New Year's Eve ~

The excitement builds as the winds whip up, gusting over 40mph as the temps begin their slow tumble from the current high of 56F. I was awake this morn by 0700 despite having been up 'til almost 0100, doing the final Coachmen songsheets for tonite. With the First Night celebration and Dwight & Robin inbound, it will be an exciting time indeed. Hard to believe it was just a year ago that sister Gay and her family were here from Indonesia.

Speaking of excitement (for the Easily Excited, anyway), last eve M's new Scooba, the floor-scrubbing robot that is the newest C'mas addition to our family, got his first assignment: doing the kitchen hardwood floors, and then the master bath's tile floors this morning. Scooba did Strong Work, as evidenced by the dirty water drained from the holding tank after each workout and the shiny floors left behind. He moves at a more deliberate pace than his Roomba vacuuming cousins, simultaneously inhaling dust and dirt, laying down cleaning solution, scrubbing same into the surface, and then using a squeegee-vacuum to Suck it Up. M was pleased.

After straightening up the office here I'll get ready to fetch and load the A/Bus and head over to secure our parking spot behind the church where once again we'll be playing. Our companion band, with whom we'll switch off shows, is a bluegrass-gospel group from SW Va called Thunder Creek.

We spoke with Caroline last eve, who is having a good time riding her leasehorse Mateo almost daily; she has a whole list of parties to attend tonite for New Year's. Tomorrow she jets off for four days of Rocky Mountain skiing with a bunch of peeps; as it happens, she'll be the only girl with about 15 guys. It's tough being unemployed.

Wow, the lobolly pines are really rockin' in the wind out there. Glad the backyard genset is rested and ready.

Happy New Year's Eve to all ~