500 miles... misc. travelin' notes... posted 12/22/2006 12:09:06 AM | 5 kudos what's this?     report abuse tagged: traveling, christmas, music

redtigr

I'm heading out tomorrow - driving to my Mom's house for the holidays. Just me and Frida (my lab/pointer X ) a spiral ham and a turkey breast - all moseyin' down the highways across Tennessee and Kentucky, heading for Southern Illinois via Paducah. I have to take the food with me, otherwise my Mom would insist on buying out of her fixed income, and we can't have that, now, can we? She's going to be 84 and is in great shape, mentally and physically. I can only dream of having that many marbles at her age - and this a woman who raised six kids! I will have the pleasure of cooking the big meal, something I enjoy doing for special occasions.

Frida will have to endure or sing along to Springsteen, and maybe some Vern Gosdin, Natalie Merchant and Elvis Costello. And then of course, there's oldies rock and roll stations everywhere; Bob Segar, Tom Petty, Stones and Cream, Grace Slick and Stevie Nicks and Heart... I have a low tolerance for Christmas music played hours on end because it usually repeats and repeats the same fifteen or twenty songs by the same people. With all the thousands of versions of White Christmas out there, why must I endure Bing Crosby and that infernal whistling.. Besides, no way can you fall asleep at the wheel while singing Can't Get No Satisfaction or White Rabbit or White Room... so phooey with White Christmas... There's a time and a place for everything and Bing Crosby had his... now if you could get me Leonard Cohen or maybe Deborah Harry doing some Christmas "classics" - yeah, I might bite. So many wonderful singers and artists getting so little air time...

When my voice (and Frida) need a rest, we've got books on tape: Stuart Woods and Robert B. Parker, James Lee Burke for dark mystery and Lillian Jackson Braun to lighten us up again. We've got Bob Dylan Chronicles read by Sean Penn (vol 1) and the entire Harry Potter series read - no, performed by the genius of Jim Dale. No matter what anyone says, and no matter the praise for J.K.Rowling - I still believe she is under-rated. I love these books, these classic tales of good vs. evil which are so amazing and refreshing considering the sheer number of things published in this genre. If only the films could convey the myriad detail and complexity of the books. The best thing about the movies is Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid... He's fantastic. What a departure from Crocker!

Frida has yet to pack her crate and bed and I've tons to finish: the list for the pet-sitter, presents to wrap and the van to organize. (I emptied out the ladders and trays of art paints; the brushes and sander and gallons of primer and sealer; the dropcloths and tool box and drill - all the tools of my trade. I have to put one of the seats back in since I'll have passengers when I get there - and I still need to vacuum some stray hay off the carpets.) Oil change, wash, fluids check and tires - all done.

I was hoping for a crack of dawn start as I hate to drive in the rain at night, but if I am realistic, it's likely it will be noon before we can coast down the driveway and hang a right. So we'll wind through the mountains all afternoon and stay over somewhere between Chattanooga and Nashville instead of doing the nine hours at one stretch. Since I still have a sore back - that's probably best anyway. And that means we can take our time on Saturday, perhaps avoiding most of the interstate and take US 64 and/or US 412 across Tennessee before heading north on I - 24 into Southern Illinois and home.

I wish to all my buds here on MD, peace and good will, whatever you may do or believe. I'll miss you and wonder what y'all are up to while I'm gone... Back next week in time for the farrier's appointment on Friday.

Be safe and play nice.

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