Hooray! for my trusty steed Subaru. I drove right through the heavy snowfall to Aidan's Honors Orchestra concert at Keoni's High School on Saturday. Wendy and I went together while John went to pick up Keoni in New Jersey from his couple of days rehearsing and playing in his District orchestra. Both these are school related. Keoni's school actually paid for him to go. No one in the family is used to this level of fiscal education support.

Editorial Aside: It is interesting that there is both here and in Arizona (nationally, as well, it seems) an overall hue and cry about a perceived failure of Education accompanied by all sorts of arguments about money and how to educate our youth. We are fortunate now to be in a PA district that seems to have a bit more wealth bestowed upon its schools--it shows. Yet, I am aware of hearing the same hue and cry for decades--my entire adult life. All those years, more than a half century of my life, we've done everything but make what we have on hand better; criticizing and comparing rather than just buckling down for our kids to better grow the public education system we have and pay teachers their professional due.

I'll quit my rant now.

Aidan's school orchestra Honors Concert--120 youngsters.

Aidan in first cello chair.

Aidan's concert took place in Keoni's high school's auditorium. Aidan's music achievement is a happy part of life here. Listening to his ability and refinement grow is a daily enjoyment.

Afterward, out in the school hallway we came across a display of Outstanding Student Achievement photos. There was Keoni's picture and a brief notation about his achievements for a warm surprise for Wendy and I.

I couldn't capture a very good picture of it because of the glass front to the case and reflections. My apologies to Keoni. We are all very, very happy he does this fine work and keeps growing ever more proficient with his violin and music.

My trusty Subaru took Aidan and I to another birthday party held at Jumpin' Jacks. It is a warehouse filled with inflated jumping castles; known here as bouncy houses. We walked in the door, Aidan spotted the birthday boy, and vanished with him into a world of plastic gigantism. A sort of extreme pre-adolescent energy explosion. Thirty minutes of the two hours was devoted to pizza and cake consumption in a side room with the celebrant's name on the door.

Pizza time at Joey's birthday party.

I really did start this quite a few days ago. Events kept interrupting including efforts to manage things during some more snow and plunging temps. Toby was brought into the upstairs bathroom to survive the single digits. His porch arrangement just isn't up to the extremes of our cold.

The interruption yesterday afternoon happened when Keoni came home from school, and after exiting the upstairs bathroom the door didn't quite close. Not long after Toby discovered it, and got out. Keoni found Toby descending the stairs and Karma ascending--growls beginning. Quickly, Keoni grabbed Toby to prevent them fighting, and Toby bit his arm severely resulting in an Emergency room visit for Keoni. The result is all good and he is on antibiotics.

The PA Health Department was on the phone this morning; first with Wendy, and then with me. Toby is quarantined in the bathroom for 10 more days and has to go to the vet the 11th day for observation for rabies. His immunizations are all in order, but this is the rule on bites here.

Keoni is required to go to the doctor again in another 24-48 hours, but the doctor on their health plan won't even make an appointment without his AZ records. Wendy says she'll have to find an Urgent Care place to take him.

This would be a good spot for a rant about our crazy health care system, but I don't want to think about it anymore. I hope Keoni and Aidan's generation will fix stuff like that.

So, I am considering parting with my cat. There really didn't turn out to be a good spot for him here. When the quarantine ends I will see if I can get a nice picture of him to seek a good home where he is the only cat and maybe there is a nice dog for a companion.

The dust fuzzies call me. I need their consolations.