Clarinuts

While I was home, I had the great fortune of being around during a session of Clarinuts, a little drop-in group of clarinet players of all abilities who gather for dinner, a reading session and dessert. Dave, the founder of the Big Band Sound, based in the Hudson Valley and his wife Marie are two of the nicest people and Tom and I both enjoyed participating in Clarinuts. Plus, it was enjoyable to sit and talk with a great group of rotating folks. I don't even recall how I became connected with Dave, but Tom subbed for Big Band Sound percussion and now our friends Dan and Stacy enjoy performing with them as well. Stacy is a Clarinut from the Bass Trombone, Baritone, Bass Guitar section.

One of our favorite things about Dave and Marie is their house, which is just so much fun to be in. They have photo collage frames for every year they have been together....which Tom is always reminding me about how much he likes that idea. I like it too. They also have a extensive Sandra Boynton collection-also one of our favorite children's authors and a house full of goodies, including baskets of toys on their dining room table.

It was a cool house when just Tom and I would go and hang out for Clarinuts. This time, we brought the boys with us for dinner and Clarinuts. Connor discovered a set of Wall-E and Eve toys that he sat with for much of the evening. That and the SpongeBob toys. More on that later.

Ian had his own small green plastic scorpion from his bug watch that he played with and had on his plate amid his broccoli. Following dinner, he announced that he had lost the scorpion. I figured it had gotten tossed out with his dinner. A big scorpion hunt ensued with no luck. After we left, Dave and Marie, of course, found the scorpion, who made his surprise return home to Phoenix this week. (you guys scored big for that! The look on Ian's face was total astonishment when he opened the card.)

Anyway, here is the group playing. I felt incredibly rusty playing, but had a great deal of fun, especially since Marie was sitting next to me and keeping me in my place (until we both got lost).
Bass clarinet is really a fun instrument to play and I always enjoyed it so much more than B-flat clarinet (the regular kind for laymen). I think I enjoyed bass clarinet because I didn't have to be as competitive and yet I still got some really fun parts to play, especially in college. I believe that I got myself farther on determination than actual talent.

Ian did take a video, but I didn't find it in my archives of 868 photos. (yes, the number has risen) Tom even played on the last piece.


We had a lovely time and some delicious Ben and Jerry's ice cream for dessert. Stacy's little daughter even fell sound asleep-although she did try to give a decent meltdown at one point. However, she would be out-meltdowned by Connor, who was forced (by us) to give up the Wall-E and Eve toy at the end of the evening. Tom and I predicted it wouldn't go well, but after a few good chances to hand over the toys on his accord, we ended up prying them from his stubborn little grip. The end result sounded similar to those velociraptors in Jurassic Park.

He asked about that toy set practically every single day after that.

And a week later, in the Disney Store, I ended up buying the child a Wall-E and an Eve toy. The Wall-E toy comes apart in so many pieces. Connor breaks them apart and announces "I need help!" and we ended up piecing it back together, only to have him dismantle it twenty seconds later. My mother-in-law said and I quote, "Don't bring that Wall-E toy on the plane. It will drive you to drink." She might be right.

Dave and Marie, my friendly blog lurkers, thank you for a fun Clarinuts reunion. It was great fun and I hope you wrote it down in your log!