Steve's Itchy Trigger Finger!

Last night was a wonderful night at Fralo's Art of Pizza. We never know what we're going to get when we schedule an outdoor gig on a mid-February evening, but what we DID get was the very best that South Texas can offer -- no rain, no Mountain Cedar attacks, no high winds, and temperatures that ranged from the low 80s when we began to the high 60s by the time we finished. And a lot of folks were out to enjoy the food, the fellowship, and the music. When you get a day like this in the middle of "winter," who wants to stay at home? And how many northerners get to spend a February 9th evening in cutoffs and sandals?

While we saw a familiar face or two, veteran Tim and Bob Nationals were a little thin on the ground. This gave us the opportunity to make some new friends. We enjoyed meeting Trey and Laura who enjoyed our music so much they invited us to have a glass of wine when we finished. We also met Sylvia -- who, like Trey is from Houston -- and her family, and enjoyed playing a request for her.

And, like most of our nights at Fralo's, there was one good-natured but very rowdy table who had a good time all night long, especially when we favored them with The Rocking Pneumonia and the Boogie-woogie Flu and Mustang Sally. Thanks to Cristina, Kristy, Amy, Kathy, and their significant others.

And, also like most of our nights, we captured the attention of some very young people. There were at least a half-dozen budding percussionists who accompanied us on mini-sized pizza takeaway boxes filled with pebbles. All in all, a night we enjoyed every bit as much as anyone sitting and listening did.

How did we sound? Well, at times we were about as good as we've ever been. At other times, we were comforted by the fact that we can always get better. Hey, folks. It's live music!

Finally, about this blog's headline. It was one year ago that we played at Fralo's and "said good-bye to Don's knees" just before his double knee replacement surgery on February 12. This year, also on February 12, Steve will be getting some surgery on the naughty tendon that is the source of his "trigger finger" -- a debilitating situation that makes all his great guitar work very painful for him. We're hoping that, by the time of our next gig, Steve's strength and dexterity has returned, but the pain and constriction is gone for good. Until then, Rock On Tim and Bob Nation!

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