My Vacation
I started my weekend by going to pick up a red couch and an antique, clawed-footed wingback chair that I had bought at an estate sale. Can't find any flaws in them whatsoever, so I carried them home in an SUV and a borrowed pickup truck to upgrade my climbing-out-of-redneckedness-chic. I spent Friday night arranging my living room and rearranging it. Now I have two couches, but it's a big room (in which we spend no time because my hound dogs rule in there, and I'm reclaiming it). I have a red couch!
Saturday I went to the cemetery with Linda to visit our dear friend, Damian. We took him a rose and talked about him like he wasn't even there and couldn't speak up to defend himself, and we love him so much. God bless Damian.
Saturday night I played at Nick's Ice House with Casey Phillips and Mark Whittington (The Kool Filter Kings). This is a juke joint right on Hardy Street. The barstools are toilet seats. It looks funny to see people drinking beer and caught up in an intense conversation or just clapping and whistling at the band while they sit on toilet seats side by side. It had such a good vibe. We struggled over the PA and Lloyd Munn went and got some more stuff and so did someone else so we could be heard, and we played to a VERY cool crowd who were mellow (but occasionally whooped out and danced) and smart. One of the best things I've played in a while. It was kind of interesting to see a young hippie guy reach up and slap a great big ol' redneck cause he beat him in video golf or something. They'd holler out expletives and then hug each other.
Sunday we got up and drove two and a half hours to Denim Springs, LA to visit my brother-in-law and his wife. They live in one of the best suburbs I've ever been - houses far apart and lush yards with trees, hanging moss, wildlife, and swimming pools. I got sunburned lying out on a raft in the pool and talking to my son about all his graphic novel story ideas. When did he learn more about film than I know? Then I went over to my nephew's house who has a lovely wife and a new baby and a studio. We plugged in guitars and played together. He gave me one with lots of distortion on the amp, and we played blues. Butch and Melba danced.
Then the next day (July 4th) I lay in the hammock and read my nephew's script which is wonderful! Made me laugh out loud - several times. He has nailed America, I believe, and I'm proud to be related to him by marriage. Maybe he'll give me a job one day. It's good to have another family member into writing songs and scripts.
Then we drove back and slept.
The next day I was cleaning out my jewelry box (you just never know) and watching "A Love Song for Bobby Long" (boy, do I love this film) and having a great big "piddlin' day" and got a call from my eighty-three-year-old dad that he's driving himself to the emergency room cause he doesn't feel good, but I "don't have to come." I got there while he was in the waiting room. They did tests on his heart and let him go after six hours without really figuring it out. I stayed at his house that night. The next morning he was feeling better, so I went back home and listened to Jimmy Martin to complete my vacation.
One more thing happened. While I was feeding my horse I looked in the stall and the duck was not there, so I started quietly quacking. I quacked and quacked, and then through the stall door in the woods I saw the duck hurridly zig zagging through the trees, and then it presented itself in front of me for some grain. I LOVE this duck. My favorite Jimmy Martin song right now is "I Got It Made In The Shade If A Tree Don't Fall." I LOVE Jimmy Martin too.
Happy Fourth of July to everyone! The Land of the free, the home of the brave, and don't forget the ducks!