Vacations and nice places to go to

Hello loyal readers of my blog.

It's 21:30 hours in Holland now (9:30 PM as they say in USA). The flight back was with just 10 minutes delay and as you can see I have arrived save and sound at home.
I have been up for more then 24 hours now. Will take a shower and then go to bed.
The comming days I'll be completing my blog and add some more pictures to it.

See you soon on the net and if you get SKYPE we wil be able to speak and see each other on line ( you would need a webcam + microphone and speakers or a webcam and a headset.)
Oh yes, please don't be shy and let a message in my (new) guestbook.

Sunset at bastrop
'That’s All Folks'
Well today is my last full day in the USA, more specific my last day in Austin, Texas.
I must say I really had a wonderful time here. This all made possible because of my dear wife (who couldn’t be with me this trip). Also my friend Anne, with whom I stayed the last 4 weeks and let me drive around in her ‘68 GMC truck and made me meet so many people and discover so much new music. I hope, my dear Anne, it wasn’t too hard for you to share your house with a grumpy old man for 4 weeks.
Then all the friends I had before I came here (in no specific order) like : Chelsea, Dale, Gene, Don, Herb, Don Don, Nate, Richard, Rita, Dick, James, Will, Marcy, and new friends I found here like, Laurie, Kim (from Fadó), Dave, Larry, Tommy van den Avond, mr. Rodrigues, Rodney, Jessie Lee Miller, Bobby & Maureen, Claire, Dell, Ellen, Redd, James, the man at Amtrak station in Austin, Jessica from Seattle’s coffee shop, JoBelle, Ruby Jane, Olivier, Drucilla, all the squirrels in Austin, all the waiters and waitresses of the places I have been, the dream boy, and all the people whose name I don’t know or maybe forgot to mention.
I will be looking back to these for weeks with a smile on my face and soon forget the moments of waiting at the immigration and at Amtrak station in Austin(although they make a good story !)
When I’m back home I will fill in some of the days I left out and complete some of the stories.
It will be a while now before I will be writing about new places I will visit or people I will meet, so keep in touch and see you soon either live or on the net.

White Ghost Shivers at Antone
Now what can one say or write about White Ghost Shivers to explain it to someone that has not (yet) seen them perform?
Let’s see what the internet says about these musicians? This is what I found in Wikipedia (!):
White Ghost Shivers is an eclectic American band based in Austin, Texas. They mix cabaret, jazz, vaudeville, hokum, western swing, hillbilly, jugband and ragtime into a high energy show. White Ghost Shivers won an award for the "Best Novelty Band" at the 2007 Austin Music Awards.
The names of the musicians (and what they do in the band) is as unusual as the name of the band. Their website gives this information:
THE MEMBERS:

CURTAINS - Vocal, Violin, tenor banjo, lunacy.
MA POPPITT - String Bass, background vox, chillin.
SMOKEBREAK SLEMENDA - Vocals, lead guitar, chain smoking.
CELLA BLUE - Vocals, fun havin', dancing, skirt lifting.
SHORTY BORGASM - Vocals, tenor banjo, ukuleles, guitar, mandolin, kazoo, nose flute, baritone horn, tap dancing, antics.
DEATHMASTER - Vocals, guitar, tenor banjo, songstress.
SATURN - Clarinet, Tenor Sax, Ukuleles, Jug, The Clap, Ass Kicking
Once the band starts playing they go on and on and on and just stop at the end of the show. No 'what shall we play now' breaks or other reasons not to hear music coming from the stage.
And then just try and put them in a nice little cage and give then a label is impossible. They just play their own kind of music which can best be defined as VAUDAVILLE (that in my opinion is about everything a stage artist can do)
So keep an eye on their website and go out and see them as soon as they are in a theatre nearby, you won’t regret it!

Visiting Bobby and Maureen in Bastrop

Here is a picture of Bobby and Maureen at the banks of the Colorado River.

Meeting Bobby and Maureen and visiting them in Bastrop
I was introduced to Maureen and Bobby by Jessie lee Miller. She had advised me to go to see a show at Artz Rib. I came later than planned but just in time to see some songs played by The Texas Swing Kings. There Jessie Lee introduced me to Maureen and Bobby. We met again when Jessie Lee was singing at The Broken Spoke and it was then that Bobby offered me his CD.
After Jessie Lee’s show we went to see Lucky Tomblin. Maureen and Bobby invited me at their table and that’s how we come to know each other a little better, Bobby would explain me about the band and other bands and singers.
Later in the evening they told me that there would be a car show and street dance in Bastrop the following Saturday and they invited me to come and see them.
So on Saturday I drove down to Bastrop to visit Maureen and Bobby and they took me to visit Bastrop. The streets were filled with all kind of stands were you could admire and buy all kinds of goods. Also we saw a show of vintage cars (see pictures below).
We had a nice dinner in a local restaurant.
That’s were Maureen surprised me with this pair of miniature cowboy boots that I was admiring earlier.
After that we went for a walk longside the river and visited the old local bar, which now is a souvenir shop.
Agian I had a wonderful day, this time with my new found friends from Bastrop.



Pictures of the vintage cars.



































Pictures of Bastrop

The Cornell Hurd Band at Jovita

Story and pictures of the band will follow later.
But here are some pictures of Bobby Lueders singing with the band.