I was sick sick sick, on Saturday when I left headed to Nashville.  I wouldnt have gone on Saturday except I was picking up two friends at the airport and the room was in my name.

I picked up Peg as soon as I got to town - just before noon.  We went to the hotel and they let us check in early.  I napped while Peg unpacked the groceries (snacks/drinks) I'd brought and put them in the fridge.  She managed to knock all the Cokes over at least twice while putting them in there so we didnt open any of them that day!

Then back to the airport at 2pm to get Linda.  Back to the room for more napping.  I dont for the life of me remember what we did for dinner that night - that's how sick I was.  Oh, and it was raining all this time.

Sunday I napped some more, and late Sunday we went to Ted's Montana Grill for our dinner.  My friend Anthony had mentioned this place a few times so we gave it a try.  It was great!  We had buffalo!  Peg laughed the whole time because she was staring right at a HUGE (even bigger than normal) buffalo head hanging on the wall while trying to eat his brother (or uncle or something!)  LOL.

Here's the bison 'short ribs'.  (Peg says how can something so big have 'short ribs'?)

 Then on Monday we took my friend Anna to lunch for her birthday (her bday wasnt til Wednesday but we had classes on Wed and wouldnt be able to go out to lunch). 

We ate at a great little "meat and three" that has THE best pie in the world!!  I had chocolate, Peg had coconut, Linda had banana pudding, and I cant remember what Anna had.  But I know she had some!   Here is my chocolate.

I dont even like mirangue and I ate every bite of this!

Later that evening we went downtown to get a bite of dinner and just get out of the room.  It finally wasnt raining that evening.  We had some fries at the Pardise Park Trailer Resort (funny name, good food) and then a malt at Mike's Ice Cream.  The best ice cream in town!

Here is Peg with her first ever malted milkshake!

We checked out boots, but didnt buy because BabyGurl wanted us to wait til she got there Thursday night. 

Tuesday I got up and headed to my 9:00am class.  But halfway through it I was coughing so hard and was so wiped out I had to leave.  Came back to the room, went to bed and slept right through my afternoon class. 

Then we had reservations for a show at the Bluebird at 6pm.  One person I had heard before and is the real reason we went, but we enjoyed all of them very much.  They dont have the big hits yet, but that doesnt mean their songs are any less great than the ones you  hear on the radio.  In fact, many of them are better. 

Trent Jeffcoat - amazing singer/songwriter.

Matt Cline

Peg and Linda.  Peg's amazement and enjoyment are wonderful to watch.

Wednesday, more classes.  I made it to all of them this time.  Peg left right after lunch for the airport.  It was a sad goodbye. 

Then .... we found out at the last minute that John Schneider was playing a little place about four blocks from the hotel.  So, we walked down there.  He was actually doing a "real" show at another venue at 8pm, but did a short (40 minute) set at this venue at 6pm.  It was great!  I've always loved John Schneider, both as a singer and as Bo Duke. 

So ..... Thursday, more classes.  Then BabyGurl arrived and we went to Demo's to eat.  That's BabyGurl's favorite place.  I had grilled pork chop, BabyGurl had and fettucini, and Linda had ... uhm, Linda, what did you have? 

Then we went shopping.  We got our boots.  Linda got black high heeled boots.  Nice!  BabyGurl got some motorcycle boots.  She's a very practical girl when it comes to her shoes.  She also bought a purse at another store we were at earlier.  Matches her boots (that was an accident!)

These are the ones I got. 

Friday - more classes.  The best ones yet.  (I guess they really do save the best for last!)

Then another Bluebird show.  Hit writers Rivers Rutherford (Real Good Man - Tim McGraw / When I Get Where I'm Going - Brad Paisley / Smoke Rings In The Dark - Gary Allen); Jim Collins (Then They Do - Trace Adkins / She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy - Kenny Chesney / Big Green Tractor - Jason Aldeen); Rodney Clawson (Amarillo Sky - Jason Aldeen / Why - Jason Aldeen / I Saw God Today - George Strait) and Mark Nesler (Just To See You Smile - Tim McGraw / Living and Living Well - George Strait / A Different World - Bucky Covington).

Rodney Clawson

Rivers Rutherford

Mark Nesler

Jim Collins

And then Saturday I took Linda to the airport and BabyGurl and I grabbed some lunch at headed home. 

Until next time .............

These were in the parking lot of the hotel when we woke up Saturday morning.

... the chocolate pie?

John Schneider made a surprise appearance at a little club near our hotel.  He had a show planned for another venue that evening at 8pm, but he stopped in here at 6pm, for a quick 40 minute FREE set.  It was a great treat!

If you're on facebook, be my friend and see more pics from this week.

www.facebook.com/wheelerp

Just made the purchase!  Snapped this pic in the store with my phone.  A better pic will follow after I get home.

Just came from a great little unexpected treat.  A 40-minute show by John Schneider. 

I'll upload more pics once I'm home, but here's one I took with my phone.

He sure is aging well.  He's even sexier now than ever!

I think I got the flu from Gabbie.  But BabyGurl works in a pharmacy and she brought me all kind of goodies to cure me.  So I headed out to Nashville coughing my little head off.  Picked Peg up at the airport at noon and we came and checked in the hotel and I napped til we had to pick Linda up at 2pm.  Then we went for a late lunch at a little place right across from the hotel.   Then I took another nap.  :-)

 Later in the evening we went to hear a friend's band play.  I was only able stay about an hour and I started fading and slowly sliding out of my chair.  So we came back to the room and went to bed at 9pm!  Yikes!  Dont tell anybody!  

 Today we met my friend who lives here for breakfast and spent about four hours chatting and catching up.  Then back to the hotel for another nap!  I am feeling better though and I think by tomorrow I will be almost back up to par. 

We went for an early dinner at Ted's Montana Grill and had Bison - bbq ribs.  It was GREAT.  So tender.  And the sauce was perfect.

Five days til Nashville!  Finally got all my shopping done.  Now I have no money to spend in Nashville, but I got a new wardrobe.  LOL. 

I always go shopping before a big Nashville trip.  Couple of pair of jeans and a pair of khakis.  Six or seven new shirts.  And some new, uhm, underthings.  ;-)

Tonight I have my local NSAI meeting, but tomorrow night I start packing!  Lots of stuff can go in the suitcase early (since I cant wear jeans to work, and I now have lots of extra "undies"). 

Gotta get the camera batteries all charged up and make sure I put the charger in the suitcase.  I'm a list-maker when it comes to my big trips.  I'll get started on that today. 

I drive in but my 'partners in crime' fly in so I take a few snacks 'n' drinks 'n' things to get us through the first couple of days til we make a Walgreen's run. 

I'm so excited!  Linda and I are the die-hards, we go twice a year for a week, but this time we have two of our friends joining us.  Peg will be arriving on Saturday with us and stay til Wed, then Sandy will arrive on Thurs and stay through the end of the week with us.  I'm so disappointed for Sandy and Peg that they will miss each other, but I know we are all gonna have a great time!

BabyGurl will find out today if her schedule will work out so she can come up late Thurs night and hang with us for a couple of days as well.  She didnt get to come on our last two trips because the work schedule didnt go in her favor.

We've got reservations for two shows at the Bluebird (Tues and Fri), and we're setting up dinner appointments with our friends who live in Nashville.  We have classes during the day Tues-Fri.  We have a busy week planned! 

And of course we must save time to go downtown to the "buy one pair, get one pair free" boot store!  And a malted milkshake at Mike's Ice Cream is a must!  (I think I've mentioned in a few previous blogs how much we like to eat!)  We'll be trying out a couple of new restaurants next week, so I'll fill you in on those later!

I'll try to post a few updates next week if I can find time! :-)

TEN DAYS !

Yep, in just ten short (or long depending on how you look at it) I will be in Nashville.  Will head out bright and early on Sat Sept 19th and return totally exhausted (but in a good way) on the 26th.

Will be taking Songposium classes again this year (you can read last years notes at www.songwriterville.com/journey)

Meeting up with my friends Linda (from Abuquerque), Peg (from Myrtle Beach) and Sandy.  Sandy is from the 'show me' state! 

We're gonna have us a mighty fine time.   A little learning, a little fun, a big ol' hen party every night and eatin' til we cant eat no more!

Anybody else wanna come?  The more the merrier!!

BabyGurl and I went to Nashville Fri nite to see our friend Anthony.  It was a fundraiser for www.monroeharding.org Take a peek if you get a chance.

We saw Anthony ...

The flash didnt go off on this one and it got a funky glow, so I played around in photoshop and smeared out the people in the background.

Kix Brooks was in attendance, an graced us with a song.  He was GREAT!  (For those of you who may not be country music enthusiasts, Kix is 1/2 of the duo Brooks and Dunn).

Two of the other songwriters performing this night were Shelly Fairchild, and Lisa Carver.  Great singer/songwriters! 

And the beautiful and gracious lady who organized the event ... Laura Stroud.

Well worth eight hours in the car (my dad's truck to be exact, since the air is still out on my Jeep) and not getting home til 4am.  I love love love it (and so does BabyGurl).