This year feels less and less about music, I pulled my guitar out in the lounge room last night, got the beginnings of a song, recorded it, as they are few and far between these days. Family has taken the focus.
This week I went with my mother and picked the plots where my father will be buried, and her when the time is right. It was a lawn cemetery that I have known all my life, she looked at the view of lake, and thought Dad would like it. It had been an amazing journey watching her have to confront the loss of the love of her live, 60 years of marriage, a lifetime together through thick and thin, unimaginable in this day and age. There has been tears along the way. We thought we had lost him on Friday, they stopped all interventions and he kicked on, amazing.
We even snuck him a beer on Saturday, VB, his face lite up as he tasted it, simple pleasures that have been removed from his life, he has not eaten properly for months, and recently, none at all, well maybe a table spoon of food a day. His body is gone, he was a falls risk for ages, that’s what got him in all this bother, it is not a bother any more, he can’t walk, no desire, no ability.
I see people walk in and ask “how are you?”, I don’t like it. I know how he is, He knows how it is. He is dying. I taught myself to say. Hi Dad, “It’s good to see you”, cause it is, and it puts no pressure on him to socially respond.
Last night Texas came to town. Dale Watson and his Lone Stars played, it was great, what a tight outfit, road worn and not weary. Seeing I had to cancel Texas this year due to my Dads health, this was a gift it coming to me. It was the last show of the tour, lots of requests, and then back at the after party he even donned an Evil Kneviel outfit, was a real needed good time.
Dale even help Tim the sound man out with a new hairstyle! Got to catch up with Kinnon Holt, the guy still makes me laugh, awesome bloke, Outlaw Guitar man.
Happy 60th birthday to Johnny Green, and Happy 50th to Karl. Both men are true believers in the power of real Rock and Roll, real roots based music, this aint no Australian Idol, X Factor shit her. The real deal, one man that has made a life entertaining folks all over the place and the other who backs it and brings folks like Dale to the land downunder. Thank God . Spent some time with Ezra Lee and Hank Green. They are talking of moving to Melbourne and having a crack. These guys are our future, the real future, not some corporate we take all your royalties therefore we promote the shite out of your for five minutes to earn what we can before the next series starts. Go for it boys. The gloriousness of young men on a mission.
This year is not over in so many ways, my father is hanging on, there is a Christmas party next Friday where my Dads at, I hope or my mums sake he makes it, she needs it, it’s in God’s hands now.
Its Sunday, and my wife wants me to go swimming with the boys, I want to hide in a cave, let it be dark for a while. That aint gonna happen, life my friends goes on, it’s as simple as that….
Chucks Wagon Rollin On..... 