You've Been Mugged! (Episode #2)

Well, sorry. I'm long overdue on a post again. But know I've been thinking of you all. I spent hours on the phone today re-establishing my presence with my closest friends, whom could be reached. It sure is good to be home, and I really do feel home. True I had a few frustrating moments re-establishing my "spot" in the fam. (It was just one week, but things seem so different!) and I felt like jumping on the first Accela Express back to my apt. in NYC, but alas, that really is not an option.

I really feel some sort of "wrap-up" is due. I'm pretty "knackered" still as my good friend Kieferskate would say. However, I will attempt it and try to keep it under 10 pages!!!

I believe I left you all when Kieferskate and I were on our way out the door to the second concert night. After our usual Gray's Papaya lunch, (Oh God I just love those!!!) I put her on the Subway straight to the concert hall (Webster Hall In the East Village), where she had the good luck of seeing all the guys in the bands again coming in for their show. Again with her cigarette smoking she managed to talk to the" extra" film crew that interviewed Rocco on the front steps of the venue. She of course told them she had come all the way from the "Edge of Wales" to see Rocco. (By the way it was 28 hours in transit for her to make this trip!!! That's dedication huh??) So when they had Rocco in the interview they asked him if anyone had come a long distance to see him!!! LOL!!! He of course told them about the lady who traveled from the "Edge of Wales" to see him God Bless him. He is so sweet! You go Kate!! Score another one!! That night at the meet and greet, he was nice enough to tell her he had mentioned her in the "extra" interview. He really is very nice.

So Kate got to the venue very early and was so rewarded. I on the other hand went to play my heart out on the electronic drums, at you guessed it, my favorite store - The Sam Ash Percussion Store in Midtown. I had a fab time playing to my new ipod. They work so well together!!! I also bought the drummer and percussionist a pair each of brand spanking new Vic Firth drum sticks, with the crisp red label!! I wrote on them, "Thanks for reaching my 'inner drummer' guys. Rock On! L--------. and gave them to Rocco the second night to give to the guys who couldn't get out for the meet and greet as it was packing up night. For Rocco I got a business card with the address to one of the best shops in the NATION for Dobros!! Apparently it's in Staten Island. Who knew? He seemed grateful for the tip.

My camera battery was dead the night before, and I had told Rocco that I was pleased with all my autographs, but would definitely like to get some photos Wednesday night. Which as you can see I certainly did! And just look who came to the concert the second night!!! MY MUG!!! Yep, that's right people, and Rocco thought it was very cool! I agree of course!!! I actually made a print of this in NYC for him to sign at the Boston concert Friday night, which he did!!! Along with another ass-kicking photo of him wailing on his new Dobro! But by the time Sparky actually scans these for me, you'll all have forgotten about Rocco DeLuca & the Burden!! ( I may have too for that matter!! My friend mmorris can back me up on this one!!) So these are the unsigned versions!!

The show was awesome the second night too! However, by this time the tour was wreaking havoc on our bodies as we are not in our 20's-30's anymore. So I'm sorry to let you all down, but the truth is we just hailed a taxi right after the show and were back resting in the apt. by midnight!! (Having our dinner!) However, we did stay up till nearly 4 am again rehashing everything, blogging, sorting pics etc., and watching one of our favorite Kiefer movies "Dead Heat". This was all great fun too!

The next day the fam woke us up with a phone call at 1:30 pm!! We took our time puttering around the apt. Then off to Greenwich Village where Kieferskate treated me to a lovely Chinese dinner in a restaurant we just know Kiefer may have eaten in!! Then the Apple store! Then home, and again up till 2 am!!

Next am up by 7:30 am, run a few errands, pack myself, clean apt. a bit and say farewell to Kieferskate at 11am for 12:03 Accela Express to Boston!!! (She let herself out a few hours later for flight back to England at 8 pm) Must beat the band back!! NOT!!! Accela delayed one hour!! Arrived South Station 4:30 pm! Concert doors open at 6 pm with Rocco on stage 6:30 pm sharp!! Would have checked my bags at station and collected them after the show, but Amtrak won't check a laptop. Therefore, jumped on the orange line out to Oak Grove. Fam and Mellojoe waiting there for me. I really felt like "Jack Bauer" as I ran off the train, slammed a new cell phone battery into my phone, got money and "documents" off Sparky, quick kiss-kiss to the kids and immediately jump back on the orange line (with all the Red Sox Fans!!) and of course Mellojoe ! Arrived in time to use bathroom, comb hair, eat half a burrito and come into venue just as Rocco is coming on stage!!

The show was good. Unfortunately not as good as the NYC shows because they let in 12 year-olds!! They just had a bracelet so that they couldn't drink alcohol. So it was a nice crowd of "kids" but not what I was hoping for. I don't think the bands were that happy either! Matt Kearney actually seemed more well-received in Boston. All the "kids" were singing his songs. Anyhow, I of course sooo enjoyed the live music, for the third time that week!! Mellojoe and I stuck together, and I believe she really enjoyed it too! She definitely of course liked Rocco! Said she would go to another show with me to see him if I wanted!!!

Carolyn1968 and cousin S liked Rocco. Carolyn1968 definitely enjoyed Rocco and will also go to future shows with us! They weren't too crazy about the other bands. Unfortunately they went out for a smoke after Rocco's set and we never hooked up again as the crowd really grew! They say it holds 3,000?

Mellojoe and I battled the Red Sox fans home, and her hubby was nice enough to pick us up at the T. Luckily I was home about 11:30 pm and I must say thoroughly KNACKERED!!!

The fam was sooo glad to see me, and I them. The kids had got this new nintendo Brain Quiz game and so wanted me to test my brain age right on the spot!!!! AAAGGGHHH! Somehow I managed to put that off, as I think I had but one neuron still firing!!!!

So that does bring me to the end of this most excellent adventure!!! It was probably an outlandish thing to do - invite a stranger I met over the internet to my apt. But it really couldn't have gone any better than it did. Kieferskate and I got on like a "House on Fire" as she would say. I am soooo glad I did this. Certainly not something I'll do often, but it was great.

I just know I haven't seen the last of Kieferskate, as she has invited me AND the fam to visit her on the "Edge of Wales"!! And I feel confident we will someday.

As for the whole Kiefer thing. As I said in a earlier post, he was not in NYC when we were there, as he is busy filming the season finale episodes of 24, which by the way has taken yet another interesting plot twist with just 5-6 episodes to go!! We had a lot of "discussion" regarding HIM. And I gotta say - It's All Good!!

Rest assured I'm NOT as Kiefercrazy as I was before this trip. However, I still like him and admire his work a lot!! Rock On!! Kiefer!!!

So that's it for me. I'm glad to be home with all my Homies!! Look forward to seeing you all soon!!!

Cheers!!! Kieferskate, Love Lovekief1