A great Sunday morning to you. Friday, driving around in circles to get ourselves ready for our Saturday evening party, the car thermometer read 80. Heading out for my birthday dinner it read 65. The storm hit and the temperature had dropped to 60 when heading home. Morning came and it was 45 so I set out on my walk – 40 when I got back from that adventure. An hour later I was greeted by snowflakes. This AM it’s 24.

CRAZY, CRAZY!

But, never fear, Crocuses and Daffodils are out; spring is near.

This morning, after a great party and short night, Marcia and I sat with our coffee and gushed on and on about what a great time we (and every one of our 50 or so guests) had.

No one looks back on their life and remembers the nights they got plenty of sleep. ~ unknown

First a bit of a musical focus. It all started with the old King Studio building – some want it torn down while others want it turned into some sort of edifice.

King Records studio – the old building – sits about 1-mile from us, almost next door to Xavier University.

Few people realize that there was a time when the ‘Nati was a hot-bed for the music scene. The old King Studio had the likes of James Brown, Petula Clark, Etta Jones,  The Ink Spots, Trini Lopez, Mini Pearl, and a couple of hundred other performers record there. Additionally, it was the real birthplace of Funk and the bassist “grand-minister of Funk”, ‘Bootsy’ Collins, made it home.

Over all the years that I’ve called this place home I had never stopped by to actually see the place. This was that week. It’s a decrepit non-descript, brick shell. But, true to my optimist form, I believe it has possibilities.

A couple of years ago we had dinner with neighbors and their friend, musician Danny Adler joined us. Danny had ‘hung’ at King Records as a kid. Now, he and a friend had broken into the old building and using a couple of car batteries to fire the amp, an led lamp to see by, and a wooden skid to stand on so as not to have the puddles short out the equipment, recorded “The Last Session on Brewster” (Brewster is the street the studio is on).

The old building still was able to pass on the ‘spirit’ of all those sounds created in the place, have a listen:

  Last Session on Brewster by Danny Adler

The Telegraph – On one of my walks I found myself listening to a podcast that had originated at North-Eastern University in Boston. It was on a totally different subject, but The Press and newspapers got into their discussion.

Well, a newspaper, The Daily Telegraph (from the UK) was mentioned. I began to think that actually there are a number of newspapers which have the word “Telegraph” worked into their name. It only makes sense that the newly invented electric “Telegraph” naming would be used to designate speed and current news – very appropriate.

True, except for one thing, some of these papers were established well before the electric telegraph was invented. Huh?

Digging a bit deeper, I discovered that something called the “télégraphe” was actually Napoleon’s secret weapon.  Towers with a pulley activated pair of “arms” each with an ‘elbow’ like joint could be set to easily convey complex messages. This was a massive jump from analog-like communication fires on towers to a binary system communication system. Now a mere hour conveyed details from the front and instructions sent back. That was the original Telegraph.

Some (Marcia) would quickly say; “so what, I’ve always hated history”. I think it fascinating. So there!

The Progressive Dinner – our annual neighborhood event was held last evening (also the reason for the fact I didn’t post yesterday), and it was a Yuuuuge success. We had such a good time.

Only one (actually two) misfires. I thought that for our piece of the “progressive” part – appetizers – it would be nice to have some soft background, mood generating, music playing. I chose Jazz. Place fifty people in a room and the sound generated is quickly equal to that of a fighter-jet taking off. So much for the mood generating Jazz.

Then, part two. Marcia put me in charge of watching the front door. Very important since ours is a locked entry system. Well I was good, very good. So good that I came up with the idea of placing Duct Tape over the ‘throw’ to have it unlocked would allow me to just peek into the hallway to wave folk in. It was the fact that the crowd swept me further and further into the back recesses of our condo, plus, that the Duct Tape ‘shifted’ which caused a problem.

Luckily only one couple got affected. They ran a bit late, couldn’t get in, called on the phone which no one heard, knocked on the windows – also zero response. Finally they left for the next house.

Hearing of the issue I tried to relate to them the Biblical story of the seven maidens being late for the wedding. I think them to be Jewish since I just got a blank stare. I finally just gave them a big hug and dropped the subject.

Six rolling coolers each with adult beverages tell a lot of the story. None of which minimizes all the outstanding foods which waited at each home.

The whole evening was most excellent.

Finis – Whoopee, the Brioneses have booked and this summer they’ll be at the cabin for two whole weeks. We are so excited. I think that Marlene’s “hike for Vince” up Rock Candy Mountain did the trick. Such good news.

Now, time to head out on my walk; all to keep my new Fitbit bracelet happy. Yesterday I logged 15,000 steps and I got 6:30-hours of sleep with 8 restless events (which had to be the Truckin’ Bozo on the radio). Stunning. Thanks kids for a wonderful gift!

Make it a great week everyone.

Cheers.

Dirk