A glorious spring day!

So today, my family and I went to a concert at the newly refurbished Riviera Theater in downtown Three Rivers. What a magnificent place! It is so nice that someone took the time and money to bring the place back to life and they did a wonderful job at that. We went to see Kennedy's Kitchen, a traditional Irish band from South Bend. We first saw them at the Acorn Theater in Three Oaks when they opened for Tempest and have since seen them at the Irish Fest in Kalamazoo and at Fiddler's Hearth. A truly wonderful experience. I saw a lot of people I knew there too, and it was good to be seen (my typical response to "It's good to see you!")

I so love to listen to Kennedy's Kitchen, each and every time I listen to them I am instantly transported to some small quaint farmhouse in Ireland, all of us sitting around a fireplace with some stewed beef, soda bread, a pint of Guinness and of course potatoes. Laughing, telling stories, playing music... Their music calls to me, to my very core being, my soul if you will. In fact, if I were to be completely honest, it is just this sort of experience that led me to buy a guitar, so deep is the desire to hear this music and for it to be "live" that I would like to play it. They are therefor my inspiration.

I was glad too to see that Nolan (joHn's nephew) had rejoined them. The first time we saw them in Three Oaks he played the penny whistle in a solo performance that had us literally in tears. This afternoon he sang "The Parting Glass" and once again had me nearly bawling. Yes, their music is THAT powerful! At least for me it is. I know that each of us is unique in our own way and as such, we each have our own thing that calls to us, for me, this is as good as it gets. I would like to have a big party this year after the weather gets a little warmer and it would be absolutely perfect if they would be there to play. I'll let ya know how that all works out.

I have also been feeling the urge to get out and about and start getting things done in earnest. There is a lot of work to be done before we are even can think of packing things away for the move to Cali. As a whole, it seems an insurmountable task, but taken a piece at a time it's much less intimidating. And so a piece at a time, the task shall be accomplished.

As I look to the future and to a new life in Cali., I often wonder what will we do out there to occupy our time. I have always enjoyed being outside here, tinkering with some broken piece of machinery, puttering around in the garden, even just sitting in a chair on the lawn watching the chickens in their endless search for bugs. Will I still be able to do those things out there? Or will some new wonderful "thing" present itself to me? Only time will tell I guess...

One thing is certain, I am going forward on the journey, and I am traveling the road before me with Sarah and the kids beside me. And no matter where we go or where our road takes us, we will be together and that is what truly matters.

Until then, follow your bliss and enjoy the journey. And take the "big things" one piece at a time. It never hurts to share your journey with your family and friends too.

Peace,
-T-