Cloud kingdom

One day I will figure out a way to live in the clouds.  Literally, not figuratively, as I have already mastered that move.

We left for the west coast early Saturday morning feeling refreshed and a little less frazzled from the few weeks we had been out on the road.  The drive home from Des Moines happened directly after the show there, so we had three whole days back home.  When I pulled up to my place I was pleased to see that my lawn was no longer the mud and garbage pit it had been; it was covered in mostly living green grass.  Did you know you have to water fresh sod every day for at least an hour for a week?  I've never watered my lawns as I consider it wasteful, but to lose an entire lawn because I didn't want to spend the money on water would be a silly life choice.  So when I found time to spend the time to water my lawn, I felt pretty silly doing it.  Luckily I had a friend and some neighbours to chat with while it happened which helped to pass the time.

The next morning it rained, which means I didn't have to spend the money!

The drive to Seattle was a long one.  We left at 10am and arrived at noon the following day feeling completely ragged, dirty and tired, but I was super excited to play shows again.

Seattle is a cool town.  We saw a very small part of it, but we had some great pizza and coffee, sat in a park and after the show ate the best burger I've had in a long time at The Honey Hole.  We were all super impressed with the food there, so if you ever find yourself in Seattle, check it out.  The show we played felt more like a warmup for the Canadian dates.  The venue itself had a few people there, but the real party was outside on the sidewalk.  The Comet Tavern is located on a busy street in Seattle and people are walking by in large numbers, so it's easy to attract a crowd if you have the music to do it with.  I like to think that we do.

At some point, all I could see out of the doors and windows were people looking in at us while we played.  There were a few women dancing outside for the entire set.  They obviously didn't want to pay cover, but I think it was pretty awesome of them to just dance on the street like that.  At some point I wasn't even playing to the room; my attention was focused on the party outside.  They left before I had a chance to go thank them.

After the set, we ate and drove to Vancouver.  Sitting in the van at the border, I got was filled with pride as I realized that I had completed my first US tour with some success and a lot of great times.  We had a lot of help from people down there with places to stay and with the booking of shows.  Big thanks to Clockwork's manager, Jimmy, for hooking up all those shows with Clockwork.  I am super grateful.

I handed the work visas over to the border guard and we were on our way to meet my two besties in Vancouver, Ming and Garland.  I love seeing those two.  The live so close to each other and they are always able to house the band.  We rolled up to Garlands apartment and she came out and give me the biggest, most welcoming hug.  I felt like I was back home.  Although the feeling that the US is a very different place from Canada is gone, it was still great to be back across the border and in the arms of one of my dearest friends.  Then I had the best sleep I've had on this whole trip.

So now I'm in Vancouver at the Railway club waiting to play our first Canadian show since the 1st of June.  Very exciting stuff.

 We left Winnipeg as a three-piece and picked up the fourth in Brandon.  Cody's sister lives by the border on the way south so we stopped in and luckily had a chance to meet his niece and sister!  She is very stern.

 Jump ahead a few hours to after we've been cleared to work for a night in the US.  Brennan is doing some weird stuffs.  This really should have been a video.

 There will be a lot of nature pictures on this one.  I've always been fascinated by clous and the way they move and gather or separate.  It's always so distracting to me when I'm driving.

 Here we have short stop on the trip to Seattle where Cody and Brennan try on some local hats.

 I think the woman behind Cody was very impressed.

 Puget Sound.  Never try climbing down this terrain in flip flops.  Always climb any terrain in whatever footwear or you might miss out on some awesome views.

 This is from across the river now on the other side.

 This picture can't even capture the amount of insects we have killed on this trip.

So inspiring chalk art in a park in Seattle.

Found this too.  He-man and Skelly in a future where their not ashamed of their love and accept themselves and each other for who they are.













Right on.  Kelowna's going to be a great time.  Time to drive into some more mountains.  Or through them.