July - A Whirlwind of Activity

Hello everyone,

I have had a whirlwind of a July - how about you?? Our trip to MI was terrific, except for the five hour wait in the Chicago airport due to a "weather hold". That was quite a storm. Other than seeing our youngest son and his family, the highlight of the trip, was canoeing down a lazy Michigan river. Do we have any lazy rivers in Idaho? I don't think I am brave enough to canoe down any other type, but definitely enjoyed this experience.

Then I was home for three days and off to the International Piano Festival in Portland. This was really worthwhile. I gained a lot of good insights into different areas of teaching and performance. You will be hearing much more about the things that really stood out to me. I flew to Portland with my friend and colleague Jill Wright and we attended classes together throughout the week. For those familiar with Portland, the events were held at the World Forestry Center. Jill and I commuted back and forth on Portland's light rail. I stayed at the home of our oldest son and family; Jill stayed with a friend. In spite of a busy agenda, there was time for some family fun - including the Portland Zoo, which is terrific. Unfortunately, our son was in New York throughout the week but returned late Friday. He joined me for the final recital of the festival on Saturday evening. This was a great way to end this outstanding experience. Our daughter-in-law, Jennifer along with our grandchildren Simon and Sydney, graciously drove me back to Idaho! On Thursday our daughter's family joined us as well as John's 93 year old uncle. Our son flew in on Friday and the 16 of us had a great family gathering.

It is now Monday afternoon and our home is very empty. However, piano students will be arriving any minute and the quiet will be interrupted for a few hours. Is this happiness?? Yes! I look forward to seeing each of you!

Hugs!

Kristie