AS GOOD AS IT GETS
I may not have located perfection but it must be close. As a result Saturday will go down in the record books and I will be left facing the almost impossible tasking of topping it at some point in the future.
The day kicked off at 4:30 with eager anticipation that was difficult to restrain. The schedule was clear leaving me with a full day for working on the Route 66 historic atlas and so over breakfast I organized notes, print outs, and reference materials to ensure the work flowed smoothly.
The primary goal for the day was weaving the presidential visits to Marshfield, Missouri, the Buster Keaton and Hotel Beale connection, the Charles Lindbergh and Winslow connection, and dozens of similar items into the film and celebrity category to flesh that section out. Then, if time allowed, I planned on also working on the category for pre-1926 historic sites.
After breakfast, and before work began, I answered correspondence and learned that Kumar Patel of the Wigwam Motel in Rialto, and his charming fiancée Nital would be in Kingman by late afternoon. That meant we would have an opportunity to visit with friends and share a wonderful supper at Redneck’s Barbecue.
Earlier this week I received an unexpected gift, the complete box set of classic country music from Time Life. That set the mood in the office and the work flowed smoothly as tunes from Red Sovine, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Kitty Wells, Hank Snow, Bill Anderson, Tex Ritter, Cowboy Copas, and countless other stars of country music provided a background theme song for the project.
I lost track of time (a common affliction for me when I am deeply involved in a project) and around ten o’clock, my dearest friend informed me that is was almost seventy degrees outside. So, that called for a break in the form of time on the back porch basking in the sun and the company of my dear friend, and savoring a cup of Earl Grey.
By the time dinner was ready, I was nearing the days goal of an 83,000 word count for the rough draft. By 2:00 when I responded to the suggestion made by my dearest friend that we enjoy the incredible fall weather by taking a walk in the canyons behind the house, another thousand words had been added. Stunning desert landscapes that I never tire of, brownies, the company of me dear friend, a warm day with cloudless deep blue skies, and a hint of breeze ensured the short venture was most enjoyable. This day was fast nearing a point of perfection.
To a large degree the pressure of pushing the project to completion is my own doing. After all, the actual deadline is December 31, but as I want to debut the book next October at Cuba Fest in Cuba, Missouri, it will need to be in the hands of the editor by December 1.
To ensure there is adequate inspiration for enduring the added pressure I just have to meditate on how much fun we had last year, Connie’s hospitality at the Wagon Wheel Motel, the friendly folks of Cuba who made the festival so enjoyable, the music of the Road Crew at the winery, good food shared with friends at Missouri Hick Barbecue, and the wonderful drive from Arizona to Missouri. That is the carrot at the end of the stick.
I rounded out the afternoon with more writing, and then getting ready for the supper engagement. As always, good food shared with friends and stimulating conversation pushed the day one step closer toward the perfection category. But, as they say, the best was yet to come.
My dearest friend and I closed out the day with a bit of classic rock on Youtube, a bottle of hard cider, and a movie. Does it get better than this?
Well, that is a question I intend to try and answer today.