I left out a relatively major event from late spring/early summer: a road trip to the DC area & back, occasioned by the interment in Arlington Nat. Cemetery for a paternal aunt's husband, a retired Army colonel. He'd suddenly died at home after dealing with some chronic (respiratory?) condition I may never have been quite informed about in detail. This happened in April, but the waiting list for burial at Arlington was long enough that the ceremony took place early in June. Word was it would've taken maybe another two months to go through with it except for the intervention of a well-placed friend of his.

Meanwhile, only a few days before my brother & I took off--to meet with the rest of our family at our Dulles lodgings--we'd finally sold our hometown business, which had supported us for nearly 45 years. By now only one of us still worked there, & he'd been asked to stay on. Unfortunately we don't have instant access to large amounts of money!

Yet another May development deserves separate consideration, which I intend to do next.

The band's summer season this year consisted of one appearance at the county fair--one--late in July, with one practice session the previous weekend.

Too bad I had to fumble with my pipes onstage.