Two hundred drummers drumming (or more)

Anyone who lives near Clearwater, Florida, probably heard pounding in their ears all weekend long. The Boston Crusaders held their annual auditions there this weekend. Approximately 300 teenagers descended on this town. About 250 of them pound on something (the others are flag corps). And believe me, as a mother of two percussionist, they pound on anything. Unlike, most mothers, a percussionist's mother cannot scold her children for beating on things because they come back with "but, we're practicing." Yeah, right.

The Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, founded in 1940, is the third-oldest junior drum and bugle corps in the nation and is proud to be a founding member of Drum Corps International. The corps, composed entirely of brass players, percussionists and color guard members under the age of 22, travels over 10,000 miles each summer, performing in more than 40 competitions and exhibitions before a combined audience of over 300,000 fans.

Chowhound toured two summers ago with Teal Sound. He was only 15. The average age is 19. He will be 17 in March. He researched his choices and decided that the Boston Crusaders were worthy enough for him to join. I am a proud Mama, but I can tell you the kid is good. He plays the marimba, a percussion keyboard. He has been asked back for the next audition in December. This means that more than likely he will make the cut. Which means that once a month for the next five months, I get to drive 3 hours one way to Clearwater. Lucky me. Then at the end of May I get to figure out how to get him to New Hampshire. He isn't real keen on flying. He has only done it once and didn't really care for it.

But, I will do what I have to do because as I was leaving him this weekend, he wrapped his arms around me and said, "Thanks for supporting me, Mom." Awww, Shucks. I'm such a sucker.