Hanging out at Rapides Karate

We have spent some fun days in Tioga, enjoying the hospitality of the Gillilands. The kids have also enjoyed the wide screen TV, with its wealth of more channels than one could possibly watch in a lifetime.

But we've not just been couch potatoes. One day, a friend of Sensei Gilliland showed us his collection of antique Japanese swords; another day we visited a pawn shop and picked up a couple knives. Benjamin has even made himself useful at the trophy and t-shirt shop, helping get things ready for Worlds.

Late afternoons and evenings, of course, were spent at the dojo. During the first class on Wednesday, after warm-ups and basics, Miriam, Benjamin, and Daniel enjoyed having a wide variety of people to spar and grapple. The class ended with some kata work. We then watched the white belt class work on basics and pre-sparring drills, while "Sensei's Girls" practiced their competition team kata. After training basics in the third class, we worked on kata.

That night, the Gillilands' home was full with overnight guests in anticipation of getting up before the crack of dawn in order to head to New Orleans.