District "solo-ensemble"

This morning R. took D. to the district competition for musical soloists, the one he won last year. (Much too early in the morning for me! D. wasn't thrilled either.) He played the first movement of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto, and R. recorded it for me on my camera. It was mostly lovely, but at the very end his throat gummed up and he ran out of air, marring the conclusion. He was pretty severe on himself - I think it sounded beautiful overall. I don't think he's this year's winner, which would suit him just fine.

J. and I went to dinner at the neighborhood Thai restaurant, which we hadn't done in a while. Immediately behind him was a group of American Indians, including one man wearing fancy clothing with long colorful ribbons. This man also had a decorated staff or stick (hard to tell from my angle) that he kept upright at the table in front of him - it must have been special, or else it's a cultural difference, because I remember thinking that doing that would be so much more work than getting to lay it down or leave it in the car.