Shaw Girl Happenings

Leaving on her 14th birthday, Katie and I arrived at the Suzuki Institute this afternoon. We are doing this on a shoestring: Katie won two scholarships that paid for the institute, and we are camping for the week. (Bed & breakfast $200/night, camping $12/night. A no brainer for us.)

We are camping half way up a mountain; we bottomed out B.O.B. (Bucket of Bolts, our van) on the washed out “driveway” on the way up. We have no electricity, we’re living in a tent, water’s available across the field, and sites 11 and 12 are closed off because of nesting falcons who attack any campers who come near. It’s primitive; yet, here I sit at our campsite with my laptop, while Katie practices on her keyboard, and her iPod charges. There is no cell phone service whatsoever, yet I can connect to somebody's wireless. The Coleman lantern is lit, and the campfire is burning. The entire campground seems to be filled with Suzuki families. As I write, 2 flutes are playing across the field, and a young violinist is practicing an etude in the next campsite.

Labels: Katie, music, vacation