October 2008:
I went to Nashville for a week at the end of September/first of October. This was to attend the IBMA. Banjos, mandolins, fiddles, dobros (I don’t buy into resophonic guitar), guitars and basses galore. Music 24/7 for real. Bluegrass music. Much business was attempted/accomplished, much sleep was lost.
November 2008:
Thinking about how high heating oil was going to go. The election. I voted. Did you? My baby did for the first time, which means she’s probably not considered a baby, technically. Going through the emergency room with a migrane on Veteran’s Day. Thanksgiving. Suffering with the worst sinus infection I’ve ever had. Finally going to the doctor to get some meds. Getting a bit of relief and then feeling it begin to creep up on me again. Picking with David Wiseman, Perry Woodie, Aaron and Aaron’s girl, Rachel Johnson. Sort of a Linville Ridge Band reunion, in my living room.
December 2008:
Getting another round of anti-biotics for the sinus stuff. Gathering funds for Christmas presents. Spending funds for Christmas presents. The tree. BTW, I picked it out (along with Aaron) not too big, not too small, just right. Putting on the lights and then helping the wifey-mae decorate it. Sort of sad, but no children involved in decorating. But they came in for the real inspection. To see if there were any presents under the tree FOR THEM. CHRISTMAS. Wii consoles for my big old young’uns. Boxing on the Wii until I thought my arms were going to fall off against Aaron. But at the end, I was standing in the room, he was on his bed. But on the screen I think I was OUT and his figure was still standing, so it is NOT real life people! Folks moving in to stay with us for a while. It was all good. A new digital camera. Lots of new pics.
Going to the doctor again, this time to start checking up on blood pressure. Trying to eat right. Losing 20 pounds shortly after Christmas. And actually a 4th round of anti-biotics along with some steriods to finally clear up the sinus infection. IT WORKED! YAY! I CAN BREATHE!
January 2009:
We had the biggest New Year’s blow out we’ve ever had at our house. No, Dick Clark didn’t show up, but, if he had, he would have enjoyed himself. Fireworks, hats, racket makers, food, music, the whole works! The first Sunday of January was spent watching Aaron begin his new recording. I hesitate to call it a CD, since it may only end up being a download. Who knows? I’m sure I’ll be sharing more on that later. Going to Knoxville, TN, on one of the coldest nights of the winter to hear Mountain Heart play a show with Tony Rice. Monitoring blood pressure as it starts to lower.
February 2009:
The only 28 day period of winter that takes 6 weeks to pass. Or so it seems. Hearing of the passing of a musical friend, Bruce Moody. He was Clyde Moody’s nephew. Clyde Moody played guitar for Bill Monroe. Riding with Aaron to Walhalla, SC, for a Mountain Heart show and getting back home about 3:30 on Sunday morning. Going up to Bluegrass First Class, in Asheville, NC, talking and visiting with Ron Block and others and laughing as they spelled Clay Hess’ name wrong on his name badge. He is now known as Clay Hell. That’s what happens when you have a band with folks whose last names are Hull, Eller and Hess. More BP lowering. That’s a good thing.
March 2009:
Doing time studies at work. Writing (with a pen on paper) and documenting a ton of information so the Dept of Labor don’t throw our facility in the jailhouse. Trying to figure out the economy. Scary, ain’t it? Feeling the creative juices beginning to flow again. Maybe beginning to get the itch to play some music again, but not yet. Keeping up with health problems of some of my local musical heroes, who just so happen to be my friends. Going back to Asheville to listen to The Dan Tyminski Band at The Orange Peel.
April 8/9 2009:
We’re here. It’s either really late or really early, since my watch says about 15 minutes after midnight. But the month is off to a good start. I’ve written parts of 2 songs with a buddy from Gate City, VA. We don’t know if the lyrics are finished or not, but there has been no melodies assigned yet. So, they probably are just poetry at this point. Oh, I bought a book titled, “The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.”
My Daddy’s middle name is Poe. He got it from his maternal Grandmother. I called her Mam-Maw Medford. Her maiden surname was POE. She was borned in the late 1800’s. Edgar Allan Poe had no children. That’s what we’ve all been told. He died in 1849, I think. He did have a brother. Ed’s wife’s name was Virginia Clemm. She was 14 years his junior. My paternal Gramdmother’s name was Virginia Mae Clemments. It was her Momma whose surname, before she was married, was POE. Weird ain’t it?
I like to write scary songs…..
