Return of the Fat Bastard - I should have kicked more people!

August 29th 2016

Yeah, I got a seat!

      First let me say I didn't take any pictures today. So I threw in some PNE shots for filler. I do believe I've hit the wall. At least that's how I felt this morning. Thankfully the lovely Lisa is going back to work and the PNE is closed and I'm not interested in the next couple of shows. The day at the Fair with the Grandkids did me in. I didn't even do any rides! It ended up being twelve hours mostly on my feet. It was a lot of fun seeing the excitement, fear and relief on the Grandkids faces but I keep forgetting I'm an old man. With the new pipes I feel ten years younger! Unfortunately my neck, knees and hands feel about ninety! Hey, I'm not complaining. Okay, I am complaining! I am now feeling the effects of a life spent walking through things instead of around them. If I had known that my hands were going to hurt this much, I would have kicked more people! When the Doctor showed me the image of my knees and the arthritis in them and he told me I had moderate arthritis when I couldn't even do a flight of stairs without pain I wanted to slap him. But my hands were too sore! Now I have to admit the heart is willing but the body is worn out!

Sunset at Spanish Banks on Thursday.

      I do feel really good and I know that it's because I keep moving. I keep doing things. Largely I do things for one reason. The Blog. I need to have something to write about so I go out and do stuff. Mostly everyday stuff but I'm always looking for the humor or human condition in the simple things we all do. Whether its enjoying a sunset or shopping at the Stuporstore there's always something going on just under the surface.

Another ride I didnt go near.

      About 3:00 we went by Mama Lee's for a visit. We spent about thirty minutes with her in her room and then out in the garden to enjoy another beautiful Left Coast summer day. Mama Lee wants a TV in her room. We cant do that. She would never leave her room. Its so hard to say no all the time.

Clarissa in the Pink Capris

      The lovely Lisa and I have a shopping system. Two carts and two lists. I get all the big or heavy stuff. The lovely Lisa buys condiments!

Lined up 10 deep for those little donuts

      Home in time to watch the Bluejays game and have a little snooze in my chair. While I faded in and out Michelle with one L provided us with a beautiful slab of halibut. About 6:00 while I pretended to be asleep, the girls made dinner. Corn on the knob, broccoli and tomato-cucumber-onion salad to go with the halibut panfried in butter and garlic. A very nice dinner. Then the lovely Lisa went to bed and I went to the Heritage Grill to make music. I ordered a coffee and waited only a couple of minutes before the sign up sheet went out. I was signed up fifth but the first spot was open. I like the first spot but I thought I would let someone else have a go at it. No one wanted it so I moved myself up in the order. I like the first spot because there is more of an audience. The Ukelele club meets there from 6:00 till 8:00 and there's always a little of what I call Ukelele leftovers. They have just finished playing for two hours and still stick around to hear more music. And since I'm a story teller more than a musician I need to have someone to tell my stories to. Otherwise I'm just talking to myself!

I love this picture...such focus!

      After Greg Gorrie, who runs the open mic, warmed up the crowd I was on. I went solo tonight I often play with the house band but tonight I wanted to dedicate the songs and I wanted to do them my way. My Aunt Irene passed on the 29th of July but I just found out last week from my sister. I hadn't seen her in many years but I have nothing but fond memories of the BBQs at their house north of Danforth Ave in Toronto. I talked to the audience about where the song came from then played It Didn't Rain for Aunt Irene. Then I told them about Clarissa and her annual visit and how shes leaving for Toronto on Wednesday. I wrote the chorus to Clarissa when she was born then a whole lot of bad things happened and I was never able to put words to the rest of it. Then three years ago she came for a visit and bang, the words were there. I finished up with The Question. a song I wrote for the lovely Lisa Valentines Day two years ago. They were very attentive throughout and each song got a good round of applause. I moved slowly to the back of the room. Trolling for compliments I believe they call it. I hooked lots of them. Compliments that is. I put these songs on at the end of the blog. Most of you have already heard them but they're here anyway.

I feel like chicken tonight, chicken tonight!

      The lovely Lisa was already in bed before I left the house so I hung around drinking coffee and listening to the other acts. Crash, a poet with severe handicaps did one of his spoken word pieces with the help of his care aide Maureen. I have to say I admire the courage it takes to be him. I came home and wrote this post after a day of mental and physical reclamation. Goodbye dinner with Clarissa tomorrow night and time to take down the pool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjq0Tff-B7E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va6OnX0plsY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1arzlSlHXg

That's all Ive got
Till next time
Peace out Y'all