Jukebox

Amazingly spontaneous visit to Texas Roadhouse tonight, but it was all based on the fact that - let's face it - sometimes you don't want to make dinner.  We were working late on the LEGO series, and just thought a trip out to eat might be nice.  So we went over to Texas Roadhouse, and as you can see, Madison went to the jukebox.  It's funny that she pretty much has no idea what any of the songs are, or who any of the singers even are.  Since we sat at Willie's Corner last time, we picked a Willie Nelson song, and then Daddy helped her pick a few others.  Basically, Daddy's knowledge of country music is based on the 1990's when he went through a spell of listening to it.  He has even seen Reba McEntire and Garth Brooks in concert during that time.

The idea of a jukebox is a novelty of course.  Back during the 90's, you could still see them with more frequency, usually at a Waffle House.  The one at North Georgia College's arcade was used a lot:  Daddy would always put in Elvis' "American Trilogy," and his friend Danny would put in Johnny Cash's "Walk the Line."  Another favorite on the jukebox there was Tom Petty's "Into the Great Wide Open."  Sure, you could just go to the car and listen to it on CD.  But there was something about putting a song in a jukebox that added even more value to a song.  Yes, I paid for that song, and everyone here is going to listen to it, by gum!

Anyway, today we were working hard on Master Builders prep.  You could say we were assembling a new series today for sure.  That included a late trip to Walmart to look for primary colored t-shirts.  We were over at Goodwill too, hoping to find some primary colored neck ties.  Of course, Madison and Mommy were lured in to looking for different clothing items.  Madison is already developing her own little fashion sense.  Meanwhile, Daddy found a slew of old paperback Star Trek books that brought back all kinds of memories.

Daddy used to read these with his mom.  Nana would read one and pass it to Daddy, or visa versa.  For some reason, we were really hooked on reading these old Star Trek books.  I remember reading a few on the way out on long distance road trips.  These were pretty much the first books I was ever really into reading, as hokey as you might think they are.  From here, Daddy would go on to read other things, and actually start enjoying reading.  So Nana's birthday is coming up.  And some of these might make for a nice part of a birthday gift.

We got over to Dairy Queen just before it closed.  We were out late indeed.  But we got our blizzards, and in Madison's case, a Dilly Bart.  A word about the chocolate-covered cherry blizzard:  nobody makes it right anymore.  There was a consistent way of making it in the late 80's and early 90's.  Even last decade, I could have one served up proper.  There was a manager at the Gainesville location who told me he knew exactly how I wanted it, and boy did he deliver.  But nowadays, it's a lost art.  I miss it.  I tried one tonight, but once again, it wasn't made right.  It wasn't bad, but it wasn't the same.

Anyway, we got home late.  But that wasn't going to stop us from continuing our adventure with "The Hidden Staircase."  It turns out that Madison is really liking this book.  She's liking it so much that she wants to read some more.  Of course, there's like a squillion Nancy Drew books out there.  I'll have to ask our Nancy Drew expert at the church, and see what one to try next!