I don’t want to deceive you. So, I better tell you that the titile is last Sunday. However, the clever blok who made the calendar included lots of Sundays . And so, you will understand why the title of this blog is both right & incorrect [I hope]. In fact this blok was really clever because he did the same for  every day including Thursday which is rubbish collection day and Friday which is Barry’s day and Saturdays which are ‘no football’ days on the telly. Enough….

From my vintage years I seem to look back and see groups of happenings which become episodes and walk chapter-like through my life. One of the most important to me is my Culver Experience! This episode fits into my unravelling between what my father said to me under the apple tree and my escape to a most rewarding British Life.

Culver is a Military Academy which teaches highschool subjects which are necessary for the students to get into college or university.  At the same time there are military drills, uniforms, parades and disciplines. I loved it–infact I often said that I wanted to return to teach one day.  {Not Yet, however}

I was in the Band Company. I played the trombone. I can’t recall how I chose the Bone, but I loved the tone and I loved being in the front row of the band during our Sunday Parades on the football pitch . We played in all kinds of weather. Our job was to play marches for lunch and dinner to accompany the other troops in the school as they marched into the mess hall. When it was very cold the trumpet valves and my Bone slide froze. So I put some coldcream on the slide. We had band practice in the afternoons while the other troups drilled with M1 rifles [in those days] on their shoulders. Nicotine Ed was our band teacher; he had large brown marks on his first and second smoking fingers. II was at Culver for three and one half years and became th 1st bonist and played a solo in the graduation concert.

One student named ‘Jim Kitts’ played the bassoon  [I think he played the flute while marching]. He used to practice his bassoon in the communal bathroom in our barracks. It was completely white tiled. The accoustics were amazing. He sat on the toilet from which the wooden seats had been removed. Mozart never sounded better. The other horn I loved was the baritone with a large bell and a mellow tone.

So many stories.  I rowed crew for the Band–a four man shell. We practiced in some rough weather. Culver is on Lake Maxinkuci, the second largest in Indiana. During the Winter we wore Eisenhauer Jackets and lined gloves. It was great fun

I always wanted a varsity letter to sew on a varsity sweater which we could wear to the on limits Inn and to the senior common building. I was never a good enough athele to get on a varsity team So I decided to be ‘a manager’. The only sport available at the time was {believe it or not} wrestling! I did get a letter but I left Culver before I had time to sew it on. However, one afternoon a small member of the team decided to show me a head-spin. He quickly raised me over his head and started turning around. I don’t know what pleading language I used but he  only threw me onto my back.

Next time–why did I leave Culver early.