It’s Friday today; I’ve got a week left. Leave for the holidays on the 16th.
First, I head to a small town called Thomas, Oklahoma. My dad lives there on an 80 acre wheat farm. Population is approximately 800-900 people; no stop lights, only two gas stations (they’re right next to each other.) One high school (Go Terriers) and lots of farms and farmhands. It’s serene and I ALWAYS look forward to it.
I feel right now like the horse smells the barn. I’ve been sooo busy this past year, that these 11 days of holidays will be a welcome respite and time to recharge my engine.
Dad says I’m getting there the day of the “country christmas” which means a huge meal at the senior citizen center and, later on, a splendid Christmas parade through “downtown.” By downtown, i’m talking Main St USA.
This parade usually is composed of a Cherry Picker on a pick up truck, One fire engine and this old bloke that owns a rad vintage caddy convertible. Santa usually rides on the Fire engine truck, and well… that’s it!
The past few years, I’ve usually spent alot of time just walking around. The farm is wide and open and at the moment there are cattle grazing on the overseeded sorghum (they’re being fattened). Every year I take pictures of the windmill, the barn, my dad’s farm house which I absolutely adore and any snow that might find its way there. Last year, it snowed beautifully. He says this year, there’s been much more rain too, so fingers crossed.
The extent of my hanging out with dad essentially is watching football on TV, going into town and chatting it up with the local folk. He literally knows everyone. It’s diametrically opposed to Los Angeles (and that is not a shot at LA, LA is my home.) I also ALWAYS play christmas carols on the piano for the senior citizens at the nursing home on Sunday. And they enjoy it when I rip into a little rock n roll boogie woogie. You know, that walking bass line sound, good ol’ jerry lee lewis vibe. My dad plays Santa and gives treats to the elderlies. It’s priceless, especially considering the fact that the santa claus outfit is in DESPERATE need of dry cleaning.
After a few days in Thomas, I fly to Orlando to be with Mom, Lil’sis, nephew and high school buddies. I’ve scheduled a show on December 23rd there along with my very close friend Matt Bloodwell’s band, Megaphone. All Florida F.O.C.’ers’ attendance is required!
So, for now, I wait and tidy up the “Million and one” To Do List I’ve assembled (pre-trip). Chiefly among them is mixing the Chance christmas song. This pretty much MUST be completed this weekend.
So, I gotta run for now; enjoy this posting, and I hope you’ll enjoy the Christmas song once I’ve finished it!
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