Man! The humidity, you could drown just breathing too hard. I been in the desert too long now, don't do humidity anymore (got no choice this week, though).
UPDATE: About a month ago I posted some personal concern and anguish regarding the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah (see "More Healing Needed" from July 15th). Well, I got an email with some pics from my Israeli friend Mike the other day. Below is one of his son, who is an IDF tank commander at the ripe old age of 21 (taller dude standing on the road in front of the tank, arm around his crewmate).
This pic was shot by a news photographer up in Lebanon shortly after the cease-fire went into place (click the pic to enlarge it). Mike and the family have been through a ghastly month of worry, not knowing anything about the boy's whereabouts or condition. Look at these dudes! They're just kids! I am so relieved at this news. I so hope the people in this region will someday live in peace and healing. Dunno, man...'NUTHER UPDATE
Got an email yesterday from a cat up in the Pacific Northwest, about his 12 piece band known as "5 Guys Named Moe" (he's been lurking at our blog all this time). Check out their website, listen to some of their music samples (and view the video clips). Yeah, it's a campy "show band" thang, but, hey...looks like fun, and good players.
ALSO
Jazz jam again tomorrow night at The Hurricane (see the links column). And, be sure to go hang at The Artisan Tuesday night to hear Jerry and Tommy Alvarado and Joel Richman et al doing what will surely be a cool new thing. I hate that I'm gonna miss that.
Also, be sure to go hang with Ronnie Foster and the guys on Thursday and Saturday at The Artisan. MickiJay told me they were tearin' it up last week, and doing some new material.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT FLORIDA UPDATE
Below, BobbyG tosses in the ceremonial first dumpster bag as the 33 year era of Mom and Dad's house in Palm Bay comes to a soggy, sweltering close. Finding myself surprisingly unsentimental about all this. Just wanna get this done and get the hell out of this gawdawful place.
When I got here, there was no AC in the house (88 inside), and the city had shut off the water. $876 later, after an HVAC dude and licensed electrician, we had AC, and the city came out and turned the water back on (dunno about that one; the water bill was current). Then, the AC was no longer working in Mom & Dad's car (it just stays parked; she can't drive any more and he's in a nursing home), so, I took it to a shop to get it fixed so I could turn in my rental car. $232 and 3 hours later I'm 200 yards from my Mom's apartment at Glenbrooke, and Barney Friggin' Fife of Palm Bay PD Blue pulls me over and writes me for "expired tag" (Mother had paid it, but it never got put the plate, and, with everything going on, I just never thought to look, duh. We later found it in a pile of her mail. Expired all of 7 weeks, a major CODE RED. It's on the plate now, Barney). Fifester calls for backup, too (broad daylight on a busy main thoroughfare, lone whitebread 60 yr old male driver, real necessary), and a uniformed Fifette arrives forthwith, lights equally ablazing, and goes immediately into Major FoxTV "Cops" Officer Drama Queen mode -- "SIR! Stay by your vehicle!" and was then rude to my sister when she showed up with the newest insurance cards for the car after I called her on my cell to ask her to see what paperwork she could quickly find.Rhymes with "Rich."
He coulda let me off with an admonition ("put the sticker on, OK?") after I'd explained what had happened, But, NO-O-O-O-O! One more piss-ant ($77.50) hassle to deal with. Imagine my suppressed expletives (I didn't give them the first milligram of crap either, opting prudently to be the very soul of amiable and contrite cooperation, pissed as I was).
They had me collared for a good half hour, two cops, burning up roughly one hour of taxpayer-funded FTE. Burglars and 7-11 stickup dudes, take note.
Having a lovely time in this dreary Port-au-Palm-Bay swamp. Can't wait to see y'all at The Palms Monday night. Coda: below, Mom and Dad (and my sis) last Sunday, their 62nd wedding anniversary. No Pop, I am not your brother.
1 comment:
Hi Bobby. Thanks for following up with your friends in Israel. I'm glad to see that all those incredibly young men are healthy & I hope they outlive this current skirmishing. This is a terrible situation for any person of compassion. History will deal with it and will reference 1948 and the injustice done in the name of repairing misjustice followed by decades of the wrong foot forward. We can only hope and pray that voices of great wisdom and humor and charisma will rise up and lead that region into a new mutually supportive network of alliances.
Peace be with you.
Old Sow
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