The drum lady/Bill and Ruby's

Saturday: Woke around 10. MB called and we had a nice conversation. She spent more time with Am and Gry, and then was going to go to another museum with her parents. A relaxed morning, and then suddenly there was very little time. Cats, shower, laundry, down basement, and headed out.

Over to Belmont and to the house of a person that was selling drum gear. It turns out she collects a particular line of discontinued drums, and always gets extra hardware when people insist she buy the whole kit. I picked up hi-hat and cymbal stands. As I was leaving a man stopped his car and said to me "In the future, would you please not park on the grass strip?" My tires were about 3 inches onto a strip of grass that was more gravel than green, with no curb. I said "I won't be back here again, but I'm sorry." Welcome to Belmont. Stopped on my drive back and picked up a veggie burger at a fast food joint. The kid who took my money asked if I was a vegetarian, and when I said "yes" said he'd been trying to quit meat, but finding it hard. I told him about the "pick a puppy" dream that converted me, some 10 years ago.

Back home, and ate the veggie burger in the cool of the AC. Then, packed my gear and headed out. Called Shawn, who was already at the party, and told him I was on my way. Hit a big traffic jam in Dorchester, and sought an alternate route. Damn hot out.

Arrived at Bill and Ruby's party around 3. Hellos, and settling in. Some warm up. We were the third act to go on. My new guitar's debut in the performing world. IBE was a bit of a train-wreck, but OK once it got going. Strange that... We played it so well in rehearsal. The newness of the guitar tripped me up in a few spots. Hope sounded amazing though. After our brief set, several people came over to ask about my instrument. Lots of complements, which seemed uncalled for to me. I stopped talking when I realized we were gabbing over the next act's set. Ate a bit of something which I think had some shrimp in it. This is the danger of a pot-luck. Hanging about and enjoying the music. The band before we went on had played a great number called "Let's go to Mars" about our illustrious leader. One fellow reprised his booger song from the previous year. A guy played very lovely classical guitar. Two of the fingers on his left hand were stubby, I was told from an encounter with a dog. Shawn headed out around 5:20, and I left not long afterwards.

Driving back home, listening to the disc Shawn had made for me, I hit some major traffic near Fenway. A Sox game was just letting out. Eventually found a way out, and across the BU bridge, then through Cambridge.

Back home, some hanging around, then attached a gardening tool box to the side of the house. Went to Home Depot for hardware to provide feet for the kick drum, and then out on a large shopping trip. Realized I wasn't going to make the movie I'd been thinking of seeing, so stopped at the video store and picked up a couple DVDs. Back home, put the goods away, then watched "Devil's Rejects" while eating leftover Chinese food. Soon down basement.