I’ve had some adventures recently that I’d like to share with you! This week has been very busy with travel and two book talks. I’m going to blog about the book talks next week - two amazing locations that you need to hear all about!
I’ve been making a list of places I’d like to go, people I’d like to see, and adventures I’d like to embark on. One of those adventures was to go to Nashville to see two of my favorite bands – The Indigo Girls and Brandi Carlile. My beautiful and dear friend Val (and most excellent travel partner) agreed to go with me on a trek to Nashvegas. On Thursday, I drove us nine hours south to one of our music capitals. We stayed downtown just off of Broadway (aka Honkey Tonk Highway). It’s a place that rarely sleeps and is brimming with bachelorette parties. I’ve never seen so many pink tops, sashes, cowboy boots and hats in my life and I lived in Texas for a few years. They seemed like a hopeful yet exhausted crowd.
On Friday, we went to Gibson Garage where they sell the famous Gibson guitars. I thought it would be cool to look at buying an electric Gibson guitar in Nashville. It just makes sense! Our salesman, Tucker, was very helpful and I found a classic guitar that’s a lot of fun to play (really loud – just ask my son). We were treated like VIPs and they were very patient with me and my amateur questions. Another wise salesman, Patrick, pointed us to a bar called The Underdog Bar. It’s off the beaten path but well worth the short journey. So after our fun day
downtown, we headed there and listened to some bands - Kiely Connell and Nicole Boggs and the Reel among others. I loved every minute of it and you need to check them out! There’s so much musical talent in Nashville it’s unreal.
Saturday we took it easy and then went to the concert. Unfortunately, The Indigo Girls caught Covid so they had to cancel last minute. This was heartbreaking to me on many levels, but I know I’ll see them at
some point. Opening acts for Brandi were two acts I haven’t seen or know much about but fell in love with: Celisse and Lucius. We had awesome seats and despite getting caught in the rain for a bit, we had an amazing time. It was a spiritual experience, like all great concerts. To top it off, Brandi had her family sing a John Prine song, “Summer’s End” and Wynonna Judd stopped by for a couple of songs. She’s been through a tough time with her mom’s passing and she said something that really resonated with me. Something like this, “It’s been a tough season of sadness, but there is hope and you have to keep showing up.”
I try to work things out by myself during tough times, but I need to lean on my family and friends. I keep showing up.
Thank you, Val, for going with me on another unforgettable adventure. Below is a poem on our adventure to Cape Charles. No doubt more poems will be forthcoming!
Let’s chat soon.
With affection,
Carrie VS
CAPE CHUCK
The longest bridge we’d ever been on,
twenty-eight-dollar toll.
Easy to spend money on Val’s birthday;
she deserves it.
Norfolk to Cape Charles to check out living space for my future.
Condo? Land? House? On the beach?
Yes.
We lunched on po-boys, crab cakes and hush puppies...
used paper towels to wipe our hands and faces of the saltwater feast.
Being close to empty boats fills me up.
Ah the ocean, it’s deep magic alive.
I never thought I’d be land-locked
without a watercraft in my barn.
Running away isn’t possible but walking to
makes sense.
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