Here we are again!  Out on the road for a quick week in Florida with a stop in New Orleans.

Suffice to say BandVanAdventure is correct.  Last year, I got caught in the middle of a pile-up accident in San Antonio.  The poor BandVan got banged up some, but I got it fixed up enough so it can drive. 

Heading out on the road I had to do a little emergency road repair which ended up with a stop at a Goodyear for a post repair alignment and then a stop at Discount Tire for a tire warranty and rotation.  The WarPig is driving like a dream again.

The New Orleans stop was a Monday night - so it wasn't what I would call a smashing success.  But I got to hang with Matt and Melissa of the band "Sweet Jones."  They are a very cool and kind couple.  I met them when they came to San Antonio earlier in the year.  I hope to see them again. 

Since then I've been in Florida.  Best stop so far was the Dandelion Communitea Cafe in Orlando.  Great cool, cool staff, interesting people who come there to eat.  I love this place.  Even made a good paycheck for a mid-week gig!  My show was tight and I really connected with the audience. 

The downside of touring through Florida in summer is the humidity.  I've spent the past two nights sleep-sweating in the van.  Suffice to say I don't smell too good right now.  I think the biggest problem with short tours is the lack of needing to be super organized.  It's only a week - so hygiene can slip for a couple of days, the Van is messy, I didn't even put the tools back in their spots... I'll take care of it when I get to my next stop in Ft. Myers.  I'll be there for a couple of days and have some time to get things in order, get a shower, etc... 

I do love my starbucks stops.  I get some solid 'puter time in, mostly sending booking inquiries to festivals for next year, keeping up with the daily emails, and taking care of any special projects that come up.  I have a crazy two weeks in store for me when I get home.  Looking forward to being done with those projects. 

My zydeco band Jean-Pierre and the Zydeco Angels had a pretty long season this year and we're having a nice trickle of continuing gigs coming along.  That's a new thing.  And it's nice to not have to hustle work for myself.  Just before I left I picked up a weekend of work with the cover band "Finding Friday" in San Antonio.  That was fun.  Lots of partying.  Maybe too much partying.  I'm getting old...can't hang like that anymore. 

Really looking forward to the next gigs - I've been to all the places before and the folks are great.  And Saturday in Jacksonville I get to see a handful of guys I was in the Marines with. That's always a blast seeing guys from the unit. 

Time to get back on it.  There's a shower calling my name in Ft. Myers!