In the last two days, I have been on four separate airplane flights. Yesterday I flew to Lihue, Kaua’i and back for my biweekly organ lesson with Hank Curtis; and today I flew to Burbank via San Francisco to spend a few days with my family before joining Joan Ishibashi in Cleveland.

It seems I can’t pass through San Francisco airport without unexpectedly seeing someone I know from Hawaii—this time it was my retina specialist, Dr. John Drouilhet, whom I see every month for my eye injections for macular degeneration!

I am in Southern California for a few days visiting family and relatives and took this photo with my 2 year old grandson (who is the size of a 4-year-old!)

On Saturday I will meet up with Joan in Cleveland where we have a busy week planned. On Sunday I’ll attend the choral Eucharist at Trinity Cathedral where Todd Wilson is the organist.

There are two Dutch mechanical action organs by Flentrop in the Cathedral, a 1976 Choir Organ of 14 stops and a 1977 Great Organ of three manuals and 39 stops.

On Sunday afternoon Joan and I will attend the “Echoes of Venice” concert by the baroque orchestra Apollo’s Fire, which has been described as “Performing with spontaneous sonic combustion, Apollo’s Fire proves that scholarship and fun aren’t mutually exclusive (Cleveland Plain Dealer).

On Monday Joan has arranged for a private tour of the Norton Memorial Organ in Severance Hall led by Todd Wilson—it sure helps to have friends in high places!

The rest of the week will be taken up with visits to Trinity Lutheran Church in Akron and Trinity Lutheran Church in Cleveland where guess what will be happening!

On Thursday I will be playing a recital at Amistad Chapel at the United Church of Christ headquarters, and that night Joan and I will be hearing Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony performed by the Cleveland Orchestra!

This will be my first visit to Cleveland and I’m so excited!