Wow! I am beginning to see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel! I have been typing(one finger) for three months now and what was once a little humor has become an obsession! Who knew how incredible these chronicles would become!! (back to humor!) ((Thank God))! This has been so much fun and I have made so many lasting friendships(not!) through this endeavor. It will be a sad day when I type the last character and it is FINI. Oh well I will just erase it and tell the truth. But for now, sit right back and I'll tell a tale, a tale of a fateful trip....oops SORRY! GILLIGAN"S ISLAND! ONWARD!!

Well we had been doing the bulk of our travels in the summer and spring. Why not head out to warmer climes during the frigid Utica winters! Why not indeed! The winter of '97 got us going westward from the February blahs. We visited Lenny and savored that Southern California sunshine! Thanks to Don and Wert who sacrificed while we were jetting around but hey!!! it was without a regret a wonderful time away! I saw a coupla Ranger games and Dickie realized the enchantment of Vegas with Lenny and Deb and we were ready to come hometo the jewel of the Mohawk Valley! I was thinking about semi- permanent residency out west.

The Rangers had a horrid hockey year with Mess and Gretzky and come that summer, the Man who brought it all home in '94 was gone! A sad day in Rangerland and the repercussions would be felt for years to come.

June '97-quick, head to Chicago! Pete T. is playing a single show at the House of Blues! My good old friend cousin Rick just so happens to live in Chicago and he got a coupla tickets and on June 14 once again the faithful were lined up for that mad dash for the front. That must be what it is all about. This isn't the line for this night but it isn't much different to any other Townshend show. Buncha old Rottweilers! But the neat thing to me was Pete had EdVed sing a coupla tunes with him! Great collaboration! If ya wanna know the tunes, let me know! Better yet, the first person to name the 3 songs will get an autographed picture of yours truly and a comic book!!!E-mail me! Don't worry! Nobody loses! Back to the show. Pete is getting in the habit of saying some STUPID things on stage. And he looks at his watch a lot and for some reason the guy can't find equipment that works. And he spends way too much time looking at his stupid notebook! I wasn't hacking it! CANCHA JUST PLAY!!!! And do ya wanna be here or no. Despite your crap ramblings and insults. ANYWAY..... well I am getting a little perturbed cause this stuff is a part of every show now and we are spending a lotta money and it detracts from the atmoshere. I must be getting old. Hmmm, developing patterns that will come back and haunt me the next two years.

Hey Lynne! There was this raven-haired girl with purple streaks who crossed my path a few times. Such a 60's vision; I had to meet her! Still friends into the new millenia. No picture. Oh well...

U2 release POP and tour! BIG DEAL! (yawn)

Football '97! I fly up to Seattle to hang out with Alison a coupla days and go to Oakland to meet Lenny on Monday cause Opening Day is MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL against the hated CHIEFS no less! What a game! The Raiders lose with 3 seconds to go and begin a disastrous season full of embarassment to the team the fans and the history! Thanks Jeff George.

And our final trip of the year was our annual October visit to Lenny's. I think Deb was finally getting used to our unique behavior and all though we spread turmoil and glee, she was starting to come around to our happy go lucky attitude! (I think) We started off in Seattle and Dickie headed to Loughlin with Lenny and won a thousand dollars and I went to Vancouver with Alison to see Mark Messier's first game against the Rangers. I really liked that girl! Back to LA to investigate the cemeteries of the stars and to see what California had for us this year. The highlight of this trip was a journey to the Grand Canyon. A breathtaking sight, one we all should see if the opportunity arises. Check it out!

Well the travels of '97 were over and click here to turn the page!