Saturday, January 17, 2009

Day 18: Wonderful day.....and now it is time to return to the COLD!!

As always......up at 7am, coffee by 7:10.....and by 8am, the 1st Lady was up and by 9:30, we were on our way to a 10am square dance. WOW.......OMG, did we ever have fun today!!!! We laughed so much my jaws were starting to cramp a bit. It was just sooooo much fun today...probably the best this year.

Afterwards, we went to the next RV park, "next door", and located Bob and Beverly Coy....Cedar Creek RV Owner's Club members who we met last year. We sat and visited with them briefly as we did have other appointments today to keep. It was sure great to see them again....and the 1st Lady and I are really anxious to get together with them!

While there, I received a phone call from a former student....a very good friend of mine......Kelly Powers. He informed me that his twin brother, Casey, was found dead in his Kansas City apartment yesterday. It appeared that he had been dead for about a week. An autopsy is underway to determine the cause of death. These two great guys had been in my band in Eldon H.S.....and both were just incredible musicians!!!!! Kelly played, and still does play, the trumpet....and Casey was a really fantastic drummer. It is a very sad story....as Casey had been severely injured in a car wreck while he was in H.S........and never fully recovered, mentally nor physically. His life went sliding downhill from that point forward.......from drugs to many other social problems. This news was very upsetting to me...........and tonight, it is still bothering me. Somewhere around 10 years ago, their mother was killed in an auto accident......and they never really knew their father. The boys were born on my birthday so we were always celebrating together..........such a sad and tragic story for Casey.

This afternoon after we made a couple of planned stops, we returned to TheHowserHouse and then just relaxed a bit. I packed and then....repacked as I tried to determine which cold weather clothes I should take with me. I need to dress warmly as I will be spending the night before the Inauguration outside on the Mall.......standing in line to get into the ticketed standing area. Just difficult to decide exactly how to dress.......

This evening has been a rapid disappearance......and soon, it will be necessary for me to lay this sagging hulk of me into a horizontal position and try to get some sleep. Pete is taking me to the airport in the morning, leaving here at 8am.....with a 10am flight to San Antonio.....where I will then fly on to Philadelphia, arriving there at 4pm EST.

A great day.......wonderful, warm temperatures........and as the hours have gone by, I seem to get a bit more excited about the upcoming journey. The next post will, hopefully, be from Annandale, VA....about 10 miles from the Mall in Washington....and I will jot out a few lines tomorrow night.

I am looking at setting up a connecton whereby I can call in to a number and it will transcribe what I say on the cell phone and then post it here on the blog. That way.....I can keep everyone updated as to my day on Monday....and while I am standing...and standing....and standing on Monday night/ Tuesday morning waiting on the beginning of the Inaugural program. Stay tuned......watch the broadcasts from the Mall on the various news channels.....and see history being made!! And, I will be there to enjoy a completely new historical experience!!!!!

LIFE IS JUST INCREDIBLY GREAT!!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!

2 comments:

Megan said...

So sorry to hear about your former student. :(

Have a FANTASTIC time in D.C.! It should be amazing! Can't wait to read all about it!

Anonymous said...

I am a new member of CCROC and have been reading you blog. I am sorry to hear about your young friend and his brother. I am sure it will not be essy to handle.

On a better note have a great time in Washington, DC. We here in Canada are watching with great interest as this is history being made and I'm sure that both our countries will benefit a great deal from this change.

Again have a great time.

kedd