I am writing this from a sort of passive triumph, as I have made it through the year since I llost, we lost, Gary Buck Sr and Jr, and that dreaded anniversary is behind me. The winter, as well, is almost over, and daylight savings signals my hibernating reptilian brain onto more routine and interesting activities such as waste and gluttony.

Starting every fall I begin dreading the seasonal countdown to December 21st, each day a bit darker as the sunlight weakens until Dec 21, and the daylight begins to strengthen and finally flush. it is a beautiful day.

I’ve been practicing bass guitar more. I consider every note I play as a rock flung at depression’s face. I am hoping to start looking for more musicians soon on Craigslist, and I am looking forward to putting up UK’s “Nevermore,” some non-prog Robert Plant and maybe some Porcupine Tree as well. The important thing is I made it and I am still practicing.

I also managed to put the last pieces together of the ultimate rude, obnoxious and totally unnecessary Trace Elliot rig ever assembled. We are talking 3 Trace amps, 20 drivers, bass guitar bass synth pedals, 400+ pounds of bone-crushing black and green POWER. I’ll toss up a preview pic from practice Sunday – preamp, pedals, etc., Oh yeah. It’s going to happen.

Listening to Jethro Tull’s “Songs from the Wood.” The first time I heard this, Gary bought ithe album. – it was Jethro Tull’s LATEST release at the time – and we were listening to it in his house on Timber Ridge Drive, as the sun began setting, looking out his long bedroom window across the street at the two story homes the neighbor girls lived in, the sun, like honey, pouring between the homes and the winter bare trees through a winter’s sky blue.

I recall studying the “Songs From the Wood” cover, trying to decide if it were a photograph or painting 9it’s a painting, like the inside cover of “Wings Over America” – wow!) I recall the dead straw colored grass in Gary’s front yard as we listened to the record contemplating the beautiful lyrics:

“We’ll dream as lovers under the stars
But civilization’s raging afar
And the ragged dawn breaks on your battle scars
As you walk home cold and alone upon Velvet Green.”

I got to see Jethro Tull on the “Stormwatch” tour (1979) with Dave Pegg on Bass and UK (Jobson, Wetton, Bozzio) opening. Talk about a prog lover fantasy camp… wow. Jethro Tull and UK. Like most everything in my life – I didn’t know how good I had it.

But then that is my worst of many flaws – I never know how good I have it.

I never do.