Thursday, 25 August 2016

Return of the Fat Bastard - His playing was tighter than a Nuns sense of humor!

August 24th 2016

The lovely Lisa and I in a big chair!
      Coming at you live from the Pacific National exhibition. Okay not live. But I am at the PNE! I'm sitting beside a giant dinosaur with its ass in the air. It's a little too anatomically correct for me.
Dino butt hole
I came down early 6 o'clock to see the Steve Miller Band at the amphitheater tonight. The gates were supposed to open at 7 I got there at 7:05 and it was already cut off. So now I'm hanging out with a bunch of dinosaurs. All the other dinosaurs are in watching the Steve Miller concert that doesn't even start till 8:30. I wouldn't go in anyway because the lovely Lisa is on her way here from Steveston. It's her Friday night. I'd much rather sit outside the gates and listen to the show with her than be inside without her. Here's another dinosaur!
T Rex
      Here I was thinking I was being so clever adding pictures to the text while I was walking through the PNE. I've done something, and now it is centering itself instead of going margin to margin. There are all kinds of spots around the PNE to get a little privacy and a little quiet. Pretty sure I know them all. I parked my car for free at 6 pm when one side of Hastings street became open for parking. It was about a ten minute walk to the gates. That doesn't include the ten minutes I took to eat a Whopper at the Burger King I could have /should have walked past on the way. How could I? It was Whopper Wednesday! 
Whopper Wednesday
It seems every year they change the process around the Seasons Pass. Last year they took your picture and you got a plastic card that fit into your wallet. This year you have to carry around the paper you printed your order on that doesn't fit in your wallet! Oh well, that's progress? It costs $45 so you only have to go to four shows to pay for it. We went to eight last year.and there is a strong line up this year. We bought reserved seats for three shows we want to see for sure. Including the Monkees 50th anniversary tour. Hey, Hey It's the Monkees!
On my way to the Amphitheater
      I was about 50 yards from the amphitheater where Steve Miller was playing when I ran into Bill Taylor heading the other way. "The show is full" he said "I have a table in the beer garden in front of the big screen they're doing a simulcast" At this point I continued up towards the gate. They were lined up for ever and the people in charge were telling the line that the show was full. Chef Boy R Lisa was still at work out in Steveston and the crew were working as fast as they could to get cleanup done so she could make the show. I wasn't going to go in and sit and watch the show with her standing outside. So I sighed a big sigh, mentally flipped off the world and started walking.
Ride? No thankyou!
      I don't do rides! I used to. Then for a number of years, I was too fat to ride! The safety bars wouldn't go around me. It's embarrassing to be escorted off a ride but not nearly as uncomfortable as being squeezed like a sardine into a Wild Mouse car built for two! Speaking of mice and other Rodentia. Rat wars continue here at Casa Lisa. The tomato stealing Rat Bastards are back at it. Michelle with one L found a half eaten tomato on the deck box yesterday. Evidently the first Rat Bastard passed on the info to the gang. Bring it on You Son of a Bitches!!! I guess there's never just one. But for sure, there's one less. "Say hello to my Lilla fren!"
Rat boy, Rat boy what ya gonna do!
       I wandered around the PNE, people watching and scouting out possible adventures. And most importantly not eating those little donuts or going on rides. I'm back at the ride thing now. Two years ago I bought a ride pass so I could go on the rides with the lovely Lisa who loves the rides. For years she has gone on the rides with Annie Curley. Including the first ride on the Atmosphere. They even got their picture in the paper. I fit in all but one ride. I also hurt myself quite badly. I have bursitis in both shoulders after the ride pass adventure. I was in pain and couldn't lift my arms over my head for three weeks.
Peaceful Pond
I sat by the pond in the woods where a Cormorant and a Heron sat on a log waiting to catch a fish. I sat there in the sunshine far from the noise and commotion of the Midway and the beer garden for about forty-five minutes surrounded by nature and a dozen or so like minded individuals. It was both calming and aromatic.
Gone fishin, by a shady wadey pool
      With my newly improved attitude I made my way to the Dinosaurs where I started writing this. I'm home now it's actually 10:30 Thursday morning. The lovely Lisa texted me she was on her way about 7:45. She rolled up just as Steve Miller started playing at 8:30. Pretty good time from Steveston! We always meet in the same place the between Ferris Wheel and the Pirate Ship right outside the amphitheater. 
Pirate Ship and Ferris Wheel
      We loitered around the entrance trying to weasel our way in to no avail. Then we headed to the beer garden where Bill Taylor had secured a table.
Wild Bill Taylor
It wasn't like being in the amphitheater but it was still pretty good. We were sharing a table with Big Ed a blues harp player about my age.The sound was excellent when the band was playing but it was hard to make out what he was saying when he was talking. 
Steve Miller blowing a harp while big head walked in front of the lovely Lisa
A thousand people drinking in a beer garden make a lot of noise. When the band was playing everyone was singing along as Steve Miller played hit after hit. At seventy-two he looks half that age and it is unbeleivable what sixty years of guitar playing allows you to do with a guitar. 
Steve Miller guitar virtuoso!
His playing was tighter than a Nuns sense of humor and his voice was strong and clear. His band was amazing! He played for ninety minutes including a three song encore. We said our goodbyes and made our way out of the beer garden as the dueling Pianos started dueling. Tossing songs back and forth across the twin grand pianos. Two very talented players, well worth watching.
A big freakin chair!
      We walked around the PNE as they started shutting down the kiosks and the food stalls. We got a bite to eat at Curry In A Hurry before we made our way to the lovely Lisa's car. 

She drove me to my car and we met up at home just before midnight. I down loaded some pictures and went to bed without writing another word.

That's all I've got 
Till next time
Peace out Y'all






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