I Like How It Feels

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Ah yesterday when I was young. Yesterday was Sunday and the day before was Saturday and on that day, dear Harpy turned a ripe old age of 60. No one won the pool so the money stayed put. It was a beautiful day and I slept relatively well. I got up and did my thing, intending to go to the supermarket for myself as well as picking up a few items for Bill. Bill’s diet lately consists of almonds, raspberries and soy milk. I don’t know what he eats when he is not home, but that is what he eats when he is here.

I was working on a cuppa before heading out and in walked Bill with his almonds, raspberries and soy milk, so that saved me some dosh. Bill puttered about as I got myself together and headed to the market for my things. He was off to bed since he drove the night before to and from Atlantic City. By the time I came back he was fast asleep. I don’t know how he does it. As soon as his head hits the pillow he is out cold, yet if he needs to he is wide awake in a flash. I sometimes wish I had an on/off switch like Bill does.

There was a plan to go up to Riverdale to celebrate Harpy’s birthday. I invited Bill but he was not going, he needed to sleep and rest since he was driving to Boston today. I hopped on a bus and then onto a train. I picked up a few soft packs of Marlboros for Harpy since they are considerably cheaper on this side of the river. I rode the A train up to 175th Street and walked over to Harpy’s place. He and his girlfriend Deborah were getting ready and I waited a few minutes before we all headed out to the street.

We walked down to Columbia Presbyterian hospital where we caught a town car up to Riverdale. Susan, formerly of Farfetched had it all together. I had asked for the day off from the cigar shack while I was still there and if it weren’t for what happened last week, I would more than likely been unable to attend. But what happened happened and here I was in Riverdale. At the party were Susan and her boyfriend Mitch, as well as other people.

Lois the co-owner with Susan of Farfetched showed up as did Amy Allison. It was all giggles and smiles and hard to believe that we hadn’t seen each other since January 2009 when Farfetched closed down. It was a beautiful day and it turned into a beautiful night with Mitch cooking in the kitchen. I certainly scoffed a few things and was nicely buzzed after a few Sierra Nevada Pure Ales. A poem and some birthday cake followed and then it was time to go.

Lois gave Harpy, Deborah, Amy Allison and myself a ride to Manhattan and we all parted ways. Harpy & Deborah back home, Amy & me to the subway. It was only a few minutes wait before we hopped the A train downtown. I was home by 11:00, after leaving Amy to continue onwards to Brooklyn. Bill stayed up for me and after a few minutes hit the pillow again, out cold. I stayed up and watched some TV before I got into bed next to Bill.

He was up and about once again as I lay sleeping. He gave me his goodbye kiss as he was headed for another bus driving expedition. I slept and slept, eventually waking up and headed to the supermarket after a few cups of coffee that Bill made for me before he left. It was quite warm and muggy and I decided to do some laundry. I figured it would dry soon enough, but there is so much hummus in the air that it’s taking it’s time, a warm and damp experience.

After the laundry I got my guitar and my songbooks and headed out. It was relatively cool by the river and I set myself up and started strumming. I didn’t sing since I wasn’t that comfortable yet but did play a few songs for about two hours. It was crowded and once again I did not put the guitar case in front of me to encourage some money flowing. I wasn’t ready for that and just played songs that no one really knew, and surprised a few toddlers as they went by with their parents, seeing and hearing a guitar right in front of them. The looks of astonishment were priceless.

I got hungry and my hand started cramping up a bit so I headed home. It was a good day overall. Bill just called from Boston, he is on his way back and I hope he does so safely. I may be up when he gets home since he’s expecting to come home around 1:30 and that’s the time I’ve been going to bed lately, so it all might work out nicely.

Entertainment on the platform. La Bamba and Guantanamera were the songs I heard.


the hostess with the mostest with the birthday geezer


sparklers!



my stage


my audience


01 Give Peace A Chance

I Like Dreamin’

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This is the sixth hour of a Mary Tyler Moore marathon. It’s been on that long and I still get a chuckle out of every episode. Saturday nights, 9:00PM, Channel 2, after All in the Family & The Jeffersons and before the Bob Newhart Show (tomorrow’s marathon) and the Carol Burnett Show.

A quieter day than the previous few and more humid it seems. There is plenty of parking available in Hoboken this weekend. It’s the unofficial start of summer so a lot of the locals have left town. The supermarket was fairly empty this morning though the streets were busy this afternoon.

Last night I went to Maxwells to see RoDa. I walked up around 8:30, had a pint of Stella Artois when I got there, chatted with RoDa for a spell and then headed home. I was home at 10:00 since it started getting busy and RoDa was running around. I didn’t know anyone there except for Handsome Dick Manitoba who was headlining in the back room last night. The one pint of Stella really got me buzzing and I probably could have stayed for another but opted to come home instead.

I came home and watched TV as the Stella buzz faded. I eventually went to bed at my usual time and about a half hour later I was sitting in front of the computer since I couldn’t sleep. Bill was driving to Atlantic City and I never sleep that well when he is away. He was due home this morning at 9:30 and remarked that I would probably be asleep when he came home. I told him I doubted that, but having taken 2 melatonin tablets I wound up being asleep when he walked through the door. I did get up when he went to bed and did the usual morning routine, only a bit slower.

I was able to find for a notebook of song chords that I used when I was busking frequently and for the past couple of days couldn’t find it though I did start throwing crap out as I looked. Now I have to sort the real crap from the questionable crap. Luckily Bill has a very good shredder so that made things a lot easier.

I was going to take the guitar out and play by the river but the clouds overhead seemed about to burst so whatever strumming I did, I did indoors. Some songs were easy to fall back into and others took some time to figure out again. If Rand and I are going to reactivate the Art Hams again, we’re going to need some songs. I have my suggestions, songs that I can play without difficulty and I am sure Rand has his songs, plus there are a few songs from back in the day, during one of the three times we actually played out.

Tonight I am going to Hoboken Cigars and will see Raymond my former cigar shack co-worker. I used to beg off attending his events since I was working at the cigar shack. Now that I am not, I have no excuse really.

And now I’m back. I do enjoy these early evening jaunts. I walked over to Hoboken Cigars through the hummus laden streets of Hoboken. It is so humid out, despite dousing my head with cold water before heading out I was sweating once again when I hit the streets.

I saw Raymond and it was good. He seems to have a Saturday night gig here and he introduced me to the owner. We talked about the cigar shack and how things were then and now. I’m almost tempted to write about the rumor that has Calvin heading off to work with the former genital massager but I’ve decided not to. A few cigar shack customers were there and that was all they wanted to talk about, as if I had any idea what goes on in Calvin’s mind.

A nice night out in Hoboken and I’m glad I made it out once again. Bill is driving down to Atlantic City once again and the Mary Tyler Moore marathon continues.

07 Rapture