Resolutions

Here we are again. It's resolution time.
I was telling Quattro about this "tradition", that people make themselves promises, etc... I don't think he thought it was a good idea. I think he is smart enough to know that you should just be your best self whenever possible and accept the times when you are not.
So my resolution?
Listen to my kids. This is something I do. I am a good listener but I want to make sure I am aware that I can always be better.
And travel less. Just this once. I want to be at home a little more, try it out. We'll see how that one goes...

Writers block

...

Song writing

He's baaaaaaack!
So I wake up this morning to the sounds of a strumming guitar. It's the best thing about living with a musician, to have live music before coffee. And it's not the shitty kind. Not the kind you hear outside of an open street market (although they're not all bad either. mostly but not all).
It's a beautiful thing to see Eddie playing. He has had one hell of a year. All things aside, you'd think he's got it all figured out... maybe he does.

"Mama I'm coming home"

Yay, he'll be here in about 2 hours, driving in from Spokane. I am so happy, and it's HALLOWEEN! I love it, we are real big on Halloween here. I can't wait to get Q all dressed up with his make-up etc, it's going to be amazing. I have worked so hard on this costume, which is something I look forward to doing every year. This year is blowing all the others out of the water for sure, and there have been some pretty damn good ones in the past.
So we are T-minus 9 days until we pack this up and hit the road, I was thinking I might bring my cute little video camera and video blog... how does one do that? I will have to find out with all my free time, HA!

Mmmm hmmmm.

Yep, that's the one.

Work it out.

Sounds like all is going well on this tour. I just talked to Eddie (I'm lying, we were texting) and he and Marty are jammin' out in the htl room, Scott is probably sleeping and Bolton watching cartoons. Fisher was on FB but now who knows, maybe he's buying me a present. Kidding.
It's all very exciting. The fans aren't the only ones that want a change in set. Shit, you aren't the only ones that want a new record. I chalk it up to being exhausted, mentally, the whole lot of them. Things were not that awesome for the last few years, I will say that. And again, I know this isn't my band, but it is my business. Unhappy husband is an unhappy family and that will always be my business. Anyway, that's all I will say, I think they are all on the right track, I can practically smell it- stale beer, sweat and pot mixed with a little bit of change. Mmmm.
But the tour, I can't wait! I was just thinking about it and my last SS show was... dare I say, Hootenanny? WTF!? After that we went to Europe (where I started this lil thang) and since then I've been here, having babies, walking dogs, skateboarding with 8 year olds and shit. I like to think of it as a Jekyll and Hyde. I stay home and do my thing- the mom thing, until I get bored or until Q crosses one too many consecutive days off the calendar. Then we go out on the road (99% of the time with our kid(s)) with 'the greatest rock n' roll band in the world' and enjoy this life, and all it's unconventional beauty. I mean after our kids are grown this is what we will be doing full time, together... I hope it's not in the big white van but even if it is, I'll still be there.

this is not a hillbilly freak out, she's mid-sneeze and I think it's funny


I've finally got news! Well other than the baby thing, heh heh heh.
The kids and I are going to take this dog and pony show on the road again- and you guessed it, I'm gonna blog about it.
I gather we will be taking our own car, since the boys are going over to Denver before hitting the coast. I have nothing against Denver, except where it's located... not on the coast.
I'm thinking I will pack up the baby and Elvis (ha ha) and meet these boys in San Francisco, which I think is November 11.
How exciting! I better go take these dogs for a walk before there's trouble.

I can't take it!

So I have been reading the bands msg board, a lot of people not in the know have a lot to say about what we all know- Ron has left the band.
I guess I realize and appreciate that opinions are like assholes. I get it- god forbid I give an opinion though, everyone would jump all over it. Anyway, I'm rambling because I have precious little time right now I just wanted to say it is what it is an no ones cryin'. If you choose to "leave" the band and move on, go ahead. I don't think it is possible for the band to break up after this- Siegel went and no one cried then either (well maybe his girlfriend did). It's life. It's a business, the fucking show must go on- no one has a plan B here. I mean, maybe one day Eddie will be solo and Dan will be a tow truck driver, but I can't see- those two are like Frik and Frak, they complete each other.
I'd love to write a book and tell you all the drama from behind the scenes- you don't have to be in Van Halen to have a story to tell but there's that- it isn't my story to tell. I'd love to accept the Yoko title too, but truth be told, I have nothing to do with the band. I have little to do with the music (although I will admit to influencing Eddie through our relationship, that ended up in song) what's he supposed to write about? smoking pot all day? He just doesn't do that anymore, it's would be fake. I do think there's a lot more fun in his writing to come, it has been an odd 3 years, so I am hoping the next record is a little more rock and a little less relationship. There, I said it, I am tired of hearing about our trials and trib's too but I am glad he did what he wanted, I am not going to say I don't appreciate the work he does, whatever he does, I'm a lifer but I'm ready for something else, in the music. I'll keep my life the way it is though, as you know- we've had to work hard and celebrating 10 years of marriage (in December!) is how we get paid.
XO
Oh and for all the shit talkers on the msg board. Suck it.

Boo.

So our little honey/babymoon is coming to a screeching halt.
Eddie left this morning for the mid west and I am doing the single mom thing.
I miss him. It has been amazing to have him here and I think it is very rock n' roll for him to be such a kick ass Dad, although I think that makes me miss him more.
No time to write. Must get dogs walked, dinner served, kid in the shower..... the list goes on and on, but I am STILL not complaining.
JD

Wow!

That was quite a break. A month has passed and well- there's good reason.
We here at the Daly house have a new little baby to call our own.
I thought for sure I'd still have time to blog, but with the mother's coming to visit, both mine and Eddie's (whom will be arriving tonight) and Quattro starting 3 rd grade (the day Elvis was born), then getting sick and staying home for a couple days- now I'm sick... well, shit has been busy.
But we are all completely in love with our circle. It's weird how you have it all and then you add to it and realize you were in fact missing something (someone). I feel like she was supposed to be ours, but isn't that what everyone says? Well, you'd hope anyway. Really though, I love my little triangle I've kept for the last 8+ years but this, this thing that we have now feels like home. Not to say we won't have any more. We are young and we make really good people. So who knows.
Someone, unfortunately said to Eddie, "do you know how old you will be when she is in high school?" and to that I say- we will be that old anyway- why not have a kid in high school? Beats living in a retirement community, driving a golf cart.

He's baaaaaack.

Yay. I am so glad. Relieved really. Having him gone, out of town where I can't get to him.. I don't know if I am feeling extra needy, nesty or motherly- whatever it is, I wanted him back. Eddie too. We kept passing by his room and just wishing he was here.
We got our shit together though. Finished the baby room, which we will be filling in about 15 days. Wow, that is a total freak out to type. 15 days, I really can't believe the 9 months has passed us so quickly.
Eddie played the Sunset on Saturday. It was awesome. Some great friends came out, Marty was playing with him, the whole evening was lovely. I even wore heels, I rocked 'em out.

What a difference a week makes...

Quattro has been in Northern California with family for the week. I thought it would be this huge relief, someone to entertain him while Eddie and I get our place ready for the baby.... turns out we like the little dude and we haven't stopped talking about him. Wishing he was here with us to make us feel whole, I guess.
It's been tough. I have never been away from him for this long. 5 days was my max until this week, I am not sure how Eddie does it. Leaving that kid for months at a time- I couldn't do it, it's like I am missing a limb, hard to function without him in some ways. And he's homesick, that is really hard too. He sent me a text that said "I just miss you so much", I felt my heart break a little.
I guess it is easier for Eddie when he leaves, because his boy is here with me- takes away the sting I think.

Eddie will be back onstage for an early show tonight at the Sunset in Ballard. It's our hood and we are pretty happy to be enjoying one of our last Saturday nights out on the town together. We have 18 days until we are welcoming our newest crush into the world.

Well ain't that a bitch.

So much for Eddie coming home today... looks like the flight he was to catch from LA to Seattle leaves about an hour and a half before he gets there. I'm pretty bummed but at the end of the day you just want them back home, so 8 hours later will do.
He will unfortunately miss the last ultra sound, which is a shame because he was only there for the first one. I'll happily fill him in.
Looks like South America was a hit. Eddie said they were treated first class all the way, which is nice, especially when you are in a new place. Nothing like slummin it. Remember "Cheeseburg"?
I think Chris got pick pocketed in Sao Paulo. I warned them, I read Brazil is notorious for that and that they're good at it.
That's it for this morning. Nothing real amazing to report. I've got about 30 days left with this little bun and that is pretty much where my mind is these days. That and on Quattro. He is getting ready to go on a week long trip sans parents- I've never been away from him for more than like 5 days, this will be 9. Eddie and I will try to enjoy the silence but I'm pretty sure I prefer the noise.

South Americans are lucky-

they have my husband.
Shit. I miss him.
It isn't so much that it has been too long since we've been together- 3 weeks, pretty standard stuff for us. But at this point with the doctors visits and the nesting... I need my man. I am one of those chicks that can do it all alone. I am and that doesn't make me proud. It makes me so fucking grateful that I don't have to. Not only do I not have to but I choose not to. I choose to be the "typical" woman in the relationship (but let's face it, I am not typical) I chose the life of the homemaker, whatever the hell that means, I chose it because I'm good at it and because I have a totally rad guy next to me.
Well, he isn't right now. His offspring is and that is the one and only thing that keeps me getting out of bed on those mornings when I just miss him too much. The days when I want to pull the curtains together, close the bedroom door and sleep the days away until he gets home. Not every day is like that. Some days I'm "okay" with it, well, I am okay with it, I've been doing this for 10 years, it is all I know. I don't know a husband that gets out of bed at 6:30 a.m. and goes to work, walks back in at 5:45 p.m. and eats, throws the ball around for a few and goes to bed. When my man steps off that plane he is all ours for however many days or weeks he's home- then we all have to put our hearts back into the freezer, muscle through the weeks or months until we waltz back to baggage claim, to claim our man, who is anything but baggage.
Eddie, I miss you. Enjoy SA and get your ass back home so we can have this baby.

Happy Birthday,

Danny Bland.

Joan Jett

Eddie played a gig with Joan Jett the other night and after had her sign some stuff for the kids.
He asked her to sign a record to Elvis and she said "Elvis? Who's that?" and he said "that's my daughter"....
I don't know if it's hearing that sentence for the first time or the fact that she told him that she thought it was so cool we named our daughter Elvis-
either way Joan Jett rules even more now and so does Eddie. We're going to have a daughter!! Wow. Wow. Wow.

Texas heat, home sweet home and South America

Looks like the northwest is going to rival Texas for the sucky hot-as-hell weather. Eddie isn't a complainer (at all, ever- about anything, it is annoying but one of the many reasons I married him) but reading his last email to the fans, I can see that heat has got him. But he's the kind of guy that can roll with anything- again, annoying but one of the....
I woke up at 5 a.m. this morning. Homegirl is on some kind of schedule, it's strange as soon as she starts rolling around, I'm starving. So up I was to get a bowl of cereal, my go to food when the roosters are yet to stir.
Oh, I guess I should say that since we are back from Europe, I am thinking about keeping this blog going. I can't promise anything but a little news about us, what we're doing, where we're going- stuff like that. So if that's not interesting to you in any way- beat it.
That said my main man Eddie is gone for about 2 more weeks and then I do believe he will be home for one of the longest (if not the longest) stretch of time at home. I can't wait. I am so looking forward to looking at that mans face every morning for about 6 weeks.
That doesn't mean our time together will just be filled with diapers and back to school. He will be hitting the studio on his little break, taking Q along for the ride- that's all I should say about that because I'm not quite sure if he's let that cat out of the bag... oops, meow!
I got to help a little in picking the tunes- I know, I know but screw it, I've got good taste in music and if "What Do I Care" by Johnny Cash isn't in your top 5 best Johnny Cash songs (it's my #1) you should be ashamed of yourself. Our record collection has so much gold in it, Eddie isn't home around enough to find "that song" so it's my job, one of the many anyway. I can't wait for this record, it has been a long time coming and I get to be on the cover, so that is fun for me. I'm sure it will bring another solo tour and after Europe- I could pack up this house and do that shit full time. It really was the time of my life, one that you want to keep doing over and over. Next time we will have Elvis in tow, so what's not awesome about that?
And then there's South America. I can't tell you the jealousy I feel bubbling inside me and the pride that he gets to go. It's new territory people. That is a big deal. When you have been traveling the same streets year after year, it is a great accomplishment to get to try out something new. I know they will be back as a full band, Eddie is flying solo this time to test the waters, which I think is a good idea. If there's a scene they will get to go out with the ground somewhat paved, that is nice.
So that is it for now. I have a feeling I will be spending a lot of time at the library this week (supposed to be in the 90's), I'll write more then. We plan to see a bunch of movies and even brave the mall to avoid the heat. There's no a/c in Seattle- not in your house anyway, so shit gets "hot, sticky, sucks" real quick.

And we're back.

Well, we've been back for 6 days but after an evening with our good friends, Peter, Brita and the Hitners, we are feeling "officially" back- as in, life is good. Real good. I sat on my butt 90% of the time tonight and in the blink of an eye it was 10:30 p.m. You know you are having a good time when that happens. Zach and Eddie manned the grill like manly men and the rest of us caught up, talked of babies, travel and bear claws. Q brought a pinata over and whacked the shit out of it. Flinging 1# of candy all over their back yard, good times.
I love the summertime in Seattle. After being in all the places we've been, Eddie and I agree 100% that this is the best city to live in. But after a night like tonight, I wonder if we'd think that of anyplace if we had our friends there too? Hmmm, well, I don't plan on finding out. I'm going to stay right here, Seattle is our home.
Yesterday was my birthday! I was greeted with singing and breakfast in bed. Eddie made swedish pancakes (to die for) and Q made my tea. In the beginning of this pregnancy I taught him how to make it because I was so miserably sick for a few months and you'd think he's from England, it's so damn good. They took me to see Harry Potter which was great, super chill day for the pregnant lady. Last night Eddie picked up food from one of our favorite places, El Camino in Fremont, and we ate out back. We followed dinner with a fire and made s'mores. It was a beautiful thing. It's nice to look down the last 10 years and see how far we've come and yet how little things have changed. The core stuff is the same, we're just cruising around, doing what we do, when we want and enjoying the shit out of it.

Holy shit!

We made it.
We are home. Well the two (three?) of us. E gets on a plane from Amsterdam in a few hours, he'll be home for dinner Monday night.
I'll get back on here once the fridge is full and we have had a little "us" time.
JD

"Mama I'm coming home"

That's what Eddie always sings into the phone when he's boarding a plane, or heading to the airport. I feel like singing it today because I am heading home. It has been a long, strange trip- not to quote the Dead or anything but it has. It all started with Eddie flying into Seattle and basically coming home to take a nap, repack and head out on our Family Holiday Tour. 3 weeks traveling through Europe and the UK, two nights in the beautiful Chateau Marmont, the Hootenanny and then we split our separate ways, him back to Europe, me to AZ (um, in July... bad idea all around).
I can't wait to climb into bed on Monday night, Q in his loft downstairs and E and I in our pillow infested love nest. I can't wait.
I would write more but I can't, I'm too hot. I need to go to the market and get some salad fixin's for a little family pizza party tonight.

Hell... Is that you?

Okay, I have said it every hour of everyday I have been here- AZ sucks! Well, not entirely, I mean the weather. I am practically dying here people. I can't take it. I moved when I was 19 and being here I am reminded of why. Summer! Can you say 120*? I'm not even kidding.
So we roll in on Sunday we will be peeling out on Sunday... I like to say 4 days is my limit but I have a big family, so time was of the essence. I haven't been here in a while and it is nice to put my feet on the ground with them. Or it is a big fat reminder of why I left and it makes me really happy with that decision.
I want to wrap up the tour but I want to show the pics! So I will wait till I get home.
Eddie is at SFO right now, getting ready to board a plane back to our second home- Europe. I feel the memories of that trip will tide us over until we set off on "Spaghetti Family Holiday Tour Pt. 2" this time it will be the four of us. We will be taking Elvis and Q to Australia in the fall for a very similar affair. We are so excited (thanks Chris) and even though that girl of ours will be so tiny, we are going to make her entrance into our lives as crazy and epic as possible, that way she'll know what she's gotten herself into.

Crap!

I still can't post any pictures. Ugh, what a bummer.
We are in Irvine, CA today- woke up too early of course, we are still in the jet of the lag...
Hootenanny was great. It was just as we hoped. Hot, sticky and a kiddie pool. The guys went on really early, I think it was a punishment for not playing last year. They were billed high on the poster but played at like 3:30, it was good though, we got to get our shop on at the booths. Eddie bought Elvis a skirt, I think as an ode to Churilla, it has a monster theme to it and I bought a butterfly hair clip with a skull in the middle, very "dia de los muertos" you can check them out at dulcemuerte.com.
Bolton rolled in about 3 minutes before they played and left before the stage was cleared, I love it, he's a total rock guy.
And now here we sit, fresh out of the pool, already had breakfast and it isn't even past 10 a.m..
We are about to go our separate ways for a bit. Q and I are off to AZ to visit my family. It has been over a year since I have been back there, it is time. I wish it wasn't going to be 150* but it is time nonetheless. We are really excited to see them all, hang out and enjoy my Mom's cooking and conversation. I miss her.
Eddie is going to hit the road with the guys. They are heading up to Lake Tahoe and then back to Europe for a couple of festivals. I'm telling you, that guy better be keeping track of his miles, he's sure to fly free to the moon when the seats come available.
We will meet back up at home mid July, just before my birthday. We have spent a lot of the last 10 years' anniversaries and birthdays apart, not to mention some major holidays. That is all changing for us, whether we hit the road or Eddie stay put- we are going to make it a point to be together more. Having the "triangle" together for the last 3-4 weeks has been amazing, I am sure there's a better word for it. I thought we would all get sick of each other. We are usually going different ways after a week or two, so to be together 24/7 and really want it to stay that way makes me feel grateful that we are celebrating 10 years this fall and things couldn't be more solid. I think it's rare, I hope it's not I genuinely wish more people had the kind of relationship I do. I am not bragging, I'm not rubbing it in your face, I'm telling you it's out there, go get it, go ahead.

London!

So I only have a second. I should be splashing my face with water and putting on my clothes but I just wanted to say that we made it. We have reached our last gig. Woke up this morning in... where were we? Sheffield maybe. Anyway, woke up early and got the hell. Took less than 3 hours to get here, checked in to our Camden hotel and we were off. I have loads of pics to post as soon as we find that cord (or replace it once back in the states), we took the tube, ate ice cream by the river and we rode the "London Eye"- man, it was HOT! It still is, speaking of which this a/c we have going on in the room is hypnotizing me into not getting ready and if I'm not there at least by doors to get the merch set up I'll get fired!!! Ya right. But I do want to have a proper evening in London, Q is having room service right now and I will have dinner with Eddie, no doubt standing behind the booth- hey, whatever works, rest will have to wait.

Newcastle, England

Upon Tyne, as they say. Or, they may say- that's what the map says.
So here we sit, still in our underwear. Well some of us. This morning we treated ourselves to breakfast in bed, room service style.
We were up late last night, Skyping with my family. My mom went to my sisters and we got to chat with them along with my niece and nephew (who was a wee bit sleepy himself). It was nice to see all of their faces, even if my mom's first words to me were "you look tired". Ouch!
I feel great, we all do, amazingly. We are wrapping it up here in the UK, our "Family Holiday Tour" is coming to an end, with a mere three shows to be had before we are back in the states, resting our heads in Hollywood at the Chateau Marmont, thanks tot he fabulous Carolyne. I can't wait to get in the pool, jet lagged with nothing to do. No boxes to move, no luggage to hump in and out of the car- well, for two days anyway. And we get to see Chris Neal!!! And all the guys. Eddie was just saying this morning that he misses playing with the guys, which I think is cute. Awwwwww......
But today we are going to walk up the street to do some quality shopping. We have some gift buying to wrap up and I really would like to bring my Mother something other than the magnet I bought her in Scotland. I can say what I got her because last night I was informed her and my sister only "look at the pictures" in my blog and they don't actually read it, but I have a sneaking suspicion she reads it at work, so SURPRISE, you lucky lady are getting yourself a magnet!
I should go now. Seems like we have lost our camera cord, to download pics into the computer. That's a bummer, I have to go spank someone's butt about it.

Glasgow rock city!

Here I sit at the merch booth with Q and Eddie. What a rad night. We showed up at the club and were promptly greeted by Ally, super nice guy. We drop our things, no soundcheck for E, he likes to keep it a little off the cuff like that. Anyway of course Q is hungry, actually we all were, we were doing laundry at lunchtime and forgot to feed ourselves. So we're walking and spot Chippy's, funny name, great food. Come back to the club with just enough time to set up shop. I'm really diggin' selling merch, getting to talk with everyone, and I LOVE hearing that these cool people are reading my little blog, like Fille (sorry if I butchered your name). I have so much respect for Amber and Chris. They do this shit every night and it's not easy but I'd like to see them do it almost 8 months pregnant. Ha!
Ricky Warwick is playing right now and if you don't have his record go out and get it. Go ahead , I'll wait... He's amazing, one of those voices you could just listen to all night, one of those guys that makes cheating sound romantic. The bastard.
Speaking of bastards, Eddie's just sitting here looking at me so I should try and show him a good time.

Hello Scotland!

I heard "if it's not Scottish, it's crap!" and I believe it.
I love Scotland, it is beautiful.
Our drive from Manchester was late in the day because we were having so much fun there, it was nice to hit the road and have an evening of English and Scottish countryside out the window. But first! Traffic jams. They do 'em up good here, traffic jam-up's are a plenty.
We pull into town at about 9 p.m. and head straight for our hotel, which looked very nice online. We were looking forward to it, after all we have the night off, which means two nights in the same place, it's like a birthday when that happens. Very exciting. You know what isn't exciting? The look on Eddie's face after he had checked us in. He came out, I was in the car still (Q was asleep) and Daddy didn't look happy. I can't tell if he was thinking about the place sucking or thinking about the upcoming events because he knew we wouldn't be staying.
We made our way into the room, but not without a little drama. A telltale sign we shouldn't stay. I leave Q at the door to tell Eddie to take the lift with the bags because there were more than a few stairs to climb- I took the stairs with the key to look at the room (hey, I gotta get in some exercise, there's no Ballard Health Club here). Well for some reason after Q told Eddie he should take the lift and he then took the stairs. I had already made it to the hovel and when Eddie came to the door, there was no Q. Shit! This is just like that time in Disenyland when we both look at each other and notice simultaneously that neither of us have our shorty. Double shit. We are in Scotland now, not Disneyland where they have people hired specifically to look for lost kids- really, they do, it's shameful, I know but this is indeed a fact.
I send Eddie racing down to the lobby and then get a call from the front desk "um, do you have a child missing?" I wanted to say "wrong room lady" but I told her yes, and that his father was currently doing the walk of shame.
I can't lie, Q was upset. He is good in strange places, he deals with his ever changing surroundings and adults on a daily basis like a pro, but he was lost and he had just woken up. Point deducted from the Daly parent score sheet- well, a point from Eddie's side anyway. I'm kidding...

From York to Manchester

Well here we are. We are at the club, "Night and Day" and it is a little like night and day compared to last nights show.

We woke up really early this morning in our York hotel. Due to our said old people establishment and rules- which was nice, other than the no a/c, sharing a bed with Q

and giant African sized spider that crawled under Quattro's shoe, things were good. The breakfast was very English, my favorite. Have you ever tried baked beans with eggs and toast? Do it! Go ahead- do it, it is delicious and sticks with you way longer than a bowl of cereal does. After a quick swim for Q,

we packed the car and headed into the city center where the spooky stuff lies. York

is said to be the most haunted city in England, so we were all about that. We walked around the curling streets, picked up a scooter for Q and a white belt for Eddie (YAY!!!). I bought some lemon curd for my grandparents, something about little bottles with jams, honey and curd always make me think of them.
We were going to eat lunch by the water but decided to go for a bit of tea first and we ended up at Betty's. Oh Betty... you are adorable, and delicious! We ordered a tier of tea sandwiches and sweet treats- it was VERY English, you know, the fancy kind. But I have to say, the service was a bit... cold? Our waiter was French and I'm not saying that is why he was cold, I like the French, I don't care what anyone says, ha ha. He seemed irritated to be working and it was such a cute place, it would probably get on my nerves too. To see people in and out all day, pretending they actually have afternoon tea with tiny sandwiches and itty bitty pastries. It's like playing dress up, cute but annoying to those who can't join in I guess.

Well it was lovely and we sat right by the window so we could people watch, a favorite of the Daly family. I could people watch all day long and sometimes I do. There were a lot of pregnant women and they were all dressed up like babies- you know, maternity clothes are made to make you look like a giant baby, I guess to prepare you for the upcoming arrival. Well, enough about that.
We got our shop on a little more, Q got his characiture drawn and then we decided it was time to move onward.


It sorta feels like NYC here n Manchester. Very American looking, not a lot of gothic style buildings which you find almost everywhere in Europe and the UK. It felt a little like home, or do I just miss my home? I predicted this trip would be just long enough to make me want to come back home and I think we are right on track people.
Our hotel room over looked the city center, where they have a huge fountain that kids can run in. The streets were lined with tents, with bits of crap for sale. We love buying off the street. It is cheaper and more interesting for sure. Q and Eddie decided to partake in the street grub, getting sausages and cheeseburgers.

Q had a couple of bites and then started making this hissing sound- he got the stinkiest of stinky cheeses on his burger. He said he "kinda" liked it, but after every bite, he made the hissing sound. I think it is because the cheese was so strong he could visualize a stream of green smoke coming out of his mouth... well after eating it was time to hit the fountain.



It was hot in Manchester, the weather is quite different here than it was in Europe, which is good because we are heading to LA and then on to AZ next weekend, so we should get used to it I guess.

Thursday morning in York, England

Another rough night of sleeping.
The last two nights we have shared our bed with Q and that doesn't sound like much to complain about but it is enough for me. There's no room, they are all wiggly, the only thing good about it is their face is right there when you open your eyes and the sound of them breathing. That is the sound of angels... well, if I believed in angels. Anyway-
We have never done the "family bed" and although comfort wasn't the reason for that decision, it is now holding a steady place in the list of reasons. Our bed is reserved for us, Saturday morning cartoons and the middle of the night sick kid. Beds are not meant to be shared with squirrely kids- well not my bed anyway.
We stayed at the Newington House in York, it is beautiful really but pretty much meant for old people. We had this thought when we checked in and the front desk informed us that breakfast was over "half nine" and check out was a mere hour later. Ouch! That's early, especially for rockers like ourselves who crawl into bed at 2 a.m. Again had the thought that this was for reserved for the older folk when we were at breakfast the guy took my order, then Eddie's and then proceeds to walk away, without a thought of Q. Trust me, that kid eats more than Eddie and I put together and Quattro don't share food!

York, England

Wow, I didn't have internet all day and I felt the pangs of a drug addict.
I am sitting backstage right now in York, at Fibbers, listening to Ricky play and I need to get my ass out there because he is good. Real good.
But first I wanted to a bit about our time in Brighton.



We spent the night at this really rad place, the Blanch House, where Q made a friend, Tom, the three legged cat.


The staff were so nice and the room was amazing- anyway, this morning we knew we had a 5 hour drive ahead of us but couldn't help but get up a little early and walk on the pier. There were roller coasters a plenty which Q was set on, I was happy I am currently pregnant, Eddie gets to ride the puker, not me.

We hop in the car, but not without a little bit of drama.
Eddie went and grabbed the car to pull up front so we could load our things.
He walks into the room a little quiet, we gather the last bits and he turns to me right before we walk out with a somewhat serious face... "I just want you to know there's a little drama unfolding out front". I'm like totally confused, he was gone for like 15 minutes checking out and moving the car around... oh wait, did I say "car"?
Evidently he pulls into the front spot and pops up on the curb a little and when he backs off it rubs our bumper on the cars bumper in front of us... well, guess who was watching? Ms. Grumpy pants. He didn't hit it, he rubbed it- anyway, she was gone when we came downstairs but I guess not before she put him through the ringer. Asking for addresses and names and calling Avis (good luck with that lady, you'll be on the phone all day) and her son took a picture of him. HIlarious! There was no mark on our car and I told Eddie it was ridiculous and that at least she only asked for his addy and name... so then I got to thinking, this is Eddie- my Eddie!... my next question? "What did you tell her your name was?"

From Germany to Belgium to France to England (and a tiny bit of the Nederlands)

all in a days work I guess.
We drove to Gent, Belgium last night, spent our evening off watching "Desperaux" and booking our next batch of hotels. Things are a little different in the UK. They use this thing called the pound and well let's just say, it's good to make the money over here (since our dollar has taken another crap) but it sure isn't good to spend it. And after Cheeseburg I'm not taking any chances, so I really did my research. I use this website called venere.com and I highly recommend it if you are coming across the pond.
Anyway, this morning we were met with a really warm splash of milk for our cereal. I asked the lady at the hotel if they had any cold milk and she said "yes, it's next to the coffee machine"... I walk over to find a glass jar with what I'd declare, warmer than room temp milk. It was sitting next to the espresso machine, which like many machines gets hot as it runs... so there's the milk temp for ya. It was pretty bad. The milk in Europe is like milk on a farm. When I was younger we stayed a couple of summers in North Dakota with family and they would milk cows and that fresh milk could sit out forever it seemed and not go bad. It's a little like that here, it's delicious, like cream really but warm milk on a bowl of museli? Ick! Momma don't like that. Eddie doesn't mind it and Q is like "Mikey" he'll eat anything.
Speaking of eating anything. In the states there are all these rules on what one should avoid while pregnant. I've never been one for rules, I mean, I like to think I am smart about the choices I make, especially those that will affect someone other than myself, but what's with all the fear in food?
Do they not eat sushi in Japan while pregnant? I'd be hard pressed to find a woman carrying a child over here that avoids sliced sandwich meat for 9 (make that 10) months and the cheese! Please, the cheese is undeniably one of the greatest things about Europe. I could really go on forever. Like wine. I could potentially be tackled in the states if I were to sit down and order a glass of wine but here- they practically bring it to you. I indulge. I'm not going to lie. Truth is, my heart burn is so debilitating a couple of sips and I'm done. I guess that's the Mom in me, the part that I was no doubt born with, given the chance to make a rebel move the core of my being will stop me. So I eat the cheese, I avoid the sliced meat because it is not my thing, I eat sushi when I want and when I know it's good- which is how I roll even when I'm not knocked up. You don't want to mess with iffy raw fish, even if you live in Japan.
We are now sitting on the P&O ferry, leaving Calais, France heading back to the White Cliffs of Dover, where this whole thing started. Well, where the fog of our jet lag set in. We are now past the halfway mark and it feels perfectly timed. I am beginning to think of all the things I want to do this summer at home and the things I will be doing before I get there. This trip is at it's peak and it is only going to get better. I can smell it... or is that the ocean?
From the ferry dock at Dover we will head west to Brighton. It's on the beach and I hear there's some fun to be had. Words like mini-golf and sandcastles where spoke from Eddie's mouth. He who has been practically everywhere and can somehow attain all the info. Remembering where the good coffee is and how to get to the shopping streets. He remembers the clubs and their backstages (I only remmeber them once I've been there, Q can recall which ones he has rode his scooter in). I can't remember if I've been to Brghton or not, that's the case with a lot of places I've traveled with the band. Being on a bus, the travel is so different. You wake up in a town, usually close to the club which is a toss up if it's in a good part of town or not. There's no hotel to get your bearings together in, you step out and it feels a little like you've missed it. You didn't see the crazy factories with fireballs shooting out the top or the beautiful villages (that we call "willages") and you didn't stop at the bridge just to get out and take it all in. The truck stop "pull it overs" are all in the middle of the night, which is really part of the whole experience for us. Finding weird food and candy, buying postcards But there are great things about the bus travel. There's no traffic jams- well not for you, because you are sleeping. You aren't exhausted from driving when you show up at the clubs, and there's something about waking up in a new place every morning that is really thrilling. I feel the itch when I am home too long, whether it is jumping on a bus full of the guys or sliding into the drivers seat myself. I'm grateful for where I live, it is fantastic but sometimes I want to just get back out there and shake things up. It's not too much, it's not hectic, it's not boring- it's our life and I wouldn't trade it for anyones. So I guess I will take a second and thank Eddie for getting up there every night and banging on the guitar and singing his heart out, this is some Willie Nelson shit we are pulling and none of it would be possible without that man and I guess the whole experience wouldn't be possible without all three of us- we may just give him something to write about somewhere along the way. I'll thank Willie too right now, for being an inspiration to Eddie, what was once a 15 year olds dream to be David Lee Roth has evolved into a lifelong career lead by that same desire, only now it's so much more than big hair and tight pants- girls and too much booze. It may sound lame to all of you who think that is the extent of the rock n' roll world, rest assured if you were living it, you'd want to lead the way with a dream that can withstand- or outlast bad fashion, trendy music and girls you met at the rock show. Except for me, he met me at a rock show, but somehow things turned out just a little different.

Attack of the walrus! Koo- koo- kachoo!

You have got to see this.

Happy Father's Day

I raise my glass to all you father's out there. Well, actually just the good ones.



We spent our final night with the Hot Cheese and their family in Speyer. It was bittersweet, sad to leave them as we all had a great time but excited for the next turn in our little adventure.
We will be heading back on the ferry to the UK tomorrow. Tonight we reside in Heidelberg, Germany again. What a beautiful place. We woke up in our fabulous Club Room suite, where the mini bar is free and the pillows are plenty. After a classic Euro style breakfast we all headed to the pool. It was completely empty and really, really awesome.




After some quality time in the pool and a snoop around the nude area (hot tub, sauna and a solarium) we were off to find some good ol' German grub. We, with the help of the hotel guy, ended up at the Spiesel. It was exactly what the baby ordered. Our best German meal by far on this trip and it was right by the Karl- Theodor Bridge.




After "linner" we headed off to the trolley station to take a ride up to the castle, oh... that beautiful castle. But wait! First the rain. You can see it coming, dark cloud and the people on the walking street all start ducking under the shop overhangs or step into an archway. We follow suit (hey, when in Rome) and duck under cover for a few, then being the impatient Americans we are, we decided to just suck it up and get wet- we are not going to melt. Seconds later it seemed the rain just disappeared and the skies were clear as could be. Q kept part of his roll from his meal to feed his new fascination- pigeons.

Relationships doomed?

We figured out Geeps is like a good marriage. After little thought on the matter, I thought I would share my view incase any of you out there are in the market for a marriage... er, I mean a GPS.
You are together for the exact same purpose and rely on each other to do things the other can do themselves, but the set up is suited best for both of you. Being taken care of and the ever important, feeling needed.
Somehow in the mix, tasks are assigned as the things that you do "better" whether or not that is true remains undiagnosed for one simple purpose and that is to make the other feel good about themselves. While you take the much needed break in that department.
Every once in a while (or more often during a rough patch) you fail miserably because you defaulted. The reason only know by you seems maddeningly stupid to the other. You fight, call each other the obligatory name that infuriates one into stone cold silence, as if time is standing still for them but you are getting more lost by the second. It seems that things are gone. Thoughts of, why are we together? I could do all this by myself, probably better. Why did you change so drastically for what seems to be no reason at all? Will things ever be like they were? Were they ever that good?
All of the sudden you aren't a team player, you are screwing everything up, you think you went separate ways at an invisible fork in the road, or was it visible? You didn't see it because you don't have a map! There are no manuals, or maybe there was one at some point in the beginning but it is long gone like this relationship... or is it?
The signal pops back up and the silence parts and in rushes the love. You find yourself reminiscing about a really good time and all is forgiven- you know why you are together, apologies are exchanged but mostly from the side that lost their shit and all is right with the world.
You are now free to find your destination, that you let your partner map out for you.
He got us really lost again. That Geeps, but we love him and we're all learning a little more about the game.

Good morning Eindhoven!

Ahhhh, I feel rested. I feel stiff as hell but rested.
We stayed at the Hotel Benno, cute lobby, great employees- really old beds. Alright, I'll just say it, it was kind of a dump.
When you walk in the htl lobby you think you are checking into the Ritz, everything is modern and funky but the rooms lacked the same enthusiasm to say the least. I'm not even going to talk about the shower, but I had to, my feet were black!
It was in the "Centrum" (think city center), which pretty much is where you always want to be on tour. Staying on the outskirts of anywhere is a drag.
So anyway, we walk up more curling, tiny stairs and the room was less than impressive. But like Eddie said "at least the bathroom is in the room!". Point taken. We decide it will get us through the night. Heidelberg is at our fingertips, we can almost taste it... I suddenly think I have too much riding on this next htl but out here the backstage and htl room is your home. Who wouldn't want them to rock, simultaneously in fact? Traveling with a kid, not to mention pregnant gal (but that is another blog) these things are important. You look for a little more than a place to sleep. Our checking in requires a certain pattern. It has to be within walking distance to a late night snack, we must have extra pillows (Mommy's can I get a "hell ya"?), we like to have a little space so we can whip out the Sculpturades and Uno games and E and I can have a little privacy- which in Europe is about as often as their is a bathtub... not often. Last night our beds laid there (they took a double room and added a bed, right next to the sink which was oddly placed in the room, set apart from the bathroom) right next to each other. All single mattresses, all leaning, heavily, to the right... I had a funny thought that in the middle of the night we'd all find ourselves piled on top of Eddie on the floor, this didn't happen, but it was a funny thought. You're probably not laughing, but you didn't see the beds.
Speaking of laughing, when we left Den Haag yesterday- I don't know what got into us but we were rolling in a fit of laughter, I had a thought that pot is legal in the Nederlands and I wonder if they just pumped it into the air? I thank them, I laughed until I cried and I can't even remember what about. Well there was Eddie choking on a jelly bean, that is making me laugh right now as I sit in the hotel lobby sipping on my cold coffee (boo) alone. Ahhh, next time we should bring a video camera- this tour has been full of hilarious moments.
Okay, Eddie and Q are back from packing up the car and I am sure to get "the look" momentarily so I will surprise him and pack it up. We've been together 10 years now, it's good to keep in interesting.

About last night...

Here is a picture of last night, from club Alstadt, where we were treated super nicely (again) and even though they had the dodgy ladder I had to climb up and down all night, it kept it interesting and everyone had a good laugh every time I successfully made it up (or down) because I would open my sailor mouth about how much I lothed the thing.

Freaky- deaky Dutch

Woke up this morning and went downstairs where Eddie and I enjoyed a little breakfast while Q caught up on some zzzz's He was up all kinds of late last night watching said freaky-deaky dutch. After his 11:30 a.m. wake up call- or cover snatching from Eddie, we got him together and hit the streets of adorable Den Haag. First up, coffee because what they were dishing out at the Centrum was about as good as a week old beer. We head back over to the place that served us dinner, they know coffee.
We stopped at a bunch of little shoppes along the way, we are all on the search for some items on our Euro journey. It is always nice to have a "plan" otherwise we'd come home with a lot of crap and crap we don't need.
I want a new purse, a good one, not a Marshall's purse (not that there's anything wrong with that) and Q (well, Q wants everything but he's 8 so we allow that- remember my motto?) he wanted a wallet which he got in Switzerland. Check!
Eddie wants (aka needs desperately) a new guitar case- his doesn't have a handle... quality stuff right there and he wants a white belt. He got one in NYC about 3 years ago and let's just say it has seen better days.
So we're walking, we stop about just about every toy store. Picking up a little something for the new Ms. Daly, Q got a wooden bow and arrow set and a parachuting martian holding a guitar (which he named "Zinky") and a cool toy called "Zeebeez"- it's highly entertaining, I recommend it to anyone that is traveling with a kid. It was nice, it was fun to walk around with the family. We do so much driving and hanging out at the clubs, today was super nice to just wander. Eindhoven was only an hour and half drive so we, of course, waited until the last minute to leave, which is usually about 20 minutes past the last but this is our rodeo, so we can do that.
I found that purse I was looking for, it rocks, I love it so much I am waiting to use it after I get home. Touring is dirty, this purse is way too nice for the backstage floor. It will most likely turn into my diaper bag but it will be one kick ass diaper bag so I'll take it.
We found this huge music store where we just knew Eddie was going to walk out a winner- alas, it wasn't his day. The case they had he didn't like, it was kinda cheesy and even though it had a handle E's got his own thing going and when he wants something in particular, he waits for the kill.
Speaking of kill. I am going to kill myself if I have to sit here and listen to these boys pop that ZeeBeez toy one more time and I have to walk down this damn ladder backwards, in my floor dragging skirt I wore- so I better go. Pack it up, call it a day and tomorrow we rock Heildelberg. Actually I think the show is in Speyer, just outside there but we'll be staying two nights in that rad htl I booked, so I can't wait to get on with it. We will be slipping into our swim suits and walking through this fabulous castle, which I will post pics of. Eddie and I walked through this same castle when I was pregnant with Q. I could have stayed there for days, it was stunning.
So the Dutch shows were "ehh". I'm not sure if they "get it" or if they are just too brainwashed by the techno (which most European cities lean towards, if you ask me. There's almost always a curfew on rock shows so they can get out the glow sticks) but if I had to score it- the Germans take it. Their enthusiasm mopped the floors with those who reside in the Nederlands.

Den Haag, Nederlands

sound check
Tonight they rock the SuperMarkt.
So we rolled out of the tenderloin bright and early this morning and pull into Den Haag about 2 p.m. Unfortunately our bad luck follows and "Geeps" craps the bed. As soon as we pull into our first turn off the highway, he just loses signal, starts pointing in 12 different directions and that's that. We're lost. A great town to be lost in though, the streets are small and windy, there's about a hundred people on super cute dutch bikes, a canal full of lily pads and row boats, it's like a Meg Ryan movie!
It was almost easy not to be frustrated, after leaving the crotch of Cheeseburg, tooling around the streets of cutie pie Den Haag was alright with me. Eddie on the other hand, finds it hard not to get totally pissed when Geeps takes off. Men. I'm guessing he just gets mad because he then has to get out and go ask for directions. Which no man likes to do, and when you are up against the Dutch, well if you've heard the Dutch, you'd know, it's not easy. So many vowels!
Anyway, I told him to keep his pants on and we then found the place, Hotel Centrum. My hero! It is beautiful, giant white leather couches, a master bedroom with a balcony- a place to rest (with both eyes shut).
So that's what I did. I laid on the bed, took my shoes off and fell fast asleep. Eddie and Q went wandering about to find some food, after my nap I was greeted with lunch and we then took a stroll to find the club and that is where I sit.
In fact the Pace Shifters have just gone on and I am going to go check 'em out. They are getting better every night- if you don't know them, go to paceshifters.com. You will not be sorry.

Loving it!

I just noticed there are like almost 2400 views on this thing, we've only been here a week! I love it, thank you- this is totally fun, something we will have forever too. Like a diary I can't loose.
Keep reading, post the link and come out to these shows.
Oh and, the Pace Shifter boys share the stage with Eddie on the last 3 or 4 songs each night, he is doing his usual awesome, one man show-show.

We're alive!!!

It's was rough, I'm not going to lie.
3 or 4 times I heard someone walking down the hall and I was prepared to jump up, jammies and all and battle the one that tried to break into our room. But it was all in my head. There was no drama, no one wiggled out doorknob, no one knocked asking for strange items, like I imagined most of the night.
Around 5 a.m. I woke up to construction. Forgetting where I was I was wondering "what about the noise ordinance?". Silly me.
So I laid around, packed some stuff and then at about 6:30 I found my sister on Skype, so that was nice. My talking woke Eddie (oops) who jumped up and was ready to get the show on the road too.
Q is still fast asleep as I type, it's about 7:45 a.m. now.
E and I walked down the hall to have breakfast, which was really bleak. It's so not European of them too, breakfast is usually the best part of your stay- I mean, not a a hovel but at the hotels, Europeans do it up right. You won't find a lonely bowl of Froot Loops, it's all usually very serious foods. Alas, this morning it was bad "koffee" and stale bread. I can only assume they got it from the soup kitchen they must run from 4-7 p.m.
Tonight we rock Den Haag which you will find snuggled in the Netherlands. I'm looking forward to it, as it is the home country of our lovely Pace Shifter boys. who Eddie will share the stage with just three more nights. We will miss them along with Frank and Mom, who are the sweetest people you will find. So if you are at the show, come over to the merch booth and say "hi" buy something and keep the dream a live people... I'm just glad I made it through Pension- Kieler Hof alive.
Danke vielmals!
JD

Rawkusly yours from Cheeseburger

Well tonight they showed up and they loved it. They were a fabulous crowd and Q and the Pace Shifter boys had a great time running around, burning off some steam.
We walked the water front after dinner, it looked a bit like we could have been in Seattle, it was nice. We are definitely on the wrong side of the tracks where I sit now.
We are back at our "hotel" and it's about the only time I wish I was still at the smokey club. Ugh, do these people like to smoke. They like smokes with their smokes... kids- just say no to smoking. It is disgusting.
Anyway, the street here is loud. I feel weary of our ability to sleep tonight. The guy down the hall has his TV on so loud Eddie wants me to wake him up if I go use the bathroom- I suggested his TV is loud so no one can hear you scream... We are setting the alarm for extra early, how's 7 a.m. strike ya (it's like 1:30 a.m. now) because this place is sure to set us up for a rough day if we stick around in the morning. I figure we get up and scram and pretend like it never happened. We are in the tenderloin of tenderloins, I feel dirty. I figure I spent enough years roughing it to know when I am too "good" for this stuff and it is now.
At the club tonight I booked us two nights in a rather pricey hotel in Heidelberg for the weekend. We have a day off and it will be spent getting back on track, I'm trying not to obsess, you can see how well that's going for me.
I wish I had more to say, I'd stay up all night typing. I feel like someone needs to watch these boys sleep. Oh I'm (half) kidding Mom, it's not that bad... it's not that good either but I will be sure to log on in about 5 hours so you know we are all still alive.
Good night, sleep, um, with one eye open.
JD

Hostels

I'm spoiled.
There I said it. I am damn spoiled.
I'm trying to get back to my roots here people, or I'm forced to. I did not grow up rich and I'm not rich now but let's just say I want for nothin' these days and this place is hard for me to wrap my head around. And it isn't bad, it's nicer than many of my apartments have been (Heidi, remember the attic?). We just checked into the Pension-Keiler Hof (I wonder if that has anything to do with the Hasselhof?) and Q and I had to use the loo immediately, so we walked up two flights of stairs (yes with all our bags, we're tough), we walk into the room and start scratching our heads. Where is it? There are three beds (one for each of us, JUST KIDDING!) and an Ikea style closet and what's that big white box thing? A toilet? No, it's a shower. Straight in the middle of the wall, to the right a sink and not a toilet to be seen... boo. It's down the hall. I'm going to go ahead and use the pregnancy card and say this sucks because I use the thing about 45 times during the night but really, I'm just spoiled.
But not that spoiled. Eddie said "we can move htls" (which is what I LOVE about that man, "happy wife, happy life" really is his motto) but it's cool. We have a good thing going, we can skip the room service and wake up calls for a night, not because I want to but because MY motto is "it's okay to be spoiled but it's not okay to act spoiled".
Tchau,
JD

Supersucker fans.

There it is again, the chatter on the msg board about little ol' me. I think it is true that all press is good press but I wanted to say "thank you" to my sweet friends on there. You know who you are. It really doesn't affect us to read the BS though, I mean we are traveling through Europe, what do I have to complain about? Some faceless punk? Ha! He should keep it up because the more people that read the msg. board will read my blog and that is fun for me. I am not writing it so no one will read it. Win. Win. And yes I do read the bands msg board still, all of it. I just can't log on, I'm on Eddie's computer over here and I can't remember my login info. But this is a machine we are running, this is it it's not a side job, it's a lifestyle- the whole thing. I do whatever I can to keep this thing of ours going. I don't want to give up my position in life as a stay- at- home- or- anywhere- in- the- world Mom. I've got it real good and I am fully aware of that and so is Eddie. We are the lucky ones and we know that. Eddie's letter to the fans and all of the correspondence any of us do as a family will no doubt relate somehow to the band. I will "whore" this thing out until the end sweet pea.

It is unfortunate I guess about the baby stuff but really on this end, it is what it is. Once you are "out there" (and who isn't these days) you are available for cheap shots. But I do respect my fellow SS fans that take it upon themselves to defend the honor of the unborn. I'm not too worried about what it is my children will do with their lives when they grow up, I'm not even worried about what kids (or their parents) think about their names, playground or no playground. And if they grow up to be doctors or lawyers or street sweepers, my job is to make sure they learn to not take too seriously all the faceless punks that will follow them in their life, because it'll happen. She's got about 3 more months in the womb still and already a fan base. Do I think that's a plus for her? Not neccessarily but like I said, it is what it is. Our life.

Thank you!

Sitting backstage, after a day of walking, coffee drinking and just really loving life here in the streets of Germany. We are now getting reconnected with our friends who spent their day off back in Switzerland.

Quattro is on the guitar again, he, Eddie and Seb are having themselves a little jam.

Tomorrow we head to Cheeseburg, which is a fantastic place, the name is actually Hamburg but that isn't as much fun to say now is it.

It's show time now and I must go watch the Pace Shifters- check them out paceshifters.com (aka "Hot Cheese")

JD

Stuttgart, day 2

We woke up early to get in on the breakfast action downstairs, which was a bit of a mistake cause it kinda sucked. Oh well, you can't win 'em all. 

And then the rain came. My prediction was that it burn off by the afternoon, so we all decided to go back upstairs, get into bed and read- what a thought. To just sit around and read together. It was perfect. 

I am reading "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult, Q's on Harry Potters "The Deathly Hallows" and E is reading "The Corner" by David Simon and Edward Burns- creator of the Wire. At some point I decided to put the book down and take a nap, then Q and Eddie followed suit. All jammed in the same bed, one by one waking up to get the blood flowin'.

I hear Eddie out on the balcony changing his strings, which he broke two of during the show in Zurich (and he didn't stop the show, how does he do it??). He looks nice out there, my meterolgy skills proving to be correct, the sun is shining and it's looking perfect outside. 

Quattro joins him, to watch and learn. He is really into the guitar lately, having spent the last few months on the drums at home, he switches back and forth every few. He's got the bug and the gift, a dream combo for him and a Mother's fear. He too will most likely be in a band.

It's not that I think it isn't a good life. It is, I mean, I chose it too in a way- or did it choose me? Well, it chose Eddie for sure, he couldn't avoid it if he tried (which he didn't, not even for a second). But it's hard. I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly and if you haven't lived on the road- you really have no idea. It can take a great/talented person and change them. It will chew you up and spit you out, several times over. It will steal the best of you, whether you are famous for what you do or not. It's a lifestlye that doesn't fit too many. It's not always glamorous if you are touring arenas to 15,000 people or when you are hitting the dive curcut to 300. It's good livin' sure but it's hard. I guess that's why I like to bring the family out, I want to show him, if you're going to do it, "do it this way". Not that I think we are perfect but Eddie and I- we have done nothing if not perfect the family tour. We have discovered there's more to it if you are willing to move outside the box. If you can fly your middle finger to all the nay-sayers, there's really a good way to live this life, it comes with it's challenges but what doesn't? Figuring out who's going to pick up the kids after baseball when you are both working late has got to be a struggle but if you want to, you find a way to make it all work out. We waded through all the shit too. The getting kicked off tour (during the Baggins and Fisher "no wives on tour!!") tour, which I had traveled all the way to Paris for, 7 1/2 months pregnant with Q. We had a harder road than we would have if I would have stayed home, the way all the chicks did back then but then again, I wouldn't be writing you this blog either. If I didn't come out for the last 10 years, if we didn't stick our necks out and blaze a new trail for ourselves, we wouldn't have made it and that is a fact.

Wow, where did that come from? Damn hormones. 

So that is where they are. On the balcony, learning songs now. Q wonders when it is going to stop hurting his fingers, if you have never seen Eddie's fingers, they are round little pods, callusted over from what we figure to be 28 years of playing.

And now we roam. Hopefully "Geeps" will get his act together. Last night, leaving the restaurant at 11 p.m. we get in to the car to a "no signal" sign. We were just singing his praises on the way to dinner too. Saying the extra 15 Euro's a day was worth it (22 days, you do the math, yikes!) but then he just crapped out on us. We were thinking he'd get it together but he didn't, we had to navigate ourselves with no real map (just a very german tourist map from the front desk, I'm glad I picked that up on our way out, I was actually thinking about going to the zoo and then I remember how depressing they are to me- like birds in a cage). We made it though. With Eddie's guessing and my instinct to follow the tracks, we ended up right where we were supposed to be. Go figure. See I told you we're really good at this.

Stuttfart, Germany

And we're back. Back in Germany that is.

Short drive today, I didn't even have time to get tired of driving. I will go ahead and enjoy that.

So I was thinking about our animals today, I hope they are all doing well. Monkee is no doubt in all of her glory with the Hoopers, they are really good people and if I had to pick God parents for her, they'd be it. 

It's rainy and muggy and there's no damn internet at this htl, don't you know we are going to be here two days. The front desk lady is very German about the whole thing saying there will be no internet while we are here- just like that, no internet. Ugh.

Quattro has taken to buying German comic books, he can't read them of course but funny translates I guess. He was sitting in the back seat cracking up

Zurich, Switzerland

German is one of those languages that no matter how slow they say something, or how good the hand gesture- I have no idea what they are saying. It is indecipherable and that, to me, just makes things all the more interesting. It is pretty cool to be "all alone" in such a huge land. We will spend most of the first part of the tour in Germany- but today, we are in Switzerland.

Oh Switzerland... I could live here. 

We get up yesterday in Dusseldorf, Germany which for some reason totally reminded me of Prague. Prague is like a movie set, everything looks fake. We drove about 6-7 hours to make it to Zurich, I was behind the wheel most of the way until I was hit by the inevitable jet lag. It is like a sneak attack almost, I'm driving things are fine and then all of the sudden if I don't close my eyes, I feel as if I will just drop dead. Jet lag is funny that way, when you travel this far, it lasts a good 4-5 days, sneaking up on you at odd times to  make you feel a little bit crazy.

I gotta go now, we are getting the boot out of this htl. But first let me say, the Coronado rocks! If you are ever in Zurich, stay here. It looks like a dump from the outside, but we are on the top floor, it's an A frame style room with giant sliding doors on the ceiling/wall that reveal a very huge window that overlook a park and train tracks- which by the way, goes by so often you hardly notice it. The bathroom is all glass, frosted so no one can see you shower but glass all the same. After Eddie and I showered, Q got in and I found a switch next to the bed that turned on this awesome blue light that ran up and down the glass walls of the shower- a shower for Q to remember. I asked him if I could take a picture... you'll know the answer when you scroll down and don't see it.

We were promptly given the boot at 12. Well, they started calling at 11 and then again at 11:30, the lady said to E on the phone "I have told you already about checking out at noon, right?"... we walked out of the room at 11:59- Daly style.

So what to do? We have the day off, tomorrow's show is back in Germany, Stuttgart to be exact, so we walk. Well, we drive back through the tunnel to the city center. It's magical here- if magic to you is primo shopping district. I could be here a month and probably not go into every store. The one good thing about this particular tour? I won't spend all of my earnings (yes, I'm getting paid) on clothes... I'm 7 months pregnant and I'm only getting bigger by the day. I think I'll only buy if I actually grow out of something along the way- but this place, this place has the good eats too.

Last night our very gracious hosts told us about a place, "Johanniter" and that is where I sit as I type up the last half of this blog. First part was in bed this morning in my 10 minutes before I had to get out of it, they wanted 57 Swiss Francs for us to stay later, ouch!

The food was delicious. I had a ham and cheese on crusty bread and a califlower soup. Homemade and totally what the baby ordered. Eddie had this crazy chicken cordon blue, but it was with pork (we think) pomme frites of course, they come with everything. And then there's Q.... he was saying he wanted a hamburger, I told him "when in Rome..." so when he got the menu he was happy to through back in my face that in "Rome" or Zurich, they too have hamburgers on the kids menu. The little girl next to us was eating a hot dog... so the similarities are there for sure. The kids are universal eaters of "kid food". I was fine with it, ordering off the adult menu would have cost three times as much, the Swiss ain't cheap.

Oh, I forgot to tell you about last night! So we show up, straight off the highway, tired, hot- it was their hottest day yesterday, 32 I think (celcius of course) which you do something like times by 1.8 and add something else. I know that 25 is god, 30+ is warm/hot and 16 is perfect for sleeping. It's the little things you have to learn when you are a broad- temps are good for when you are setting the thermostat in your room and how to order some coffee. WHich I have been drinking WAY too much of, I guess I'm hoping for a low birth weight. I'm totally kidding... well, mostly.

Q and I knock on the door of the Kontiki Club. It's located on this adorable street. Brick walking streets, lined with restaurants with tons of outside tables. There are so many, they all blend together, you can't really tell where one place starts or stops. I love it, this is my thing, if I were not pregnant I would be sitting down immediately and ordering a bottle of wine while E and Q unload the merch and guitar... alas, I am with child. I'm not against wine while holding, I am sharing a glass with Eddie right now actually but you know, the other me... bottle of wine, I don't mess with the glass.

I'd like to thank Danny right now for cooking us this fabulous BBQ. Not only were we on a rooftop, in Switzerland with a giant church directly in front of us, we were welcomed by people that at home they'd totally be our friends. Just really cool, down to earth people, covered in tattoos. I felt immediately like we were in a good place.

I'm forgetting the name of our hosts right now, I'd probably butcher the hell out of them anyway, I would tell you all about the dog bite but now I feel bad because the owner (who was really, really nice and good to all of us), I heard she didn't come to the show because she felt so bad. I'm so bummed, I wish I could tell her (hey, maybe she's reading!) that there are no hard feelings. This stuff happens, so real quick I will only say Q still thinks your dog is really cute, sure, we call him "Kujo" now but half in part because we can't remember his name either.

The show was lightly attended, but it didn't sound like it. I was in the backstage most of the evening, feeling very comfortable in a backstage on the nights that they are super nice, I take advantage. But every cheer, you'd think there were a couple hundred people, which is great and sometimes it's nicer to have a small crowd who are really into it, than 300 people who are so out of it wasted. Listen to me, I sound like an old person. But I'm not, I'm all of a night of dibaughtchery but this is a family tour, so that's where my head is at. 

And what a great time it's been so far. We are 5 days in, 16 to go and we are really just taking it all in. Getting to roam around today really made it feel complete, 

Our fellow road dogs, the Pace Shifters and family just walked up, they too are getting their roam on. They read my last blog, didn't love that I called them babies but I'm sticking to it. They should enjoy it, I too am the baby in my crowd, it's good, it beats the alternative.

It's time for me to shove off, Eddie just spotted a sign for "Hooters", so that means it is time for a change of scenery. Last night we noticed a McDonald's right in the middle of that cute walking street with all the restaurants- there's just something about it. It really takes the majesty out of it all. I boo it. I mean, I've eaten it, but over here- I boo it. In France, now that's a McDonald's I can somehow get behind, they have the good "moutarde". France has some great food but when you are on tour, sometimes there's only time for fast food.