Greg from Chestertown

39 years ago today, I had it done to me by the Grateful Dead for the first time. About four days before, a girl friend of mine and I were walking across the parking lot at the Mann music center in Philly to meet up with about a dozen friends at a James Taylor concert. Two guys were arguing in the parking lot. ‘Thirty’. ‘No, thirty five’. I walked up to them and asked what they were arguing about. ‘ two tickets for the Grateful Dead Saturday night’. I immediately pulled out my wallet and said ‘I ‘ll give you thirty five.’ My first show is pretty much a blur, remembering only that it was like nothing else I had ever experienced. We sat, mesmerized, watching the people as much as the band. Smiling the whole time. Seven weeks later, I ‘m getting snuck into Radio City, catching an acoustic 15th anniversary show. Two shows later, I’m going to a show by myself, without a ticket. No problem. Thirty nine years later, I just caught a Dark Star Orchestra show down the beach while they were passing through. Life is good.

I have two different hawks, about six different deer, a bard owl, a couple of turkeys, one with eight little ones a couple of weeks ago, all showing up in my backyard on a regular basis at different times of the day, night, week, to hunt or just graze. I had two fawns bedded down a couple of weeks ago. The best I can figure, they’re coming to get a closer listen to the Grateful Dead music that I am playing in the house. It’s the only thing that makes any sense.

Damn. Asleep at the wheel. St. Michael’s is only about an hour away from me.

I lived in a small neighborhood, twelve houses. Ours was the last one before the cul-de-sac. My neighbors front yard was a hill right at the edge of the street. We would lay two sheets of plywood my dad had on their front yard at the edge of the street. That was our ramp. We were stoked (remember that word?) if we would ride up and kick turn with only one wheel still on the ramp. I grew up in Wilmington, De. My mom would drive me to the foot of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, drop me off so that I could skate the drainage ditches, thcn come back and pick me up before dinner. Try getting away with that one these days, you’d get locked up for sure.

Nice! I’m talking old school, though. I used to have a subscription to skateboarder magazine. When I got my latest issue in the mail, I ‘d go out front and teach myself what they were doing in California. One issue had a series of photos of a kid doing a kick flip off a curb. That’s when I gave up. I can’t even begin to wrap my head around what kids do on boards anymore. Ollie? WTF? How did you get the board to follow you when you jumped in the air? Double twist when you hit the air...(nice recovery from thread drift, huh?)

Yea, I used to be pretty good on a skateboard, old school style, even doing handstands. A few months ago, my son came to visit with a couple of his friends. He dug out my board and everyone was taking a turn. Well, I tried a handstand for the first time in many, many years. My ears are still ringing from the laughter that I generated with that feeble attempt.

I’ve been so happy and excited at a show before that I have contemplated a cartwheel but my better angels have held me back, might pull a hammie. Still considering a somersault but it better be soon, not getting any younger.

HaHa! That was a slow fast ball right down the middle. Thanks for knocking it out of the park.

I saw Billy Strings on public television Sunday morning, playing a show in some cave somewhere. Thoroughly impressed. I thought the venue would be a cool place for DSO to play.

We have peeper frogs around here. They get loud at sunset. It’s not a real enjoyable sound. I feel for ya. I’m a big fan of sunshine. Last year was so bad that I actually got used to not wearing sunglasses at all on some days. That’s saying a lot, I wear sunglasses on cloudy days. I DON’T wear them at night, though.

We had those conditions here on Delmarva for the last two years or so it seemed. Ain’t no sunshine.... this year we’re getting good rain, everything is lush but it’s only raining at night and on Sundays. The perfect year for people who work outdoors. I haven’t lost any billable hours to rain. Ok, that’s a lie. Just a little bit.

Ripple effect

I have a Grateful Dead sticker on my riding lawn mower. I wonder if that’s why my grass looks so good. Gotta be. Right!?

Yea, I figured you must have but he way you worded it, I wasn’t sure if that one passed you by. Texting can be troublesome

You do know that he used to be the lead guitarist in DSO, right?

So, I’m in the UPS store this morning, getting something laminated. Shining Star is playing on the speakers in the ceiling, The Billy Davis/Marylin McCoo version from the seventies. I told the young fella helping me out, ‘ Jerry Garcia does this tune.’ He says, ‘ who the hell is Jerry Garcia?’ Surreal moment for me.

....well, the sun gonna shine, IN MY BACK DOOR, some day. March winds gonna blow all my troubles away.

Yea, dogs are territorial. I was working in the gardens around the house on a horse farm. The dog barked at me through the window for hours. As soon as he got outside, I got bit. I violated his personal space.

I got bit by a customers dog last year. If not for quick thinking, that dog would have done a lot more biting. The owner took it back to the humane society. I ran into the director the next week. They didn’t put the dog down. Instead, they put it back up for adoption. They do not put a dog down until it bites three people. True story. I’m wondering if the dog obesity problem is that eating humans is fattening.

Caught Jeff and friends last night in Ardmore. Interesting night. A lot of songs that I didn’t know, which makes it tough to learn them while they’re being blasted at you. (I’m not complaining) Run, Mary and Who was John highlights for me. Sitting here in limbo had me dancing my hands off. The songs they played gave Lisa a great opportunity to shine and she took full advantage. Don’t let go, Deal, tons more. A couple of fun songs, the band enjoyed themselves. My first time in Ardmore, good crowd, not sardine style. Nineteenth nervous breakdown first set closer. Some Beatles tune.

That’s the thing. The stars are lining up for me to make it. Plus, I need a show, now that I think about it. Gonna be fun.

Jeff and friends Saturday night in Philly. Got my ticket last night. Looking forward

I have always called space, ‘dinosaurs on the moon’.

Service to others. Give, help, inspire. Do this because it is the right thing to do, knowing that Karma is real. Your prayers do get answered, probably not how you anticipate them to, but they do get answered. Once in a while, you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places, if you look at it right.

I’m guessing elective.