Dateline: September 9, 2019. Edmonton Alberta

So we've moved to Edmonton! We're in our new apartment, the school year has started, the orchestral season is about to begin. There were even a few days of decently sunny summer weather to enjoy before it gets all gross and pre-wintery probably in the next couple of weeks. (Days later, while this draft sits languishing, it's still sunny!)

I had a blast playing in the ESO's annual Symphony Under The Sky summer fest- 4 programs, 5 concerts, 5 days (13 services in 7 days). It's a lot of music and the weather was not exactly cooperating, but I suppose it could have been worse. Crowds were big and the guest artists were pretty cool. Resident pops conductor Bob Bernhardt was fun to work with, and the whole thing was a great way to bring summer to a close before (after a couple weeks' break) officially starting up again for 2019-20.

It was also my last bit of sitting principal for a while, since the new principal, Keith, starts his time with the ESO with our first Pops show coming up in another week or so…. I'm really looking forward to working with him sharing the front desk - we've met briefly before when I was first living in Kitchener and figuring out the freelancing scene, and our mutual friends have sung his praises, but I haven't worked side by side with him yet, so I'm looking forward to figuring things out as the two new guys here…

Little by little the family's sorting things out: getting the car registered (expensive fixes necessary! Ugh.), getting auto and renters insurance policies, updating credit cards and other accounts’ mailing addresses… helping our kids find their way in their new schools, our son starting rehearsals with the Edmonton Youth Orchestra,