I have stayed in really good hotels and really bad hotels. If I have to pay for the room I choose the cheapest place that doesn't have roaches or bed bugs. If a union is paying for it, two and a half stars is good enough. If a government is paying for it I will stay in three stars. I usually keep it at that because getting dressed up to me means making sure my fly is zipped, my ears are clean, my hair is ruly and my nose is wiped.

However, there was a time when a national broadcasting company flew me to town to sing at a prestigious event--one of those 'the world is watching' type things. After I arrived I was informed I'd have to wear a tuxedo for the performance. I agreed on the condition that I'd do so if I could wear a bunch of grapes where the tie would have been. They were aghast and said no. I returned to the hotel and invited eight musician friends (folk, rock and blues) to come to a party. We charged about $350/400 to the room (big bucks in 1967) on wine and hard liquor--mostly me with the wine and my blues friends with the hard liquor; the folk and rock people sipped beer and smoked whatever--and everyone in the rooms below, above and on that floor had a good time until about three in the morning. Twelve years later they spent a pile of money to record me doing some of my songs. They had the good sense not to mention the previous incident--as did I.

That has nothing to do with anything except when you're homeless, even a flop house is good. When you are well-off, a five star is just the way it should be.

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Charmion, retirement sure seems to fit you well. I hope things are great.