Entry for January 30, 2011

Dancing on a bag of money. Wouldn't that be nice? Maybe not so far fetched if you look at life with such regard as having all the riches in the world. We are fortunate enough to have each other, a job that pays the bills, a roof over our heads and food on the table every day. I would say that qualifies as riches. Life is so unpredictable and things can change at a moment's notice. Little things that happen to us can be life changing...or just minor lessons in the big game.

Case in point: Last Wednesday I made my routine trek to the Tennessee Riverpark for a 3 mile run on the trail. It was breezy and cool at 34 degrees. My run was good and I felt great after cooling down and stretching. A short walk back to my rental car and a quick click of the key fob and I would be on my way. STOP! The key fob didn't open the door. STOP! Several attempts later including a drop and a warm breath blow on the fob and it still didn't unlock the car. STOP! Is there a brick nearby? STOP! Better not try that one. STOP! My phone, glasses and wallet were locked inside. STOP! I walked over to The Boathouse restaurant and asked the manager to help me call the rental company. STOP! She had to look up the number and dial the phone because my glasses were in the car. STOP! After two attempts, I finally reached a human being. STOP! Then I managed to get through the battery of questions to determine my identity and right to gain access to the car. STOP! She informed me that the key fob had a little slide button that released...the spare key. STOP!!! A real key! STOP!!!

I was in the car in a matter of seconds and on my way back to the apartment. STOP! The key fob worked after I parked at the apartment lot! GO!!! FIGURE!!! Don't you just love when the little things become big things only to turn out to be little things. The mind is a terrible thing to waste. I regress.

My weekend in Chattanooga was easy going to say the least. I stayed for two reasons. First, the mechanical subcontractor was working and I needed to be available, just in case. Second, I needed some time off from driving a long distance every weekend since Christmas. I spent the weekend running, walking, shopping and riding through some of the back roads of Chattanooga. Don't worry, I didn't spend too much time in the car. Just enough to get from one place to another while avoiding the usual traffic hot spots.

Changes are coming and I'm trying to get myself focused on what paths I will venture down. This job that I've had for the past nine months is looking like it may end soon. No word on when. Hopes are that it lasts until April. So I'm on the hunt for my next adventure. I say adventure because every job I held for the past 16 years has been some kind of learning adventure. New skills, new places and new places. Working industrial projects has the knack for giving variety to those who chance to work the contracts. Some of the factories you may see on Discovery Channel, Learning Channel or PBS are places I have helped build, rebuild or dismantle. So I welcome the next gig and the chance to learn something new.

Thank your boss for what you have. There are many still without. Many others who want better.

Kindest regards of the day!
P@

Entry for January 23, 2011

Week two without my camera (Gin requested it for the week). I dove into the archives and pulled out the hairy pic of my younger days. I'm guessing I was 18 or 19 at the time I broke the camera. What happened to all that hair? I really don't want to go back and investigate. I just thought you would get a kick out of this caveman look I sported in my youth.

Another week spent in Chattanooga for work. I know the time is winding down. I just don't know when the alarm goes off when I wake up again in my own bed during the work week. I have mixed feelings about the whole situation and where I'll be in the next quarter or next year. I've been keeping my eyes and ears open for opportunities. A person has to be a fool to think employment with one company until retirement is even an option.

Gin and I had an enjoyable weekend together. Without a concert to attend, we settled for shopping and DVR watching on Saturday night. Before heading home we stopped at Patrick's for some fun time with Nolan and Dean. They were freshly awake from their naps and ready for some Grams and Pappy time. I was fussed at by Nolan when we arrived. He was at the front door and I just got out of the  car. As I stared him down then took off my ball cap and threw it toward the front yard. Nolan stormed out of the house barefoot and fussed at me for throwing my hat.
"NO PAPPY!"
"Put your hat on!"
Gin and I had a good laugh over that one. We played with both boys for a little over an hour. Dean finally succumbed to hunger and the need to be fed and more sleep. Nolan was working on a bag of tortilla chips before our departure. A few good hugs and kisses were shared and we were off. Once home we enjoyed a spinach chicken pizza for dinner with a couple of cold ones to boot.

Today was a little more shopping, a lot of house work, room rearrangement and NFL playoffs on the big screen. I checked the kerosene heater for fuel, operation and cleanliness. I prepared the seed spreader with ice melt pellets in anticipation of Gin needing to treat the driveway before the potential storm this week when I'm gone. I moved a bunch of boxes and other unused items upstairs into storage. I also vacuumed the house and scrubbed the shower. Gin handled the laundry and rearrangement of the playroom for the TV and DVD player set up. We've been getting the room ready for a bed that Nolan can use at nap time and sleepovers.

I can't wait for spring to arrive. This has to be one of the coldest winter seasons we've had since we moved to South Carolina in 1994. We usually have a few days to several weeks of temperatures above 50 degrees between November and now. I'm not sure if we can count on one hand that many warm days. Oh well, keep your stick on the ice and your head in the air. It will thaw out eventually. 

P@

Entry for January 16, 2011

I had to look back to see when I wrote last week's post. No need to rehash old news from the previous time we visited. I'll pick up the events beginning Wednesday last week. Gin and I made it out of the house mid morning for a trip to Sam's Club for what was needed at home for the remainder of the week. The roads were mostly clear with the exception for SC-292 and parts of US-29 at I-26. The parking lot at Sam's was pretty slushy and still very slick. I dropped Gin off at the door and picked her up there when the cart was filled. No need for silly falls on hard cold ground for her. Easpecially before my trip back out to Chattanooga.

I left home a little after 1:00 heading to Chattanooga via Atlanta. NOT my favorite route to take. The forecast for Asheville and the western NC mountains left me little choice. Atlanta was a nightmare. different parts of the interstate were clear and then suddenly a sheet of ice would appear without warning. I'm not talking a bout black ice. I'm talking about hard packed snow that converted to ice. There was a lot of stopped traffic at different areas and even more bobbing and weaving to avoid the obstacles. Even with all the frustration of the Atlanta hub, I made it to Chattanooga at a respectable time.

The work week was short since I only had to cover for Thursday through Saturday. The job is still progressing nicely and our subcontractor is back on site to complete their obligations.

I finally got out to run Friday evening after work. I was worried about black ice on the Riverpark trail and encountered a few spots. Overall I had a nice 3 mile run to get back into the swing of things. I'll pick back up on a more regular schedule of running this week. I'm still considering the Greenville News 5k this coming Saturday. I'll have to see how the rest of the week plays out before I commit.

Saturday I left Chattanooga for an overnight visit back home and a concert in Greenville. Gin had wanted to see Jonathan Byrd at the Coffee Underground but really didn't want to go alone. I decided to go ahead and join her since our contractor opted to take Saturday off. While driving through Knoxville I received a call from Jonathan. He along with his wife, Mary, and son, Rowan, were looking for a room for the night. We've always offered an open invitation for him to stay when visiting the area. The plans were set and we were in for a night of family, friends and music.

I dropped by the grocery store before arriving home. Gin had the house prepared for our guests. Once I arrived, Gin and I prepared peppers, onions, mushrooms and chicken for some Chicken Philly sandwiches. Jonathan and family arrived around 5:30 and were escorted to their room. Mary and Rowan settled in the play room for some well deserved activities necessary for a toddler. Jonathan didn't have time to eat due to stage and sound set up for his show with Alexa Woodward. Gin visited with Mary and Rowan while I prepared dinner.

Not to be rushing things, Gin and I ate our dinner and gave Mary all the essential survival instructions for staying in our humble home alone. It is something she and Jonathan are used to in their life of musical meandering through the country. She had all she needed and was content on the amenities and the abundance of toys for Rowan to be entertained with.

We were parked and in the Coffee Underground shortly before 8:00 and were able to visit with Jonathan a little before his set. Jonathan opened up the show for Alexa. He played a little bit from each albumn and shared some pretty interesting and comical stories to lay the ground work for the tunes. He does this when the audience is new to his music. It makes good marketing sense to give the variety so that something might encourage a CD purchase.

Alexa Woodward's set was hard for me to get into at first. As she moved through her play list I began to get a better understanding about her style of music and the life it brings to the performance. To put her music in a certain genre is nearly impossible. I guess it could be New Age Folk if anything. Overall I enjoyed her performance. After the show we spoke to Jonathan a little more, then bugged out for the ancestral manse. Jonathan was a little later getting there and was settled in a little after midnight.

I fixed a veggie omelet breakfast using some of the peppers, onions, mushrooms and spinach from the previous meal left overs. With scrambled eggs and cheddar cheese added, we had a feast fit for the ordinary common folk like us. I added turkey bacon to the meal and picked up hot coffee from the local C-store since we have no other means to make coffee in our establishment.

Though the time was brief in our visit with Jonathan, Mary and Rowan, we enjoyed hosting a hard working family. A friend in need is a friend indeed. It is good to be able to reach out a be friends with such a talented musician and genuinely good human being. One of the many reasons why we support the independent artists rather than mainstream media giants who have no reason or desire to relate to everyday people.

Have a great week and be a friend to someone who needs it.
P@

Entry for January 11, 2011

Last week was a fairly short work week considering the return back from a holiday break. I arrived in Chattanooga Monday after lunch. A short while after being there I was informed that my weekend off would be the upcoming weekend. This worked out great for Gin and I. We wanted to attend the Jonathan Byrd and Dromedary show in Carrboro, NC that was scheduled for Saturday night. After discussing it with Gin, which didn’t take much convincing, I was online making the ticket purchase and reward points hotel reservations. I emailed my brother-in-law Ray to see if he and Laurie were interested in meeting us there. Ray was also more than willing, but Laurie was scheduled to work. Ray decided to attend anyway.

We arrived in Burlington late Saturday morning and met with Ray for lunch and a visit to Ed McKay’s used books and CDs. Gin picked up two CDS from Kate Campbell. Ray picked up several CDs to add to his million +1 collection. After the CD store Gin and I checked in at the Hampton Inn where I left her to relax. Ray and I made it out to Cedarock Park outside of Burlington for a round of disc golf. This park was recommended to me by Jonathan Byrd. The wind was strong and the chill was like a knife. I think both played against me on this course. A lot of long baskets which was tough in with the wind we were experiencing. Ray did much better than I for the most of the course. I was just trying to make it to the end. I would like to return there with better weather conditions and more time.

Saturday night was the event of the weekend, a reunion concert with Jonathan Byrd and Dromedary. The group pre-sold 100 tickets back in November to guarantee the show would happen. They included renowned double bass player Robbie Link to the bill to fulfill the rich sound of the show. Jonathan opened up with “The Waitress” and followed with some of his new material from the recently released Cackalack CD. He then yielded the stage to Dromedary’s Rob McMaken and Andrew Reissiger. We were treated to three tunes from the duo. The way these two musicians play and feed off of each other’s rhythm is something special to witness.

The band took a short break to meet and greet the 250+ guests before the feature of the night. We all spent a little time speaking to Rob, Andrew and Jonathan. Before long the musicians were assembled on stage and the album was cued up in our hearts, minds and ears. Attending a performance in which the entire record is played from start to finish because it was designed to be played that way is amazing. The flow from song to song with instrumental changes, love and disparity, hope and joy, is a pleasure to hear. Not only the lyrics, but the instruments themselves speak to the soul as you are collected and taken on the musical journey.

Before we knew it, the album was complete. Then an encore was provided by the musicians and we were presented with a very entertaining and animated rendition of The Cocaine Kid. Rob provided the appropriate gestures for visual stimulation of the rolling wrap Jonathan delivered of the originally named Mesopotamia Wrap.  Jonathan closed the show with a new song he had not released nor played for a live audience. We were truly lucky to be a part of the performance in Carrboro. A night I’ll remember for a long time.

Gin and I traveled back Sunday morning with a side trip to the Ikea store in Charlotte. We picked up some replacement dishes and enjoyed a Swedish meatball lunch. A stop at the grocery store before arriving home helped prepare ourselves for the next snow event which was predicted to start Sunday night.

And it did! We were dusted with six inches of dry powder snow before it turned to 10 hours of sleet. The only thing I did Monday was clear the steps of the snow, then apply ice melt before the sleet arrived. Today I ventured out to begin the snow and ice removal. I managed to shovel the top half of the driveway and one side down to the mailbox. I also cleared the snow and ice from the rental car, Gin’s truck and the Lumina (better known as “Pappy’s Car”). This afternoon I finished the other half of the lower driveway and the area around the Lumina and where the trucks park.

I’m done. Cabin fever is breaking and I will probably travel on Wednesday afternoon.

Have a good week.

P@

Entry for January 3, 2011

 

Sunset at the Whalehead Club, Currituck Sound, Corolla, NC

Sunset on the Albemarle Sound, Nags Head, NC

Gin and I enjoyed our week plus a few days of time together. For the past seven months I have been working in Chattanooga as most of you already know. We had a lot of fun with Nolan and Dean, as well as with both of our families and our children. We loaded up a minivan for our trip to Nags Head. Good thing for the stow-n-go storage pockets and the roof top canvas bag. We were loaded down with luggage, gifts, coolers, babies and adults. Patrick, Jessica, Nolan and Dean joined our trek east for the 400+ mile journey east.

Our first stop was Rocky Mount for a light dinner and a sleep over at Mom and Dad's. Caris and Thomas arrived a little later in the evening and helped make it a full house. Although our visit was short, we had plenty of laughs, hugs and love for all. We were packed up again and on the road by mid morning to complete the voyage to the beach.

We arrived in Nags Head by mid afternoon. The weather was a little chilly and the house was as big as the previous six Christmas rentals. After unloading the van and settling items in the house, I was changed and hitting the road for a three mile jog. NC-12 is a boring run on the island. It is straight, flat and offers very little scenery. After running and cleaning up, the majority of Gin's family arrived at the house. It's a good thing I ran each day, because the consumption of cakes, cookies, pies and candies was plentiful.

We made a brief trip Friday afternoon to the Bodie Island lighthouse. Unfortunately the structure was in a renovation stage with scaffolding erected on all sides. We still managed to get some pretty pictures of the inlet and marsh on the east side of the lighthouse.

This year was our seventh Sloan family Christmas at the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The family shares a large beach house for the gathering. The first four years was in the town of Corolla just north of Kill Devil Hills. The past three years, including this year, have been on Nags Head. One of my favorite parts of the trip has been photographing sunrise on the Atlantic Ocean or sunset on the Albemarle Sound or Currituck Sound. The winter sky at sunset is so fiery and alive. The best display of color is with light cloud cover on the western horizon. The Whalehead Club is my favorite location because of the foot bridge and the small lagoon. The reflection of the skyline along with the shadows of the live oaks and bridge gives this location so much character and beauty. I find it odd that more people walk to the bridge to photograph the sunset. They don't know what they're missing when they're standing on the canvas.

 New Year Resolution? No big promises that will fail. I'll enjoy life's little surprises and welcome whatever is waiting for me around the corner. Family and friends are tops on my list of treasures. I'll not let the economy, politics or news of the world take that away from me.

Happy New Year!!!
P@