Busy, Busy, Busy

It's been a busy couple weeks! Here's what's going on:

• I did my second competition in Grade 3 at Glasgow Lands in Florence, MA, coming away first with above grade marks in the 2/4 March and Piobaireachd, and 3rd in the Strathspey & Reel. I didn't play as well as I could have for the S&R, but didn't play terribly either. My hands stiffened up and I crushed some C doublings. Still, that makes six above grades from six different judges across two games. The band came in 6th out of 14 - better than expected based on how we sounded.
• I did a roadtrip trip to Maxville for the Glengarry Highland Games. I didn't compete in solos, but did play with the band. We didn't do well (14th out of 17), but learned a lot and will put it to good use for the last couple events of the year - Quechee (VT) and Loon Mountain (NH). I also got a chance to say hi to my instructor after he finished up with the Grade 1 band events.
• I'm hurriedly preping for the Maine Highland Games. Why? Apparently I'm moving to Grade 2 sometime in the next two weeks. I'll likely be starting competition in the Grade 2 events at either Maine or Quechee. If not, I will be at Loon Mountain in September. For Maine/Quechee, that means dusting off a hornpipe and jig. I've settled on two old favorites: the H.L.I. Hornpipe and The Hammer on the Anvil - both tunes I learned from my first pipe teacher, John Ryan, out of the USAF band book. I'm not holding out hope of winning with them since I have only a week and a half to prepare (and my instructor is in Europe for the next month), but I'll still make it a good showing. Everything else I already have (somewhat) worked up, so it's more a matter of smoothing things out and working towards making everything musical.