Estoy Nueces

It has been a busy "trying-to-catch-up" week. I had a wonderful trip to Jackson, Mississippi, over the weekend. The radio folks I work with there treated me like a celebrity. They had t-shirts and hats for me from the station and a gift basket chock full of cokes and candy and crackers and station items. They took me to dinner at a fancy restaurant and I stayed at a really nice hotel too. Couldn't have asked for a nicer trip except maybe longer so it wasn't all crammed into less than 24 hours there and also I'd prefer less rain. We all looked like wet dogs through the day.

The occassion in Jackson was Jubilee Jam, a music and arts festival they have every year. My station sponsored music by River Road, Tim Rushlow, Keith Urban and Joe Diffie. River Road is a new country band with five guys. They are quite talented and I think they have a future. Their piano player was very cute and reminded me of my husband. It's fun to flirt when it is all safe and no future. Tim Rushlow was the lead singer of Little Texas. He reminds me a lot of Larry Gatlin---more the preppie type than the boots and hats kind of country singer. He was very very nice and down to earth and signed a million autographs. The only autograph he didn't sign was on the boob of a very drunk woman that was having her ample chest autographed by every man in sight. I admired him for turning that down. Keith Urban is an Australian guitar player who plays on Shania Twain's albums. He has been a studio musician for a long while and has his first solo album out now. It is very good and he is a killer entertainer and guitar player. He is a little bitty guy with lots of earrings down the side of his ear. Not your typical country player either.

Of course, Joe Diffie was the headline act and did a wonderful job. He was a very nice, very approachable guy and I'm glad I got to meet him. The rain had been off and on all day and it was definitely ON when he was performing but he forged on. He did a great imitation of Willie Nelson and of Julio Iglesias. Tim Rushlow did Jeff Foxworthy imitations and was pretty funny too.

Mark got back from his tour Monday and it is awfully nice to have him home. I do feel much less scattered and out of control when he is around to anchor me some. I even managed to get a few important, time-consuming, things done this week--like write the thank you notes to all the folks I worked with in Jackson.

He's been pooped since his trip. They played two gigs Tuesday night and finally had a night off last night but they were back at it again tonight.

My sewing class met again on Tuesday night. Things taking shape on my new shirt. I would like to really figure out what I'm doing so I can make me a few if I like the style. There are shorts and shirts I need just to kick around in and I don't see why I can't make them myself instead of having to buy. This isn't really part of my quest to be like Martha Stewart---I just hate to shop.

Mark brought me a wonderful present from his tour. It was something he's been working on for quite a while. He brought me a beautiful platinum and diamond wedding band. It is a "big ol' honkin'" ring, as we have come to describe it. He is quite proud that he was able to make this deal happen on a musician's salary. It is very flashy but not like a cocktail ring. I am not much of a jewelry wearer at all and would never wear a gaudy thing with lots of stones but this is big and substantial but still very low-key and classy. We've decided it will be my alternate wedding band. I fits best on the wedding ring finger and certainly IS a wedding band so I've been wearing it instead of my usual engagement ring and wedding ring some.

Finally have the word that my dad is going to have his spleen removedon June 16. We are not happy that this is going to be done. Daddy is not the most infection resistant person there is, he has a habit of having pnuemonia yearly, and without a spleen I'm afraid it is going to be even worse. We shall see. I'll go to Dallas for the surgery and stay a few days.