T-Minus one week 'til vacation!

Ahh, another relaxing day out on the deck, with coffee and the iBook. This is the life, I tell you! All's quiet now, but earlier I had to contend with screeching bluejays, darting from tree to tree. Apparently our yard is their feeding ground, the obnoxious bastards. Still, they're colorful, pretty birds.

Monday night I went to the Dinosaur BBQ in the city for the open blues jam, hosted every other week. For some reason I get some kind of stage fright, playing with the local session gurus, and I kind of choke up there. On the first tune I did dandy, but on the 2nd, I screwed the pooch a little. Didn't ruin the song, but I repeatedly messed up a very simple I-IV-V progression which I could do in my sleep when I'm by myself. Need more practice. I chatted with the band after it was done, and they were very nice... the band-leader invited me to keep coming back, and said they'd whip me into shape. Sounds good to me!

Then there's the networking. Despite my not-so-hot 2nd number, a very good guitarist complimented my playing and invited me to join him on a project/group he's assembling. Not too shabby!

And lastly, Heidi and I are at the t-minus one week mark for our long-anticipated vacation up north! We're both getting very excited for our trip to Sackets... it'll be a dream being away from everyone (no offense to you all!), and practically by ourselves on the beach for a week. We're doing the planning and list-making now... what to buy, what to bring, etc. We're doing meal-planning and picking how many nights to go eat out (one, at the Sackets Harbor Brewing Company), and a couple brunches at Tin Pan Galley. The rest of the meals will be quickly-prepared fare, mostly on the grill, so as not to take away from the beach! Kirk-o's going to make the canoes and Hobie Cat available to us too, so we can get some boating and sailing in if we like.

Swimming, sleeping in, sunning on the beach with cool summer cocktails, fine restaurants (and that's only the things I can mention!)... I can't think of a better vacation!