July 25th – July 31st: The week that was…joy

I know this is lame…one blog for a whole week but it has been one of those weeks.  Crazy busy, but not without daily M2B:) moments I want to share.  Lynne and I had a terrific date this week.  We made lunch last from 12:30pm til 10:00pm.  Did a ton of errands together and WENT TO THE MOVIES, held hands, sipped soda, ate popcorn and tried to sort out what happened in INCEPTION.   I’m not sure the movie, as amazing at it was, was as fun as talking for the entire ride home about what we’d just seen, and how we felt about it.  It reminded me, again, how much the “de-brief” after the film is the reason to go to the movies.  Finding out what somebody else felt and saw while sharing your take on the story.  It fits my M2B:) philosophy that the purpose of money is to buy memories (rather than stuff)  and watching movies together and talking about them can be some of the best memories ever.  AND NOT THAT EXPENSIVE, compared to, say, building one of those dream sharing machines of your own.

Tuesday I slipped into my man cave where I’d rehearse most of the week for the three shows I’d be doing with John Batdorf.  John arrived on Wednesday and we reviewed what we’d worked on at his place last week, and then did some additional tweaking of some of the new songs we created then.  AND THEN MY FAVORITE.  We finished writing two new songs that make me smile…big time.   Don’t know whether it’s the new song itself that makes the most happiness, or the fact that I’m not done yet.

Got a chance to go fishing for a few hours and even though we didn’t catch any fish, it was good times.  We hit a bad patch of mosquitoes and mused on the fact that if we could train them to suck fat instead of blood the world would truly be a better place.

Friday night in Stansbury Park, UT we had a chance to sing songs from a project we’re calling SOUNDTRAX  2 RECOVERY, or 12 songs for 12 Steps.   Our audience were folks who were either facilitating, mentoring, or attending the Addiction Recovery Program sponsored by my Church.  Essentially it is the 12 step AA program that has been adapted to help recovering addicts apply the principles of the gospel to each of the twelve steps.  One of my friends who has been a facilitator for a year or two refers to AA as Applied Atonement.

The concert was held at the auditorium at the new High School and I got a chance to play a $150,000 Sauter Grand Piano.  It was an amazing instrument and brought new dimension to the expression “tinkling the ivories”.   Exquisite.  I’ve never been a great piano player, but sitting in front of that keyboard made me better, somehow, and it made me happy.

Because John and I have never done a show quite like this before and because there was so much new material to present there were some anxious moments.  But the crowd was so wonderful and from the response we received I truly believe they listened to our hearts even more intensely than the music itself.

Saturday we did a private concert for my friend who hosted an activity on the BYU campus for his ward.  So not only was there music, but there were refreshments.  And we blessed all those that weren’t there this time that they’d come next time.  The mint brownies were, as always, a highlight of visiting that part of Provo.  I loved seeing my daughter and grandchildren in the audience.  Bucky really got into it, and Sadie started singing along as ONLY a 9 month old can do and so her mother took her out of the auditorium.  When they returned I thought I saw chocolate on her hands, and she was smiling.  And Sadie looked pretty happy as well.  Highlight of the night, Bucky told me when he got big he wanted to sing with his Tappaw.  That was a first, for sure.

Sunday, day of rest, much needed, and a show in MONA, UT Monday night and then John heads back to LA.   What a good friend, brilliant musician, terrific singer, ace songwriter and someone who makes me glad I got to some to the planet when he did.  I just wish he knew where all the trout have gone.