91 (edited by susan 2008-05-28 20:34:01)

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

Roy, Jim, Jeff,
I am laughing out loud lol 
And George, I am so glad you are enjoying  your U.S. adventure.  Outdoor hot tubs are great, aren't they?  It sounds like you and Cathy are having a great time. 

Susan smile

"Listen to the melody cause my love is in there hiding"

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

jim m wrote:

Remember there are young impressionble fans here too. Right Deez?

Hahaha like who? As far as I know I'm the youngest frequently-participating member, and see this scabbed up chin? Thats from a 2nd degree burn that I got at a nude beach last Wednesday.

"Music is the only thing that you can share with a million million people and you don't lose, you gain. It helps you to get energy and to live long, because when your soul is very happy then you don't want to die." - Ali Akbar Khan

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

Wednesday

Dear Diary,

We had two wonderful first time three-way phone calls with forum friends last night - I mention this as yet another example of why this place is so special.

Much cooler and less humid today, though when the sun eventually appeared it was still hot enough. We had no plans in particular, so we just hung loose around the hacienda waiting for it to get dark enough to return to the hot cauldron outside. I felt like my muscles had melted by the time I crawled out.

The day's other highlight was my attempt to refresh Cathy's memory about the rules of cribbage. To be continued.... big_smile

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

wink

I know that Joe could play one of those kid's guitars with the plastic strings and make it sound good-
Bill S.

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

Nudity, Hot tubs, 3 ways, I thought Ca. was progressive. I had no idea Maryland had that much goin' on, and I thought Virginia was for lovers.

                                                                                         Terps, & Badgers, & Hammer, OH MY!!!,

                                                                                         J Dawg

What is success? Is it do yo' own thang, or is it to join the rest?   -Allen Toussaint

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

ohiodawg13 wrote:

Nudity, Hot tubs, 3 ways, I thought Ca. was progressive. I had no idea Maryland had that much goin' on, and I thought Virginia was for lovers.

                                                                                         Terps, & Badgers, & Hammer, OH MY!!!,

                                                                                         J Dawg

Just to clarify for younger readers and Deezer (:D) - the 3-way was on the phone and you didn't hear me mention nudity, nosiree Bob. I always thought that the place for lovers was wherever the lovers were at!

Thursday

Dear Diary,

We're setting off shortly for a trip to Hagerstown in western Maryland in a luxurious big C300 hemi. I only mention this fact because my hostess is one hell of a demon driver who 'don't take no ****' on the road. The purpose of the excursion is to see Albert Cummings, a favorite of Cathy's, play at a free show. The weather is going to be good so I'm looking forward to some more gobsmacking, jaw-dropping sights along the way. My good witch says we can go and melt some more in the tub when we get back home in the evening, so my day already looks like another winner. cool

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

Here's a first peek for y'all. The angle looks a bit odd due to the fact that I'm holding the camera out at arm's length.

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/2006/dscn2558um8.jpg

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

Cute! wink

"Stellar" a word used by Joe Bonamassa (also apt as a description of the man himself cool)

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

Very nice!!

Keep on rocking you two!!

Love you both!

Andre Wittebroek

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

That's a great piccie you two. Have yourselves a great time, I'm sure you will.

Love.....Tripsy  smile

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

I'm glad y'all got yo sunglasses on yo face.

Rock On & Keep the FAITH
             It is
Blues From the Bottoms

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

Thursday cont'd

Dear Diary,

Sunglasses have been an essential item of apparel here, ya won't catch me outside without 'em. cool

Roy, you were SOOO right! What a treat that was watching Albert from the front row of an audience of no more than 200 people gathered in a tiny little park in the middle of Hagerstown under a perfect, deep blue sky and at a perfect temperature. It doesn't get much better than this.

We eventually left home around mid-day-ish, already behind schedule - but what else is new? big_smile This gave Cathy ample excuse to display her formidable skills behind the wheel! (I can't remember how many decades ago it must have been since I was last a passenger for so long, rather than the driver.) This broad can drive. cool At one point I saw a sign that said something like: 'Aggressive driving discouragement zone' and pissed myself laughing at the thought. A bit later, when we hit some heavier traffic, Cathy showed me what that meant. big_smile

The drive to western Maryland took us through more stunning scenery - tunnels of lush green foliage, rolling hills and woodland, the likes of which simply do not exist in Holland - all to the sounds of Albert and Sunny Landreth. So, I was already in my daily 'gobsmacked' state when we eventually arrived in Hagerstown just after the 'doors' had opened. There were maybe 10 people there, so we claimed our front and center seats with no problem. Cathy (naturally) kept running into people she knew, lots of introductions.....

The band arrived, mucho hugging and back-slapping ensued since both Cathy and Bob "The General" are old and good friends of Albert's. By the time the show started there must have been around 200 people present, making this possibly the smallest 'show' I've ever attended. Albert rocks! I know that he played 'Working man blues', 'I feel good' and 'Blues makes me feel so good' (Eva big_smile). Cathy would have to fill in the others. During one song, the band suddenly lurched into Feat's classic 'Dixie chicken', though Albert kept getting stuck for the lyrics and had to be helped out by the audience. I loved every minute of it!!

We went to eat at a bar after the show, located across the street from the brilliantly named "Pioneer Hook & Ladder Co." - a small fire station. Cathy met more old friends, including Chip Eagle, the publisher of Blues Review. Albert turned up later and we all exchanged liquid pleasantries before he picked up the Gibson big_smile on offer and jammed with the local bar band to an audience of maybe 20 people. More grand stuff!

(I have loads of pics to illustrate, but since uploading from here is horror I'll have to keep them to a minimum for now - see also the Albert topic in Other artists.)

It was way after midnight when we eventually said goodbye to Bob (thanks for the great music you brought and see you at the Birchmire) and pointed the hemi beast homeward. There could be no other ending after such a day than to slowly liquefy in the cauldron before bed.

The 'value' of this trip is already 'priceless', and we haven't even got to Joe yet.

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith

103

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

Amsterhammer wrote:

The 'value' of this trip is already 'priceless', and we haven't even got to Joe yet.

THAT says it all, doesn't it??

I'm SO happy for EACH glorious minute of your time in the States, George.  I want to know if 'someone' requested that little 'Dixie Chicken' business for you, or if it was yet another mysterious, magical moment. 

I'm also gettin' a hankerin' to see some of that beautiful State you're in myself, as, here in the desert, we have NOTHING that resembles, even slightly, the 'tunnels of lush green foliage' you so eloquently describe.  Keep breathing it all in George - keep breathin' it in.

Much Love,

smile  wmcsw  wink

I know that Joe could play one of those kid's guitars with the plastic strings and make it sound good-
Bill S.

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

Hey George,

Having all the fun and joy without me , Eva and Michael! We poor souls work and let the economy ride and you going to shows, into the tub, having drinks and maybe even more.................

But no Ajax and WHU!!!!!!!!!!!!

You old bas...........

Sorry just jealous.

Next travel we all come if possible!!!!!!!!

Andre Wittebroek

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

andre wittebroek wrote:

Hey George,

Having all the fun and joy without me , Eva and Michael! We poor souls work and let the economy ride and you going to shows, into the tub, having drinks and maybe even more.................

But no Ajax and WHU!!!!!!!!!!!!

You old bas...........

Sorry just jealous.

Next travel we all come if possible!!!!!!!!

Andre Wittebroek

Please feel free to keep me updated with Ajax and WHU news, Andre! I brought my bright 'Oranje' shirt with me and guess what? - orange is also the main color of the local baseball team, the Baltimore Orioles, so I fit right in wearing that. big_smile

Friday

Dear Diary,

We spent a quiet day at the homestead yesterday, the highlight of which was a conversation with Roy, at last! We also had another good talk with our dear WMCSW, who let slip that the Doheny review has now turned into a novella. Posting may be further delayed by the search for a publisher. big_smile

Somehow, we didn't get around to the nocturnal cauldron melting session.

Saturday

Dear Diary,

Today's first main item was the weather, as we were supposedly directly in the path of some severe thunderstorms with the possibility of hail and tornadoes! So far, we've had one pretty standard summer storm pass over, lots of rain, a bit of thunder and lightning, no big deal.

We're off to Baltimore shortly to see Cathy's band, Nothing but Trouble, play this evening. More live music for me - God, I'm getting so spoiled! big_smile

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith

106

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

George - make sure to tell Cathy Andretti to be extra careful on those slippery roads!!  Have fun today!

xoxo,
wmcsw  wink

I know that Joe could play one of those kid's guitars with the plastic strings and make it sound good-
Bill S.

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

Saturday cont'd

Dear Diary,

Well Libby, guess what? Cathy's band also played Dixie Chicken today. roll

We drove to Baltimore in heavy rain. As we arrived at Fells Point, the old part of the harbor with cobblestone streets and lots of colorful little (touristy) shops, Cathy Andretti started exercising her rich vocabulary of expletives about the horrors of finding a parking space anywhere nearby. The new-style laid-back and extremely relaxed George just said, 'Relax babe, it's cool, we'll be alright.' The next moment a car pulled out of a space no more than 30 feet from the door of the Cat's Eye Pub, our destination. Then the rain stopped. The rest of the afternoon and evening was lovely again. Somebody's watching for sure.

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/3692/dscn2647tc3.jpg

Nothin' but Trouble are a versatile and wonderful little band who would go down a storm as openers for Joe at his Wilmington show. Anyone who gets Blues Review will get a track of theirs (about the price of gas) on the free cd with the forthcoming issue. Highly recommended.

I was introduced to numerous old friends and acquaintances as 'George from Amsterdam'. If I had a dollar for each time I was asked if I had any black hash, I could have bought a couple of beers - and these were all middle-aged people! lol

Cathy and I were also approached by several people because of the Joe t-shirts we were wearing! I handed out several cards and told people that there were still tickets available for the second Birchmere show. The street team never rests. cool

A lovely soak in the bewitching tub ended yet another grand day. My cup truly runneth over.

RIP Iron Man

Rock On and keep the Faith

Re: Pin back your ears for a special announcement!

Of possible note to the viewers out there, the building behind Cathy's left shoulder was the facade that was used in filming "Homicide:  Life On the Street", a very popular crime drama that was on for several years based on a group of homicide detectives based in Baltimore, MD.

Glad you're having fun, George.  In another life, I actually preferred red hash....black gave me awful chest congestion <hack, hack>

CarljMD

Takers get the honey, givers sing the blues