The Prodigal Returneth

"Prodigal" in the sense that I spent more than I had planned. And I am “returned” from the San Francisco Caledonian Society’s Highland Games in Pleasanton. (They have a website here.)

The band (you know, the band; the one I play with) did moderately well in the Quick March Medley on Saturday placing almost exactly at midpoint in the field: eighth out of seventeen bands. Sunday in the timed medley we scored our first ever first place at Pleasanton – first of seventeen bands. For a few of us who’ve been there since the beginning it was a long time coming. The band was formed in 1991 and it’s taken us this long to finally get a first at Pleasanton. We’ve been close in prior years but never before grabbed the brass ring.

Lesson in humility for this summer: I only played with them on the day we came in 8th. The day we placed first, I pulled myself from the competition. Just not playing up to standard. The difference can't have been all me (can it?) but it's a thorn in the side nonethless.

For the detail-oriented, here are the basic results:

Saturday:
Grade I MSR
1 - LAScots
2 - Alberta Caledonia
3 - Prince Charles

Grade III Medley
1 - Prince Charles
2 - RP Blandford & Son
3 - Caber Feidh

Grade IV - Quick March Medley
1 - Irish Pipers
2 - Monterey
3 - Irish Heritage
4 - House of Scotland


Sunday:
Grade I Medley
1 - Alberta Caledonia
2 - LA Scots
3 - Prince Charles

Grade III MSR
1 - Prince Charles
2 - R P Blandford & Son
3 - Caber Feidh

Grade IV Medley
1 - Misty Isle
2 - City of Sacramento
3 - Irish Heritage
4 - Monterey Bay
5 - San Clemente


We drove the I-5 coming and going. It’s a very long and hot stretch of highway through the California’s agricultural heart. By rights it should be a colossally boring drive. For some reason Mary and I find it enjoyable. There appears, indeed, to be no accounting for tastes.