Hey, did ya miss me? I feel some level of guilt for being absent the entire month of February. Not a lot of guilt but some. I was traveling three out of four weeks; ask me about southern Mississippi sometime. Here we are at the first weekend in March. John Mayer is on the itunes track and I am enjoying his grammy winning album Continuum - the new blues focus is quite a change for the melody master. I like it!
I was going to try and catch you up with all that has been going on but that whole looking backward thing is for the history books. I will talk about our treasured weekend last week. Kris, John and Bella were here from Syracuse - also, Greg and Roksanna drove in from Dallas. We got Bella on Thursday and Friday nights and met up with the others Saturday night for a show at the Cactus Cafe, where we heard Chris Knight and Ray Wylie Hubbard. It was really great to see everyone together having a great time. Bella and Ella got to spend some time together and that was an experience. We also met up with Steve and Janie and their precious Gabriella on Saturday at McDonalds for breakfast (and play).
Another big happening last weekend was the involuntary evacuation from our house. A wildfire burned 90 acres and got within 1000 feet of our house. We were coming back from breakfast and Kath got an urgent call from our next-door neighboor. She said that it was getting worse by the minute and that the firetrucks were just arriving. When we came down our road, our path was blocked by a police vehicle. We explained that we needed to get to the house to get our RiverDogs out. He gave us five minutes to get everything and get gone.
Greg and Rox arrived at the same time we got to the house and they helped us carry some things to the car and truck. The dilema - how do you decide what to grab when you have five minutes. We got what we thought was important to save, Bella, the dogs, the computers (gotta keep working), and I grabbed my camera backpack. That's it. No clothes, no TV, no motorcycle, or 56 chevy or anything else. No time. Grab and go...now! Kathy and I held it together fairly well, but it is really tough to just drive away, not knowing what you are coming back to.
We drove into town and hung out at the local Mexican restaurant where the dogs could relax on the patio and we could take margaritas through an IV (just kidding). Steve and Janie got word of the situation and joined us at the new compound. Bella and Gabriella got some more play time and we stayed in touch with our neighbors by cell phone. A group of them had gathered at the front gate about a mile from the fires, and they had up to date information. Traffic was diverted both from the north and south and nothing entered that six mile stretch of burning grass and trees.
Fire trucks and police vehicles passed the restaurant while we passed the time. Pumpers headed north to the fires then south to refill their tanks. At about the two hour mark we got word that the fire was contained and that we could return. I have to tell you that while it wasn't fun, it was great to come to the understanding that if you are surrounded with who you love, you don't need anything else.
So I guess that fits in the history category and should be remembered always. Not in the book sense but in another one of life's lessons learned category. The RiverDogs got a ride in the car and got to play and poop in a new place. And we all know how important that is. Rox said something to Kathy that really touched her - how she was so proud to be part of a family that knows what is truly important, to be with the ones you love. Kath told me that on Sunday and cried (happy cry) about how she feels about that sentiment. Okay, enough.
We stayed up late on Sunday with all the kids. Josh and Tanya came over with Ella (Bella was gone to the other grandma's house at that point). We had BBQ from Smokey Mo's and watched the Oscars. I got up early, early on Monday for my trip to Tennessee. That trip ended with me getting out of Huntsville, Alabama during a stormy day where a tornado hit a school about 200 miles south, causing a lot of death and destruction. It's like I always tell my Sunday school kids, just be ready, life has a way of throwing a changeup now followed by fastballs and curves. Well, I don't really use the baseball metaphor - but I do talk about how things change quickly. Hell, I think I will start using the baseball metaphor, cause that is just what it is.
So here I am. It is almost 6:30 AM and I have been up for a while. Everyone else is still sleeping, it's dark. John Mayer is singing and playing the blues. I need another cup of coffee and I know where to find it. Go hug your loved ones and let them know how you feel. If you are reading this, then you know I love you too. Me and the RiverDogs wish you a great day, and a great life. Learn what you love and keep it close. RD out for now.
6:28:36 AM 
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