It’s past midnight and Lenie is practicing piano for tonight’s (Thursday’s) Christmas performance of the Gold Beach High School Band and Choir, plus the middle school (6th, 7th, and 8th grades) band from Riley Creek Grammar School. She will accompany the choir. She likes volunteering her time to play for the kids, and she works hard to make sure she has the songs down pat.

All three of our sons, Jake, Rob, and Sam, are playing in the band. They’ll be on clarinet, trumpet, and saxophone, respectively. I don’t play any instrument, but it sure is nice having a house full of music as Lenie and the boys practice often. There should be a good community turnout for this performance.