. . . when Bampf has lots more to say than I do. I am a bit disheartened that nobody asked if I was still alive. So much for faking my death to see who shows up at the funeral – I suspect the crowd would be small.
I am sure you’ve all been breathlessly awaiting my pronouncement on Episode III: Revenge of the Bad Melodrama but we’ll have to see how the day goes. I thought instead, as I steal a few minutes this very early morning, to give a quick rundown of life in the fast lane.
- Thought I’d go to Reading a couple of weekends ago and lend a hand setting things up for the big Air Show hoolie next weekend. Stopped on the way to have a tire fixed and a balancing. Everything was running smooth as silk until I stopped for beer and came out to find the entire contents of my cooling system spreading across the parking lot.
It took me over an hour to find out one place couldn’t help me, two hours at another place who wanted $650 to replace a water pump and timing belt which was less than two years old. Two hours after that I had managed to coax the rapidly over-heating beast a bit over three miles along and finally slumped into an overpriced hotel in a miserable part of a miserable town. On the up side, the hotel did have a bar and restaurant filled with the cream of Reading’s party crowd. On the down side, the cream of Reading’s party crowd probably wouldn’t have gotten past the velvet ropes at a dirt bar in Gettysburg.
Thankfully my Dad came up with the brilliant idea of towing the car back ourselves, which we did at 40 to 45 miles per hour for two hours on the Turnpike. I hear the car is fixed, the water pump and timing belt were under warranty, the bill is less than one-third of what the buggers in Reading wanted and life is good. Except that I don’t trust the damned thing to get me to the end of the block, let alone on any of my usual mad dashes across the nation. Time for a new (ish) ride.
- Speaking of usual mad dashes across the nation: the weekend past was Blast from the Past 2005. Cruised into Louisville Friday night to visit a friend from many years ago. What a hoot. Swanky Irish bars, nifty lounges along the Ohio River and the happy discovery that my friend had done very well for herself: High powered job, nice home, odd dog and nifty husband.
Saturday I spent an hour or two kicking around central Kentucky and looking at Lincoln’s Birthplace and Boyhood Home. Hopefully I’ll have some time to post a photo or two. Then it was off to Lexington for the wedding of a friend from even more many years ago. Had a fine High School reunion with two of my best friends from that era, even if I did miss the Maker’s Mark toast to the old Alma Mater.
Then I cruised back through Cincinatti, Columbus and Washington, PA. In case you’re ever thinking of travelling that way, allow me to warn you that even after 20 or 30 years, Washington, PA is still under construction.
- Ahhh, home. By 10 PM on Sunday I was whipped. So, I get two nights in my own bed and then I catch a flight for Birmingham, Alabama. All the cities of the new South are mildly depressing. For the most part they’re clean and well laid out but deserted after the business day. Birmingham reminds me very much of Indianapolis, only smaller. Drove past the Civil Rights Memorial, the Sloss Works and finally found the bohemian part of town for a bar-b-q dinner. Worked Wednesday, caught a plane home, got no sleep and that pretty much brings us up to date.
- Now, it’s Memorial Day weekend. Travelling tonight, tomorrow, Sunday and only a little on Monday: three parades, one race, one live radio show and with any luck, a little sleep.
Sleep? Who am I kidding?