The Gilliam Blog - All the Blog While Its Blog

anticipating Allie


























anticipating return of the Corndog

I'll Suwanee...Mike...what a wonderful recitation of all the great times that I missed on that Journey to Hell and Back. I was truly touched.
However, I cannot believe that Mr. Memory forgot about our meeting Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau at the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.

The Gilliam Blog - All the Blog While Its Blog: 1974 "Trip Out West" Revisited

Your mother and I do not remember seeing George Burns, George Goble, Curious George, or any other George or celebrity. Just what kind of "Trip" were you guys on? I remember that Mike got furious over the Mammy thing---claiming unfair tactics. I thought he was going to cry.

Based on our winnings (or lack thereof) baby Allie's footwear will come from somewhere other than Las Vegas.

After an early morning blackjack session where Lisa was carded before being allowed to play, we checked into the fabulous Wynn Hotel and spent three and a half hours at their 6 acre pool complex.

The Wynn is incredible. We're so impressed that we're changing our early a.m. flight to Salt Lake City to an evening flight so we can enjoy it some more. The room is about 600 square feet with floor to ceiling windows, a plasma TV, a marble bathroom with a flat panel TV, a six foot by eight foot mirror. With a touch of a button, the curtains open to an incredible view of the Las Vegas Strip. I have gotten my money's worth out of the room by playing Let's Make A Deal and announcing what's behind Curtain #1. Lisa's getting a little bit tired of playing the part of Carol Merrill, though.

It's been a fun stay, but we get back to accommodations tomorrow that are a little more our speed -- the Fairfield Inn at the airport in Salt Lake City.

I'm doing the split shift today at the blackjack tables in Lost Wages: 6:30 - 8:30 and 3:30 - 6:30. For those of you scoring at home, I'm up four Krispy Kremes after my first session. The dollar tables at Slots A Fun are a wonderful thing. With very little risk, you have fun watching the cards turn while enjoying the fellowship of the table.

Barry Manilow tonight at the Hilton -- the erstwhile International Hotel where Elvis plied trade in the early 1970s. I will review on most of these same blogs.

After two nights at the Renaissance Hotel (next to the Hilton) using a two for one coupon, we will enjoy one night at the Wynn Las Vegas -- the new 5-start mega luxury resort. Why not stay all three nights at the Wynn? Here's why . . . a room tonight is $549. It's $400 cheaper on Sunday. Dad, you raised us well.

I engaged Dad in an exercise tonight to assess his mental acuity. I'm proud to say his recall was extremely sharp, if not downright uncanny.

I asked him to take us through every stop along the way of our 16-day trip out West in 1974. Without much prompting he regaled us with stops and stories along the way. Mom and I of course contributed color commentary, but for the most part Dad was back at the wheel of the Caprice Classic in this 12-state sentimental journey -- with strains of a Glenn Campbell 8-Track Tape subconsciously playing as the soundtrack in our minds.

Lisa, as always, was mesmerized. Our only wish was that Scott had been with us to share in the memories like: 106 degree temperatures in Salina, Kansas . . . kicking the prairie dogs at Crater Lake . . . .the Air Force Academy . . . miniature golf in Estes Park. . . .Laura asking Mom to read page after page of an imaginary book .. . .the taste of pickle and pimento loaf that will be with us forever . . . a snowball fight at the Continental Divide (sans Scott) . . . eating at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Salt Lake City . . . the Mormon Tabernacle Choir . . . an innertube ride down the Snake River (sans Scott) . . . .the forest fire in the Tetons . . . . voting at the Dog Races in Rapid City . . . Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse . . . Wall Drug . . . meeting George Burns at Yellowstone . . . the night we found the motel room in Cody, Wyoming that had three beds and a TV from 1960 . . . the fountain at Kansas City Royals Stadium and the five double plays we saw turned there . . . the circus in KC . . . staying at the Holidome upon our return into St. Louis . . . and of course that fateful night when Russ blindsided and pinned Mike to the hotel room bed to be declared The Mammy in the The Mammy Championships.

I realize that posting a blog without a photo is highly irregular but sometimes "A thousand words are worth a picture."
What a delightful evening we had on Friday with Mike and Lisa when we attended The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra's concert in the beautifully restored Tennessee Theatre. (It was a close call on that or the Sevierville/Oak Ridge football game----we ARE an eclectic foursome.)
We began our evening by dining at Cracker Barrel where we enjoyed a delicious Fish Friday meal. I will admit that I felt a bit overdressed sitting amongst the Big Orange Fans, the Tiger boosters, and the "good ole boys" from K-town, Murville, and one character who looked straight from Cocke County--not that there's anything wrong with that--Momma Nan probably has relatives over there.
Upon arriving at the theatre and taking our seats on the fourth row, Mike asked me if I wanted to stand up and ask the audience how many ate at Cracker Barrel. I declined as I did not wish to steel the thunder of the Maestro---in case he was prepared to pose the same query.
The first selection was a very moving piece entitled Skyscrapers. Everything was going swimmingly when during the second movement I detect a humming sound near us. Yes, some man was so moved by the music he was joining in. I couldn't believe it--I almost had a movement of my own. The second section of the program was Rhapsody in Blue -- a selection which this person was even more familiar with and he really got into this one big time. It turned out to be Rhapsody in Two.
At intermission as our group huddled together to compare notes there was much disagreement on where said humming was coming from. I allowed as it was the man next to Momma Nann. She said no --it was coming from the row in front of us. Lisa declared that it was the man behind us. Mike, as usual, not wanting to appear judgemental, stayed our of the fray and was content to enjoy the Sterophonic--Surround Sound effects. I believe he was not only a frustrated "back up singer--or hummer if you will" but also an amateur ventriloquist.
As a side note: Taking my leave to the men's room as is my custom, I was amused at the 15 or so white hairs and no hairs standing at the porcelean fixtures, taking twice as long as they wished and 10 times as long as the 15 white hairs and no hairs standing behind them who were impatiently rolling their eyes--- all the while the 15 necks in front were, as is the custom turned toward the ceiling. But I regress.
As we waited for intemission to conclude. someone speculated that maybe the Concert Master, who Mike referred to as First Chair, would point his bow to the "hummer" and allow him to get in tune. Not to be disappointed, as the violinist got up and lead the orchestra in tuning up, we began to hear the voulnteer hummer tuning up also. Leaning over to Lisa I suggested that we might just have an old fashioned Sing A Long. By this time our four seats were rocking and shaking like the pew at Pleasant Valley on Christmas Eve. We had paid $33.50 per ticket to be treated with this unexpected added attraction at no extra cost. Thankfully, the last part of the program was not familiar to him and he chose not to participate. I couldn't help but let my imagination run wild and see how this could actually "catch on" over time. I could envision the Concert Master facing the audience for a "tune-up period" and then several thousand high-brows sitting there and politely humming along with the orchestra. While this might seem unlikely, remember we are talking about East Tennesse here.
Of course, there is always someone who wants to try and improve on perfection. On the way home, Mike began whistling Rhapsody in Blue. I think he is looking to the next presentation where he can add another dimension the Knoxville Symphony by joining forces with our new-found musical friend.