It must be me!

I am sitting in rehearsal wondering why I cannot play any low notes. Why, it must be my reed. No, I must have forgotten how to play - oh no - they will realize I cannot play the oboe and fire me!!!

Scrambling madly working on reeds between the dress rehearsal and concert, I finally came up with something that halfway worked. Whew! My job saved!

But - oy vay!! The stage lights come up. I look down and see that my black pants look horribly faded! I didn't realize how faded they had gotton. Wow, I really must buy new concert wear. Feeling like a fool - I suddenly realize I am wearing dark blue pants!!! My colleagues then regaled me with all their clothing stories - tuxedo with white socks, two different shoes, forgetting various parts of their clothing, etc.

Thankfully, no-one in the audience noticed. And none of my orchestral colleagues could tell I was living in oboe hell.

So Sunday at the next rehearsal, I am thinking - okay, I have this great low note reed so all is well. NOT! By second hour, I can't play a thing. Notes cracking and not responding all over the place. After three horrid hours, we go home. Could there be a new crack in my oboe??? I mean, I can't be that bad a player after all these years, could I?! When I got home I took the keys off to see if there was a new crack in the wood and Lo and Behold - there they were. Not one but two cracks! I super glued them and they seemed alright but I am sending the instrument to NJ to my favorite repairman so he can make sure I didn't miss something. This is the new oboe - only 7 months old. Thankfully I have a second I can play this weekend.

In addition to music woes - our washer went out! So any profit from this weeks work is now in the laundry room.

Next week will be better - 'specially since I am almost done with this first sock.