Well, if you thought yesterday was quiet then maybe we should have
stayed at home today. Looking south across the back-water and towards
the sea-front clouds were already gathering,
while
passing Ferry Bridge it looked even gloomier over Portland where what
looked every bit like Funnel Cumulus Cloud was hanging low over New
Ground.
A walk along Barleycrates Lane out to the West Cliff produced just a single Common Whitethroat and c4 WHEATEAR
while
Reap Lane could add no more than c6 YELLOW WAGTAILs. Good job then that
Secret was on hand to offer up a cup of coffee and a few 'tales of the
sea'! A few may not quite be the correct description, as a full 3 hours
later and a couple of heavy down-pours I caught the bus home. The short
day did have its benefits as if you are going to drop out of society
there is much to do before taking the final plunge. For weeks now I have
been committing many hundreds of Compact (Music) Discs to the i-Pod,
and likewise scanning 'thousands' of photographs which are slowly taking
up residence on the external hard-drive! We all have them, but it
brings a realisation as to just how often we flick through these dust
gathering albums, not very often me thinks?
It
is a God-send for any man to have a daughter, but a dream come true if
that girl decides to go travelling with her dad which was just my luck
back in the late 90's. As I flicked open yet another book early evening,
I found myself back in TORONTO, Canada where my youngest offspring Lisa
and I had arrived after 2 days in Montreal at the start of what was to
be a trans-USA tour.
From there we progressed to the giant Amusement Arcade that is the town of NIAGARA FALLS
and onward to NIAGARA and HORSESHOE FALLS themselves. Buffalo was only an overnight break before a visit to
The
view south to LOWER MANHATTAN, before the Twin Towers were destroyed,
followed by stops at Washington DC, North and South Carolina then back
up to Knoxville and Nashville Tennessee. A very early morning departure
from the latter had us in conversation with a man and wife along with
their two sons Jason (16) and Justin (14) while waiting for the
Greyhound. The 2 boys took the short journey with us to Memphis,
enjoying some great conversation on the way. On arrival we bade them
farewell, only to be told that their dad had given them money to show us
around the city, what came next was totally unexpected! Taken to their
home by taxi we were given breakfast before Jason disappear round the
back and soon returned driving
Long distance in formation, give me Memphis Tennessee
Help me find the party trying to get in touch with me
She could not leave her number, but I know who placed the call
'Cause my uncle took the message and he wrote it on the wall
Help me find the party trying to get in touch with me
She could not leave her number, but I know who placed the call
'Cause my uncle took the message and he wrote it on the wall
this
FORD MUSTANG and started the tour by driving us over the MISSISSIPPI
BRIDGE (in the background just a half a mile away) into Arkansas, a State we had no intention of
visiting.
Help me, information, get in touch with my Marie
She's the only one who'd phone me here from Memphis Tennessee
Her home is on the south side, high up on a ridge
Just a half a mile from the Mississippi Bridge
She's the only one who'd phone me here from Memphis Tennessee
Her home is on the south side, high up on a ridge
Just a half a mile from the Mississippi Bridge
Back
to Beale Street and Sun Studios where we were treated to some original
recordings by Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and The King himself before
popping into Elvis's favoured diner for a slice of his much loved Banana
Pie.
On to the RUM BOOGIE CAFE for some midday Blues, including legendary blues harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite,
Help me, information, more than that I cannot add
Only that I miss her and all the fun we had
But we were pulled apart because her mom did not agree
And tore apart our happy home in Memphis Tennessee
Only that I miss her and all the fun we had
But we were pulled apart because her mom did not agree
And tore apart our happy home in Memphis Tennessee
before
arrival at GRACELANDS and Elvis Presley Airport including his
collection of aircraft. Leaving our signatures on the wall along with
1,000,000 others we quickly headed back to town to witness one of the
most famous daily ceremonies Memphis has to offer. At the world famous
Peabody Hotel, there are a flock of Mallard which have the freedom of
the place until 18:00 precisely when the Bell Hop summons the elevator
from above. Without coaxing the Ducks enter the lift and are transported
to the roof and the Duck Palace which is there roost, and the humans
return to street level. Perhaps needless to say much of our conversation
was about music, and during our farewells at the Greyhound Station I
was handed a scroll of paper from the lads saying "knowing your love of
Jimi this will be better in your home than in ours", then quickly
departed.
Opening
it on the coach we discovered that it was a charcoal rubbing of Jimi
Hendrix's original grave, which I lovingly frame on our return to
England - again there were tears before bedtime!
Last time I saw Marie she's waving me good-bye
With hurry home drops on her cheek that trickled from her eye
Marie is only six years old, information please
Try to put me through to her in Memphis Tennessee
With hurry home drops on her cheek that trickled from her eye
Marie is only six years old, information please
Try to put me through to her in Memphis Tennessee
