Saturday

I've had a few posts about this over the past month (In the News, It's about time?, It's V.D.) and the name of the nationally syndicated television talk show is the Oprah Winfrey Show. Obviously the folks at Robert's work are really excited about it. The air date for the program is still a bit vague, it's gonna be sometime this week. The morning show Robert (the other one) and Libby went to ChiTown for the filming on Monday. It's still supposed to be a 2 part program on pathological liars and we don't know which part they'll be in.

Robert received an email from a friend in MI that we were wondering about. It's good to keep the connections going, even if they're half-way across the country. We did hear that there were a few others let go of back there that we didn't know about. We're glad to be here where it's been warmer and sunnier than back there.

We made it back

After a long weekend of pickin' it's good to be back. We were pretty tired after all of that. We spent Sunday night at Robert's dad's place and had dinner at the Elephant Bar Restaurant.

Robert gave Bill a lift to the Greyhound depot so he could get back to Denver. Susie was in GJ for a follow-up doctor visit for her back (which is doing better day-by-day).

Otherwise it has been a fairly normal day.

Saturday at the fest

We made it back to the fest at about 10 in the morning. Not much was really happening as compared to last night where you couldn't hardly think because of all the jamming.

We went to Joe's room to get our instruments (we left them there because it saved us carrying them between hotels). Robert played with a few guys from the west slope and Susie went to a vocal workshop.

Robert received a few requests to join the Band Scramble because they needed bass players. A band scramble is where a bunch of people put their names and what instrument they play on a list and the organizers select (supposedly at random) the players to form several groups. These groups then have a few hours to select three songs and practice before a competition.

Joe decided that Robert was needed for the band scramble and signed him up. Susie signed up of her own free will. Robert was a bit reticent of doing it but Joe made that a bit easier by doing it for him.

Susie's group was the 6th group created and the 2nd group to perform. Robert jokingly called the group the Susie and the Geezers since there were a couple of guys that were over 80 in the group, but they were called One Lucky Girl, a send up of a local act that goes by One Lucky Guy. Susie sang I am Weary even though she is again fighting a cold and was a bit hoarse.

Robert's group was the 2nd group created, had an age advantage, and perfomed next to last. To put it simply it helps to have a kid in the group. In this case a boy named Cody, who played both guitar and mandolin quite well. He also sang the first song, Little Black Pony.

We didn't get a picture of the group that won, but they also had a kid in the group who played bass realy good - particularly since he was barely taller than the body of the instrument. That group also had Joe in it as well as several other guys who could sing and harmonize. Both of our groups were hampered by a limited number of singers. Robert's group did get 3rd place though and he got $16 and a ribbon for the showing, not bad for the first try! We'll definitely try it again.

We had to rush out the door immediately after getting getting the results of the band scramble to go meet friends for dinner at New Saigon. The Vietnamese restaurant we go every time we're in Denver. The service was very much so (as Robert puts it) continental drift. Robert got his meal after everyone else, and it took 15 minutes from the first person to until Robert got his. A very unusual situation for the establishment.

It was good to catch up with them since we hadn't seen a few of them in a year.

We got back to the fest at 9pm and there wasn't much jamming going on and we were both pretty tired so we headed back to the hotel for some sleep.

We're here

After putting in a half day at work and driving a few hundred miles we've arrived! We had dinner and took a break for a little while before heading over to the hotel where the jam is being held. We're staying across the street from it so we drove - quicker and safer than trying to walk it. We played with Banjo Joe (playing guitar in the pic) and Tall Paul (playing fiddle in the pic).

Meantime Uncle Bill is back in GJ taking care of the house and animals.

In memoriam

It's been a year now since Bruce (Robert's assistant in Michigan) died of pancreatic cancer. He left behind his wife Marge and 3 children Jack (now 7), the twins Rosemary and Natalie (now 2 1/2).

We sent them a christmas card but haven't heard back from them. We hope that they are doing well. He made quite an impact on everyone he met.

It's V.D.

At Robert's work a camera crew for a nationally syndicated television program (we can't say the name of the program yet) came in to tape an upcoming segment about pathological liars. This is in response to the lady that lied about the soldier being killed.

Although the station was the Moose, they filmed in the new K-Joy studio that Robert built. The story also made it to the Drudge report where they copied the story from the local paper.

Susie took the day off because of some back pain that started at work (prob. because her chair was a plastic school chair). We did get to have lunch together at the local sushi joint! Which will serve for our Valentines Day feast.

Tomorrow Robert gets to visit another transmitter site (if he can get there) and Susie gets to go to Glenwood Spgs. This weekend we're going to the Mid-Winter Bluegrass Fest we're hoping to have a good time and meet up with friends and Robert's family.

It's about time?

Well it's been a week for the books.
The footage that the 9 News crew took made air on the 8th. Click on the icon for the story.


Robert went to Parachute to try and work on the translator there and had lunch with Susie, but the road was ice covered with snow so that was a no-go.

On Thursday Robert successfully got up there but had to hike up and back about 8 times. It made for quite a bit of exercise.

The equipment didn't work right so he'll be going back in a few weeks. Maybe we'll have lunch in Parachute again.

Pete (Susie's brother) and Ione left today back home to the Washington D.C. area. They enjoyed their ski trip to Teluride but thought the lift tickets were a bit expensive.

In the News

Well KUSA 9 News the Denver NBC affilliate stopped by Robert's place of work (in fact they just left) regarding the very bizzare story of the woman who made up a story about a soldier killed in Iraq.

They spent some quality time in the Moose studio filming the morning show folks (Robert and Libby - but this Robert is really a Darrell, hey it's radio!) as well as the telephone interviews they had with the woman. We'll see if it makes air (mebbe even national) so y'all can see the studios that Robert is rebuilding.

That's Life?

Well Robert was testing a different photo posting program and promptly screwed up the blog for a few hours this morning. Those that might have seem a bomb blast on the page might have wondered about it. That was the program locking things up!

Kelly was mighty sluggish last night after the hike (the sign there did say it was strenuous - it was the truth). She bounched back pretty quick, but then again Susie made sure that Kelly took an anti-inflamatory this morning (as well as last night). We aren't moving too bad ourselves.

The weather is raining in GJ and up the hill (where Susie works) it's sorta snowing. Tomorrow we might even have lunch if the weather permits. Robert is planning to go to Parachute to install some new translator hardware above the town.

At least the last few posts have had decent pix on them since we've remembered to take the camera along.

On a new Trail

Today Pete and Ione took off on their journey to Telluride. After the usual Sunday fare of church, shopping, plus a nap, we went off on a journey of our own. Susie thought it would be good to take a little hike. It was decided that we'd try the Mt Garfield Trail.

Needless to say we weren't the first up that trail. There were plenty of scribbles on a rock about 1/2 km up the trail. We went up a bit farther but decided to turn back around because it was getting late and the trail was really (and I mean REALLY) steep. It was steep enough that the footing was difficult and one slip might mean a 200' slide down the side of the mountain.

We got home real tired but we had a good trip.

A Visit by Pete and Ione

Susie's brother David (better known as Pete in some circles - a long story that we won't go into now) and his significant other Ione came by on their way to Telluride from Washington DC. They arrived on Friday evening and after a dinner of Chicken Crockpot Enchiladas we went to the Borders Jam. Robert didn't take either bass but we both played a couple of songs, Susie took her mandolin.


Today we took a trip to the Colorado Monument. The weather was great, all of us had a good time.

Studio is done

After too much time the K-Star studio is done - now the jox have to actually get in there and do their thing. Robert's side of it was done yesterday but the computer guy was still working on it when he left at 19:15 last night. The folks at the radio ranch have nicknamed it Barney since it is very purple.

Susie made it back to work - and is feeling a bit better. They have a speech therapist that is only showing up part of the time. There are a few people at the place that want Susie to take the gig. They'd have to put her up on a waiver and she'd have to work on getting certified (we already know she is certifiable since she lives with Robert).
In a couple of weeks we'll be heading over the hill to the Mid-Winter Bluegrass Fest. We hope to visit with some of Robert's family when we're there.