Marc Antoine

We just got home from the Wednesday night jazz program at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. It was a very HOT day...but there was a breeze...so that helped. The show doesn't start until 6:00...so the sun was starting to set...and it wasn't long before it was out of sight...so things cooled off relatively quickly. They estimate there were 1000 people tonight...because the featured artists were Marc Antoinehttp://http//www.marcantoine.com/marc.html(in the red shirt) a nationally known recording artist and Brian Simpson. It was great. We started out way in the back of the crowd....then worked our way up closer to the front. Eventually we decided to wind our way around to the area behind the "stage"....where we managed to locate two chairs and and enjoyed a nice relaxing evening of great music overlooking the beachaway from the crowdI even found a little tube of bubbles in the grass....which I happen to know were some how overlooked when they cleaned up after the wedding we attended there on Saturday afternoon. It was great. Now I need to try to get to sleep early....so I can wake up and see some meteors tonight! There is nothing I enjoy more well not much anyway than seeing a shooting star! John saw one early this morning......the kind with a big long tail. I need to see one of those tonight!

Old Friends

Last night we headed up to the Smooth Jazz stations free Jazz on the Beach program at the Crowne Plaza hotel. It was a hot day...but there was a nice breeze and out on the back deck by the ocean it was quite nice. Jazz was great Dan/Dave(?) I wasn't paying attention to him...just the music and included in the band was his son who turned 16 last night. He was great on the saxophone. My brother David is almost ALWAYS there...and he was there last night. Actually...David should be one of the PR guys...since half the people I see there tell me my brother told them they should go.haha As we were finding a parking spot...we noticed a guy walking and lo and behold it was our friend Mike Koller....that I have not seen in at least 15 years! I couldn't believe it. We have invited him to various get togethers over the years...but he has been laying low. Apparently has been through a nasty divorce :( and that's been tough to get over. His mother passed away just a few months ago..... and I thought I would see him around town then...but did not. (I was unable to attend the funeral...we were out of town) So...it was a pleasure to finally see him and get a chance to catch up. He lived just up the road from us growing up and surfed, etc with John and my brother David over the years. Mike was always kind of quiet...but it was fun to talk about old times and hear what was happening with him. (he's a lawyer in Ormond Beach). Stayed out longer than intended...met up with a few other friends there and we all went for a bite to eat at ....where else....LongDoggers. (me with John, Mike, Ron and David and then who should arrive but my other brother Mark.) We had fun. I didn't get home THAT late...but I was yawning a little this morning. (extra cup of coffee took care of that. haha) Storytime was fun...butterfly and caterpillar stories.......and a cute little craft and one of *Ellison Die Butterfly shapes made out of old greeting cards and braille books*my favorite stories on video..."The Caterpillar and the Polliwog". ("when I grow up....I'm going to turn into something else.....") (I love it) Next week we will finish up our summertime programs with a little party and 3 programs in the afternoons (M-T & TH) It will be a fun/busy week. Monday we get to have a little party with out teen volunteers...Ice cream from Ben & Jerry's! I can't wait! (bring on that New York Super Fudge Chunk!). Okay...I have been putting off my bike ride for fear of a rainstorm...but it's moving off to the west...so I guess it's time for me to MOVE myself off this chair and get going!
*PS Ellen...if you are reading this....Hank is coming to FL Jan 3rd or so.....you should try to hop down for a visit. Wouldn't that be fun!?!