Tropical Heat Wave!

OK, maybe temperate zone heat wave, but I haven't felt so wilted in a while. The Earl Scruggs concert last night was a great show on many levels. The first few minutes I was feeling sad that I was there alone and not with my late father who would have loved the spectacle and the music. But it soon raised my spirits tremendously.

Even though I could tell they had the cooling system cranked as low as they could take it, the atmospheric heat came indoors with us. Hearing old favorites just took me back in time to a place where neither heat nor cold mattered. Ballad of Jed Clampett, You are my flower, Foggy Mountain Breakdown, . . .

The crackle of Earl's banjo contrasted greatly with the electric bass and drums, but that just reminded me of what a rebel he'd been for so many years. I do remember the old time music crowd in Mount Airy and Wilkes County back in the late 60's would grouse about Flat & Scruggs doing new-fangled things. I can only chuckle about that now since Earl Scruggs is still picking with style and grace.

And who in the world would have expected to see Earl Scruggs playing a duet with Rob Ikes, the Dobro guitar star who normally hangs out with Blue Highway. Man that was inspired genius as far as I tell. It had been a few years since I saw a lot of his playing when I was wondering among festivals in the mountains of NC, Tennessee, Virginia and even West Virginia back in the 80's. Those were special times and at least he's only gotten better.

Seems like $20 on the 20th was good for the merchants here. I spent more, but managed to find things that I really can use or pass along as thoughtful gifts. It's not just about increasing sales, while that is vital, but it's also about helping us be clear about our intentions and methods of shopping. It's a responsible way for us to guide our actions in the future as we hope to returning to a time of economic progress later this year.

I've never been a shopaholic type of guy, and sometimes I even have to force myself to go out for staples. However, I do need to be thinking about replacing some things that are wearing out, as well as finding gifts for the family. I've always had a real problem getting my Christmas shopping done on time, so maybe I can have a more relaxed holiday this year and try to remember what I've already bought for the relatives! The latter point will be more of a challenge than anyone wants to admit!