New rig getting ready for a new year

Wow, I just went to have a look at the blog and noticed that it's been forever since I posted.   Guess what.......  We got a new rig.  Yes, a funny thing happened.  I was reading the Good Sam Club magazine, Highway Herald, and noticed an ad for a brand new Winnebago for an amazingly cheap price and a 26 footer seemed like it just had to be looked at.  We checked the local dealer, Jack Sisemore Traveland, in Amarillo, TX and sure enough they had one.   We went to look at it and quickly decided it wasn't configured right for us, but in the meantime we looked at the Vista 30T a thirty foot version and fell in love.  After counting pennies and gathering our resources, we bought it.  This one too was discounted significantly and it seemed the perfect time to go for it. Our other rig was just getting a little too old and we figured it was the perfect time to trade.

 Here we are parked in Brownwood, Texas where we expect to remain until May 2013.

We've been in the rig for a month now almost and we're just loving it.  I've been researching and buying materials to get the solar up and running in this rig and hopefully we'll be going by Christmas.  Well that's enough for now.  I'll review previous postings and get to writing some more blog entries.

Getting Ready to Travel

Wow, I was just reading the last post talking about moving to Lubbock,  that was January 25th.  Now it's April 18th and we're getting ready to leave.  What a wonderful time this has been.  We met so many wonderful people  here.  First we dropped in on the Occupy Lubbock site and met Chris who told us about some of the great jam sessions around town.  It's funny, I had been talking with Janie about having an intention this year to meet other musicians and have some jams like the old days.  Then this person told us about Fisher's Jam Hole Thursday night jam session.  We walked in there the first chance and were blown away by the talent in that room and the wonderful and friendly way that the jam was conducted.  We were immediately welcomed by the crew and invited to people's homes for smaller sessions.  I even started a three guys jam on Tuesdays at The Buzz Coffee and Wine Bar here in town.

Also while here we had our sing along cd remastered by a new friend, and I have been inspired to finish one song and write about three more.  One has been about the Occupy Movement and I created a slide show to go with the song and put it on Youtube   Anyway, creatively, it's been a great place to be.  Also Janie's work has gone well with a nice facility and again, friendly people.  I also began playing music on Thursdays at 4:15 at Bellecourt South a wing of the facility where she works.  She joins me if she's off work on time and if not, then I just play for them.  So we've also made friends with these fine folks.

I'll end this blog with the lyrics of my newest song which sort of explains the experience of meeting folks through music etc.  I might mention that Janie and I call ourselves "The States" and we've been introduced as "Wandering Minstrels of Peace" in the past.  

Wandering Minstrels of Peace  By Martin Bates  4/5/2012

Hello new friends, whatcha been doing, we’re glad to see you here.

Yes we brought our guitars with us we often keep them near

Yes we’ll sing some songs with you as pretty as you please

Yes our name it is The States, we’re the Wandering Minstrels of Peace

Refrain

It’s the Wandering Minstrels of Peace, just as happy as can be

Traveling around on love and music and one new friend to meet 

(oh) Wandering Minstrel of Peace, sing with us and you will see

Wander around with a song in your heart

and you’re a Wandering Minstrel of Peace.

Any kind of music suits us as friendships come with songs

We’ll work the chords out get a beat and we’ll sing it all day long

Don’t you see it’s a celebration, a friendship you and me

Sing with us and let’s go strolling, the Wandering Minstrels of Peace.

Refrain

Look there at that smile on his face, he looked sad a moment a go

But then he heard a song he remembered and started singing low

Then he sang just a little louder and just about on key

Let’s go with him out and about that wandering minstrel of peace

Refrain

Oh but soon we’ll have to get on the road, oh soon we’ll have to leave

Another town it is a calling another place to be

But rest assured that we’ll remember as we hope you do

the time that we all spent together and the songs we sang with you

Refrain

Living in Lubbock

Wow, what a transition.  The first day was beautiful, but as expected the wind came up and the cold settled in, however, I must say that this cold isn't as bad as one might think.  We're very thankful for a beautiful park to live in, a nice and straight forward commute to Janie's work and a pretty nice looking bicycle corridor to her work and other nearby places we might like to go.

















The trip here was interesting last Sunday, as we were driving through a sand storm much of the way.  I was thinking that I just got a new K&N air filter and I guess I'd better clean it before we drive anywhere else.  That sand was really in the air.  Here's a picture of the sun at about 5 pm, full sun obscured by the dust.   










Our last evening at St. Francis was a great night, we had lots of friends come over for a campfire and songs in the back yard of the church and in the front yard of our home.  We really miss all our friends already, and we'll make the best of this and look for what God would have us to do while in Lubbock.

The States at St. Francis Campfire  (photo by Sally Williams)

I might add that so far Janie really likes her work, and I'm motivated to get back into keeping up with the computer and developing a marketing plan for our music.  We'd like to have more opportunities to play and introduce more people to our path, our music and the strong messages we carry from the places we've been.

The States at Brazos Valley Farmers' Market 1/21/2012