In response:
1) I've been neglectful in keeping the flame going here. Why? Very busy with a bunch of stuff. Meri had me booked for 34 shows in January (see the Schedule page on this site). I'm still recovering. Then it's tax season and that always causes me stress. But right now I'm focusing on the latest big project in our life, The Radio Idols featuring Merrilee Rush. I've been enlisted to manage this group of '60's hit-makers that not only includes Merrilee Rush ("Angel of the Morning") but also former lead guitarist for The Troggs, Richard Moore, We Five bassist, Terry Rangno, former Chuck Berry band member and husband of Merrilee, Billy Mac, on keyboards, Terry Lauber of Brothers Four fame on guitar and hopefully longtime drummer for The Kingsmen ("Louie Louie"), Steve Peterson. I'm heading to Seattle next month to put this band together and we're hoping for some industry interest in the coming year.
2) Ah, c'mon Ron. We love your tirades!
Regarding Bob Shane and his charmed life, there will be some other stories in my book that document that. I've witnessed such things as driving with him to a specific destination and finding a parking place on the street right in front of where we were going. Amazing!
As for the last trip to Oregon - yes - it was an adventure. We left Colorado hoping to make it to Salt Lake City on the first day. We didn't even get out of Wyoming due to a heavy blizzard that forced us into a flea-bag motel for the night. The next day's drive was better and Meri and I even managed to play Scrabble along a seemingly endless straight stretch of hiway through Idaho. Later that evening, though, we hit more snow in Eastern Oregon, but we made it all the way to Meri's brother's house in Lake Oswego that night.
After a brief stay there we trucked on down to my old home town of Medford where Meri's parents now live (actually they live in Jacksonville just to the west of Medford.) Spent the week there entertaining, seeing some old high school classmates and teachers and celebrating Thanksgiving with family. The trip home was uneventful, but the whole affair would have been a lot more tense if I hadn't had that new driver's license in my wallet.
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