August 2021 – Keith Robertson

“Back and Forth”

Whew! That was a busy couple of weeks, and I didn’t do anywhere as much traveling as McD. I didn’t keep great notes and so I’m going to break with tradition and go in somewhat of a reverse chronological order.

We spent the weekend with four other couples at something called the “Celebrity Dream Estate” in Rancho Santa Fe, CA. This was a very fancy place and one of the few to be found that had five bedrooms and bathrooms. Rancho is about 30 minutes north of San Diego and is located in the hills above the Pacific Ocean. Here are some pictures of the place:

We arrived on Friday afternoon, picked up supplies, and then spent a pleasant evening catching up with everyone. Saturday began with a run and walk for D and me, while most of the group went hiking by the coast. The roads were quite hilly and narrow – not completely ideal for running – but a good test for us. The first test was how to get out of the coded gate from the inside without the weight of a car on the sensor pad. We managed to squeeze through and later learned of a code box hidden on a fence post. The driveway is very long.

We did pass Diana’s new estate on our run – just missing a “g”.

Saturday afternoon was spent relaxing by the pool, followed by a lovely dinner at “Pamplemousse” – a highly recommended local restaurant in Solana Beach. I really enjoyed my Duo of Game – a Venison Chop Au Poivre and Lemon Thyme Marinated Quail. This was the waiter’s number one recommendation and I’m glad I followed his lead.

Sunday was my favourite day of the trip. We met Campbell and Molly for lunch at a great Mexican restaurant and then walked across to Cardiff State beach, timing it just perfectly so that the awning and chairs were fully set up by the advance party. Diana was very adventurous with jumping the waves – most of which were several feet taller than her. I’m glad I joined to provide a tiny bit of supervision. Campbell and Molly came back to the house and played games with the crew, while Merry Lee enjoyed watching Campbell’s mannerisms that she thought were doubles of mine.

A really good trip and I know Diana enjoyed catching up with her girlfriends.

This was her second trip out to California in two weeks. She took her Mom back home last week. Clorinda was happy to get back to her grandkids.

Alicia flew back last Thursday and they were able to visit her new University (also Clorinda’s alma mater).

The weather has become quite boisterous as I’m tying this – lots of thunder and the torrential rain that I’ve only experienced in Texas. My new 6 inch gutters in the back patio are passing this test with flying colours – no overspill at all – much better than the old 4 inch variety. Diana is not going to enjoy her drive to the dentist much though.

While Clorinda was with us for a couple of months, Caroline had made a project of organizing her clothes. Diana enjoyed making some videos of her Mom telling stories about the dresses, when she made them, and where she wore them. And then the fun started as Diana decided to model a couple of her favourites.

Finn started work earlier in the week in the produce department at Market Street (a high end grocery store 2 miles from our home). He’s enjoying it and seems to be doing well in the eyes of his managers.

After I dropped him one morning, I finally tried the Del Sur Taco counter that’s inside a Shell station across from Market Street. Folks rave about their breakfast tacos, and they were very good. Looking forward to another visit soon. I know Denny would like all the Mexican wrestling masks.

I’m loving Mark Ronson’s Apple TV+ series “Watch the Sound”.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09qsnkw

The episode on synthesizers had a great piece on a BBC engineer, Delia Derbyshire, who came up with the original Dr. Who theme song using a series of oscilloscopes and wave shapers. Each episode so far has been very interesting and educational.

Here’s a new song from saxophonist Chris Potter with the fantastic James Francies on keyboards and bass pedals:

I watched a film called “You’re Not You” sometime over the last fortnight and really enjoyed it. Hilary Swank’s character (and I’m really not usually a fan) is a classical pianist who has ALS. The story revolves around her relationship with the brash college student, hired as a caregiver, who ends up being wonderful for her. I enjoyed seeing some of the Houston musical hotspots like the sister to Austin’s wonderful Continental Club.

I read “Clever Girl” by Tessa Hadley over the last week or so. Having really enjoyed a short story from Hadley in the New Yorker, I thought I would give this a try.

Here’s a synopsis review:

“Clever Girl is an indelible story of one woman’s life, unfolded in a series of beautifully sculpted episodes that illuminate an era, moving from the 1960s to today, from one of Britain’s leading literary lights—Tessa Hadley—the author of the New York Times Notable Books Married Love and The London Train.

Like Alice Munro and Colm Tóibin, Tessa Hadley brilliantly captures the beauty, innocence, and irony of ordinary lives—an ability to transform the mundane into the sublime that elevates domestic fiction to literary art.”

My review would not be as effusive. The first half was a real struggle, and I got some enjoyment from the second half. Just not my thing – too much hippie commune stuff. I only enjoyed the last few chapters when the “Clever Girl” reaches my age.

Stay safe, kind and sensible in the increasingly nutty environment!

“Bye Grammie, Come Back Anytime”

Finn and I picked up Alicia from the airport on Monday. We stopped at the Blue Goose in Grapevine on the way home. I enjoyed my usual sour cream chicken enchiladas and Finn had combination fajitas. Alicia was good and had some kind of healthy salad. Oh, almost forgot – we tried something new – the goose eggs appetizer, jalapenos stuffed with shredded chicken and cheese. They were delicious and pleasantly spicy. Let’s have those again soon.

Grammie was very happy to have Alicia back in McKinney.

We watched the Olympics in the evening – situation normal during Grammie’s visit. She became such a sports nut. I was amazed at the British synchronized diving team – Tom Daly and Matty Lee. They looked like a single diver from the side angle – just excellent and not surprising that they won the gold medal.

Alicia took Finn on an outing to bowl at Pinstack on Tuesday – it’s nice for him to have someone around to hang out with during the day when we’re working. Alicia’s friend had given them a bunch of tokens that Finn deployed to win three stuffies from the claw game that I thought never allowed anyone to win – a hidden talent.

Wednesday brought a couple of pieces of good news – Finn passed his final interview for the job he wants (just the background check and orientation now), and travel restrictions to the UK eased for vaccinated US travelers – no quarantine required now. Hoping that holds until our visit.

The Olympic highlight was Finke’s acceleration in the final lap of the 1500 meter freestyle swim to go from 5th place to 1st. My favourite Olympic moment so far.

We attended the funeral service for Stanley John Bassett via livestream on Wednesday night. A really meaningful service and we were so glad to be able to participate from so far away. Vilma and their two daughters did a lovely job eulogizing Stan. They played this song as folks were leaving the chapel – hadn’t heard it in so many years. I remember when it was popular as the theme song to the Watership Down movie.

Alicia joined us for a show at the Kessler on Thursday night while Finn kept Clorinda company watching the Olympic gymnastics finals. We kept with our pre-concert ritual of dinner at Nova. Diana burger, Thai cauliflower with noodles for me, and Moroccan chicken for Alicia – quite the eclectic international mix.

Robert Ellis is a quite different performer who was based in Austin until recently (moved to Fort Worth, and I’m sure because Austin is becoming way too expensive for musicians.) He alternates between ironically funny, and very poignant songs on guitar and piano. Here’s one of his more popular songs – an ode to the sparkling water Topo Chico:

Ellis had the first three songs organized and then relied on audience requests. One entertaining moment occurred when someone requested “Two Cans of Paint.” “I don’t remember the guitar part to that.” “I can play it,” from an audience member. “Who is that?” “It’s Stacy.” “My friend Stacy – come on down and play a song for us.” Apparently Ellis had met Stacy on his last visit to the Kessler. She played a beautiful song.

Here’s another song from Ellis, “When You’re Away”:

The lineup of talent in the next month or so at the Kessler is very impressive. I think musicians really love playing there.

Diana traveled back to California with Clorinda on Saturday. She’ll stay for a week and get everything organized with new local doctors. I’m “supervising” Finn and Alicia solo now. I took a break from the Olympics on Saturday night and finished a movie I started a few weeks ago. “Our Friend,” starring Casey Affleck, Dakota Johnson, and Jason Segel, is not an uplifting, positive movie but the acting is first class.

The “kids” were quickly on board when I suggested Velvet Taco for lunch on Sunday. I’m not sure if it moved since Brent and I visited last, prior to auditioning speakers at Audio Concepts, but it wasn’t exactly where I remembered. I tortured Finn and Alicia with a visit to Interrabang books after lunch – and it had certainly moved – all the way to Lovers Lane and the other side of the tollway. The new store is smaller and I couldn’t find anything that caught my fancy at all. On prior visits I’ve come away with three or four new books. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood.

There was another baking adventure on Sunday evening. Lemon and blueberry cookies with cream cheese frosting was the product this time. The teamwork was solid and Clorinda is working on convincing Alicia to bring some when she returns to California later this week.

Will had his car at the track again over the weekend and was excited to share some pictures of the new trim – not exactly sure what’s new but it does look very fancy.

There’s a new music technology show out on Apple TV. Mark Ronson hosts a show called “Watch the Sound”, and I’ve been enjoying it with my elliptical workouts. The episode on reverb was fascinating. I had just read in my Robbie Robertson autobiography (more below) about the fantastic reverb available from the concrete chambers underneath the Capitol records recording studios in Los Angeles, and sure enough that was one of the places Ronson visited. That and a massive, abandoned diesel tank in Scotland that is rumored to have the longest reverb in the world.

“Testimony”, Robbie Robertson’s autobiography has been my companion this week. What a fascinating account from an amazing musician who had a front seat to so many musical highlights – backing up Bob Dylan when he went electric, and witnessing Jimi Hendrix first shows in New York to name just a couple. I remember first watching “The Last Waltz”, Scorsese’s movie about The Band’s farewell concert, in university and being completely amazed at the level of musicianship. The book is over 500 pages long and I haven’t quite finished yet.

On first meeting Levon Helm, one of my very favourite musicians:

“In the center of it all was a young beam of light on drums. Teeth gleaming, laughing, bleached hair glowing, whole body shaking, drumsticks twirling, pushing those red sparkle drums with a hawk painted on the bass drum like a white tornado. It was the first time I saw Levon Helm, and I’d never seen anything like it.”

Watching Levon dance across the front of the main stage at the New Orleans jazzfest, a few weeks before he died, is one of my best musical memories.

Encountering Jerry Lee Lewis:

“As we headed back to Sun Records for Fred’s appointment, I was flushed with excitement. Inside I took a seat in a little lobby area while Fred was escorted to an office. The pictures of legendary Sun records artists hanging up and down the hallway made me feel I was stepping into a rock ‘n roll cathedral. A man came out of the recording studio, and as the door swung I thought I saw Jerry Lee Lewis sitting at the piano. Must be imagining it, I thought, but the door to the control room opened and from the speakers I heard that voice and that piano – Jerry himself. So real I could barely stand it.”

Weird encounters:

“Jack, the owner of the Skyline Lounge, was none other than Jack Rubenstein – otherwise known as Jack Ruby. The man who had hired us only a few months before to play his weird, burned-out Skyline Lounge in Fort Worth, Texas, had shot and killed the assassin of President Kennedy.”

What sounds like a wonderful evening of music:

“On one of our nights off, Levon and I, along with Connie and Mama Kosh, drove a couple of hours to the Buffalo Auditorium to catch Otis Redding; Jerry Butler, with Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions; and Junior Walker and the All Stars.

Otis was astounding; that voice slayed me. He could be such an exciting performer, but it was the ballads that completely took me away, songs like “These Arms of Mine.””

My favourite paragraph so far:

“Upstairs in the workroom across from my bedroom on Larsen Lane, I sat with a little typewriter, a pen and legal pad, and a Martin D-28 that said NAZARETH, PENNSYLVANIA on the label inside the sound hole. I revisited memories and characters from my southern exposure and put them into a Luis Bunuel surreal setting. One of the themes that really stuck with me from Bunuel’s films, like Viridiana, was the impossibility of sainthood – no good deed goes unpunished. I wrote “The Weight” in one sitting that night.”

Imagine – that’s where those classic lines started – looking into a Martin guitar sound hole:

“I pulled in to Nazareth
Was feeling ’bout half past dead
I just need some place
Where I can lay my head
“Hey, mister, can you tell me
Where a man might find a bed?”
He just grinned and shook my hand
And “No” was all he said”