Wintering at the Alpine Flea Market

After a successful summer working the antiques and collectibles markets of southern Wisconsin, I find myself migrating inside once again for my 9^th winter season at the Alpine Flea Market right here in Rockford.

The main benefit of returning to this location is that it’s about 5 minutes away from my home. And…it’s the only game in town.

During these months, there’s no 2-hour pack-up and no 1½-hour drive, after that, to get home. The weather here is now cold, getting colder, and one just wants to go straight home quickly at the end of a day. Now, I just shut the curtains around my booth and make my exit, knowing that a cold beer is only five minutes away.

Also, no more 4:30 am starts for a while…These days, I don’t open until 10am—so I can sleep in occasionally—and can close up my booth anytime in the late afternoon and be home in time to see the end of most pm football games, both college…on Saturday, and pro…on Sunday. This may seem insignificant to many, but I enjoy watching football during this time of year…and the job kinda gets in the way. So I work around it.

By moving back to the Alpine Flea Market, however, I’ve been thrust once again into a world of Heartlanders that have been exposed to limited education, travel and culture. They’ve also got less cash in their pockets than my summer antique-buying customers. As a result, prices must be low to force them to part with some of that much-needed cash.

Many are subsidized by the Federal Government and usually get their checks on the 1^st of the month. Business then is usually good. As weeks go by, there’s usually too much month at the end of the money and business drops to a trickle.

Yet, I’ve known these people—many on a 1^st name basis—for years now and I’m no stranger among their ranks. In fact, it seems that EVERYONE there knows me… They’re good people, for the most part, albeit a little lower on the socioeconomic scale than my neighbors to the north.

My set up this year is currently spread out over 3 booths. Last year I had 4 booths but, this year, the demand for booths from the local Mexican population has made me scramble and settle for less. Glad I could acquire 3 booths, as many dealers are left out in the cold (literally) with no indoor spaces left to rent.

During this time of year--and for this particular market--I deal in NFL fan apparel (with concentrations of Bears and Packers’ items), CDs, leather jackets, Northwoods collectibles, designer jackets @ $5, beer signs, and, most recently, work boots.

The majority of the clothing was collected during the warm months when people were selling these items, cheaply, at garage sales. But acquisition is an ongoing process, though occasionally seasonal.

I run an ad for CDs weekly, however, and its response is enough to keep my selection strong year around in that category.

But the real fun part of the business, right now, is acquiring designer jackets cheaply, so that I can sell them for $5 and still make a profit. No easy task…

Here’s how I do it:

The local thrift stores color-code all the items they put on the shelves, by the week. Then every week, they have a half-off sale on a certain color.

So, I head out first thing every Monday morning in search of half-off leather jackets, as well as other good buys…

Then on Tuesday, they have a 5-for-$5 special of that same sale color. What this means, is that one can acquire lots of those on-sale items for just $1 each. And in town with a population of over 100K, there are lots of quality sale items to choose from and I’m especially interested in the jackets, which I snap up by the armloads…

I sell about 11 of these jackets @$5 per day. (Sat. & Sun.) I don’t think anyone in the country can offer brand name jackets like: Woolrich, Pacific Trail, Colombia, LL Bean, Eddie Bauer, Carhartt, & Field and Stream for so cheaply. Fortunately, I have a large selection in storage so I shouldn’t run out of inventory until well after the New Year.

SETTING UP AN ANTIQUE/COLLECTIBLE BUSINESS PART 1

OK. So you’ve entertained the idea of being an Antique and Collectibles dealer. Seems like easy work being one’s own boss…only work 2 days/week…outside during the summer…nice people to deal with…good food…fun, fun, fun.

Well, there’s a lot more to it than one imagines if they want to be successful in this business. Here are a few tips about getting started in the world of the antiques and collectibles business.

To begin with, we all have an expertise on something, whether it is cobalt blue glass, baseball cards or WW2 uniforms. And, whether we realize it or not, we all have the ability to collect as well as sell these items with our natural enthusiasm for these things we like.

First, and foremost: Collect and sell what you like, what you know and what you’re good at and the rest comes naturally. One’s initial goal should be to make a somewhat sizable collection of these types of items. Keep in mind the public is fickle and what sells one year may stiff the next…so don’t go out investing in Beanie Babies or milk bottle caps. They’ve had their day.

Unless you already have a collection of the type of items you’d like to sell, there’s a start-up/venture capital necessary to get the ball rolling. In most cases, as you can well imagine, the larger the amount you start with, the better. But, theoretically, you could start for just $1 investment. Sell that item for $2, and then reinvest it on something else for $2. Keep doubling your money and in no time you’ll be up there with the big-time dealers. Try it, it works…

Collect enough items in one or more categories to make a statement. The buying is always the “fun” part of the business. I call it collecting “common denominator” items, and then displaying these items on individual tables in one’s booth, such as a table each of military items, glassware, lamps, books, ephemera or whatever.

Now, as a result, each table should have a theme…To the customer, this type of setup indicates, at the very least, that the dealer is organized and probably a professional.

(My personal common denominators are: nautical, beer & Northwoods, ephemera (paper goods), books, CDs, beer items and Hawaiian shirts. I’ve recently added a table that I call“Miscellaneous”--things that don’t fit in any of my other categories. It’s a bit of a rag-tag table but seems to always be one of my most popular)

This level of organization gives one’s booth an identity or charisma. A customer knows immediately if he or she is interested in spending time looking at one’s inventory or moving on.

The majority of dealers, however, display their items in an “eclectic” manner, meaning no thought to the pattern of set up or no categories.A WW2 gas mask, for example, could be displayed next to a porcelain vase. These dealers seem to do just fine, as well, so check some of these types of set-ups out before believing me.

But once the inventory is figured out, make sure that there are enough tables to display your wares and that everything is priced. A good “dry-run” to becoming a dealer is having a garage sale at one’s home and use these same tactics.

Don’t expect to hang out during the wee hours the morning at your favorite nightclub prior to a big sale. This is an “early to bed, early to rise” profession. Departures from home are often at or before 4:30 am with arrival and set up at 6am for distant shows. On the other hand, one usually arrives home no later than 7:30 pm after a weekend show—still enough time to socialize if one is so inclined.

Better shows cost plenty...and they should! But they’re worth it. What makes a “better show” is the number of people who come through the gate. It’s simply the law of numbers. Seven thousand people a day passing your booth is going to net you a handsome sum, no matter what inventory you have. 200 people passing your booth may pay your rent and buy you dinner. It’s a numbers game and one should always strive to set up at these “better shows”, no matter what the cost. (They usually range from $50-$125/weekend).

Assuming one has a quality inventory, one can predict a nice yield at these shows…however there’s one major variable: the weather. This is a very weather-dependent business. Rainstorms can damage your inventory and ruin your weekend. And there’s never a refund on space rental. Every Thursday and Friday before up-and-coming shows, one should check the weather
channel as well as the computer for weekend weather patterns.

I budget for, and expect, a 1-in-4-weekend rain-out here in the Midwest. It’s often higher…June’s usually the worst month for rain. It’s no fun to get rained out but it goes with the territory. August, on the other hand, can be bone dry yet a 90 degree day during those Dog Days of summer can drain one all ones energy unless one has an umbrella or tent.

There are a lot of other factors to be considered in becoming a dealer; such as: having a reliable vehicle…a large van is best. Have good tires!!! (see my previous entry “Rastaman Goodyear Blowout”) Also storage for inventory is eventually an issue.

Single people really can excel at this where it takes a dual commitment from married couples to pull this off successfully. However, there are some real successful husband/wife teams that pour their heart and soul in this business usually with successful results.

OK, you’ve got your inventory, a reliable vehicle, enough tables, and adequate storage. Just how does one get on a circuit of selling?

That’s next.

Rastaman Goodyear Blowout...

I had just finished a successful 2 day show in Mukonago, WI. called
"Maxwell Street Days". It's an upscale flea market that I do four
times/summer...It's about 1 1/2 hours drive to Rockford from Mukwonago, and I was looking forward to a shower and a hot dinner when I got home.

However, driving back yesterday (Sunday), during the early evening hours, the hot pavement of the Interstate and my weighted-down van combined and shredded--and I mean shredded--my drivers' side rear tire.

It very much resembled a Rasta Man.

I was on Interstate 43, heading south, when it happened. Felt like I had been hit by an artillery shell. Talk about Rastaman Vibrations...I hobbled off the freeway, probably driving on the rim of my wheel a few miles to Clinton, WI., a small farm-town near the IL/WI border.

I ultimately had to have the vehicle towed to Sears in Cherry Valley, IL. (just a few blocks from my home in Rockford) which was
actually open that night on a late night, special promotion, Sunday.
This was about 9pm ...expensive ordeal (towing alone was
$150)... but I'm insured. It added about 4 1/2 hours to my workday, getting home at 10:30 pm. (After a 6am start)

What's amazing is that while I was waiting in this small farm town the 2 hours for the tow truck, no less than 7 people and one cop stopped by and asked if I needed any assistance. People offered to come back and bring their tools, or call the local Mechanic in town...even though it was probably his one day off; one lady stopped by and asked if I was hungry,as she had just finished eating and had leftovers. The cop was especially helpful offering all kinds of assistance, as well.

It really was pretty comforting. Their generosity sure made a total
drama a little more tolerable and a real experience. This was the
Heartlands at its best.

I think people like those are certainly part of the reason I decided to move back to the Midwest...'cause it sure wasn't the love of the winter.

Trip's About Over...The Heartland Beckons...

Am enjoying my last weekend on Maui...for this year anyway.

Today (Saturday) I was up at first light and out the door, heading to advertised rummage sales, various garage sales and the Maui Swap Meet. Later I returned to the house and packed up my bounty--mostly aloha shirts. I must have at least 30 to take/ship home.

I have already shipped a large box of books as well as two other large flat rate boxes back to Rockford, full of inventory. And there are still 2 more to go.

What bar stuff that didn't sell, I put in a consignment shop in Kihei. Now, I have to pack all my personal items in plastic bins for I may not return here for years to come. With all the traveling that I've done, it seems that I'm always saying goodby to someone...

The above picture is taken in front of a cut out wooden Shark which was the logo for our band (The Sharks) that played from 1981-2003. We'd take that cut-out shark with us to every gig.

It now proudly resides on the outdoor wall of former Sharks' bassist, Jeff Reiss here on Maui.

Maui

For the past month I have immensely enjoyed myself returning to our old home on the Wailuku side of Maui.

I spent most of my time seeing old friends. I lived here from 1986-1997 and, of my very closest friends at that time, all are still here. I was the only one willing to give up this paradise and return to the mainland.

Not relating to the tourist scene, whatsoever, I balked at going to the Whale Watch but instead--more true to character-- bought a bunch of bar stuff from a restaurant that was closing in Wailuku and sold the majority of it at the local swap meet the following week....I also encountered some old acquaintances and familiar faces there, who were sure suprised to see me selling there after all these years.

Because the swap meet on Maui is where I got my start in business in 1986 when I took a van load of New Guinea artifacts there...and the rest is history.

Despite the 130,000 people, Maui is still a small community. If you live here for any length of time you see the same people over and over; as a result, when they don't see you for--in my case-- 12 years, it's a big deal...and a time to renew friendships.

This trip, I've acquired a lot of aloha shirts, CDs and books, as inventory for my business on the mainland and will be shipping them out shortly.

But...now, the other side of the coin...everything's so expensive here, it somewhat intimidates me. A family of 3 or more had better bring a ton of money with, to survive here. Local residents just simply learn to do without. And the island is so crowded, you'd never know we were recently in recession. Somebody's got money...

I enjoyed the small-time, sleepy, tropical atmosphere that prevailed when I arrived in 1986. Roads between towns, here, were like country roads on the mainland. Then the building started...now, there's so much development bringing so much traffic that it's uncomfortable driving around. It really is a shame.

Nipper

This is our African gray parrot, Nipper. He's been living at the Maui house at least 20 years. He's a carnivore, in that his favorite food are chicken bones. Although a little rusty, at present, he, at one time, was able to say 52 confirmed phrases. We're getting him up to par as we speak. Here are a few from his vocabulary:

Welcome to Fantasy Island…Curses, foiled again…Where’s my dawg?”…Asta la vista, baby…Ritzin with the brothers…Ladiess ana Gentlemen, the luffly Lennon-a Seesters!...Argh, abaft me’hearties (from Treasure Island)..Silence fore’ n’ aft…now hear this, all hands on deck…Dr. Livingston, I presume…

Wo ist meine Heidi?...Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears…Too legit, too legit to quit…Say baby, what’s happening?...Holy mackel der Andy…Rait cheer, rait nau…Raitbackatcha…

(wolf whistle), look at you, whoa, all right…Are you still here, get out…whistles the theme from Bridge Over the River Kwai…

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto…Sign zee papers…G’day…Come on (in a midwest irritated voice)…It’s taim t’ eat…Want some coffee?..."Viva Las Vegas" (he sings this one)…He also sings: "Night and you and blue Hawaii, oh, we’re goin’ to a Huki lau, huki, huki, huki, huki, huki hukilau"…

Give us a kiss…I vont to be alone!...Help, help Sharks...Column left, march!...Ai yai yai, bob-a-loo...The charge whistle...Sank Heavens for leetle gurls...Fluffy!...

en guard...Get a haircut...

Paradise Rediscovered

Ah...the return to Maui after so many years on the mainland. The embracing tropical humidity on my skin, noticed just a few steps off the plane and the pungent smell of the tropics that I remember, oh, so well...Yep, this is not a dream...I'm really here...on Maui once again.

I first came to Maui in 1986, just after our band "The Sharks" had completed it's tour of Japan, Okinawa, the Phillipines and Guam. We supported ourselves by reforming the band and playing local clubs, parties and weddings. Then I opened my store "Traders of the Lost Art" in old Wailuku town. I brought in statues from New Guinea, Africa and Oceania. A number of months each year I traveled abroad, collecting inventory for the store. Rent, then, was only $150/month so I could easily close up for 3 or 4 months and go off on an adventure.

Ultimately we rented, then eventually bought, the home we refer to as Kaiko'o Palms. Former Sharks' bass player, Jeff Reiss, is still the present owner. It was built in the 40's and is a typical "H" pattern with the living room being in the center. In every aspect it is the quintessential Hawaiian home. It's in an area known as Paukukalo, originally taro fields, on the northeast side of the island

Initially, I went overboard with vegetation--planting coconut, banana, and papaya trees that soon engulfed the premesis with a tropical ambience almost the way a tropical set director would do. As my template, I tried to copy the movie "Swiss Family Robinson". I had no concept on just how fast plants grow on Maui and soon we had a veritable jungle on our hands. Now the banana trees are mostly gone, only some token papayas remain and the coconut trees are simply too tall and will ultimately have to be cut down.

Yet the charm of the place remains and the yard is still a verdant green.

In one corner of the back yard, wearing gray with red trim, is our African Gray parrot, "Nipper". He's been a fixture here for 20 years or more. At one time, we boasted his 52 phrase vocabulary. Still the house mascot and an integral member of the team here, his vocaublary has dwindled a bit since my leaving. But I'm pumping him daily with the old phrases and soon should have him up to scratch.

I plan to renew many old friendships...probably over drinks and dinners...maybe even play a little guitar together. But my ultimate goal, while on Maui, is to do nothing... I have to work so hard on the mainland to make that happen. Never really have a free second back there. Here, it's an easy option and the the preferred choice of many.

So on the agenda are: naps galore, books to read and biography to edit. I'll be as happy as a clam.

Winter Quarters 2009

It's been four years since I've entered anything on this blog. Here's why: It's easy to add a new entry when one's traveling, as something new and interesting is constantly happening and worth sharing.

Starting a business is a different story. And that's what I've done since returning from my travels.

During the summer months I travel, mostly to southern Wisconsin to do Antique and Collectibles shows but, come October, the shows close down for the winter. As a result, from November through March I set up a series of booths at the Alpine Flea market right here in Rockford.

One section is called "Cabin Fever" and it contains antiques and collectibles with a Northwoods flair. The other section is called "Second String" and it features gently used NFL clothing with concentrations on Bears and Packers gear, since we are located in the Stateline area between Illinois and Wisconsin.

I also have gently used CDs (about 1200 of 'em), leather jackets, western wear and Northwoods shirts.

I'm only open on weekends but am kept busy all week re-supplying my stock.

GLOBAL WARMING?....NO WAY...NOT HERE!!!

I was all packed by early morning on Dec. 1st. As usual, I was worried about each of my three bags being over 50 lbs and being subject to excess baggage charges of $50 each.

Leaving Cardiff by the Sea, we hopped on I-5 and headed south to the San Diego Airport where I said my goodbys and thanks to Jim for his hospitality.. After checking my bags at the curbside check-in (where they never weigh the bags) I stood for a minute outside in the the San Diego sunshine. It felt good on my skin so I lingered a bit and really soaked it in, knowing it would be the last warmth from the sun that I'd be feeling for the next 6 months, as I was heading home to the "Living Tundra" of the Illinois winter.

The flight was pretty non-descript, but as we were about to land I could spot snow along the sides of the road. Not a good sign. The pilot made a few sarcastic comments about the weather being a fair bit chillier than San Diego.

I was not amused.

Once we landed, the rear door of the plane opened and a wintery blast filled the back of the cabin with a bone-chilling cold. It was like an icy breath whispering "welcome home...sucker".

I was back in Illinois...and the party was over.

There's not much to warrrant a jovial return to this part of the country in the winter (except that the Bears have been playing good football) so I was in a pretty bleak mood indeed. Grabbing my rather heavy luggage, I went outside to see about catching a bus to Rockford. The weather just wasn't cooperating as temperatures dipped well below 20 degrees and "The Hawk"--Chicago's infamous wind (The Windy City) was out in full. I had to immediately retreat to the relative warmth of the terminal.

Then I had to wait a humiliating 2 1/2 hours for the next bus to Rockford...adding insult to injury; so, outside of checking out the numerous beautiful, Gen X women who passed by, I had time to ponder on what it meant to be back in the Midwest with little prospect of leaving in the near future (and little or no chance of snagging one of these Gen X honeys for the duration).

My first thought is that Illinois simply does not qualify to say it's been severely affected by Global Warming. In fact it could USE a little GW to improve it's climate. Winter is simply bleak here. To date, I can say without hesitation, that Illinois has the worst climate of any place I've lived or visited. Name one that's worse!

My recent experience would influence me to say that we are entering another ice age with Illinois being ground-zero.

A NIGHT AT THE AUCTION

Tuesday was relegated as our day/night to go to the local auction. Anstead's is located in the SouthPark/Golden Hill section of San Diego at 532 N. 28th Street.

Not pretentious like Sotheby's can be, this was a real gut-level, move-em-in, move-em-out kind of auction and located not really in the best neighborhood in SD by a long shot (but a far cry from the back alleys of Bangkok or Chicago, for that matter). With these rather dubious qualities, I knew it had to be a good place for treasures...!

We were supposed to arrive at 4pm to preview the numerous box-lots, but didn't actually arrive until 6pm...too late for the box-lots but just in time for the start of the regular auction.

And what an auction it was. For example: Leather couches went for $100 and other furniture sold for as little as $5. My cousin bid on some collectible items like there was no tomorrow and ended up with quite a few nice pieces like a grandfather clock and some nice Asian sideboards.

I only nabbed a group of CDs. I'd love to buy bigger things but I'd have to ship them back to the Midwest. Plus my travel bags are already full and I can only take two pieces on the plane. So it was a bit like torture for me, yet I loved being there.

CRAZY DAYS IN SAN DIEGO

I left Jim's place in Cardiff on Wed. Nov. 16th and headed to a cousin's home in Bonita. I headed south on I-5 , got on 805 South; then 54 East; then off at Briarwood.

I am related to my cousin through my father's side of the family. Today was his birthday so I was glad to be heading to see him. As his Godfather, I was supposed to send him something on each of his birthdays. I never have.

When I arrived at his house, I just couldn't help but notice the clutter in every room, every cabinet, every nook-and-crannie. All closets were overflowing with a myriad of designer-quality, clothing. Two complete rooms have been packed with boxes of "stuff"...I mean right up to the doorway, prohibiting entry of any kind...there's lots of nice furniture (my family heirlooms) and pictures behind all those boxes, but they couldn't be seen.

The hallway remains clear but between the kitchen and dining room there is just a path amidst the clutter where one is totally surrounded by "stuff". It's incredible! It's overwhelming...

The kitchen and dining room are covered with everything from dirty dishes to rare antiques sandwiched between last night's dinner.

The former garage is now a workshop, designed for picture framing. It too is crammed with things like machines, computers, cell phones and just plain workshop-related items like hammers and such. Thousands of items about the place. It's easy to lose something there. Like your sanity...

Such is the domain of my rather eccentric cousin...

It appears that my cousin disregards any form of preventive maintainence/or home chores. In other words, dishes pile up, things remain where he throws them, waste paper goes unemptied, litter boxes go unattended. Housework is a foreign word.

And my cousin has admitted to me that he is.....gay....(I've known it for 20 years or more).
And being a well-to-do and generous gay man, there's always group of his friends around. A nice group of guys.

After the first day, my cousin and I biforcated into two opposite time schedules. He sleeps during the day and rages at night, whereas I tried to keep what I think to be normal hours of being up-and-about during the day.

Last weekend found me at the Spring Valley Swap Meet. Just 5 miles or so away from where I'm staying in Bonita.

On Saturday, I arrived early and watched each arriving dealer being overwhelmed by prospective buyers. They swarmed over any new-arivee. Then, once satisfied--or disappointed in many cases, they'd look for another arriving truck full of whatever...and swarm all over that one, and then the next and so on... The lingua franca was 100% Spanish.

The Swap Meet offered some pretty "common demominator" type items (poor people selling their junk to other poor people) but over two days of hunting through piles and piles of stuff, I scored more than 20 ahola shirts and about 40 CDs for my own inventory.

Then I drove over the Coronado Bridge in search of a certain Coronado Hotel poster I'd seen before. The hotel was grand, indeed; but I had no luck in finding the desired poster, so I settled for some vintage luggage labels which I'll put on my trunks back in the Heartlands.

Freeway driving makes be a little nervous. It shouldn't, as all roads and exits are well marked. Plus I lived in California for a number of years. I'm just not used to or comfortable with the density of the the cars at any given time on the freeway. I guess I got used to those wide-open highways of the Midwest.

JAMES BROWN

Jim had purchased tickets to see the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, at a downtown SD club called "4th and B" and though it was a bit hard for us rockers to get funky, we made every effort to do so last night.

The night opened with an, at-best, lukewarm young rapper called "Braille". We endured his seemingly endless set, followed by a mush-voiced MC who attempted to buy time until JB arrived.

Finally, JB took the stage in his crushed red velour suit amidst 21 other sidemen/musicians/back up singers/dancers. He was actually lost from view a couple of times with all the people on stage.

The crowd was enthusiastic but the show was at best ho-hum. Once again there were ample beauties about, as well as stunning ladies-of-the-night.

This night was nowhere as memorable as seeing the Stones but it beats a kick in the head by a long shot.

ROLLING STONES IN SAN DIEGO

On Nov. 10th, I said farwell to my cousins and hopped a plane to San Diego to see my good friend Jim Schuck who lives in Cardiff--a nothern coast town near San Diego.

The main reason for the trip was to catch the Rolling Stones on Nov 11th where they christened Petco Park with rock & roll.

Jim was the perfect person to attend a concert with, as he has attended more live shows than anyone I know of and has the system DOWN.

We caught the "Coaster"--a local train that services the coastal towns north of San Diego-- from near Jim's place to the Santa Fe station; then a trolley to the Gas Lamp district of SD where we dined on Thai food prior to the concert. Jim got a kick of me speaking Thai to the waitress.

After dinner, it was a short hop to the Omni Hotel where we had 3 Margaritas to warm us up for the upcoming show.

And what a show it was! The Stones were in the best form! I hadn't seen them since 1969 so I didn't know what to expect. Doubt I'll ever forget this show as memories of the concert are really etched into my mind. You can read about it for yourself: http://www.iorr.org/tour05/sd.htm

One thing I'll have to say about San Diego is that the babes here are just about the most stunning I've ever seen in the US. Possibly I have spent too long in the Midwest and gotten used to the unattractive, loud-mouthed, portly excuses for the female gender there.

SEATTLE

The antiques selling season that I participate in fizzled out sometime in October, so rather than sit around until May, enduring months of the frozen agony that the Midwest dishes out a-plenty, I decided to hit the road for the the West Coast.

First stop was Seattle. I arrived on a Southwest Airlines flight from Chicago to Seattle which I scored for only $89 one way.

It was great being back in Seattle although the weather wasn't very accommodating, with cold and wet being the norm of my stay there.

I did the usual: checked out the antique and thrift stores, went to the Pike Street Market and Old Town area, saw the Louis Comfort Tiffany show at the Seattle Art Museum and dined on seafood like there was no tomorrow. I took buses everywhere and got to know the bus system pretty well.

In fact, I took a bus from Lake City, where my cousin lives, and then a ferry from the Fauntleroy terminal in West Seattle. From there I headed to Vashon Island to have a jam session with my former guitarist Doug Pine and his 13 year old son

While checking out the galleries in Seattle, I ran into an old friend, Bob Elam, who has a primitive art gallery called "Between Cultures". It was a chance meeting and we had a real reunion as I had done a show in his Modesto, Ca. gallery circa: 1983-4

It was also a thrill to see my cousin(s) again as family is pretty sparse back in the Heartlands. My cousin Donna takes good care of me on my Seattle trips, doubt I'll ever be able to repay her with such generosity.

June in the Heartlands

I've been home now for just about 2 months. Memories of my recent Asian trip are being replaced by the desire to collect antiques and sell them at my shows.

As I drive around my town of Rockford, Illinois, I've noticed an unusually large number of "for rent" signs. The closing of all these factories that this midwest town once boasted have made jobs pretty scarce. The economics of situation already is causing people to flee the town to whatever place the can get employment.

It's a very sad, depressing scene but people are selling family treasures like there's no tomorrow. (And maybe there's not!) But for an antique dealer like myself, I'm seeing quality stuff for sale at fantastic prices. As a result, my business (at least on the buying end) is doing very well.

But the summer has just begun and the cost of living here continues to increase, so I'm not tooting my horn until the leaves start to fall in October.

Home Again in Rockford, Illinois

It seems like I've been on the road forever, and, I must admit, when the bus that took me from O'Hare to Rockford passed the Elgin plaza on the tollway and the expanse of green fields and surrounding farms came into view, I felt that I truly was home again and it certainly felt good!

But returning to a home, deserted for four months does not come without problems. I had to re-connect everything from the phone to cable tv to garbage service. I even had my partner Nick help me replace a pipe under the sink that sprung a big hole the day I left last December. Also an incredible number of light bulbs have burned out when I started using the lights again.

I immediately had to go to the DMV to get a new driver's license to replace the one stolen in Phenom Penh and got my insurance reinstated on my vehicles.

I've been around visiting old friends and colleagues, telling them of my adventures. It's spring in Illinois and the weather has been oh so pleasant in the high 60's. I took special pleasure in watching the Cubs on tv and just being HOME. No more planes to catch at zero-dark thirty in the morning. And, of course, everyone speaks English around here.

The antiques that I put in winter storage at the antique mall sold only reasonably well but I think I'll keep the place for a while. The pieces that I acquired in S.E. Asia all sold while I was on Maui so there was not much to add to my inventory. I've got one of my biggest shows to do in mid-May in neighboring Pecatonica so I've got lots to do to prepare for that one.

I'm considering taking on a summer job to keep me busy during the weekdays but still undecided about that one at present. Right now I'm enjoying just being home again.

A Party on Maui

Glancing over my shoulder at the calendar, it's no secret that my travels are coming to an end and I'll sadly be heading home in a couple of days. As a result, the roomates here at the house and my old neighborhood friends threw a whopper of a party for me.

When I used to live here, we always had functions/parties here. I had the back yard looking better than the movie set for Blue Hawaii. The house and yard unfortunately have fallen into a bit of disrepair since my leaving. But Chris Corrozza, one of the roomates here did a top-notch job of recreating those old days by creating a party complete with tropical atmosphere--lights, tiki torches and an outdoor bar and grill.

Chris is captain of one of the commercial sailing boats that takes tourists out to Molokini every day. He also has just opened a surfboard shop nearby with "Woozer" Goring who lived at our house years and years ago and still lives right in the neighborhood.

Chris invited all his crew and a few other sailing/surfing people from Maalea... this gave the party a salty dog atmosphere. Also there were people whom I've known for 15-20 years that still live in the neighborhood. And they all showed!

Like with my friends in Thailand, it seemed that I was the only one of my old buddies who left paradise for a life on the mainland.

The party began at dusk. Tropical rum drinks made by Chris himself were the drink of the evening. On the barbeque, we cooked burgers and hot dogs. Everyone invited brought something, so fresh salads abounded as did other scrumptious dishes.

The neighborhood kids brought surf movies so they were occupied for part of the evening in front of our tube.

Another old friend, Rona Smith, showed up as well. I convinced Ronna to move here from Sacramento 20 years ago. She did. She loved it and she stayed. Great to see her and talk about old times. She even brought me a lei.

Everyone at the party was a real character of some sort. I love parties like that. There were transplants from various states on the mainland, island born people, neighborhood surfers and even one guy from Peru. I talked to everyone and, unlike the mainland, everyone listened to my stories of exotic travel.

And what fun it was. There was even a limbo contest! So decadent! The night just flew by.

As the party started winding down around midnight, some live music was requested so I got my guitar out and entertained the dozen or so hangers-on. I did songs that involved the audience to sing the chorus or other parts of the song so everyone was involved. Long-time neighbor Bruce Fernandez grabbed his guitar as well. It was a real success.

We finally wound things up with handshakes and hugs at around 1:30am. It was SO much fun.

Boy, am I gonna miss this carefree lifestyle...

My Travels: a hindsight perspective

I can now view my travels of the past three months in the past tense. The trip was designed for me to see my old friends again: Jeff on Maui, Buz in Singapore, Kevin on Bali, Gus at Krabbi and Steve on Phuket. (And Henry Voris who's on the road in Asia the same time I was).

The highs of the trip were:

1. The Sunday Brunch at the Raffels in Singapore, at (Buz) Teach's expense!
2. The vision of the vast emptiness of Khao Lak after the tsunami.
3. The magnificance of Ankor Wat near Siem Reap in Cambodia.

The worst part of the trip has to be getting rolled in Phnom Penh. A close second is all the mornings I had to get up before 5am to get a bus or flight somewhere. My love of airports has vanished, as a result.

In my 20's I loved traveling alone. I'd be sure to meet up with some interesting people. But in my 50's it's not so easy to make new friends so quickly. As I result, I don't look forward to traveling alone unless it's to venture to an area where I have a friend.

It's no secret that S.E. Asia is getting more modern and with that comes more expensive. Years ago one could travel for $10/day, max. Now $30-$50/ day is more like it. Mass tourism is not attractive whatsoever, so one has to travel farther and wider to uncover new spots not yet overrun with tourism.

But I enjoyed my visit with fellow bandmate Steve Anderson in my old hometown Phuket, despite Phuket's intense growth over the past four years. Let's hope they all have a good high season there next year. It's still a great place and the beaches have never looked better.

Cambodia is like the wild west. Lots of potential there for businesses. But is the government stable? And...is it safe?...

I had a great time staying in Villa Santai with my college buddy Kevin McPherrin. I felt Ubud, like so many other tourist destinations, is overrun with commercialism compared to years ago. But Kevin's villa was the real gem there and I'll always treasure my time spent there.

I've been offered a job in Krabbi (thailand) by my friend Gus Reynolds to run his nightclub next high season but I have to give this some thought.

Surprisingly enough, it seems that even after all this exotic travel that I'll remain in Rockford--at least for a while. OK, the winters ARE terrible, but there's some stability there for me and the prices are reasonable on food and other goods.

If anything, I do appreciate the Midwest more than I used to.

Maui: Where's the Aloha Spirit?

Since I've returned from Asia I'm holed-up in my friend Jeff Reiss' house on Maui. I used to live here from 85-97.

Observations:

1. The traffic has at least doubled in the 4 years of my absence from here. There are cars everywhere and gas approaches $3/gallon.

2. The price of real estate has gone through the roof. Nothing is under $300,000. I believe this has had serious effects on the local population who, unless they own property, resort to selling crack as a means of survival.

3. The price of everything is incredibly expensive--especially food. Except for the Somoans, everyone is thin. Going to the supermarket is a negative experience for most as the food prices are exorbitant. Going to the mall is another costly venture. Going anywhere is costly...

4. The big chains have moved in: Costco, Kmart, Wall Mart, Home depot are all here and their parking lots are packed every day.

All this attributes to the apparant extinction of the Aloha Spirit which seemed so prevalent prior to 1997.

Now it's money, money, money in every aspect of daily lives.

So many mainlanders have moved here in the past few years, jacking up prices, forcing local people and long-term residents to tighten their belt yet another notch.

But despite the rain over the past few days the weather is still the big draw here. The climate is near perfect. That hasn't changed.

But the local culture has suffered a great deal. And it's a shame...

Phnom Penh Disaster

I am usually lucky on my travels. Things always seem to fall into place when I'm on the road.
It feels like a journey that I'm been destined to take. Well all my luck ended on March 14th of this year when I returned to Phnom Penh from Sihanoukville...

I had a 7am bus to catch the next morning from P.P. to Siem Reap so it was to be an early night for me. I went out and had some dinner at a place called Sharkeys not far from the hotel.

On the way back to the hotel I was walking down a rather dimly-lit street when two hookers appeared out of the shadows.

They accosted me but I was not interested. Then they left the scene rather too suddenly and I saw them hop on a motorbike, then off into the Phnom Penh night. Seconds later, I realized I had been robbed of my wallet. In the wallet was money credit cards and my driver's license.

The loss kept me awake all night worring about identity theft.

Decided it was best to return to Maui immediately to get things handled. My trip was in it's last week anyway. So I returned to Siem Reap to get my baggage then caught a flight to Bangkok. Early the next morning I was on a China Airlines jet bound for Taiwan, then Honolulu.

I must admit it was good to get on US soil once again!

Thank goodness they didn't get my passport or I'd still be there, probably at the US Embasy. Losing one's passport abroad is the total worst situation one can be in. Can't cash travelers checks, can't get on a plane, can't do anything.

My passport was the only identification I had at that time but it was enough to get me back to Maui and Jeff's house. Turns out Jeff had cancled most of my credit cards for me as I had e-mailed him the numbers and he knew of my situation.

Finally, I felt safe that I wouldn't return home to zero bank account balances with all my credit cards charged to the max.

Once that was handled, it was time to enjoy Maui and the refreshing aloha spirit...

Whew... what an adventure!

Sihanoukville

I took the bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh. It was nearly 6 hours in this overcrowded vehicle over a bumpy road, but we finally made it. Found a hotel near the bus station/market and overnighted there. I sniffed out an expat bar nearby while there.

The next day was another bus from P.P. to Sihanoukville...about 4 hours. The port town of Sihanoukville was carved out of the jungle in 1959 and is Cambodia's only open-water port. My main purpose of coming to here was to locate a friend, Bob Pipinich, who used to manage the Phuket Fishing Lodge where I lived for over 2 years while on Phuket. I had heard he opened a bar restaurant in the town and it was my goal to find him.

I arrived about noon and rented a motorcycle checking out the local places looking for Bob with no luck whatsoever. It was hot and I was getting tired of not being able to find Bob. Finally, I stopped in at the Anchor Arms pub and spoke with the manager, Bret. Yes, he knew Bob and his place was just two doors up the street. I was in luck.

I finally connected with Bob. He's just opening his bar/restaurant called Club Sandwich. It was a great reunion and later he introduced me to the expatriate community there. This was as close to traveling in the 70's as I've been since that original time.

Essentially, the place is undeveloped for tourism, the airport is shut and prices are SO cheap. These guys I met were the pioneers: starting resorts, restaurants, bars, internet cafes in a newly discovered area. I fit in immediately and made dozens of friends. Hard to leave that place. I could move here with no problems.

Ankor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

I flew into Siem Reap from Phuket via Bangkok and arrive around 7 pm on March 8th. There were hordes of taxi drivers but I chose one and he's been my driver now for three days.

I'm staying at the Sydney Ankor Hotel @ $20/night...expensive by local standards. Beer is $1 and food is also cheap.

My first morning I was awakened by my driver at 5:30 am to take me to Ankor Wat for sunrise.
It was a bit of wait, I must admit, but when the sun finally rose, like a burning orb behind the temple, it was beautiful beyond description.

Next we moved on to the Bayon and its 200 coldly smiling faces cast in stone, shrouded by dense jungle.

Next we visited Ta Prom. Despite considerable restoration efforts on the other temples, Ta Prom is much the way it was discovered in the 1860's. It appeared to be swallowed by the jungle, caught in the vast embrace of a vast root system with towering trees overhead that cast eerie shadows. It really shows the awesome power of the jungle. This is the real adventure I came here for...

Over a few days I visited most of the temples and this afternoon, retreated to the cool of my air-con room after hours of climbing up and down hundred of well-worn, lichen-encrusted steps that each temple has.

The town of Siem Reap, as of this writing, is a quaint little town. But at least 15 new monster hotels are being built around the place and the town will brace itself for the mass tourism that's bound to come. I'm glad I got here before that happened.

Post-Tsunami Khao Lak, Thailand

On Friday I set out for Krabbi with Steve (former Sharks' rhythm guitarist), Orh and new 5 week-old baby, Nachai. We arrived mid-afternoon and hooked up with Gus, an old friend, who owns the Lai Thai Resort and the Encore Cafe there. Like Phuket, Krabbi was hit with the tsunami but all seemed up and running. The beachfront has been converted from a series of bamboo beach bungalows to an upmarket shopping mall. It has lost all its charm by getting so modern. Went to the Encore cafe which is Gus' rock-and-roll place. The club was sparsely attended and the singer of the band was pretty bad in my opinion, but the club itself is cool and Gus has a great pad above it. Gus is working with the various tsunami foundations and has set up a school for children orphaned by the tsunami. He said he'll never forget all the death and destruction...as all the bodies from Phi Phi island were unloaded at the beach there in Krabi and Gus was in the thick of things. On Sunday, after going for an extended swim in Lai Thai's refreshing pool we bid our farwells to Gus and headed to Khao Lak, the area hit hardest by the title wave. I didn't know what to expect after seeing areas hit by the waves in Phuket open and fully operational but Kho Lak is a different story, indeed. Our first view of Khao Lak was from the road above, and the best way to describe the scene is that it appears as if a bulldoser leveled the beach for 10 miles long and 600 yards deep. Alsolute destruction as far as the eye could see. There was even a Police boat stranded inland a good 600 yards from the beach. We drove down a few roads near the beach and all we could find was rubble. I doubt anyone who was in that area survived and as far as I know there are no pictures or videos of the massive wave that hit the area. Most areas had absolutely nothing left, just huge open areas with a cement slab or two. Everything gone. We were all filled with grief and could hardly speak. We went down yet another road that once led to the posh Mukdara Resort. Although it was made of cement all that remained was a pile of rubble. What power that wave must have had. I'll publish some pictures later. Here's what it used to look like: http://ash-hotel.com/mukdara.htm We also checked out where the Tropicana Resort used to be. Steve had given a demonstration in the swimming pool there a year ago. We located the same pool, now half filled with brown seawater and all types of debris about. He couldn't believe it was the same place. We spoke with a number of locals and horror stories abounded. Everyone lost a relative or two if not their whole family and businesses. Farther on down the road there were heaps of salvage sights with rubble from the resorts. Then there were the refugee camps. Way too much to take in for one day.

Post-Tsunami Phuket, Thailand

I didn't know who would still be in Phuket after being four years away, but I've been pleasantly surprised that just about everyone that I knew is still here.... From the Phuket airport I took a tax to my friend Steve Anderson's place of business in Chalong on Phuket...near my old stomping grounds. I'm staying in a room above his shop with air-con and a shower. Also I rented a motorbike for $3/day. The traffic has increased dramatically in four years as has the number of buildings, shophouses, restaurants, and resorts. Soon it will be like Miami or Honolulu and that's a shame. The Fishing Lodge where I used to live is unfortunately a disaster being torn down bit by bit, not by the tsunami but through neglect. We've gone out for some fantastic seafood dinnersw at prices still as cheap as they were four years ago. (A dinner for 4 with drinks was $20) I also found a little breakfast place where I can get sausage, toast and scrambled eggs and a mixed fruit drink for $1.50. It's so good to see my old friends again. Got together for a few laughs with my old band mates as well. Everyone's still here but me. I went to the Phuket Gazette (English newspaper) where I visited my favorite Thai lady, Oy, still as beautiful as ever...and still single. Then I went north 50 miles to Phnag Nga (pang-ah) where I used to live. There was my cottage and motorbike as if had never left. But my friend Bert was not doing well at all. At 80, he losing his memory quickly and he has a very weak heart. Still it was good to see him. It was a fortunate time to be there as he was selling his sailboat to a Thai man and I helped arbitrate the sale. Spent a couple of days there with Bert ande Noi at my 1st home in the jungle, then back to Phuket to get some much-needed dental work done. Dentistry is one of Thailand's best kept secrets. Traveling around the island, it is hard to believe that just 2 months ago the tsunami killed thousands of peole here. The Thais have done a remarkable job in cleaning up the place. The main street in Patong is all boarded up and all the grass near the beach is brown, but that's about all I could see of the wave's wrath... Everyone here was/is affected by the tsunami. I heard some unbelieveable stories. The hospitals still have hundreds of pictures of people still missing. Very sobering. I'll be here on Phuket another day or so and then I'm heading to Krabbi to see my American friend Gus who I've known for years. He has a rockin' nightclub and a small resort there. I'm certainly confortable here. Everyone thinks I should move back. Still more traveling to do before I decide to do anything, but whatever that will be, it's at least a year away.

Penang, Malaysia

It was difficult leaving Villa Santai behind but there was no time for remorse as I had a 6:30am flight. After a brief stop in Jakarta we continued on to Penang.I had forgotten what a charming city the section of Georgetown was. All the colonial structures are now 100 years old. Arabs, Indians Malays and the odd sprinkling of other nationalities made this a most exciting, cosmopolitan city. I initally stayed at the Oriental Hotel ($20/night) but found it was a much better deal just down the road at the Continental which included breakfast and had a lovely swimming pool. The old E&O hotel is finally open and as decadent as the Raffels in Singapore, though maybe not quite so grand. It's about $100/night. I went to a mall called "Looking Good" and found the pirated software I was looking for, despite most of those businesses driven out by the government for copywrite infringement. Knowing Penang pretty well after doing a dozen or so "visa runs" here when I lived in Thailand, I knew where to catch the local bus as opposed to taking the much more expensive taxi. Plus it was more exciting. Having attained what I came here for, I booked a ticket to Phuket for the next day. I felt that I was leaving for home as I had recently resided there for four years. Plus, I wanted to see the results of the tsunami firsthand.

Villa Santai, Bali (part 2)

http://www.villasantai-bali.com/

Ketut drove from the guesthouse through a portion of the capital Denpasar. The traffic was wall-to-wall, unlike anything seen in the States. I couldn’t wait to get out of it. Then we finally made the ascent to Ubud. Normally this is about a 45-minute trip. This time it took well over an hour.

Kevin McPherrin was waiting at his villa and what a villa it was! The staff, adorned in their matching brown batik uniforms, was all there to greet me as well, offering a cool pineapple drink upon arrival.
It was great to see Kevin again and we had a talk about our days together at Cornell. We were best buddies from ‘66-‘69.

The estate is palatial. One enters the villa through a stone entry way flanked by dense vegetation and a pond on either side (complete with frogs) of the walkway that leads to the main pavilion which doubles as a living and dining area. There are no walls but the roof is Indonesian thatch.

The centerpiece of the villa is the pool, which overlooks a river valley far below. The house radiates subtle elegance and sits on a promontory with no modern civilization in sight...just jungle. The four bedrooms are really master suits and located on the lower level. Even the tiled bathrooms are elegant and open to the breathtaking views.

As a side note, when I was walking into my bedroom I spotted a huge black scorpion…a minimum of 6 inches long. I teased him with a stick but he was in no mood for playing. He tried to pinch the stick and shot his venomous tail at it as well. We soon collected him and the staff disposed of him properly. They said they had never seen such a huge scorpion on the property before.

There are 11 staff to attend to one’s every need. Kev even assigned me my own driver as, during the day, he is busy either in Ubud or Denpasar with his fine art business. We are the only two residents.

I’ve been to Ubud town several times this visit and have located a few items I’d like for my business but the thought of lugging them around S.E. Asia for the next month puts me off buying anything. Shipping the goods home is an option but a very costly one.

My first night here we attended a party with a live band. Of course I had to sit in and do a few rockabilly numbers which the crowd loved. Of course, I enjoyed chatting up the lovely ladies in attendance of which there were several.

The next day my driver took me to Penelokan (meaning beautiful view) and Batur in the Bangli district, one of the higher places on the island. For those who complain bout the heat (like me), this place is a welcome relief.
Above the villages, the volcano Genung Batur juts high above everything. It last erupted in 1963 and, viewed from the town, the lava field is quite extensive. Just below sits Lake Batur, one of the largest volcanic lakes in the world and is actually a water-filled caldera. It is 54 sq miles and up to 330 ft. deep. Nearby are some popular hot springs.

The next day we went to Pura Tanah Lot which is a Hindu temple built in the 16th century. It is a temple built on an island and at low tide one can walk out to it. It’s beautiful to behold but far too many tourists for my liking.

I had only planned to stay a few days at the villa but Kev insisted I stay longer, so a quick trip to Garuda Airlines in Denpasar gives me an extra week in this paradise.

He didn’t have to twist my arm…

Bali (Part 1)

Bali (Part 1)
I really had scheduled my trip to Singapore to visit my friend Buz. We had a fabulous reunion, as our history goes way back. What I remember most of my visit to Singapore this time was lunch at the Raffels that was a real gourmet affair. But when Buz had to teach classes, I was on my own trying to negotiate my way around.

After a number of days in Singapore, I was ready to escape the noisy, busy city for a little more rural adventure.
I chose a most inopportune time to be doing this, however, as it was Chinese New Year and there was thousands of Chinese trying to get from place to place. Stores and restaurants were closed. I was lucky to have secured a flight to Bali at all, and I got no deal on the plane fare whatsoever.

I had emailed my friend Kevin McPherrin, who has a villa near Ubud, of my arrival in Bali on Feb 9th but do to the Chinese New Year, his own flight to Bali was diverted to Saigon and he didn’t get there until the 10th. As a result, I arrived at Ngurah Rai airport with no one to meet me. Normally, that’s a freak-out situation for many, but, over the years, I’ve arrived at so many international airports with no one to greet me that it was no problem.

I knew of yet another friend who has a guesthouse in Seminyak (just up the road from Kuta and Legian). Although it was past 11pm I hopped a taxi for the short ride to his place. All were asleep by the time I arrived, but an employee there showed me to my room.

In the morning there was my friend John Walker with bacon, eggs and coffee to greet me. We had a good yarn and decided to do a jam session that evening. Even after 25 years on Bali, he hadn’t lost a bit of his Oz accent.

I walked around Seminyak to the hundreds of shops there searching out nautical items for my business. But the heat of the day drove me back to the guesthouse where a refreshing dip in the pool, surrounded by dense tropical foliage, and a cold beer brought me back to my senses.

Later in the afternoon, walking down the street, I passed several Balinese with guitars and I couldn’t help but stop and do a song or two with them. Crowds gathered and I was a hit for sure. I had a request for “Green Green Grass of Home”. I remembered the chords but forgot most of the words but my newly found Balinese cohorts took over and sang all the words perfectly like it was their national anthem.

Then I returned to John’s at night and did a 2-hour jam session with him. His favorite being Roy Orbison material. The night ended all too quickly and before I knew it, it was morning and Ketut, Kevin’s driver was there to pick me up and take me to Villa Santai.

Singapore

A few weeks have passed since the last entry. I am now in Singapore visiting my friend Buz Walker Teach, originally from ST. Charles, IL but now living here. I've known Buz since 1966 when we were camp counselors together at Camp Edwards in East Troy, WI

After leaving Seattle, I returned to the Heartlands for a week then headed to Maui to see my buddy Jeff Reiss at our old home. Nice to get out of the cold weather, I must admit.

Maui has grown considerably since I left (1997) and the traffic has increased many-fold. Prices are sky-rocket high as well.

I spent the majority of my time there sorting through my things. We even had a garage sale there and I sold heaps of stuff.

It was good to be back to the island where I had lived and worked from '86 through 97'. Our house was a little dilapidated but it was sure good to get back there. We had a party after the garage sale. Members from my band showed up and we slayed the audience. Still a lot of life in our music, I must admit.

I left Maui on Feb 2nd and headed to Singapore via Taiwan where I did the overnighter in transit. Real long flight.

I just arrived in Singapore last evening. Buz took me to an art gallery opening and it was loaded with beauties which I proceded to chat up. I'm still a bit jet-lagged but looking forward to a few good days with my buddy before I head out.

Ocean Shores

I just returned to Seattle with my cousin Donna after visiting Ocean Shores on Washington's windswept north west coast. Another cousin, Erna, lives there and invited us for a couple of days.

We spent much of the time searching for nautical antiques. Found plenty, but they were top-dollar expensive.

Erna wants me to move there and open a version of my business. I have to admit, I think it's a location where it would work.
Summers are packed with tourists but come winter, the place is deserted. Perfect time for traveling abroad.

We drove up and down the coast. Very beautiful in a rugged sort of way. Yes indeed, I could handle a move to Ocean Shores or nearby.

Tsunami

For days I've sat in disbelief, watching pictures of the loss of life and destruction in S. E. Asia, especially around Phuket, where I used to live. So far, all my friends there are all ok but severely shaken.

I still plan on heading to that region but I'm not sure just when or what supplies I should bring.

Others have recorded first-hand stories of the disaster. Just unbelieveable. Check this site:

http://phukettsunami.blogspot.com

Christmas in Seattle!

I'm spending the Holiday weeks here in Seattle and, so far, all I have is superlatives for describing this place.

I'm on the prowl for nautical artifacts and Seattle is loaded with 'em, but they're a bit pricey.

Today, however, I'm just gonna kick back and enjoy Christmas with friends and relatives.

In the News!

The Rockford Register Star just published a story about me and my good friend in Elgin having exchanged the same Christmas Card for 40 years. Worth a read.

http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041220/NEWS0107/412200320/1004/NEWS

I'm leaving for Seattle today!

The Trip is Taking Shape

Despite weather in the teens, things are heating up with my travel plans. I'm heading to Seattle on Dec. 20th to return Jan 12. I'll spend the next week planning the overseas trip and will leave for Maui on Jan 21st. Tentative return date is April 5th.

During the interim I'm trying to book a flight (s) that will get me to Bali, Singapore, Phuket Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Vientienne, and Phnom Penh. This part is not so easy as prices vary greatly.

"Winter Storage"


After a successful summer, I've moved my goods to the Bargain Barn in Roscoe Illinois
for the winter

Where I'd rather be

This is more like it


Home in Wailuku on Maui

I took this photo at Kata Beach on Phuket in Thailand recently. 

A picture is worth 1000 words.


Is it possible that a trader in rare artifacts from Asia, Oceania, Africa and antiques from Europe and the Americas could hail from such a place as this? You better believe it!

Winter in Illinois

Today is the first day that it's snowed and, brother, it's at least 4 inches...and counting. Hard to plan life in the tropics under such conditions.

Tye