It all started Friday, when we took in a small town festival, Braham Pie Day. Not much dancing, but a lot of walking. We went there because my 88 year old grandma wanted us to come and have a celebration of Starflower's 8th birthday (8-13) and my niece Katie's 10th birthday (7-7). My brother was leaving for Singapore on business the next day, so it was also an opportunity to see him for the last time in half a year or more.
Also, I am reminded of the John Prine song "Hello In There". My grandma is perhaps Braham's most senior resident. But she's getting on in years, starting to get perhaps a little confused and hard of hearing, but she just loves when her family comes to visit. So it's my family duty to say "hello in there" once in a while.
At least Braham had some taste in selecting music, as they hired The Whistlepigs to perform two sets. Unfortunately Chris, the guitar player, could not make this gig due to recent surgery (get better Chris!) so the band sounded about 75% or less of normal. Which is still good, but they had to cut out a lot of original songs that the fill in guitar player didn't know. And it seemed like the Braham crowd had maybe not heard of bluegrass music before. And the sound left something to be desired. Not blaming The Whistlepigs at all; they give 110% at every gig.
I have to brag about my daughter here. She got $25 in birthday money, which we allowed her to spend at the various vendors at the festival. She spent $6 buying me a T-shirt, a markdown from the 2001 festival, because she just wanted to buy me something. I wore it to bed that night. Sweet.
So...back to sore feet. Saturday Calvin and Starflower had arrangements to sleep over at friends' houses, so The Hermit and I took Mr. Attitude out for a night on the town. The town of Mahtowa, MN, population 100 or so, and home of the Highway 61 (yes, the one Dylan sang about) Folks Festival.
We listened to local musician Charlie Parr, pictured above with his excellent washboard player. We were dancing before the end of his set. Then came Pert Near Sandstone, a rootsy old timey bluegrass group with attitude. I couldn't help but dance with Mr. Attitude. And dance, and dance like a maniac.
The next morning when I hopped out of bed, my feet nearly gave way underneath me. Not only did the left ankle I had slightly sprained the week before hurt, not only did my right knee twinge with some new injury, but the soles of my feet just hurt, especially near the heels. It hardly got better all day Sunday. Today I learned that there is a name for this kind of pain, plantar fasciitis, and I'm hoping it's just a temporary thing.
Getting old sucks.
15 comments:
charlie parr and pert ns are great! I get to catch pert this thurs at mayslacks in the cities. my buddy's bluegrass band "pistol whippin party penguins" is opening for them. the pistols play duluth often so catch them if you can! I hope to here them on folk migrations sometime soon. feet feel better...
Ouch! One of my running group members gets that, and it doesn't sound like fun.
Sounds like the events were good time, though! Really getting out to enjoy the good local music. The Whistlepigs have played for a dance up here at least once; good stuff! I think I need to get out more...
Deb,
Pert Near Sandstone is great. They have played the last 2 years at our annual 4th of July Family picnic celebration at the North Morristown Luthern Church. We raise money for our little Lutheran school. Another group that has played here in the past is Monroe Crossing. They are really great, too.
Cindy
I've heard of that condition-there are stretching excercises that you are supposed to do-and don't wear sandals-has to be supportive shoes-it can take a while to go away.
Sounds like more dancing, or at least more stretching, is called for.
We were at the bluegrass this weekend too! Didn't catch any lively sets, though, which was a disappointment.
What my foot-doctor told me when I was hobbling was to get supportive shoes and put them on before even setting foot on the floor from bed in the morning. It really helped the healing.
Charlie Parr and 'Pert Near Sandstone are a blast. I especially like Parr but it's been too long since I've seen him play. I gotta check his site to see when I can catch him again!
I hope your feet get better real soon!
Poor feet! But it sounds like a fun way to get them!
Sorry to hear about your feet! Maybe Hubby will rub them for you?
I love Pie Day! I missed it this year (of course, or else you would have had some insane redhead staring at you and following you around saying "is that her? I'm sure it's her. Should I ask? What if it's not her? etc, etc), but my brother was there for work. He works for Isanti Co. Public Health. He said the pie was great, as usual. Glad to hear you had fun!
Did someone mention rub feet? Oh. My. God. To have mr. mo rub my feet like he used to before he got to where he needed the rubbing more than I did. Well, that sounds a bit weird, but no intention there. Just an old lady blabberin' on.
Anonymous- Thanks for commenting! This was my second time seeing Charlie Parr, first for 'Pert Near Sandstone. I'll have to see when the Penguins are playing!
GTR- I guess I don't have it quite as bad as it can be...yet. We've decided the local music scene is just about as good as you can find anywhere, and we like free festivals. :)
Cindy- I met some of the members of Pert Near Sandstone at a Mike Compton/David Long concert a couple of years ago. They seem like good people, and they've probably done a lot to make bluegrass music more acceptable to the younger crowd.
Larry- No sandals? I live in sandals during the summer! But Birkenstocks and Chacos seem to have good support. I'm working on massage and stretching.
Pablo- Dancing like I did on a regular basis would probably build up strength in my feet, while doing wonders for the waistline.
Madcap- No lively sets at a bluegrass festival? Must've been the more conservative style. I'll have to keep a pair of Birkenstocks by my bed for when I get up in the night.
Dharma Bum- Charlie is way cool. He even had his wife onstage with his infant daughter. It seems like he plays Duluth pretty regularly, I don't know how often he gets to the cities.
Lynne- It was worth it. Sometimes you just gotta dance.
Barefoot Gardener- I was thinking on the way there that you were not too far away...it would have been fun to meet you! You probably would have recognized me for sure with the kids. Maybe next year? :)
Momadness- Foot rubs are pure ecstasy, I know what you're talking about. The Hermit also requires extra foot care; he broke his ankle nearly thirteen years ago and threw everything out of alignment, and I can't even begin to work through the muscle knots in that foot.
I heard somewhere it's good to roll golf balls under your feet, so today at work while I was editing GIS data on the computer I had the golf balls going. It seems to really work the sore spots.
Deb - One of the years we went to Duluth's Greenman Festival Rosie and I went up to the tent stage one morning with cups of coffee and sat down and watched him play. I remember at point his little boy ran to the front and said to Charlie, "Daddy, it's too loud, turn it down." "Too loud?" Charlie asks. "Yeah, way too loud."
Then the boy runs back to his mom in the back and Charlie says, "this one is for my dad." It was transcendent. Anyway, I just ordered up two of his CDs yesterday because you got me thinking about it. One of them is a live CD he put out last year, recorded over three nights at Fitger's Brewhouse, where you plays every Wednesday I think? He gets to the Cities every couple months, but I've been negligent about going lately. Seen him once or twice down here though, and I see he's got a couple dates coming up, and then it looks like a tour of Ireland for him, which is very cool.
Cheers.
wow, I'm not typing too well today. :)
"I remember at ONE point..." and "where HE [not you, though that'd be very cool!] plays every Wednesday..."
dharma bum- Charlie must be a real family man. That's cool. And it would be way cool if I were playing there every Wednesday night! Maybe someday...
Greg- did you order King Earl? That's the one I bought at the festival the other day.
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