A Piano Camp Vaccuum

If you were wondering where I disappeared to during the last two weeks, the answer is simple:

Piano Camp.

Every summer this dear lady--my grad school piano prof--holds a camp for those high schoolers who may be pianistically inclined at Westminster, and every summer she brings back her loyal followers to teach it:

Kristen,

Don (no picture!!),

Todd,

Richard, Laura (no picture!!)

Alynn,

me,

and the newbies:

Jared,

and Matt.

At 8 am breakfast the morning after a teaching schedule that ended at midnight and a 1.30 am bedtime due to the campers who would not shut up and go to sleep, these special people make life worth living.

The campers make it worthwhile too, 

as we watch them learn and grow as pianists,

as they soak up every word we say,

as they bring us their unique personalities,

and as they fiercely compete against each other during Piano Camp Jeopardy on Friday morning.

Then, after a long week of little rest and much intensity for all of us, they give us everything they've got left at the closing recital, leading us to say that--according to the Attitude Barometer Chart--

we are a 10:

We can't wait to come back next year!