Sandman's Journal

Okay, okay. Spokane. Arrived there early in the afternoon and picked up Alex Stevens who had just arrived from Minnesota via Amtrak. We went to a river and I practiced a little. Eventually a one-eyed vagabond swam across and was soon joined by his hydrophobic pal. They wanted to drink beers with us and listen to my songs some more but we had to leave for the show. They talked me into playing one last song: "Two Key-chains". Vagabonds, hobos, tramps, bums, outlaws, thieves, prostitutes, horse-rustlers, escaped convicts, and one-eyed-hydrophobic drunks all seem to understand me better than your average millionaire for some reason. If they were the ones pulling the strings I'd be richer than Toby Keith and Brad Paisley put together!

Anyhow, Alex and I eventually made it to the Shop, which is the funky, hip coffee house where I played with Bobby Birdman and Little Wings, which I already wrote about. The real fun began after the show when Alex, Jeremy, Melissa, Kyle, Rob, J.D., Andrew and I drove an hour north to Jeremy's parent's guest-house on some beautiful lake. We started a fire and drank beer until late and took turns playing Twister with Melissa. By 4:30 a.m. Alex, Melissa, and I were the only ones still awake. Then I crawled into my sleeping bag and passed out. At 6:30 a.m. I awoke and quietly stole away in Jeremy's paddle-boat. I must have pedalled two or three miles before realizing I should return. By that time my knee was aching, the sun was starting to burn me, the wind was blowing against me, I was hungry, and I needed a quart of water. Eventually, though, I made it back. Most everybody was still asleep so I boiled up some macaroni and cheese and then swam for awhile. By noon, the gang was awake and Alex and I headed west. In Ellensburg I dropped him off at a Greyhound station and met up with Aaron and then he and I went swimming.

Tomorrow I hope to begin recording again. By the end of the week I will own a computer! Goose is giving me one, but I'll have to buy a mouse, keyboard, and monitor to make it usable. I might get a printer, too.