Garage Bands Revisited (and Other Visitations)

This past weekend saw a lot of dancing, to the music of Li'l Pookie and the Zydeco Heartbreakers, all the way from Opelousas, in Saint Landry Parish, LA -- "The Zydeco Capital of the World."

Or most of the Heartbreakers, I should say. The bass player didn't make it. So guitar man Chris Breaux took over on bass. They didn't have a guitar player for Friday or Saturday. Then Saturday at Glen Echo Park, some of the band got a chance to hear my guitar with the built-in amp/speaker, "dancin'" solo near the stage. Thus was my competence determined. Come Sunday, before the house party got started, we had a hour-long jam session, just to get the bugs worked out. Once the action got started, and they were stirrin' up that gumbo, I ended up playing virtually the whole three-hour set. It was a great learning experience. I could get used to this!!!

Diane drove me into Philadelphia for the day on Saturday. We talked of city life and visited the market district near Chinatown. We got our picture taken standing by the Liberty Bell. Phillie is a lovely city. Walking the cobblestone streets of the older section, I was reminded of the years I lived in Georgetown.

Last night I called my friend in Toronto. She was in Castlegar, BC, visiting her family, while I was in Seattle. We both agreed that "the family thing" was important at such a time of year, and we compared notes on our mountain experiences. There is a contra dance weekend coming up in April, and I mentioned how I might be up there by then. It would be nice to see her again, and to visit a city about which I have heard so much.

After all, I never met a Canadian I didn't like. Not yet, anyway.