You know when you have overextended yourself when you hit the wall, or in some cases, the floor. My grand plan to attend the first BAC show, Drums Along the Rockies in Fort Collins, Colorado, was interrupted by such an overextension. At seventy, all of those seven-mile runs, Peak-a-Week hikes, and long ski days in the Green Mountains have begun to catch up with me in the form of a fluttery heart. This A-fib condition is also enhanced by anxiety, such as traveling and being away from the Mill Brook, and an important project that has been in the works for almost five years. Such was the condition when I decided to pull the plug on the Colorado portion of my 2025 DCI tour. Wisely, all of my accommodations were refundable. I donated my two tickets to the show to Kate, the BAC uniform angel, and another volunteer.
Aside from the overwhelming need to return home on Tuesday for the schoolhouse project, the Michigan trip was very successful, as I visited good friends and attended the North Country Trail Association’s in-person board meeting. This was a historic meeting as we voted to purchase a parcel of land to protect an important segment of the trail. It is the first such purchase toward our primary goal of establishing the ‘forever route’ and permanently protecting it. At 4,900 miles, it is the longest National Scenic Trail and one of eleven trails in the National Trails System as defined in the National Trails Act, including the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail. It is co-managed by the National Park Service in partnership with the NCTA non-profit. The NCTA leverages $8 for every dollar spent by the federal government on the trail. What a privilege it is to be associated with such an incredible group of volunteers from across eight northern border states. To say we are concerned about the state of tourism from our northern neighbors is accurate and understated.
Not to miss an opportunity to get cheaper airfare and to maximize my trip, I planned a one-week stay, bookending the meeting by staying with friends. A dose of northern, lower Michigan, and a hike with friends on the North Country Trail by flying into Traverse City, and then lakeside with friends in Grand Haven. Euchre, stout, sun, water, and merriment with friends elevated the experience. Then, it was time to come home. My Colorado friend, who was to join me at Drums Along the Rockies, said when I called to cancel, “Do you think you might have just been overdoing it a little lately?”
It was too much to expect that I could keep on going west for the Colorado DCI show under the circumstances. Oh, how I wish I could be in two places at once. Coming home to focus on my local project was the right thing to do. The return trip was complicated when Mother Nature conspired to make me miss my connecting flight to Burlington out of Chicago, forcing an unexpected overnight stay in a budget hotel. The flight was delayed 30 minutes to avoid a storm. We taxied all around the airport for about 30 minutes after landing. I was in the back of the plane. The arrival gate was at the end of terminal B, and I had to run to the end of terminal C only to find the cabin door had closed. Note to self: avoid ORD from now on.
Fortunately, I was able to catch a standby in the morning. While sitting at the gate for the flight to Burlington, I began to unwind steadily, surrounded by fellow Vermonters. Daughter number three picked me up at the airport, and we had a nice lunch at the Prohibition Pig in Waterbury, VT, on the way home. This is the original home of the Alchemist Brewery, maker of the nationally-famous Heady Topper double IPA. I prefer Focal Banger, its cousin. Upon arriving home, I unpacked and sat on the deck overlooking the Mill Brook. As the rhythm of life returned to normal, I realized that my body had been telling me to come home.
Thinking that I could close the deal on purchasing a historic two-room schoolhouse to convert to a music school while on the road with DCI was a bridge too far. Perhaps you read my blog, ‘A Tale of Two Schoolhouses,’ where I attempted to blend two stories into one blog. Perhaps not a sound literary strategy. In addition to extolling the value of our current elementary school up the road, it tells the story of the Fayston Number Nine Schoolhouse, directly opposite the brook from my deck, which served as the school for 60 years. It then became the home of the Burley Partnership, a well-respected architectural firm, for another 60 years. Now, we neighbors are planning to continue the building’s utility into the next 60 years for community arts and cultural activities. We will begin with music lessons.
Yesterday, I signed the purchase and sale agreement on behalf of the non-profit Friends of the Number Nine Schoolhouse, Inc., which I and the seller, along with two other neighbors, founded. Our goal is to conserve, restore, and repurpose the iconic 1903 building along the Mill Brook. We plan to utilize the space for music lessons, rehearsals, small performances, and music recording. We will be collaborating with our local school system, which has an amazing music department, and the many local music professionals who reside and perform in our resort community. We will invest in remote learning technologies so that students can take lessons from professionals anywhere in the world, in a comfortable and well-equipped setting. However, first, we must secure the building in our care. To that end, we are raising funds for closing costs and a sizeable chunk of the principal. I humbly ask you to consider donating to our project by sending a tax-deductible contribution to: Friends of the Number Nine Schoolhouse, Inc., 831 Mill Brook Road, Waitsfield, Vermont 05673. Thank you!
Coming home was the right thing to do for the schoolhouse, but I have not abandoned my 2025 DCI quest. Yesterday, I signed up for FloMarching and purchased a large-screen TV that will temporarily reside in my living room before I donate it and hang it in the schoolhouse. I have invited my friends to come by for a Drums Along the Rockies watch party tonight. They are clueless about drum corps and scratch their heads in concern when I begin to describe it. I will be texting with friends, Garry, Dottie, and Kate, for backup opinions on what we see and hear.
This week, I will be busy scrambling to raise money for the closing costs for the schoolhouse. I will celebrate July 4th in Warren, Vermont, where the parade has always been an extraordinary expression of our First Amendment Right. This year’s theme: Stand Up for Democracy. Following the parade will be brookside merriment with friends and then fireworks at Sugarbush Resort. So far, I’m planning on resuming my DCI tour on July 5th to attend three shows in California. It should be a BLAST! I’ll keep you posted.