I have been out of town this week.

Monday I drove over to Ann Arbor, met my brother Mark and spent a couple hours at Encore Records. Although this is a used CD and record store, they keep boxes of sheet music in the back. I purchased a bunch of music books there. (Tom Lehrer, Dave Matthews, Van Morrison, Chet Atkins, Buffalo Springfield, Steve Cropper).

Mark and I had a delightful reunion with my old friends Dave Barber and Paul Wizynajtis at the excellent vegetarian restaurant, Seva’s. I haven’t seen them for something like 25 years. Even though we all are a bit grayer and plumper, it felt so familiar to sit around a table with them and talk. What a pleasure!

After this Mark and I drove up for a few days at my parent’s house in Fenton. We spent the time chatting and doing little chores around the house for them. Mark’s project was working toward getting them setup with a cable internet connection.

It never fails to amaze me how my Mom keeps on plunging in to the internet. She is way past dialup and will enjoy the heck out of a better connection.

I took advantage of the fact that Fenton has the wonderful little restaurant and bakery, The French Laundry and drove over there each morning for coffee, paper and amazing sweets.

Unfortunately, when we ate there as a family on Tuesday my Mom took a bad fall on the cement and we ended up at her doctor’s office. After an xray and cat scan, it seems that she is basically bruised but okay.

Mark’s wife, Leigh, joined us for the day on Wednesday and we all pitched in and did stuff around the house like mess with drapes, install smoke alarms and other stuff.

Of course there were complications with the cable people and it’s going to take a couple more visits before Mom and Dad get up and running with cable Internet connection, but it is coming.

On Thursday, Mark and I said goodby to the folks and once again drove down to Ann Arbor and hit the book stores.

For some reason (out of practice?) I was pretty overwhelmed by browsing at Dawntreader (David’s was closed). I picked up an autobio of Oscar Peterson, “Reading Jazz” an anthology, Concerto Conversations by Joseph Kerman. Mark recommended “The Ancient Historians” by Michael Grant.

Arrived back in Holland last night, tired but satisfied.