We started our Monday morning

with a trip to this kind of office.

Hmmm.

It was looking sort of like a science lab ....

then again, maybe the hardware store?

Oh! No! We remember what this place is all about. That nasty thing. Must be a doctor's office!

We visited with the ONLY pediatric orthopedic surgeon in the state of Alaska. He did a great job of explaining. Based on research this and based on research that .... in the end, Anna's growth plates are nearly closed and she's done growing. We're going to keep an eye on her back and see that she doesn't start having a major change with the scoliosis. Other than that ... another xray in a year. Then there was that other recommendation. Core strengthening. I think that is the same thing the chiropractor suggested to me many times over. Exercise? You have got to be kidding me. We'll see how that goes. Fun to spend the day with Anna Banana ... even if it did include a trip to town.

I learned something today. My Tahoe gets over 77 miles to the gallon going down the Eagle River Hill. It did that more than several times in different places. Almost pays for a trip to Kohl's in itself .. ya think?

Off to the evening's activity. I have probably told you before, but I thoroughly enjoy the band concerts. They are downright good. You can certainly tell when an instructor expects much of the students. They shone. All of them.

This was a new one. I've never seen steel drums before. Tia wanted to join and had wanted to take the trip to Trinidad to explore the origins of the steel drum. I kind of said, "yeah, sure". I thought Trinidad was somewhere like Fairbanks. Hmph! Trinidad is in Spain. Um. I don't think so. Anyway, the music is phenomenal. They are all made of 55 gallon drums. Quite neat. I think I want one ... but I'd probably need many. Then I'd run out of room and then I'd have to build another room onto the house ... may as well get that baby grand piano while I'm it. A serious case of "If you Give a Moose a Muffin" going on here.

I should have moved my buns down the row to the right. I did not see my daughter play at all. She's somewhere behind the girl in red. I spied her feet once in a while. :)

This piece was the final one for the 7th and 8th grade bands. "Farewell Symphony: 4th Movt" by Franz Joseph Hayden. Section by section as the piece neared the end, they got up and left. At the end there was only one flutist and one clarinet player left ....

the rest were at the back of the gym. Great job kids!! (That would be Tia strolling along there with the white top.)

Off to 8th grade band next year ... and now she wants to add trumpet and trombone to her musical skills. I said yes. As long as the school has extra instruments. I'm done renting ... last flute is almost paid for. No More. Done. Finito. Complete.

Do you s'pose she'll have to practice at home? 

Wonder if that doctor has another set of these somewhere.