I know that this is the month of vacations for many people... the final fling for families before school starts.  There are many things I love about this month.  Right now we are experiencing beautiful, almost fall-like weather... a pleasant change after a spell of almost unbearable heat... and unprecedented flooding in our area in late June.    But summertime, especially August, seems to be the worst time for scheduling music lessons and other business appointments.  Not only do people go on vacations physically... but their minds, and even worse, their manners, go on vacation with them. 

Now I can understand the vacation thing, and I schedule my summer appointments around others' vacations (and mine too if I have one).  And I can also understand the fact that things come up and plans change.  What bothers me is when folks have appointments and never bother to call either to change or cancel the appointment.  Even worse is when they do not respond to one's repeated calls to find out what their future plans are -- especially when it comes to indicating their intentions to schedule future appointments... the least they can do is to let me know they are dropping out!!  Some people just do not bother to ever cancel times that have been reserved for them.  Last week was an especially good example of this behaviour... though some persons were fine.  Here's the picture:  Out of 13 appointments (for a total of 8 hours) 5 people showed up (for a total of 3 1/2 hours)... of the remaining 8 persons: 3 called ahead to cancel &/or reschedule, one of whom will pay for the missed lesson; of the remaining 5, 3 have returned my calls and apologized and rescheduled, and 2 have not returned my calls at all -- of those 2, I expect to eventually contact one.. and the other one is, I'm afraid, a lost cause -- I will no longer call or wait for them to come or call.   That's a terrible percentage of appointments which did not either show up or call ahead... that's 4 out of 13 (or about 31%)!!  It's not usually that bad after school starts...  Of the people I did contact after the fact: 1 was really understandable why she failed to call... many stress factors... and the other one was a case of both parents whose MINDS have gone on vacation... they forgot what day it was...but will make up the absence.  Of the other 2... I have to assume that not only are their MINDS on vacation...but most likely their MANNERS as well. 

In conclusion.. I can hardly wait for school to start... when not only do people return from their travels... but but their MINDS and MANNERS usually return with them.. or I certainly hope so...!!