With so many fun activities, mechanical challenges and musical events to indulge in or deal with, I hardly ever get to sit at my computer and share. With winds gusting near 50 today, I think I will stay inside my rocking RV and catch you guys up.
Because you can never play too many musical instruments, I am now learning to play the mandolin. For now Sundance has loaned me a practice mandolin, but I am leaning toward adding one to my collection if the RV can stand the additional weight. Stormy always said “be a jack of all trades and a master of none.” Musically, that seems to be where I am headed.
Everything's Cool Again
I do finally get my fridge working a couple of weeks ago. It has been broken since December. The serviceman practically has to rebuild it inside my RV, an expensive labor project.
Thankfully JC Refrigeration sends me the parts for only the cost of shipping since their cooling unit replacement installation is only a couple months out of warranty when the fridge dies. I still think they make the best after market cooling unit solution. I am also incredibly impressed with their willingness to stand behind their product.
Sunny and Mona Discover a Crack House
We have so much fun with the various nuts on our first visit to Holy Trinity Monastery Retreat, we return for a follow up session. Our unique investigative reporting technique reveals a dark underbelly to the nutty operation here. Enjoy the video below for details.
Don't Let Your Daughters Grow Up to Play Banjos
Amazingly I am the banjo (and sometime fiddle) player in a bluegrass band now. I actually was already playing with Sundances’s Sunshine Band last year, but Covaid prevented us from performing anywhere except local parades and our flash mob.
After a few practice sessions recently, we all agree that we need to update our image. In order to more accurately represent our musical leanings, we create a new band called “Bag of Screaming Katz.” A name that reflects both our instrumental and vocal abilities.
Our Debut
For our debut concert, we perform for our friends at Holy Trinity Retreat. I feel sure that this kind crowd of 20 or so will not throw anything at us (my greatest fear as a performer). In fact they are so incredible I can’t imagine a more appreciative audience. They make a tip jar for us, fill it with money, donate a mic stand to my collection of musical paraphernalia and present each of us with a gallon bag of pecans to take home.
At first I think Thelma, the head nut, is going to make us clean the pecans before we leave. But no, they are for us to enjoy she says. After the warm reception and the parting gifts we receive here, future concerts may be a letdown.
This year our goal with the band is to spend at least one afternoon in the tourist town of Tombstone busking on the street. Our dream finally comes true after weeks of practice and challenging attempts to rig some sort of miniature, discount sound system for our voices.
Although our tip jar is not full after our 2 hour concert, we do earn a little cash. Mostly we have a ball playing music for and eliciting laughs from the tourists on a sunny, spring afternoon. In case you are wondering, no one throws anything at us here either and none of us are arrested.
Every time we read your blog and see the video’s we want to sell out and come join ya. If I wasn’t so damn old I would probably do just that. Thanks so much for making our day a little brighter and keep having a good time for all of us. Love ya kid. GOD BLESS
JD/SD
Jim & Sandy
I would sure love to see you out here! Thanks for following along with me! Love you guys too!
Tim and I love your adventures! Keep “basking” in those musical moments and attempting jacks trades 🙂 Tim&Diane
I will! So good to hear from you, thanks for following along with me!