First Place Winner T.E. Jones
April 18 2004, Gulfsteam Park

Keeping up with the Joneses

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California Revisited:
November 17, 2004

I remember California being a quiet couple of days. After the September 25th show in Monticello, Illinois. We flew to LA and stayed at Talia's place in Hollywood, had breakfast at the Beachwood café, Hollywood land the Hollywood sign, the street festival. Sunday we walked along Franklin about 7:00pm only to be discovered and ended up taking pictures with the organizers and the head of the local school. We walked on the 3rd street promenade and then onto the pier ... tip of the day park at McDonald's ... it's cheaper then the $7.00 they want on the pier where the street sellers, finger painters, musicians, fisherman and restaurant goers feast at both ends of the pier. What ya say we head to San Diego and the Del Coronado hotel to my beautiful suite over looking the ocean. Memories flooded the moment as we checked in and walked down the longest and widest corridors. The rooms are decorated to perfection after all Marilyn -- Monroe that is, she stayed there, played there and probably got -- an ice cream on the beach!!!!

Turn that radio down I can hardly hear myself think from listening to myself sing Ah well, I guess it's okay after all it is me and not everyone has their own radio station ...

The concert for a couple hundred execs went down well and a couple of convention goers helped me sing Daydream Believer and I'm a Believer to rapturous applause. A good time was had by all. By Thursday I made my way to the beach and shrunk my vitals -- Extreme cold sea -- Florida spoils me as on the few occasions when I do swim it's a lot warmer.

We will be there soon enough in fact, two horses made their way to Florida last week to prepare for the Jonesin' they are going to get at Gulf stream this season.

------ T.E. That's all I'm saying ----- about that anyway.

There's more there's more Irish accent -----That's good very very good.

John, Harrison and the beautiful Sarah came down for a couple of days but only after hiring the ------ DA DA DA DAHHHH Snake wrangler ... anyway 5 or 7 hours fixed that little bugger. The snake fence went up around the pool and back yard area and all those that snaked in snaked out or ... maybe it's still in and can't get out, in either case it cost her plenty bucks ... only in California.

Sarah, John and Harrison went home and we headed out to meet Talia who was waiting at the Vegas airport patiently ... I might add ... for a few hours more then expected because why------in San Diego ...or was it the stop over in phoenix. Some lager lout from Portsmouth England was so drunk he wouldn't wake up for takeoff , quite alcohol dead. No pulse, no vitals until two doctor passengers and two medics who had boarded the plane woke him ... much to his surprise ... and escorted him off the plane ----- don't drink and fly or you don't fly -----. Once again reunited with Talia as it's been a few months we made our way to the Silverton ... our Vegas home ... checked in and checked out the buffet. It was an early night for me as the sea air left me a mite horse ... Ware and tare.

Saturday night and I enjoyed the show the crowd was responsive and I dance my pants off ... Literally!!! After the show the Robicheauampaign's, Talia, Sarah, John (they flew in special for Talia's 36th birthday), Renee and me went to the Ghost bar at the Palms casino and had drinks and Crystal Champaign over looking Vegas city ... One Day One Day...

I was just out on Saturday not before congratulating Gail Friel for winning BIG on the penny machine ... yeah ... three cheers ... one wins we all win.

I landed in Harrisburg at about 6:00pm and waited for Byron my new helper to arrive from Florida who's helped me with the church, horses, house painting the list goes on with Dave Smither some of you know. Dave, Byron and me...

We all head to the tavern for a couple of beers and some of the best peel and eat shrimps this side of Baltimore --- bedtime/my own bed ... it's becoming a treat these days ...

Monday went by and Tuesday I made my way to NY and checked into the Hudson hotel on 58th between 8th and 9th nice roof garden very trendy in fact no name no number on the building or, the built .It all depends how you look at it ... easy for me it's always up. A beautiful check in counter, nice décor but quite noisy. Someone needs to invent a jackhammer with a silencer ... after all it is New York.

We made our way to the hard rock on 57th and Broadway all made up I sat down for the VH1 thanksgiving day dinner filming. The conversation was ongoing and thanksgiving day we'll see ... the filming went from 1-5 at which point I jumped in the car and headed for Kennedy and British airways. When I arrived in Manchester at 10:00am English time we drove straight to the studio and started to film Coronation Street kids ... some of the kids were there in the 70's one of the kids had a small part, broke into the church and played the organ, would you believe he's now head of music at Cambridge university ... so there is life after coronation street . I likened the experience to your national service of acting ... Ben Kingsley (sir) etc., etc., etc. the list goes on and on and so am I ... One of the lads after leaving the show did a Forest Gump and has been traveling around the world what a thrill I recommend it ... Everyone connected with the project that I met was first class Jo Michelle, Andrew Payne and Jason Beresford. Then I did an interview with an English paper ... that's gonna be a doozey, they always are ---- Okay one more chance and if a word is out of place ... don't let the truth spoil the news ... the journalists motto ... I'll promise again I'll never again do a written piece for any newspaper anywhere ... ever ... again ... in this lifetime ... or after. Am I making myself perfectly clear? The Albert and Victoria hotel which was just around the corner from Granada television was a pleasure ... nice rooms, nice bar and coffee shop ... a real must try treat.

Friday morning interview newspaper and some shots on the street ... cobble stones ... the set and the recognizable locations. The car picked me up from the hotel and took me to the safety of my sisters house ... home at last ... home at last.

I'm sure my sister will not be grudge you knowing one of her recipes - two of my favorites -- potatoes -- check it out ... I did first hand.

Ken just returned from taking his last chemo --- fingers crossed -- what a talented artist I have a few of his paintings ... full of quips, knowledge of all kinds entertaining and funny.

Hazel forever showing me pictures, telling me stories tap dancing in the kitchen between servings I swear I would be three hundred pounds if I stayed there any time no shortage of food and snacks. Robert Ken and Hazels son ... my nephew took me to see his 1000cc motorbike... those were the days ... What a beauty ... no I don't think so ... Well maybe a ride down an empty Florida road... within the speed limits of course ... Robert took me Saturday night to Beverly's home. Matt and Bev returned from their Cuban honeymoon suntanned and star like and back to work. Bev runs a store in Stockport and Matt's an electrician; they make a good team a good balance. Bev made me some dinner and breakfast before she took me to the M/C airport and my date with B.A... home again George don't spare the horses... The Holland tunnel in NY was a bit congested but we soldiered on. I made a phone call to Annabel in England who was on her way with Jessica to see Avril Lavigne at Wembley ... Looking forward to her report on the show ... Maybe we will get to see her strut her stuff one of these days she's writing some songs and enrolled in a college type course on media and music she will she will ... Jess is busy with phoenix and homemaking with Scott and Talia is thrown into the mix as she visited them on her way to Paris to meet an old friend of the family less of the old sorry Jude ... Together they are going to paint Paris red.

It's AM in Beavertown and I am at the kitchen table on my third cup of tea ... the sun is up and I'm off to the mountain on my steed for a couple of hours ... don't forget to keep up ... with the Jones's that is.

DJ and all we here ...

PS. The phone rings, you want me to go where?? Sardinia ... You must be joking. When ... tomorrow night ... arrive Wednesday afternoon, do a show on Wednesday night and fly back Thursday ... it'll be tough one ... Keeping up with the Jones's on this one...

Check back with me on this one... now where is that book on household Sardinian ...

I went and I'm back and I'm off to bed talk to you later ... ZZZZZ

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