On the way to Richmond, VA

Stopping for breakfast at you know where.

Going thru Indy

Still a couple of hrs to Louisville.

104 miles to Indy

Traffic is heavier than I expected.

Off to the gig . . .

Off to the gig in a few minutes.  Here’s the set list for tonight.

. . . 900 miles to go . . . . .

That’s our route to Virginia – 900 miles worth.  I’ll be blogging as we go so stay tuned for pictures and commentary, etc.  ■  This afternoon I’ve got to pack, finish the set list for tonight, load my car with band gear and do a few other things.  Time to get busy!

Yikes! And, yes, it’s true . . . . .

This is a photo of the sign on our door at work.  There’s a small parking lot across from the store that WILL tow your car if it’s left there for more than 5 minutes.  We’ve had a few customers that have had their car towed.  It we see them park there we’ll tell ‘em to move their car, . . . but unfortunately  we don’t see all of them.  ■  Lots to do tomorrow . . . including a gig.  It’ll be a late night tomorrow night – not what I need just before a vacation.  That’s life.  ■  Time for bed – in face – way past time for bed.  Night . . . . . . ■

Bird’s eye view . . . . .

As a geography major/geology minor and quartermaster (navigation) in the Navy, maps of all types and air photography have always interested me.  I can get lost for eons of time just browsing using Google maps, Google Earth, or Bing Maps 3D.  You can see land-use patterns, discern the reason for roads being laid out the way they are and a dozen other things.  Before we go on trips I always plot out our route using some of these tools.  And these map environments are getting better and better each day.  Google Maps will give you road closures, construction areas, and even traffic updates for various heavily traveled roads.  Enough babbling about that.  Oh, that photo is off of Google Earth and shows a good portion of Cary, IL.  ■  It’s late – way past my bedtime – and I’ve got to get into work early tomorrow. 

Beef, onions, mushrooms, baked beans . . . . .

No pictures tonight.  Steak on the grill, onions and mushrooms on the stove and baked beans on the stove too.  It was a good meal.  ■  This weekend we leave for the east coast to see my mother.  We’ll be blogging from the car, so stay tuned for updates, pictures, etc.  And you can comment back – and we’ll comment – sort of a two-way conversation.  ■  Enough right now.  Got to get to bed – again . . . . .

New stove!

We finally got the new stove.  To Holly and I it looks sort of “retro.”  In fact just about all of the stoves we saw at the store looked “retro.”  It has five burners – one of which is for the griddle. And they all have different BTUs.  The oven has a window and the bottom is a warming oven.  ■  Maybe I’ll make an omelet tomorrow to see how it works.  Let’s see . . . eggs, feta cheese, onion, and tomato . . . mmmm . . . . . . ■  We’re starting to get prepared for our trip out east to see my mother.  Got to get some clothes washed, stuff packed, etc.  Unfortunately I have a late gig the night before we have to leave.  I love playing, but it leaves you tired the next day for the trip.  ■ 

A new stove . . . tomorrow . .. . .

Tomorrow we’re supposed to get a new stove delivered and installed.  I think everyone would agree that it’s about time!  That’s a snapshot of our current-soon-to-be-gone model.  Photos coming of the new one after it’s installed.  ■  Tomorrow also looks like a day to get the grass cut.  It’s not long, but the next few days promise to rain.  ■  Bullfrog has a gig this weekend.  I’m looking forward to it.  Charlie, our drummer, will be out of town, so we’re having a sub sit it.  ■ 

Good seeing family . . . . .

It was good seeing family (Holly’s side) again.  It’s been a long, long time since I’ve seen a lot of these folks.  Unfortunately the occasion was a funeral, but then funerals are a way for everyone to reconnect.  ■  The only downside of the trip was that I had a gout attack and it was in force when I woke up this morning.  Both ankles were affected.  It must have been funny to watch me walk.  ■  At any rate I left this morning before the actual funeral service at the church in order to try and make it home before both feet were incapacitated.  It was a painful trip.  ■ 

Green Bay

I’m up to Green Bay for a funeral.  Sometimes it seams that the only time the whole family gets together is for a funeral.  ■

. . . continuing with music . . . . .

One of our good friends and the guitar player who fills in for me when I can’t do a gig, has survived cancer.  There’s a benefit for his on Halloween.  Bullfrog has been asked to play in support of him, which we are more than happy to do.  It should be a good time for a good cause.  ■  I’ve been asked to do a drawing for a “save-the-date” note card for our friend’s daughter’s wedding.  I’m working on it and hope I’ll come up with something good.  Kind of scary trying to draw something that’s not all straight lines.  We’ll see what my drawing turns out like.  (is that proper English???)  ■  Had steak and home-made mashed potatoes tonight.  I couldn’t resist the Saratoga steaks I saw in the grocery store today.  Delicious.  ■ 

Set list . . .

Here’s the set list for the last gig – click on it to blow it up.  ■  And this set list only contains about half of the songs we can play. It’s tough trying to move songs in and out of the list so that we don’t forget how to play all of them.  ■  On to making chili . . . . .

Chili again?

I can’t believe that I’m making chili again.  I just made some for our annual Chili Fest, but Holly and I just didn’t get our fill of it.  So, here I am making it again.  I’ve just finished smoking 16 lbs of beef and pork.  Tomorrow I’ll put it all together in my two chili pots with spices, peppers, onions, tomatoes, . . . . . . etc.  ■  Had a good gig this past weekend.  I really changed the 1st set and people liked it.  If I remember I’ll post it tomorrow and you can see what you think.  ■  And speaking of our band, I think we’re going to record a cd of original tunes.  I’ll keep you posted on that.  ■  What else . . . oh, yeah, my ankles have been feeling like they’re broken.  Strange.  Makes it somewhat painful to walk.  Strange.  ■