March 3rd, 2004.

We spent the night with our keyboardist Sharif last night, and it was everything I wanted it to be – I was looking forward to a fun and kind of silly night with some friends that I hadn’t spent much time with – and the only thing that ruined it was me. 

We passed this on the road the other day. A car filled with mufflers is pretty much the weirdest thing I've seen in 37 hours.
We passed this on the road the other day. A car filled with mufflers is pretty much the weirdest thing I’ve seen in 37 hours.

I felt COMPELLED to check my email – and it was a good thing that I did, but it meant that I got all businessy in the middle of everything.  Dumb businessy.

Brian at the Frederick Coffee Co SNAFU series.
Brian at the Frederick Coffee Co SNAFU series.

We ventured into the surprisingly balmy March air last night to go play the Thai Gour, to advertise for Saturday’s show – and it was just a dead night.  And of course, this is the ONE night we have a couple of friends show up to see what’s going on, and of course, it’s the ONE night where Heather breaks a string, and of course it’s the ONE night where there’s no acoustic guitars available from ANYONE else other than a left-handed one and a twelve-string…. it was a rough night.

Waverly and JR at SNAFU. They were particularly on form that night.
Waverly and JR at SNAFU. They were particularly on form that night.

A vicious, cruel, night, it seems.  Despite deceptively mild temperatures – wait a minute – a whole NEW take on the night.  The night WAS vicious, cruel, but spectactularly sneaky – the mild temperatures apparently made me soo relaxed that I also left stuff at my parents’ house last night.

Yesterday celebrated our 6 month… eversary of being on the road and on the run, homeless, jobless, and happy – and we really DO have things to a sort of science by now – so it’s pretty embarassing when the ONE place that you leave stuff is at your PARENTS’ house.  When we were in Nebraska, I didn’t leave my toothbrush at Kyle’s house… when we were in Philadelphia, I didn’t leave my flannel pants at Shane’s place… but EVERY TIME we stop at my parents’ house, I leave the world behind.

The world consisting, this time around, of my toothbrush and my flannel pants.

I know my Dad, at least, reads the Journal pretty regularly – so Dad, this is a message for you:  I SWEAR I don’t screw up like this ALL the time.

Sigh.

I know Tyler reads the Journal at least semi-regularly – so Tyler, I swear we don’t screw up like that ALL the time.

Sigh.

March 4th, 2004.
Yesterday was nearly the perfect day.  The only thing that could have made it better would have been if someone had come up to me and said “And TODAY your sushi shall be FREE!!!”

Alas, it was not to be.

Now, to retell – how did it all begin?  We stayed at Sharif and Brian’s place, and enjoyed the 8.30am awakening of everyone but US going to work. There’s something beautiful about that – especially when you’re on the fold out bed in the Living room – everyone comes in, and yes – they wake you up, but you get to watch them, sleepily, as they gather their stuff, force down some breakfast, set their grimaces in place, and move out to face the day.   And then WE went back to sleep.

But at noon – we went out to face the llamas…

This is what I Love about Homestead Gardens - Llamas as far as the eye can see.
This is what I Love about Homestead Gardens – Llamas as far as the eye can see.

Yes.  Llamas.  Rancorous, evil llamas.  Beautiful, happy, sunning llamas.  Lovin llamas and lazy llamas.  Llamas as far as the eye can see: When I Lived in Edgewater (near Annapolis), I discovered the beautiful Homestead Gardens – which is the largest, most beautiful collection of plants I’ve ever seen, short of the DC Aboretum (but they don’t have llamas). They constantly change their set-up, and they have fantastic seasonal displays, so I try to get back their once every couple of months, to see the incredible worlds they’ve created.

Heather was in a bit of a funk, so I figured – what better way to get a girl out of emotional distress then a bit of llama Love and flowers?

There is no better way, I assure you – now, unfortunately, you’re going to have to bear (which ‘bear’ is used here?) with me for a bit, cause I Loooove photographin them llamas!

I don't know really what was going on here - we ended up watching these two guys go at it for a bit, fighting. The white one ended up pretty bloodied by the end. We weren't sure what to do, as we couldn't find anyone to tell (the llama barn was unattended!!! we could have absconded with llamas by the dozen!) - I don't know - I felt kind of awful just sitting and watching taking photographs. But eventually, a couple of the llama ladies finally showed up on the scene and pulled the two brawlers apart, separating them, where they stood glaring at one another over a gate, making noises like a donkey being chainsawed.
I don’t know really what was going on here – we ended up watching these two guys go at it for a bit, fighting. The white one ended up pretty bloodied by the end. We weren’t sure what to do, as we couldn’t find anyone to tell (the llama barn was unattended!!! we could have absconded with llamas by the dozen!) – I don’t know – I felt kind of awful just sitting and watching taking photographs. But eventually, a couple of the llama ladies finally showed up on the scene and pulled the two brawlers apart, separating them, where they stood glaring at one another over a gate, making noises like a donkey being chainsawed.

So yeah – wandering the beautiful Homestead Gardens.  As a young Annapolitan (just three years ago?!), I would wander their enthusiastic, viridian aisles in search of something soothing, and I would invariably find it.  In a place that large, there are a dozen tiny places to hide yourself away – covered in fronds and obfuscated by petals – I could lose myself for hours.

Another well-behaved beast. They were not going to be petted though - they all sort of got up and left when I tried to touch one. They have personalities like cats. Bitchy and aloof.
Another well-behaved beast. They were not going to be petted though – they all sort of got up and left when I tried to touch one. They have personalities like cats. Bitchy and aloof.

The day was sunny and bright and light and airy and fresh, and I’m coming to the realization that my beLoved winter was finally on her way out – to be replaced by a brief heaven that will last only moments before being replaced by a Hell of heat, pollen, and 17-year locusts.

Not all the llamas were so cantakerous, of course... this guy just watched us. Though it occurs to me, we later found out she was female. Hrm.
Not all the llamas were so cantakerous, of course… this guy just watched us. Though it occurs to me, we later found out she was female. Hrm.

After the gardens, we wandered in search of food.  We decided to splurge on sushi for the day, and there was a turtle at the sushi place, which made us happy.  He watched us reproachfully from a rock as Heather contemplated tempting him forth with Love and reptilian favours, but in the end we decided it was best to leave his turtley bits sitting in the water like a miniature, armoured Nessie.

(Heather mentioned Nessie over the course of the day – oh – in reference to the llamas – and I was impressed with this random bit of Fortean mention)

I'm pretty sure this is EXACTLY how Peter Jackson created Fangorn. Just Photoshop out the greenhouse backgrounds, and it would be perfect for roaming hobbits and hidden orkses. When I was younger (I'll leave the exact age up to your imagination), my brother and I would play with our Star Wars figures in the front window of my parents' house, where all my mom's plants were. Luke and Leia would run from Stormtroopers in the dense forrests of Endor, or perhaps there were Imperial spies in the jungles of the fouth moon of Yavin. In any case, if we couldn't find an actuon figure, chances are it was in the front window. It's why so many of our old toys have lost resale value through bleaching in the sun. Not that I'm complaining. Some of the best times of my Life.
I’m pretty sure this is EXACTLY how Peter Jackson created Fangorn. Just Photoshop out the greenhouse backgrounds, and it would be perfect for roaming hobbits and hidden orkses. When I was younger (I’ll leave the exact age up to your imagination), my brother and I would play with our Star Wars figures in the front window of my parents’ house, where all my mom’s plants were. Luke and Leia would run from Stormtroopers in the dense forrests of Endor, or perhaps there were Imperial spies in the jungles of the fouth moon of Yavin. In any case, if we couldn’t find an actuon figure, chances are it was in the front window. It’s why so many of our old toys have lost resale value through bleaching in the sun. Not that I’m complaining. Some of the best times of my Life.
DCF 1.0
Hrm.
Hrm.
Some flowers, standing guardian over their surroundings.
Some flowers, standing guardian over their surroundings.

Anywho – after this, we hung out with Sharif and Brian for a bit, playing Halo (and getting shot, and shot… and shot…) before heading off to the Phoenix Emporium in Ellicott City.

Awesome night.  Met good people, played strong, and had great french fries and crab soup.  THIS is the Life I invision Living – playing with friends all day, exploring the world, and then playing every night to a really, REALLY appreciative crowd, and selling them a lot of CDs.

On the drive home I was thinking to myself, the only thing that could make the night better would be to get a sprinkling of rain.

As we pulled in to the house in Owings Mills – it came pattering down with the gentleness of … of something gentler than llama kisses.

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