Joe Ely Date

It's hard to believe that today is April 30th and the month is gone. It is also hard to believe that the temp was about 45 degrees today and has only warmed up to about 55. What is easy to believe is that the wind is howling.  I mean blow you away howling, and I'm no light weight - so typical for springtime in OK. It is miserable out there. That is why I'm in side playing on the computer. And, well, doing laundry.

On Friday when Toby got off work, we drove to WF for a little date time. We went over to hear Joe Ely at the Forum, which was a great place.  The Forum is a wonderful old Spanish style building in WF where events are held. When I was in high school, lots of dances were held there. Now it is more of a music and arts place. Joe Ely set up on stage with his guitar and sang and picked for a couple of hours - very nice.

Back when Toby and I were going to Texas Tech, the gang we ran with used to go out to the Cotton Club to hear Joe Ely. Our first date was in December 1976 to hear Joe Ely. That was 40 years ago!  Those were some wild times.

I say "go out" because the Cotton Club was outside the city limits of Lubbock. It was a big metal building with a stage, dance floor and lots of tables - not very nice. It was BYOB and it was a rowdy place. A bunch of us crazy kids would head that way on a Saturday night. We usually got our friend Bear (a big guy) to get there first and help hold the table. Yep, sometimes that was a problem. I do remember one night when we were all there sitting at the same table with some older guy and his date. The guy handed out his card and said we would probably need it. He was a bail bondsman. I'm glad to say, we did not ever need his card.

And so back in 1976, Toby picked me up in his Daddy's Lincoln (rather than his Camero) since we were double dating with one of my dorm buddies, Denise, and Toby's friend, Brad, who was also a jeep driver in RR that summer. It was through Brad that I met Toby. Brad and Denise did not hit it off, but Toby and I did. And the rest is history.

Now we are older and wiser. Joe Ely is still a good time. If I had closed my eyes listening to his voice, it would have been just like the Cotton Club. This time, we sat at a table with another couple. When we sat down and introduced ourselves, the lady said her name was Donna. Then we discovered they were from St. Jo. Then I said, "Donna Howell-Sickles has a studio there." The lady said, "That would be me." Then I just got stupid and flustered. Donna Howell-Sickles is my favorite contemporary artist. I first saw her work in the back part of the Morgan Gallery in Taos, NM, 25 years ago. I was in awe then and still am today of her work. To be sitting and talking to her was amazing. I was just a goof.
Later when I talked to Joe Ely, I was normal. Maybe I'm not as impressed with musicians as I am artists. 

Later we went to Jesse's house to spend the night. Jesse was off in San Antonio at the state high school art competition VASE. So we used her house. Although it was not a late night and could have driven home, we planned on doing the Mom thang the next day. It was nice to just already be in WF.  
Saturday we kicked around WF doing the usual. We had hoped to get home earlier since we were in WF earlier. But it was not to be. We saw both moms, worked on Jesse's car, did some shopping, etc. Then we decided to try a new place to eat before we came home. We ate at Bricktown. It was not good. How can somebody mess up a greenchili cheese burger and nachos. Oh well, it was still a very nice weekend - even with the wind howling.