Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad

Very best Merry Christmas to all my friends and family.

Feliz Navidad mis amigos!

My Favorite Christmas Carol Right Now

Merry Christmas From The Family
Robert Earl Keen

Mom got drunk and Dad got drunk at our Christmas party
We were drinking champagne punch and homemade eggnog
Little sister brought her new boyfriend
He was a Mexican
We didn't know what to think of him until he sang
Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad

Brother Ken brought his kids with him
The three from his first wife Lynn
And the two identical twins from his second wife Mary Nell
Of course he brought his new wife Kay
Who talks all about AA
Chain smoking while the stereo plays Noel, Noel
The First Noel

Carve the Turkey
Turn the ball game on
It's margaritas when the eggnog's gone
Send somebody to the Quickpak Store
We need some ice and an extension chord
A can of bean dip and some Diet Rites
A box of Pampers, Marlboro Lights
Halelluja everybody say cheese
Merry Christmas from the family

Fred and Rita drove from Harlingen
I can't remember how I'm kin to them
But when they tried to plug their motor home in
They blew our Christmas lights
Cousin David knew just what went wrong
So we all waited out on our front lawn
He threw the breaker and the lights came on
And we sang Silent Night, Silent Night, Oh Holy Night

Carve the turkey turn the ball game on
It's Bloody Marys
Cause We All Want One!
Send somebody to the Stop 'N Go
We need some celery and a can of fake snow
A bag of lemons and some Diet Sprites
A box of Tampons, some Salem Lights
Halelluja, everybody say cheese
Merry Christmas from the Family

Feliz Navidad!

Are You Free Saturday?

The Road Goes On Forever and the Party Never Ends

Sherry was a waitress at the only joint in town
She had a reputation as a girl who'd been around
Down Main Street after midnight with a brand new pack of cigs
A fresh one hangin' from her lips and a beer between her legs
She'd ride down to the river and meet with all her friends
The road goes on forever and the party never ends

Sonny was a loner he was older than the rest
He was going into the Navy but he couldn't pass the test
So he hung around town he sold a little pot
The law caught wind of Sonny and one day he got caught
But he was back in business when they set him free again
The road goes on forever and the party never ends

Sonny's playin' 8-ball at the joint where Sherry works
When some drunken outta towner put his hand up Sherry's skirt
Sonny took his pool cue laid the drunk out on the floor
Stuffed a dollar in her tip jar and walked on out the door
She's runnin' right behind him reachin' for his hand 
The road goes on forever and the party never ends

They jumped into his pickup Sonny jammed her down in gear
Sonny looked at Sherry and said lets get on outta here
The stars were high above them and the moon was in the east
The sun was settin' on them when they reached Miami Beach
They got a hotel by the water and a quart of Bombay gin
The road goes on forever and the party never ends

They soon ran out of money but Sonny knew a man
Who knew some Cuban refugees that delt in contraband
Sonny met the Cubans in a house just off the route
With a briefcase full of money and a pistol in his boot
The cards were on the table when the law came bustin' in
The road goes on forever and the party never ends

The Cubans grabbed the goodies and Sonny grabbed the Jack
He broke a bathroom window and climbed on out the back
Sherry drove the pickup through the alley on the side
Where a lawman tackled Sonny and was reading him his rights
She stepped into the alley with a single shot .410
The road goes on forever and the party never ends

They left the lawman lyin' and they made their getaway
They got back to the motel just before the break of day
Sonny gave her all the money and he blew her a little kiss
If they ask you how this happened say I forced you into this
She watched him as his taillights disappeared around the bend
The road goes on forever and the party never ends

Its Main Street after midnight just like it was before
21 months later at the local grocery store
Sherry buys a paper and a cold 6-pack of beer
The headlines read that Sonny is goin' to the chair
She pulls back onto Main Street in her new Mercedes Benz
The road goes on forever and the party never ends 

    Robert Earl Keen

Thanksgiving in KW

It is 67 degrees with a breeze and clear blue skies by the pool this Thanksgiving morning here in Key West.  I will not be making cornbread dressing this year, but we will but eating at the Westin buffett.  We went to Peppers of Key West for a hot sauce tasting last night and it was a blast.  You bring your own beer and they start you with mild sauce and work up to hotter and hotter sauce.  Sandy dropped out on about 6 or 7 on the hot scale, but Amanda, Kevin, and I went up to 9, the hottest sauce they serve without a waiver.  One drop from a toothpick onto a chip and you could feel the heat!  You get a button for making it that far.  We bought several bottles.  A couple of others who tried some of the hotter sauces had red faces and were running outside.

Everybody Has A Cousin In Miami

It was 90 miles to freedom, so they took a risk......

An Appropriate Quote For This Month

Tarpon and Turtles

A great seafood restaurant idea.  Turtle soup and fried tarpon sounds good.

Roosters and Iguanas

Sounds like a good idea for a new restaurant chain. 

Sunset from the roof of La Concha Hotel

Fabulous Key West sunset from the roof of the La Concha Hotel on Duvall Street.

1300+ miles to get to Mile 0

Key West in November!!!

1344.4 miles to be exact.

Hot Mead on a cold day

After so many months of hot and warm weather, it is always a little hard to believe you will feel at all cold walking around outside, even if the forecast says it will be cool.  With a north breeze and cool clear skies, it was a little chilly in Plantersville at the Texas Renaissance Festival.  But that is much better than too warm.  The chill in the air is perfect for the people in costume and period attire and make drinking a nice hot mead all the better.  First time to drink mead, it had a wine and honey taste, pretty good stuff.  Saw most of the usual favorites from past years and some new funny performers, like the Tudor Cannibals.  Also saw that some people should not be allowed to dress themselves (or almost dress themselves). 

Another Trip Around The Sun

My lovely wife marked my recent birthday with an upscale hand made card (street value approximately $97) and a new fine feathered friend.  The perfect gift for someone with my handle.  Thanks dear, you are the best!!

Oh, I picked out something for me also.....

Blackberry Smoke...Kicks Ass!!!

I saw Blackberry Smoke at Dosey Doe last Wednesday and they are 100% what Southern Rock is supposed to be.  This may have been the best show I have seen at Dosey Doe.  Imagine Lynyrd Skynrd mixed with some George Jones and Led Zepplin and you are in the right ball park.  These guys should have opened for Def Leppard at The Woodlands instead of  Poison.  If they are scheduled any where close to where you are, go see them, you will not be disappointed.

Chifforobe

“Turn an old wagon wheel into a chandelier, hang it from the ceiling,

Move the mirror from the chifforobe into the hall where its more appealin’”

Mother of Invention (High, Wide & Handsome) The Trishas


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chifforobe

A chifforobe is a closet-like piece of furniture that combines a long space for hanging clothes (that is, awardrobe or armoire) with a chest of drawers.^[1]Typically the wardrobe section runs down one side of the piece, while the drawers occupy the other side.^[2]It may have two enclosing doors or have the drawer fronts exposed and a separate door for the hanging space.^[3][2]

Chifforobes were first advertised in the 1908 Sears, Roebuck Catalogue, which described them as "a modern invention, having been in use only a short time."^{[citation needed]} The term itself is a portmanteauof the words chiffonier and wardrobe.^[4]

The word is used in the United States, primarily in the southern portion of the country,^[5] in Puerto Rico,^[6]and in Cuba. Its use has been attested as far apart as Georgia and Vermont.^[3] In those references, it was used as a water closet or poty.^[3] The word has been used in Texas, but is not as common as itssynonyms such as bureau or dresser.^[2]

The word is usually pronounced shif-uh-rohb or shif-rohb. Alternative spellings include: chiffarobe,chifforobe, chifferobe, chiffrobe, chifrobe, and shifferobe.

The Trishas

http://www.29-95.com/music/story/trishas-rootsy-music-and-heavenly-harmonies

Nice article in the Houston Chronicle.

Chicago & Doobie Brothers on stage Together

After Chicago finished one encore, the Doobie Brothers joined them on stage for six or seven songs and rocked hard!!  That is a lot of really good musicians on one stage and they clearly enjoy jamming with each other.  Tremendous sound with two saxophones, two basses, four drum sets, and four guitars in addition to trumpet, trombone, and keyboards.  It saves time by having both bands set up and I really believe it would be a nice show to listen to them play together for 2-3 hours.

Jason Scheff, Tom Johnston, Robert Lamm

Chicago July 22, 2012

One of my favorites music groups is Chicago and saw them last night for the 6th time (second time appearing with Doobie Brothers).  Fantastic sound with the horns/sax section and great guitar, bass, drums, and key boards too. They have been at it a long time and it is great to see founding members Robert Lamm, Lee Loughnane, and Jimmy Pankow putting on a great show along with other long time members and some new comers.  "Color My World", "Make Me Smile", and "Saturday In The Park" are three of the best songs ever.

Robert Lamm
James Pankow
Lee Loughnane
Walter Parazaider
Jason Scheff
Tris Imboden
Keith Howland
Lou Pardini
Walfredo Reyes


http://www.chicagotheband.com/

The Woodlands July 22, 2012

Robert Lamm

Jimmy Pankow & Jason Scheff

Doobie Brothers July 22, 2012

I saw the Doobie Brothers for the second time last night (first time August 1999) at the CWM Pavilion in The Woodlands and had a great time.  These guys can rock and jam.  I had greats seats 60 feet from the stage.  You can really feel the twin drums sets pounding in your chest, but not too hard on the ears.  I highly recommend seeing these guys if they come to your town.  70's music is great and does not get much better than this.

Guy Allison – Keyboards/Vocals

John Cowan – Bass/Vocals

Tom Johnston – Vocals/Guitar

John McFee – Guitar/Strings/Vocals

Tony Pia – Drums

Pat Simmons – Vocals/Guitar

Ed Toth – Drums


http://www.doobiebrothers.net/

Happy Fathers Day

A wish for a Happy Fathers Day to my Dad and all the other great Dads out there.

Great Evening of Wine and Music

Gary P. Nunn and his Norwegian guitar player Lars were in fine form singing old and brand new songs tonight.  Nice breeze as the sun set and a fun time had by all.

Gary P. Nunn at Bernhardt Winery Today

We are having an early Fathers Day celebration at Bernhardt Winery near Plantersville to enjoy a glass of wine, chicken fried steak, and Texas best musician Gary P. Nunn.

LATL Set List for The Woodlands

01	One Particular Harbour
02	You’ll Never Work in Dis Bidness Again
03	It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere (w/Mac)
04	Growing Older But Not Up
05	Son of a Son of a Sailor
06	Come Monday
07	Knee Deep
08	Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes
09	Swingin’ Hula Girl
10	Volcano
11	Sea of Heartbreak
12	Cheeseburger in Paradise(w/’Land of a Thousand Dances’ tease)
13	Give Henry the Receipt (Nadirah Shakoor Sings)
14	Piece of Work (The Beach Band)
15	Pencil Thin Mustache (The Beach Band)
16	Southern Cross (The Beach Band)
17	Mermaid in the Night (The Beach Band)
18	Margaritaville
19	A Pirate Looks at Forty
20	Who’s the Blonde Stranger?
21	Why Don’t Wet Get Drunk
22	All Night Long
	Encore:
23	Jolly Mon Sing (Jimmy and Robert)
24	Gulf Coast Highway (Jimmy, Mac, and Tina)
25	Scarlet Begonias
26	Brown Eyed Girl
27	Fins

The Lagoon was Cool, The Lagoon was HOT!

What a great way to spend a Saturday night and a great way for Jimmy to kick off the 2012 Tour.  Great show, many good songs not played recently.  A funny story about the Commodores and Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw (I will save it for a later post).