Hazleton Liberty Band

I went to band practice with Michael last night. He has joined the Hazleton Liberty Band, one of the oldest continuous community bands in America. This band which enlisted twice in the Civil War played for the surrender at Appomattox. Impressed? I was. They have a caseful of instruments their members used during the Civil War.

We stopped off at the Hazleton Library before the rehearsal to pick up a copy of the band's history. I always visit the children's section of a library and this one was sweet with a story time theater in the middle and funhouse mirrors on the wall. Writing books that would end up in a room like that would be, as Dash would put it, totally awesome.

The whole event would have been ideal had it not been for my rather grouchy attitude about the weather. The temp never got above 47 or so yesterday and we drove to the rehearsal in a driving downpour, battling fierce side winds. Icy rain and even sleet down the neck was the order of the day. I think I wouldn't have whined so much if my leg hadn't hurt worse (Must be going to rain, Ethel. My lumbago is kickin' up agin.) and if I hadn't known that it was April the 20th. That weather would have been perfectly nice in February or even March.

I enjoyed watching Michael play and realized that even though he's had quite a career as a tubist--All-State Band in high school, LSU Tiger Band in college--I've only seen him play tuba in a band twice before. Both of those times he was sitting at the back of a group and I could only get a glimpse of the top of his head. He always played euphonium in the Denton Community Band which is not the same thing at all.

He was the only tuba last night and his enormous Holton filled the room with good sounds. His grandchildren would have been proud. He was making more noise than anybody. But after the first piece, the band director did ask Michael to play louder since he could still hear the two piccolos. If the band doesn't play in tune, it's not for lack of a good foundation. Imagine seeing your husband do something wonderful that he's really good at for the first time after having being married for 38 years. Life is full of good surprises.