Oh You Lexington Girls....Dont You Dare Dance the Polka!

Now...about the Lexington BBQ Festival the other day....a very good day out!

Got there early....watched the Wells Fargo Stage Coach take off with its first load of passengers and then off to stroll the Main Street of town and smell all the enticing aromas of BBQ, Burgers, Kettle Corn and the like.

Mind telling me why anyone would come to a BBQ festival and order Hot Dogs?

Things went well until we hit the Outfitter Coffee Shop...then the ol' Southern Hospitality took leave of Lexington.

After buying coffee, the four of us took a seat inside at a Window Table and savoured a mediocre cup of coffee while People watching. After a bit, a couple of us sensed a need to take a more detailed tour of the premises and sought out the Porcelain furniture in the Cafe reading room. Whatever were we thinking?

As we headed in the right direction we were accosted by a young whipper snapper who summarily barked "VIP's Only!" and barred our way. As we explained the purpose of our travels....he reiterated what became a litany...."VIP's Only!". Any attmept at explaining we were in fact "Paying Customers" and thus in the dire economy extant....should be considered VIP's....(that is Paying Customers)....the Chant continued.

We were told the Outfitter's definition of a VIP was anyone with a purple armband....signifying they had purchased a ticket to see the Bands playing that afternoon. That sounded all warm and fuzzy to me except for a couple of small details. It was Morning.....not Afternoon and there were not Bands playing....heck there were no Bands present even. Matter of fact....there was no one at all in the VIP Section or the VIP Toilets even.

An attempt to discuss the issue with a higher level of management resulted in a part of the ownership telling us.....yes...wait for it...."Restrooms are for VIP's only!" A discussion of what the State Law and trade custom had to say about the VIP Only stand resulted in a snotty female lady person declaring she was one of the Owners and would not be bullied by the likes of me. Any effort to suggest to her the dangers of keeping an Old Man from the Services fell upon very deaf ears.

Owing to the very polite company I was keeping that morning....I elected to seek alternatives to the crisis afoot.

The Lexington PD, recognizing a couple of our party, kindly offered us solace.

Since that time....my Letter to the Editor of the Winston-Salem Journal relating my account of the encounter with the not so kindly folks at the Outfitter....stroke a chord with the Editor. It shall be printed in the Halloween Day issue of that newspaper. He called to ask if I minded a few edits to the language to which I readily agreed. I care not to get into two piddling contests in a single week.

Interestingly enough....even the Davidson County Health Department was interested in the Outfitter's lack of concern for both the law and its paying customers. They suggested they would be visiting the Outfitter but would not be buying any coffee. I bet you a Dollar to a Doughnut....they will be treated as VIP's during their visit despite there not being a Band even scheduled today!

Now if you folks are looking for recommendations on places to visit in Lexington at any time.....feel free to hit the Outfitter so long as you do not care to get into a piddling pickle!

PS.....there was some good music....and some very good BBQ. The Sand Carving was plain amazing....a Space Ship full of piggys poking their porcine probiscus's out of every port and portal.

Life as a Clod.....Cruiser living on dirt!

Time to get caught back up with the blog. Major changes in effect....some good...some ok...some not so good.

Let's start with the not so good....I am officially a CLOD....Crusier Living On Dirt. Please don't tell my Mom....she thinks I am a Third Class Cook on a Bombay Bum Boat. If the truth got to her it would break the old Dear's Heart!

Mom turned 93 in July....and I felt the need to be much closer to her and made that decision to give someone else the pleasure of Luna's companionship. Ship's Cat Frady (aka Kingfish as he utterly mauled a Pekinese Yapper one morning....and thus earned his nom-de-guerre!) is adjusting well. In time he will figure out the door layout...as there are eight of them for him to choose from.

He has plenty of roaming in the neighborhood....friendly neighbors....and two cat beds at his convenience.

As we cruisers know....it is a very small Orb we inhabit....and our paths seem to cross every so often. My next door neighbor introduced himself...and lo he was a State Trooper in Charlotte in the 70's when I was a City Police Officer. As we swapped Po-Leece Stories....we discovered we had shared the same spot of sidewalk one night after he had been cut with a knife while arresting a One Armed Drunk Driver. The question begged that night was how does one handcuff a one armed Man? My question was why he needed handcuffing having whittled on a State Trooper!

For those of you that have forgotten what "Houses" are.....they do resemble boats in some regards. They cost money to maintain! Not as frequently as a boat as houses are more of a neutral gender than are boats and thus the demand for attention is not as dear.

After buying the house....I decided to do some repairs to the Deck that runs the length of the rear of the house....nice view of the Price Correctional Institute particularly at night when all the Sodium Vapor Lights come on (Those kazillion watt yellow things) as one of them is pointed directly into the Master Bedroom. I wonder if the Captain over there forgets I am a single guy and not a very pretty sight in my Boxers!

Since making the decision to replace some 4x4 posts with some 6x6's on the Deck supports....the project has morphed into something along the scale of a yard visit with Luna. As it stands now....the Deck is being expanded, Hot Tub moved to the newly concreted Patio...which was enlarged after excavating half the yard from around one end of the House...lots of new pretty brick walls, piles, and porcelain tile on the new patio. The walk fromt he garage to the rear deck got pulled up and repaved....the Room with the Pool Table (stolen from the previous owner) has been enlarged....Bar built at one end...restroom enlarged...gas stove installed....tile on the floor....and imitation stone along one wall. I though while I was at it....decided to close in one third of the basement workshop and make a Den.

As I arrived with exactly a seabag of dirty clothes and the Commodore....I have also been in the furniture moving business as I shop for a house full of that kind of stuff. Frady is miffed....no sofa yet...no favorite chair for him as he refuses to use the 20 year old recliner as he feels it is beneath him some how.

My neighbor (the former State Trooper and Captain of the Price Correctional Institute) is a super fellow...lovely Wife and has been working hard at introducing me to lots of people and organizations. He knows everyone in this County I think. He ran for Sheriff during the last election and came up just a few votes short. If he runs next time....I'll be working for his election as he would be a darn good one.

Other neighbors are interesting folks....a good mix....some are Classic Car buffs...some are building yet another Log House....and have very nice not to remind me of how the Property Values went down when I arrived. I did feel kinda like the Clampetts Come to Hollywood when I got here.

I did the Lexington BBQ Festival on Saturday....good time so long as you don't need to take a whiz. I shall relate an account of what that is all about in a later post. It is a good story....and is a work in progress. The Winston-Journal asked to discuss my Letter to the Editor about the sad occurrence. No word yet from the County Health Department or the Festival Organizers.

After years of searching.....I just may have found that Treasure I seek! I was introduced to a lovely Lady on Saturday who might just make Biscuits like my Grandma Cooper. The "Luna" Luna was named for! Miss Luna made the absolutely best Biscuits I have ever had the pleasure to eat. All done over a wood stove, all mixed by hand in a trough that sits in a place of honor in my new Kitchen, and done fresh twice a day mind you! She made the kind that were big and thick....brown on top....soft inside and thick....really thick....thumb poking thick when you put the butter and molasses in them for dessert thick.

This wonderful creature offered to treat me to some of her biscuits....and I informed her that if they matched Miss Luna's.....there would be an immediate dropping of knee and a serious begging for matrimony! All fingers crossed and thinking good thoughts on this one......Biscuits and Beauty....ah....life would be grand! In case you have not guessed....I am quite taken by this chance acquaintance.

I see Vic in Oconee is heading south yet again to that beautiful clear water....and land of the Rum Punches that he makes so well. Fair Winds Vic.....enjoy your voyage!

Photos of the house forthcoming....and at some point there shall be a wee small party or two in the LZ Bar....as it shall have a Helicopter Motif and some sprinkling of things Nautical. My two huge Brass Nav Lights from Pakistan will be on prominent display after I modify them from oil lamps to electric flicker bulbs.

Cheers all!