A long few days

Back home from New Jersey, updating the blog and watching the Indians-Red Sox game 7. It's been a lot of driving and late nights, going back to Thursday. And on to the recap...

Went to the Experience Hendrix show at Hampton Beach Thursday night. I enjoyed it a lot - got to see some of my favorites, like Buddy Guy and Robert Randolph, as well as some players I've grown to appreciate, like Doyle Bramhall, who did a wonderful cover of Angel. Mick Taylor played an extended version of Catfish Blues, which didn't do a lot for me. I've never been a big Kenny Wayne Shepherd fan, but thought his songs were good, especially the Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) finale with Randolph. A friend stuck around after the show and talked to Bramhall and Billy Cox and said both were extremely courteous to the fans. I split as I had to be up by 5:45 Friday and had to drive an hour home through thick fog. All in all, a good time.

I dragged through work Friday on four and a half hours sleep. I left from Maynard @ 4:15pm and wound up needing five hours to get to Jersey. Drove through rain better much the length of Connecticut and hit some traffic at the beginning on 495, and at the CT-NY line. I was pretty much exhausted by the time I got to the hotel - checked in and got settled, then headed over to my sister's place to work on her PC. I finished pretty quickly and was back at the hotel by 11.

Spent Saturday with my parents - my dad's Alzheimer's is progressing. He was pretty quiet for most of the day, and I noticed he frequently zoned out on our conversations. He really doesn't initiate conversations very much anymore, although he does well when I or other people talk to him. His short-term memory is pretty much shot. It's sad to see. My mom is holding up OK, but it must be a nightmare to see someone you've been married for 50 plus years disintegrating.

Went out to a Portuguese restaurant in Lyndhurst called Tero's Saturday night with a friend. Dinner was delicious - had clams in a garlic broth for an appetizer and a huge paella as the entree. Highly recommended. I didn't want to bring the leftovers back in the car, so I stopped up where my brother was bartending and gave them to him. Hung out and watched the Sox and some college football. By the time I got back to the hotel and ready for bed, it was 1:30.

Drtove home today after stopping by and seeing my folks...much easier drive and got home in about 4 hours. Listened to the Giants win their fifth in a row on the drive. I'm cooked now though...early nights this week!