CarolC writes a song

Subject: CarolC writes a song about Allan C.
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 06:37 PM

This is the first song I've ever written. Sung to the tune of "Found a Peanut"...

Went to Winchester
To the Waffle House
On a bright and sunny day

Went to meet Mud-
catter Allan C.
And his nice friend David C.

We had lunch there
I had grilled cheese
They had grits
I tried a few

I don't get it
But who am I to judge
I play the squeezebox
How 'bout you?

Got to tell you
Al's a gentleman
So's his nice friend David C.

I'm so glad I
Went to Winchester
And met the Mudcat's Allan C.

Pictures at eleven (if I like them).

Carol

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: flattop
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 07:10 PM

A touching lyric Carol.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: flattop
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 07:11 PM

AC and DC in one afternoon.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: Margaret V
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 07:13 PM

Love it, Carol, especially the verse about the grilled cheese and the grits. Is it sung with accordion accompaniment? Margaret

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: flattop
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 07:23 PM

Good point Margaret. It would have been completely different if she'd gone to Lee-Jackson's for a burger or if she'd stopped off at Winchester's Apple bank for cash.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 07:34 PM

Were you there too, flattop, and I just didn't notice you?

Margaret V, I think guitar, banjo, and accordion would be appropriate. Everyone would have to leave the room, though, so as not to risk having a seizure of some sort.

Carol

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: flattop
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 07:45 PM

Not recently Carol. Have you seen the Apple Bank? It's shaped like an apple. Gives you faith in the solemnity of bankers.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: MichaelAnthony
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 07:52 PM

Yeah Carol! I'd also like to take this opportunity to say I'm an admirer...I always enjoy your soulful posts!

Yours,

Hot Banana Johnson (see Bluesname thread if explanation is needed)

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 07:54 PM

I've seen the apple, but it's so big, it blocks out the view of the bank.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 07:57 PM

Why thank you, Hot Banana. That's very kind of you.

'berry

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: flattop
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 08:14 PM

I thought the bank was in the apple but it's been years since I visited hillbilly Bob.

Interesting dining in Winchester. At one restaurant they had steaks so big they would make your dog sick. If you finished one they gave you another one free. We watched a guy eat one. That was before Monty Python's Meaning of Life. We weren't fully aware of restaurant hazards.

We did some fine dining at the Winchester Mall. Downtown they had a pub that the locals considered exotic because sausages and potatoes were on the menu as bangers and mash. One place, maybe the Cork Street tavern had folk music. It was on a reel to reel recorder but they played nice tunes. The waitresses in the places by the highway like Howard Johnsons were extra freindly but I think it was a tourism campaign. They weren't really interested in my personal problems.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: Allan C.
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 08:15 PM

CarolC was such a pleasure

She was cheerful as could be

Sat for hours speaking Mudcat

Carol, me and David C.

Had a hunger. Got a menu.

Ordered meals for all three.

When the grits came, Carol tried 'em.

Such a face you'll never see!

She was charming. She was funny.

LMAOROF

So was David

Other patrons? Out the door!

Hardest part was when the time came

For us all to say goodbye

Snapped some photos, saw her squeezebox.

First a hug then time to fly.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: flattop
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 08:43 PM

Starting to sound like a musical. Sorry that I'm not in verse.

Are grits not just lumps of corn? Are they flavoured? What do they taste like?

Are you in peanut soup country Alan? Do you have a good recipe for peanut soup?

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: catspaw49
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 08:51 PM

Flats, just enter grits in the searchbox and you'll see we have discussed grits ad infinitum and ad nauseum.

Hey Carol and Allan.......What a neat thing!! Hadn't heard about it, but I'm glad y'all got together. Now let's see a picture or two huh? Ah.....Waffle House. Karen's favorite joints....scattered, smothered, and covered.........Cholesterol Heaven!!!

Allan, glad David made it with you. Hope he's doing better

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 08:54 PM

Thanks Allan, that's great.

flattop, I'm going to let someone else field your food questions. I'm not verbally equipped for that task. I actually have no words to describe the effect grits have on the inside of my mouth.

My understanding is that grits were, at one time, corn, but I couldn't detect any resemblance, myself.

Carol

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: WyoWoman
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 09:03 PM

Wonderful song, CarolC. I laughed. I cried. I twitched a little, but I think it was when Allan said he'd seen your squeezebox. But ... far be it from ME to judge.

You should look up the grits thread, however. It went on for-freakin'-ever, but did yield a few decent recipes. In other parts of the world they call grits "polenta" and put gorgonzola cream sauce on them.

I'm glad you got to meet His Fuzziness, Allan C. Truly a lovely gent. I cannot vouch for this David fella, however.

xo/ Dyslexic Starfruit

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: catspaw49
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 09:08 PM

Why does "Gorgonzola Cream Sauce" sound like something Godzilla would excrete during sex? Anyway, it don't sound like nothin' I'd want on my grits............

Spaw

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: flattop
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 09:11 PM

Thanks Spaw and WyoWoman. I never thought of searching. Stupid me.

Supersearch is down but the filter brings up grits. Also, a quick check of google brings up 'Texas Monthly Recipe: Francesca's Lamb Loin and Spicy Grits' (which answers the flavouring question) and other interesting articles like 'Corn Grits Particle Size and Distribution Effects on the Characteristics of Expanded Extrudates.'

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 10:49 PM

Thanks, Wyo Woman. I hope you recover from the twitch. It was great. It was my first face to face encounter with a Mudcatter whom I had not recruited myself. Everybody's right...it's like meeting long lost family members.

Carol

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: WyoWoman
Date: 19 Nov 00 - 12:12 AM

Flattop-- I LOVE my grits with Extrudates. Especially if they're expanded.

Well, Carol, m'dear, you would -- I can practically promise -- like my green chile/cheddar cheese grits. And, bein' a Southern gal myself, when I need comfort food, there's nothing like a bowl of hot grits into which I've stirred a cup or so of fresh or frozen corn and then topped with a pat of butter and some salt and pepper. Nummy.

but, most restaurant grits taste like unadorned Cream of Wheat and I agree that the Ick Factor is pretty high... Not nearly as high as Catspaw's Godzilla reference, but then 'Spaw pretty much commandeers the Ick Factor. ...

ww

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: flattop
Date: 19 Nov 00 - 08:41 AM

We can only buy Expanded Extrudate Grits in specialty stores in Canada. Their prices are so high. Cuts into the funds for a flight to Texas to taste true grits.

When we read grit threads we have no time left to keep up on that song writing duo, Carol and Alan. Were pictures posted at 11? Did anyone visit Patsy Cline's grave? It's in Winchester. I didn't know when I visted but if I ever go again... Patsy lived Winchester, she may have been born there. I learned what little I know in a made for TV movie. Now my TV doesn't work. No problem. I can always waste time on mudcat.

The other thing Winchester is famous for is that it changed sides over ninety times in the civil war. A lot of soldiers must have died there. You'd never know if you went to the Waffle House out by the junction of the three highways. It probably just looks like the junction of three highways.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: Allan C.
Date: 19 Nov 00 - 10:29 AM

We weren't there to do the tourist thing so we saw little else other than the Waffle House. As for Patsy, yes, she's there. I don't ever visit ANYONE'S grave. (Never really saw the point.) Miss Cline can rest in peace with or without my blessings.

I used to watch her on the old "Town and Country Music Show" out of D.C. when she appeared regularly there with others such as Jimmy Dean.

Regarding Winchester and Civil War History, one could get lost in all that abounds there. For instance, two of the most famous and courageous war spies were from Winchester. Both were women.

Carol saw a bit more of the town because she sat at the wrong Waffle House for a bit.

Once you get away from the old, original buildings which are readily evident in the center of town, Winchester looks very much like any other American town. It has its McDonalds, Walmart, Pizza Hut, Food Lion, etc., like they all do. David has often said that if one were to be blindfolded and transported to nearly any town in the U.S., when the blindfold was removed there would be few clues to betray the location. Such is Winchester.

But for three hours or so, there was a very bright spot out on Pleasant Valley Road where the spirit of the Mudcat lit the faces of three happy people.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: catspaw49
Date: 19 Nov 00 - 11:56 AM

Flats me lad, let me take you on a trip and you can visit Patsy's grave.........CLICK HERE

Spaw

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: CarolC
Date: 19 Nov 00 - 04:32 PM

Hey flattop.

If I lived in Winchester, I think I would have to make you an honorary resident. I could probably find the key to something to give you. As it is, I don't even live in Virginia. Neither does Allan C. any more.

I did go to the wrong Waffle House. (Who could know that there could be two Waffle Houses within four or five blocks from each other?) I think the one I went to by mistake was probably the one you are talking about near the junction of the three highways.

I was just kidding about the pictures at eleven. There may be pictures, but they have to pass the approval process first. Do you want to be informed if any pictures get posted? I think I may have seen your picture. Allan C. really seems to get around.

I think you should come to the next Mudcat hillbilly reunion in Winchester. The Waffle House makes a mean grilled cheese sandwich, and they never even kicked us out. Then you could write a song about it.

WyoWoman...do you know how to make gorgonzola cream sauce?

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: CarolC
Date: 20 Nov 00 - 04:56 AM

Oh, yeah...Wyo Woman, is your recipe for green chili/cheddar cheese grits someplace in the forum? (willing to give them a second chance...maybe)

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: LR Mole
Date: 20 Nov 00 - 10:12 AM

Exudates was a Roman emperor, wasn't he? Is the Waffle House where they have those heart-stopping shredded homefries with the orange cheese?MMmm. I personally have never had a grit, but here in the Biggest Little State in the Union we have Jonnycakes:white corn meal and water griled thin with butter and maple syrup on top. Good stuff. Stays with you. Wonderful song, CarolC: I remember learning "Found a Peanut" as a child. It was the first touch of mortality in music for me : "I di-ed, I di-ed, I died, just now; Just now..." The whole experience sounds wonderful: 'Cordeens are a mystery to me, but I love the fact that they can be either convincingly waltzy or warlike.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: CarolC
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 02:18 AM

Thanks, LR Mole, it was a wonderful experience.

'Cordeens... depends on what kind you're playing. On my German box, everything sounds like parade (warlike) music, although I can make things sound very dark and moody as well, but it's always loud. On my Italian box, I can make things sound very sweet and nostalgic (waltzy), or I can make them sound dark and moody, but in a mellow kind of way. I had a strange and compelling experience involving a bristly grayish sort of energy in my apartment that I thought you might be interested in. It happened on Thursday, Nov. 16. Let me know if you want me to tell you about it.

I remember something in R.I. that I haven't been able to find anywhere else. Do they still have those deep fried clam cakes? They're dough that's been deep fried, and I guess they have clams in them, although I never was able to actually find one, which is just as well, because I don't like clams. But I used to love those clam cakes.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: LR Mole
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 11:23 AM

Yeah, they've got 'em. Mmmmm...almost lunchtime...

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: mousethief
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 11:26 AM

Grits have no taste. They are eaten for the texture, which allows people from the South to clean the residue from last week's Moon Pies off their molars.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: SINSULL
Date: 21 Nov 00 - 11:45 AM

I love grits and Cream of Wheat. Can I still stay? Lots of salt and pepper.
Lucky you! Carol. Your own mini Mudcat adventure complete with two Mudcat males. I love them too. With or without pepper.

I love grits
And Cream of Wheat
For with pepper
They're a treat
But I'd trade them
In a minute
For an AC/DC meet!

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: CarolC
Date: 22 Nov 00 - 03:23 AM

I'm not going to say anything, mousethief. I live too close to The South. ;-)

Sinsull, if I've read correctly, you've just had quite a Mudcat adventure yourself. I'm looking forward to having a Mudcat adventure that includes music. That's got to be heaven. (Great poem.)

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Nov 00 - 11:38 PM

What was Sinsull's music adventure, he who is short a more than a few threads, asks?

Can you make that honorary bullshitter, Carol? I've never seen the Waffle Houses. They probably didn't exist when I visited Winchester. I just looked it up on infospace.com to see where it was and discovered that there were two. then I looked at where they were located using the zip code in mapblast.

Last week I was in the mood to write more about dining in Winchester but I got the feeling that people were telling me to shut up, like I was interrupting a prayer meeting or something. I didn't go to your meeting so I couldn't say much about it. Well I could but you'd probably catch me up on it prety quickly. So, what'd ya talk about?

Alan did take pictures of me with a bunch of mudcatters at Tony Burn's in Toronto. Tony was a gracious host. I haven't seen Alan's pictures but, to use another mudcatter's line, I look better than the pictures. I think it has something to do with the light. How good I look is in inverse proportion to the amount of light. When it's pitch black, I look my best. I may not act my best but that's another story.

So, where are those Waffle House snapshots?

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: GUEST,flattop
Date: 23 Nov 00 - 11:42 PM

Hey, that's me. I don't know where my cookie went. Oh yes I do. I was testing soem javascript code and deleted all my cookies.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: GUEST,flattop
Date: 23 Nov 00 - 11:57 PM

Carol and Allan picking Winchester as a meeting point worked for me, I don't know about the rest of you guys. It's the only American city that I spent any significant amount of time in in the last 30 years. On Sunday morning I discovered that the Winchester Star on line had a link to a weather cam that updated every 60 seconds. It seemed to be pointed at a gas station and the only thing that changed was the cars coming in for gas. I just checked the Star page and I can't find the link. Perhaps it's not a 24 hour station and they turn off the camera when they turn off the pumps. I'll check again some time in case you want the link.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: GUEST,flattop
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 12:01 AM

Front page story from today's Winchester Star.

Burning Leaves

A firefighter with John H. Enders Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company in Berryville uses a rake Wednesday morning to help extinguish a pile of smoldering leaves and boxwoods in the 100 block of Enders Boulevard. Lt. David Sours said the fast-moving blaze was sparked by a backfiring lawnmower. Firefighters were called to the scene at 11:26 a.m. and extinguished the flames in about 10 minutes.

(Photo by Scott Mason)

http://www.winchesterstar.com/ (There's even a picture)

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: Banjer
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 05:32 AM

WOW...Talk about living life on the edge!! Lots of excitement there in Winchester!! AND...TWO Waffle Houses..that;s a sure sign of a big time bustling metropolis if there ever was one...

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: GUEST,Carol (at her family home in Wheaton)
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 06:18 AM

flattop and Banjer,

I don't have a lot of joke in me right now, but I sure am enjoying the hell out of all of yours. Thanks.

I wish all of you wonderful Mudcatters could come to Winchester (or Shepherdstown). The place isn't important...it's the people that matter.

Carol

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: catspaw49
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 07:18 AM

You need to be careful what you ask for! Karen loves Waffle House and we've been known to eat at them exclusively on the road for breakfast AND lunch. This is what I get for marrying a Georgia girl. And Allan and I have been trying to get together forever. But let me tell you that the idea of inviting General Banj up from Florida is a bit frightening. Have you seen a picture of him? Imagine that face eating grits.............bbbrrrrrooooohhhh.........Just makes me shudder to think of it.

Spaw

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: catspaw49
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 07:49 AM

BTW, RE: Wheaton----Bill D. lives there and Paw and the Reg boys passed through there on the way to Montana......well, let's face it they ain't none too swift.....having made a wrong turn in Zanesville, Ohio. As I recall, Bill through them off his front lawn...............Hmmmm............I wrote about that adventure back on March 27 of '99 in message at 12:14AM I think......Check it out for some light reading.....maybe even a laugh.

Spaw

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: flattop
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 10:34 AM

Shepherdstown! I though that you lived in Virginia Carol. I'm going to join Paw's travel club to get my bearings. Another thing I almost wrote about on the weekend was the feeling that, no matter what direction we drove away from Winchester, we usually ended up in West Virginia. West Virginia seemed like a magnet to my lead heart.

Your clue was Shepherdstown, Carol. You local yokels probably don't have a problem but I'd forgotten why I often felt lost around Winchester. West Virginia juts into Virginia or vice versa or they are doing something mutual to each other. Like on that northern drive through Leesburg. First you are in Virginia, then you're out of Virginia, then you are in Virginia again. It's a trip when you don't know your way around Virginia.

In my mind I was picturing Martinsburg as part of Virginia. (Help me Paw and Reg.) The first time I was down I went to a brand name hotel off Interstate 81 in Martinsburg many times. You're pretty close to that Carol? The hotel had a great dining room and the accounting manager who was down from Canada with me developed a quick crush on a girl who worked the front desk. That girl may have been responsible for us not reviewing all the fine eating establishments in Winchester during the four weeks that we were down for training on that first trip.

One night I asked the waitress at the hotel about the delicious hot vinegar salad dressing. She told me that it was the chef's own recipe and brought a copy back from the kitchen. Lovely woman. The recipe was for hotel quantities. It started with a gallon or vinegar and included a couple of packages of fried up bacon. I never did try the making recipe myself. I long since lost it.

Another night at the hotel stands out in my mind. It may have been the night that the girl on the desk introduced a broad-shouldered security guard to my accounting companion as her boyfriend. I'm not sure he was her boyfriend but security guards make good cover. They also discourage accounting types in expensive suits from hanging around hotel lobbies. The night I'm remembering must have been a Friday or Saturday night because the hotel had a top quality country band playing in the dining room. In one corner a group having a party but there wasn't much of a crowd in the room. The meals were a little pricey for country music but we were traveling on expense accounts.

We ate and went to the washroom. A discerningly dressed cowboy joined us at the urinal so I asked him about clubs in the area. Without missing a beat he replied in a loud voice and a thick local accent, 'You guys are looking for pussy.' Then he went on and on about pussy and clubs in the area as we tried to slip unnoticed out of the washroom. No one else was in the washroom but we were both embarrassed and shaken by this cowboy's in your face pussy discussion. We drove by and checked out the club that he recommended most highly but we didn't have the courage to go in.

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: CarolC
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 11:18 AM

Thanks guys. Spaw and flattop, your humor always lifts my spirits.

Carol

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: GUEST,Mary D
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 03:59 PM

Hey Carol, I'm looking forward to the year that you and I are up against each other at the Grammy awards (folk songwriting category). I'll be delighted no matter which one of us wins!

Subject: RE: CarolC writes a song
From: flattop
Date: 26 Nov 00 - 12:08 AM

Why are you limiting your songwriting to one category, Mary?