Sneezing Cow » News

Kidney Stone Story

MikePerry — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:24:40 +0000

Because a couple of folks have asked, the kidney stone story I often perform live is included in this book:

"Off Main Street" Paperback Cover

Also included: stories about truckers, truckin’, truckin’ music, Elvis, Steve Earle, manure, baldness, small-town funerals, tricky book tour moments, veterans, Aaron Tippin, giant musky statues, hot summer days, and existentialist cowboys.

P.S. The title my editor came up with for the kidney stone story was, “Rock Slide!” I still get a little pale when I think about it.

Such Delight on My Daughter’s Face

MikePerry — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:04:40 +0000

When I handed her a signed copy of Ingrid Law’s Scumble the other morning. Ingrid and I met a year or so ago at an event where she kindly signed a copy of her very popular Savvy for the same daughter. I admit it’s good to be in a line of work where one can bring home the occasional personalized gift of this nature for one’s tots (the younger daughter received a children’s story and coloring book, both gifts received during a recent road session).

Still, it would be difficult to top my friend Al. He once interviewed Mel Blanc and was able to bring home a tape on which Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky the Pig and a passel of other members of the cartoon pantheon spoke to Al’s children by name.

Seriously, that’s Dad of the Year stuff.

Wisconsin’s Own

MikePerry — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:32:31 +0000

Born in Spencer, raised in Stevens Point, and died in Danbury. Wrote one of my all-time favorites. Got to see our friends Sawyer Brown do this one live a few weeks back. But here’s Dave himself, in 1971, smooth and hip as a big ol’ Central Wisconsin boy could hope to be:

Gone Fishin’

MikePerry — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:02:56 +0000

Caught some undersized sunfish this morning. Smiles on young fisherperson’s faces, however, were oversized.

Been too busy lately and my wife convinced me to chuck it all for half a day. She was right.

The Tomato Recipe

MikePerry — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:29:11 +0000

Every year around this time I get requests for the tomato recipe in Truck: A Love Story. So here’s a link to the post from last year. A bunch of tomatoes went in the can here yesterday!

Chickens by Moonlight

MikePerry — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:58:14 +0000

Two nights ago the moon was so full I was able to tuck the chickens into bed without wearing a headlamp. One of my favorite treats, moving about in the otherworld light of an invisible sun.

This morning, feeling mortal, so listening to Sigur Ros. Specifically, this.

Road Leads to Music

MikePerry — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:14:57 +0000

A lot of solo road time lately. Got a special deal on satellite radio so have that for a while. I punch around a lot. Satellite radio is almost as bewildering as the Worldwide Web, what with the rabbit holes available. I like Bloomberg Business News just because I find it interesting to view current events through the filter of finance, never mind that I don’t understand half of what they’re talking about. I listen to it as a form of word jazz. I listen to some foam-at-the-mouth sports talk if they’re discussing NFL football, but after 15 minutes I’m all full. Then maybe some NPR. But music mostly. I cycle through channels 7 (’70s), 8 (80′s), 21 (Alt Nation), 22 (1st Wave), 23 (Hair Nation), 29 (The Loft), 30 (The Coffeehouse), 62 (The Roadhouse), 63 (Outlaw Country), 64 (Willie’s Place) and 147 (Road Dog Trucking).

Today I heard Echo and the Bunnymen, Gary Numan, Mel Tillis, and Cinderella all on the same trip.

But the tune that really got me was “Little Lion Man” by Mumford and Sons. Apparently I am the last person on the globe who hadn’t heard it, as it’s pretty much an international monster hit. It is catchy and all, but I am taken above all by the grim edge of the song, which captures mercilessly the sick in your guts when you must face the fact that you have gravely failed another. The language in one particular line is not for children or the churchly, but I can tell you I own moments in my past for which that profane phrase was the only adequate take.

You can watch and listen here, but again, out of respect to those of you who’d rather not hear coarse language, be advised it’s there.

The Kids Are Listening

MikePerry — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 07:22:04 +0000

I check in by telephone from a hotel room last night and my wife tells me she was cleaning an upstairs room with our ten-year-old daughter while the three-year-old played off to the side and maintained her own running dialogue between make-believe characters. When one of the characters announced she was about to do something (not sure what), the three-year-old said, “Well, have at’er!”

I picked the phrase up from my Dad. Have now – apparently – passed it on.

Corn, Corn, Corn

MikePerry — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:32:14 +0000

Canned corn yesterday. Neighbor Jeremy and I shucked, my wife and our friend Karen boiled, cut, and canned, and our eldest daughter helped wherever needed. Jeremy’s oldest son pitched in, too. The two younger tots helped by keeping themselves occupied in the yard, in the wading pool, and by keeping their battles to a minimum. It was a good day, everyone busy around the place, the sun out, the grass green. A rooster crow now and then. Good to have friends and neighbors as we do.

Let the chickens out this morning to a pile of trimmed cobs, they went nuts. Kernel flecks flying every which way.

More Photos From Phoenix Park

MikePerry — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:13:58 +0000

Thanks to John Connell, who has put up a Flickr album of the recent Cadence/Meridene/Long Beds show down to Phoenix Park. It was warm, and I was wearing my New Auburn Area Fire Department sleeveless T. We had fun, because as the photo below (taken while Meridene was playing) demonstrates, this thing is like a giant family picnic.