Pleasanton, Day 1: In case you missed it, we played a huge band for the QMM, our farewell to Waterloo, the Maid and Jack. Our fifteen pipers were Duayne, Tom, Walt, Bill, Lindsay, Greg, Sean, Pat, Linus, Joe, Paul, Annette, Martha, Stacy and me; drummers Marge and Dennis, Betty, William, Mari, Teri, Pam and Bob. The venue has moved a bit owing to the construction of a building smack dab in the middle of our usual contest spot, but we managed to fit and to my knowledge no one fell down getting into the circle (or out of it).  

Annette and I were so, so pleased with the band's performance. Playing everyone was a risk and it paid off - as she put it, people really rose to the occasion and played just as well as you ever do in practice. All of the judge's comments are things we 1) know and 2) have a plan to improve. We were musical, together, and had nice sounding pipes. Annette did a great job with a huge corps and a few chanter problems. 5th place for piping out of 17 bands was a huge improvement over the past couple of years and made me (and I hope all of you) re-energized about the winter and next year. Our ensemble was quite good as far as we could tell - 11th place ain't great, and I was not a huge fan of the comments Sandy Keith gave us, but to Gloria, listening, it sounded very good. It felt good from the inside... 

Our drummers did not do well in the scoring. This has to be discouraging (goodness knows we pipers know all about that!!) but I hope you soon can shrug it off. I was listening last Saturday at practice and was struck by the progress of the whole corps - it sounded really - well, like a CORPS instead of a bunch of separate players - and I realized that was something new, largely thanks, I know, to having not just one but now two strong drummers to guide the rest. I would be lying if I said I was keying in on the snare sound during the contest but I certainly didn't hear anything out of whack about it. Bob told me afterward how proud he was of the whole line and how much you have all improved so, numbers aside, I think we should take it as a positive experience. We in the pipe corps are so grateful for all six of you and your hard work and dedication. I know I speak for everyone when I say that. Thank you!!! 

It was nice to see lots of friends - Francie (and Joann, who will be back with us soon!), John Burke, Glen Murphy and family, Charlie, Liza, Louis and Nolan Whitehill, Chris and Ann of Monterey concert fame, who else? Please help me fill in the blanks. 

It was a wonderful day no matter what the judges said. I have not been so happy with one of our performances in a very long time and I owe that all to you. To be able to settle in and play well at the biggest contest of the year - that's progress. Hurray!!  Love, the PM