better. Then we waited for the receiving line to complete, and then I piped in the top table. Then I was done; the Pipe Major piped in the couple, thus laying claim to the dram that was assigned for the piper. (No matter; I had to drive anyway.)

From there I went to the parental home, where G had cooked my dinner, and then to church (I've missed several weeks recently, and will be missing several more before this is all done, so I really felt I had to go when the opportunity presented itself), and then I headed home to deposit my pipes. But no sooner had I got in than I headed out again immediately, to join a portion of the band in the pub for some bad karaoke. Then, finally, home to watch "House", and get myself to my bed.

It was a nice restful day. I'm looking forward with great anticipation to my next day off, on the 18th (and possibly 23rd) of August. It's also fair to say I'm a little tired today.

#27: "Pathfinder: The Great Beyond", by Todd Stewart

(Yes, I know I said "A Sword From Red Ice" was the next book. I'm nearly finished it, honestly!)

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