Hazzard County

This week has been a physically hazzardous week for me. It started on monday, when as I was washing dishes, I cut my thumb on a steak knife, pretty damn good (bad). So blood was squishing everywhere and it's right on the side if my right thumb, down to the nail, so playing guitar has been not an option this week. In fact I never realized how important a right thumb is. I mean, pinkys, ring fingers, et. al aren't nearly as important!

Then Tuesday night rolls around, and I am at a friend's house. The driveway is on an incline, and I had my car parked on it. Lo and behold, as I am walking to the car, my shoes (platform flip-flops which have caused problems before, and why I still wore them, I do not know) cause me to misstep and I fall forward with gravity hitting my head/brow on the bumper, right on the angle of my front license plate which says "Give Your Heart to Jeasus". I saw as flash and then fell backward gushing blood. Yup, that was a good (bad) fall. Right up there with the time I slipped and hit my head on the toilet last winter.

Anyhow, my friend runs to get me a towel, and porceeds to examine and clean the wound. The cut is right on my eyebrow, so I am lucky for that. It was bad, but not bad enough for a visit to the emergency room. As a result, I suffered also a really big black eye. So as today unfolds and I actualy dared to leave the confines of my room to run errands, get food, etc., I am sporting the sunglass look and star wars bandaids, and am proceeding with utmost caution.

Oh, and I threw out the shoes.

technical conundrum

okay, here's the wierd thing...

My cell phone is broken, but I can't exchange it until I know the password on the account (which my mom set supposedly). But she swears she never set a password and has no idea what it is. So, in order to access the account, she has to go into a T Mobile retail shop and reset it, but she is travelling abroad and won't be back until the end of the month. Meanwhile, my internet went down at home, and I could use my cell phone to log on, except that it is broken. SO, I thought I'd just buy another one. But I can't buy a new phone, because they don't sell the same model anymore (even though it is barely 6 months old!). The customer support said they can lead me though some steps to see if we can fix it. Well, we didn't get too far, because what is broken are the number 3,6, and 9, so I can't type in any numbers to reset the phone, dial, text, save messages, etc.. I said to the lady on the phone, "see what I mean?"

So, if you call me and leave a message and I don't call you back, it's becasue I can't dial. Just call me back again and please don't take it personally!

Italy, Austria, Halloween

Hi Y'all

Hope you had a happy halloween! We missed it this year, as we were overseas (namely Italy and Austria) and halloween isn't so big there. We actually spent it with my dad eating wurstl (hot dogs) and bar hopping...not too much going on, but I did bring and wear a mask!

Jimbo and I played two gigs in Italy, one in Pavia and one in Milan. Both were quite successful and we made good money that we could blow in Como (that's Como, Italy not Mississippi). Como is absolutely beautiful. It is on a lake, Lago d'Como, and surrounded by alpine foothills. The air is fresh and the old town has great shopping. Coming from Milan, it was like going to heaven. Milan has some realy cool aspects to it, but one thing that bothered me, was that there was grafitti on everything, I mean EVERYTHING. It was everywhere you looked and it wasn't the artistic kind on the most part. I find the lack of respect for other ppl's property and old historic buildings quite disheartening.

But, there was plenty of wine (my GOD there was) and plenty to eat. I can't say I didn't enjoy that aspect of the trip! We had wine and beer everyday! I guess those of you who know my history in NOLA would say, "we'll gee, isn't she used to that?" Well, yes in a way I am, but this upped the ante for sure!

We did check out a couple of really old medival castles built in the 1300's. Quite impressive, drawbridge, moat and everything! Can't say I have ever seen that before. We have a lot of castles in Austria, but not of that design. Some are built around that time, like the one that my family reunion was held in (actually owned by the Von Trapps) was built in the 1400's, but an entirely different style and design. The "moats" in Austria, are actually the mountains. They built the castles on top of hills, so that you can't get to it very easily.

Austria was beautiful, not a cloud in the sky the whole time we were there. We went hiking and then took the tram all the way to the top of Hafeleka, which Jimbo referred to as the "mountain of death" becasue it is incredibly steep and the sign says, "do not attempt to ski down this unless you really know what the hell you're doing". I have to admit, I have never skiied down it a