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hermitinthecity 70M
253 posts
8/31/2016 6:27 am
Hillbilly weekend coming around again.


I like certain bluegrass tunes and also some Irish as well. Mainly happy dance type tunes to play. I'm not really into the 'Dead Darling' tunes. They only have one festival a year in our State. It's been running for about 4 or 5 years I think, still relatively new. Not many Hillbilly music lovers our way I guess but seems to be growing.

Last year I wanted to go to the festival, got my 4wd and caravan (trailer I think you guys in the States call it) and couldnt wait to hook it up to go.

One of the organisers had asked me if I'd take a lot of bedding down that she'd purchased to the festival for interstate and international visitors. All the local accommodation was booked so she let the visiting performers know if and asked if they would mind tenting it, they didnt mind at all (they are hillbillys ) so she organised tents for all of them but needed the bedding as it was cold at night. I said I would take it down for her.

2 days before I was due to go the water pump in the 4wd seized. I ordered a pump, it had to come from interstate, it came the day I was due to leave. Informing the organiser of the festival about it she just hoped I could fix it in time. I looked at the job and knew it would take too long.

I told my eldest and she asked her husband if I could borrow his vehicle. He said ok. I filled his ute full of fuel came back and hooked up the caravan, loaded all my stuff in his ute and the caravan, jumped in ....it wouldnt start. Fuel pump had decided to give up the ghost right then, it was about 11.00am. I was pretty disappointed, unloaded his ute and had the mobile mechanic come but he said he couldnt fix it. My -in-law is a mechanic, I rang and told him. He said he had a huge work load on and couldnt fix it till Saturday, it was Thursday.... I had it towed to his work after unloading it and the caravan with my things and felt pretty down. I looked up and said, "Ok if You dont want me to go I wont."

With many calls and apologies in the meantime to the organiser of the festival trying to figure out how to get the stuff down, she said she'd try and get someone else to do it. She was already at the festival setting up.

About 4.00pm in the afternoon I got a call from my -in-law telling me that his car was fixed and I could pick it up. I was stunned! I asked how did he fix it so fast? He said that one of his workmates (Garry) who was on holidays had dropped in to see him and heard the story. He shot off and got the part (last one in our city) and drained the fuel tank, fixed it and put it back in for him. I got a lift to his work with a friend as he'd already had my town car and drove home.

I hooked up the caravan and went to the organiser's home, picked up the bedding and got there at 11.00pm at night but well in time as most were coming Friday. I'd almost given up but got there albeit exhausted. I was grateful the festival is only a couple of hours drive from me.

Well, I had the best weekend of the whole year. Had a ball. Praise God! It was wonderful, I'd met people I had not seen for years, played my little heart out till the wee hours. My fingers were pretty sore by the end of it all, but nothing could wipe the grin off my face. I was elated. That was last year.

I've now packed almost everything except the cold food, almost ready to go to this years festival tomorrow morning. Hope it's as good as last year. After losing my mother I really need a pick-me-up. Hope this is it.

May as well add this bit rather than do a second blog later. I'll just keep going while inspired, might not be later.

To go back a few years. Garry the workmate of my -in-law is a black powder shooter but I prefer the modern stuff. Once he found out I liked shooting through my -in-law he got excited, wanted to meet me and he could talk guns all day! He invited me to his black powder club open day with BBQ and gave me the use one of his old 50 cal guns to use. I enjoyed the learning. We had a social competition and I met a lot of great people.

He invited me another time about 6 months later and I met up with them again. Lots of fun, but it's not something I'd take up every weekend. It's novelty stuff. Too labourious loading. I like just filling up a magazine and plinking away.

That's it for now. Back in a week or so.

God bless.

Judgment Day will be interesting - and all paths lead there.


hermitinthecity 70M
1691 posts
9/5/2016 3:10 am

    Quoting  :

Hi Poet, to answer your questions;

A ute is an Aussie term for a small 'pick up' truck. Cab that sits 2 or 3 in the front and an open back to haul stuff around. Trades people and farmers love them.

Dead Darling songs are the ones that sing about murdering their lover/wife/husband etc. "Banks of the Ohio" is in that style but not really a bluegrass tune. Bluegrass music has a number of songs along those lines that dont appeal to me. I like happy music.

Fingers are still good, just a little tender.

Judgment Day will be interesting - and all paths lead there.


hermitinthecity 70M
1691 posts
9/5/2016 3:15 am

    Quoting  :

Thanks Ranger. Arriving at 11 pm on the Thursday I found mainly the set up team and organisers there plus a few early birds. The next nights they played till past 3.00am. Then the early risers get their revenge and play from about 7.00am. lol

Maybe I'd get a black powder rifle if it came at a good price. I'd only use it twice a year though, too much fun to be had with my other 'toys'

Judgment Day will be interesting - and all paths lead there.


hermitinthecity 70M
1691 posts
9/5/2016 3:17 am

    Quoting  :

Hi ET. Just got back and saw the comments.

It was a good festival but not as good as last year, a number of friends I'd hoped would come from interstated didnt show. But it was still good mind you, well worth going.

Judgment Day will be interesting - and all paths lead there.