" It beats the shit out of the alternative"

April 28th 2017

      Sitting alone at the bar surrounded by people laughing and drinking and mostly ignoring the four musicians pouring their guts out on stage doing a cover of Knights in White Satin and as at all jams it has an 11 minute guitar solo in the middle. The lovely Lisa is on her last day of whatever it is she is doing. Some short film by the guy who does the Flash series, or something .She was being kind of vague....hmmmm. She will be late tonight. They are going to wrap out the truck tonight rather than go in another day. That's when I decided to go to the Barrel Public House to make some noise. I've been here once before and the host remembered me when I walked in 45 minutes late. He had my name on the list before I got to him. Busy place and a good deal for the owners. Lots of music at no cost. Middle aged crowd. That's a Squatchism for half my age. It got me to thinking about how my mind seems to be a lot younger than my body. I don't feel old. Well at least not until I move basically any part of my body!
       Right now Willie Hardie of Willy and the Rented Mules is belting out a sad country tune.  The people are digging it.  Even a couple of grinders on the dance floor. It's that kind of joint. The music ranges from old school country to 80s guitar heavy power metal. I know a few of the players and should be able to put together a pretty good band for my set.
      Back to growing old. Not that I have any choice. Minute by minute, hour by hour we are all getting older. And as someone much smarter than me once said " It beats the shit out of the alternative" I'm sure that's true but some days the alternative seems like a viable option. Usually the day after I do something physical. Like today. Today I cleaned up the alley. A winters worth of pine branches and needles. Then I stopped to go take Mama Lee to the dentist. When I got there I found out Mama Lee wasn't going anywhere. She had been on anti biotic for a while but came off them last week. She was back on them again when she woke with a horrible wet cough. I tried to call the Taxi  and the dentist but her Care Facility must have lead lined walls. I can't get a signal anywhere near that building. I used Mama Lee's phone to call and leave a message at the dentist. I wasn't able to get through to the taxi company besides the taxi driver showed up just moments later. I tipped him 5 bucks and sent him on his way. Mama Lee's personal assistant Victoria came in while I was there. Apparently she now works 3 days a week with Mama Lee. 2 hours a day. I must have missed the memo. We were supposed to be at the Dentist. I got back to the house just in time to get the phone call from the dentist. "Where is Emilee?" It seems the receptionist went home sick and that's why it went to the voice mail which they never checked. They've been my dentist for years and have always been honest and fair with me. This was supposed to be Mama Lee's second visit for a small cavity. Along with the lung infection Mama Lee has gotten it into her head that they are going to pull out all her teeth and she wasn't keen on going anyway. Well, that's a fight for another day.
      A quick bite and I was lawn boy. I think the cold snowy winter took care of the chafer beetle problem to a large extent. I'm not a lawn nut. Short and green is good enough for me. There's a lot of moss and a lot of weeds but from the right angle it looks like grass. It takes about an hour to do the back lawn not counting excess reality breaks. The last week or so it has been raining overnight then clearing up and beautiful by late morning. You can actually see the grass growing day by day. This is the third time I've mowed the back. I've only done the front once. That's because I ran out of gas and it took me a week to go get more. 3 times I had the gas can in the car and 3 times I took it out after driving past numerous gas stations and choking on the fumes from the mostly empty gas can rolling around in the back of the Rav 4. I finally got the gas and did the front and back on Wednesday. Yesterday, just the back and now it's raining again. Oh well!
      I ate a dinner of almond crusted sole and a salad while I watched a hockey/basketball/baseball game. I love my multiple recall. The only game I cared about was the Jays game and they blew a 3 run lead in the 8th and lost 7-4. Man we suck this year!
      The lovely Lisa called. Lunch was pushed on her show   and they were going to wrap out the truck tonight. She wouldn't be home till the wee hours. I wasn't planning to go out tonight but I didn't want to sit home watching the tube by myself. It's about half an hour to the Barrel Public House from Casa Lisa if you take the toll bridge.
      I took the Calle Libre also known as the long way around. I'm one of those idiots who will burn $3 worth of fuel to avoid the $3 toll. I consider it a moral victory. I was at the bar for a couple of hours and a couple of beers before I was up. I saw Dave Daoust in the crowd and asked him to play lead guitar. In a strange kind of kharmatic indifference both the bass player and the drummer were named Kelly Armstrong. I joked we were the David Kelly Quartet. Someone asked what's a quartet. It was pointed out that nobody has been a quartet since the 50s. Man I'm old. We played well together even putting feet on the dance floor. After my set and a few minutes trolling for compliments, I quaffed my last 2 fingers of now tepid beer, paid my tab and slipped slowly into the night. Going the long way home to save the toll. That'll teach em!

P.S: I have been excessively lazy in the picture taking department. You'll have to use your visualization skills.

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