ISSMA and icicles

Yesterday I had the real pleasure of seeing two of my granddaughters perform with their marching bands during the Scholastic Class Prelims (to be followed next week by the Open Class Regional), all of which will eventually, if all goes well, lead to the bands performing at state.  One granddaughter is in the flag squad for Bishop Dwenger's band and the other plays bass clarinet in the Carroll High School band.  Both bands put on beautiful shows.  Dwenger OB class) received Silver and Carroll (OA class) received Gold with distinction in all catagories.  It was a clear afternoon and evening, not like the gushing downpour that caught us last year.  The only problen was that it was COLD and windy.  I know it's October but I'm not ready for really cold weather yet.  I was smart enough to wear warm layers and take a blanket to sit on.  I remember once, years ago, when my husband and I were at a band competition because our kids were in the band (in the early days of Carroll's competition career) and we weren't yet smart enough to take something to sit on.  Aluminum bleachers are beastly cold to sit on when the weather drops below 40.  At that memorable event, we "borrowed" several styrofoam plates from the food concession to sit on and they really were better than nothing.  But back to yesterday.  It seemed so cold that I was mentally comparing it to my ride in a reindeer pulled sled in Lapland last March.  That is for sure the coldest I have ever been, but last night seemed like a close second.  It's a good thing I love my grandchildren.