Summer and the Saxophone

Although it is still officially summer,
and most kids are on vacation from school,
my son Benjamin opted for year round middle
school at Rogers-Herr in Durham, NC. This
means that when July 16 arrived, his
alarm went off at 6:30 AM. That's
awfully early when you've developed a
writing schedule of staying up till
midnight. I have done this, of course.
We all were up late and slept in late,
as well. It was a good life.

Actually, if I can go to bed soon after
he does, even though my daughters are
still on vacation schedule and watching
TV, I can wake up when he does, take
him to school, come home, and get some
writing done before the house awakens.
I just can't, at the expression goes,
burn the candle at both ends. I'm,
believe it or not, a little
too old for that. When I write
early in the morning, I feel like a
real writer. In all the interviews
with the famous ones, don't they
usually say they spend about four
hours writing in the morning?

Benjamin is in band and learning to play
the saxophone which is another change
to our summer. The saxophone is a
beautiful woodwind instrument and is
adding a rich sound to my writing.
Benjamin practices after school while
I write. He is dedicated to his sax
and I'm thrilled. My musical ability
is ziltch. Who said we live through
our children?

Speaking of children, my cousin in
Montana has three. I'm not sure if
his kids play any instruments;
somehow I bet they do because my
cousin is talented, and as they say,
the apple doesn't fall far from the
tree. My cousin is also quite gifted
in the area of cleverness. Three times
this summer he has commented that he
wants me to write about him on this
blog. He keeps reminding me that I
haven't updated it with anything of
value--i.e., anything about him.
Now, at last, he won't be able to
harrass me anymore. His cleverness
has paid off. Here's to you cousin!

Happy summer, and here's also to my
newest favorite instrument, the
saxophone!