Deployment

Yesterday was the day for the mobilization and deployment of the Cougar Creek Band to play at the gig at the Hope Marketplace Cafe.  I say that because of the amount of organization it requires to set up for a gig (5 microphones plus stands, plus music stands, plus cables, two speakers, the mixer, the bass amp, the keyboard and accessories, chairs, rugs and last, but not least, the instruments). 

At this time of the year we only have ten band members, trombone, sax, trumpet, accordion, bass, drum, guitar, two mandolins and a keyboard.  We toss in a harmonica and washboard now and then.  It only takes two pickups and one Outback to move all of the necessary equipment to a gig and we have TWO gigs this weekend.   The setup and the take-down takes about an hour each.

Setting up at the cafe.

We played last night to a "standing room only" house.  It was a lot of fun.  We had a second line up and dancing on many of the songs.  The place was rockin'.

That gig is over and we have moved to our staging area at Mandolin Ann and Bass Man, Neil's house to setup for the Mardi Gras celebration on Sunday. 

Let the good times roll!

A question for you.

Why aren't you dancing with joy at this very moment?      is the only relevant spiritual question. ~Vilayat Khan

 OR, if you're not dancing with joy, how about a leap?

This is a photo of Retired Mountain Man in 1974.   We were swimming off the dock on Kiebert Point.   He was getting ready to take the big jump into the lake. 

 

I think as we get older we have a tendency to stop doing anything out of our comfort zone when that is exactly what we should be doing.  Take more big leaps!  There's not much time left for "out of the box" activities.   Are you open to try something new and different?  

Just do it.

Let's Dance! Go Girl!

Tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 8th is Ravishing Beauty's last day at work!

A warning:
The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off.
Abe Lemons

Don't worry about it:

 There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.
Sophia Loren

Time to Dance!

You have to put off being young until you can retire.
Author Unknown

Lets go dancing!

Another milestone.

Our Trombone Man shared these photos with me and pointed out that our band is finally on a marquee!  We are the real deal now!

Never, never, never, never give up. Winston Churchill

Don't give up.  Spring will be here soon. 

Yes, it's February and there's still a lot of very frozen snow on the ground here, but it is slowly melting.  We are in the melting, freezing, very icy stage of winter.  Our driveway is glare ice.  Retired Mountain Man has spread sand all around, especially where we get in and out of the car. One positive is if you decide to take off on a hike on your snowshoes, you will be on top of the snow.  There is no powder.

Despite the icy conditions, we are preparing for our annual Mardi Gras celebration which will be this  coming Sunday.  The parade will be in our driveway and we will sand the entire parade route if necessary.

I bet they don't have to chain-up any parade floats in Mobile or New Orleans.

The lighting of the flambeaus, 2011

A Mardi Gras celebration is one of the best ways I know to beat back the winter blues.  Wild and zany behavior fits right in with the event.  Everyone's is decked out in stylish bright costumes, The Krewe of Cougar Creek Band entertains with New Orleans style music and leads the parade.  The dinner menu is everything you can find in New Orleans and better.  Dozens and dozens of moon pies, beads, and doubloons are thrown to the parade watchers.   The kids can't wait for this event and neither can I.


This a great video of a band playing on the street in New Orleans.  Well, the video is not so great, but the music is awesome.  The musicians are VERY good!

Plus there's a dancer.

Beat back those February blues! Never, never, never, never give up. There will be flowers soon.