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Say, John.... I'm sure I'm not the only List-member who'd just LOVE to vacation in Parkinsaw. Why we'd feel right at home there! (even if most of us don't have a pig for a pet) Are there any local Parkinsaw hotels, RV parks, or B & Bs you could recommend? Also, you seem to spend a lotta time telling us about the fantastic nite spots in Parkinsaw, but seem to have neglected to mention any of the finer restaurants. Mind you, I don't expect to find Cordon Bleu <sp> couisine being served in the backwoods of MI,, because after all.... even tho there's a Wolfgang Puck's "Spago" eatery on nearly every corner here in L.A., I don't dine there EVERY nite. <grin> Hmmmm... (thinking) "Spago?" Gee.... suddenly I'm ravenous! Must be time for an ice cream snack (does a PINT of ice cream qualify as a "snack?") <giggle> Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: john bjork <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Date: Sunday, March 07, 1999 10:51 AM Subject: Parkinsaw, MI, A View from the Lighter Side, March 7, 99 (Report #5) >Dateline Parkinsaw, MI >March 7, 1999 >A view from the Lighter Side > >Greetings from Parkinsaw, MI again, the certified community for >Parkinsonians. It's been an interesting week up here in the U.P. you >betcha. There was talk going around town about the healing properties >of copper bracelets. Apparently, Betty Swanson saw this ad on >television about a copper bracelet that has curative properties. Well, >no one paid much attention to the medical claims except her husband, old >Harvey Swanson (82/22). He figured since he lived so close to the >Copper Country up in the Keneewa Peninsula, that he would call his >cousin Ozzi who lived up there, and have him send down some copper ore >samples from the White Pine mine. Well, Ozzi came through in spades, >rather, in copper, and now Harvey is walking around town with 75 pounds >of copper ore in a knapsack on his back. He says he hopes to cut his >Sinemet in half by the time the ice leaves the bay----which is around >the 4th of July. We promised Harvey that we would keep the National >Parkinson Foundation informed of his experiment with the copper ore >samples. (Meanwhile, Harvey has scheduled an appointment with his >orthopedic specialist due to recent occurrence of back spasms.) > >You know, sometimes you just have to take your hat off to those stalwart >souls who seem to overcome all odds and manage to live their lives the >way they want, in spite of their handicap. For example, take Carl >Soderman, 67, whom although suffering from Parkinson's Disease for most >of his adult life, decided 10 years ago that he was going to learn to >play the flamenco guitar. Now, Carl had no music background, nor had he >played any other instruments. He had seen a flamenco group on PBS and >he was hooked by the passion of the music. So, at the age of 57, he >bought a used classical guitar down at Moose's PawnShop, and sent away >for flamenco guitar lessons on videocassette. What makes this story >all the more remarkable is that Carl's Parkinson's problem was mostly >tremor and stiffness in his right arm and fingers, with the accompanying >loss of dexterity, and some rigidity complications late at night. To >play a flamenco guitar, well, Holy Wah, everyone thought it just >wouldn't work out. But, we were wrong. Although it took Carl ten years >of exhausting finger exercises, and endless practice sessions, he >learned to play very well indeed. And, this last Thursday, he had his >first gig down at Skinny's Bar. We were there and this is what >happened: > >Roll the video camera. First off, Carl opened the show with several >beautiful pieces, including some soleares and bulerias, which he >described as the true soul of flamenco, and continued to amaze us with >his repetoir. Then, following the intermission, Carl stunned the crowd >by bringing out on stage his pet porker Porcine, who he called "the >world's only flamenco dancing pig", complete with costume and all. (How >he trained that pig without anyone getting wind of it is a mystery) He >explained that he had tried to find a dancer in Parkinsaw, but had no >luck, other than some interest from old Harriet Jacobs who could hardly >walk. Carl had rigged this crazy contraption consisting of two crutches >with rubber tips, connected together with two by fours, and painted >bright red, for the pig to lean against while she was dancing to the >flamenco rhythms. He had also fastened castanets to each crutch for >Porcine to rattle with her snout, but that part didn't work out so >well. Well, everyone was rolling in the aisles with laughter as the pig >twirled around and around pretty much in time with Carl's guitar, when >old Rasmussen, back off the wagon since his disastrous snowmobile fiasco >shocked him into short-lived sobriety, managed to climb up onto the >stage and asked the pig to dance. Of course, the pig said no, which >didn't do old Rasmussen's self image any favors I can tell you that. >Well, they finally got Rasmussen back to his table, a castanet in hand, >and things finally quieted down. Carl's drugs began to wear off, and he >had to put his instrument away, get his pig in the pick-up and make it >home before stiffening up made it too difficult to drive. But, all in >all, it was quite a night in Parkinsaw down at Skinny's Bar. > >By the way, in a related new item, Chubby L'Barre, President of >Sty-King, the new group formed to promote a more positive image of the >pig, has invited Carl and Porcine to perform at the group's next monthly >meeting, time and place to be announced. > >Over at the Basil Ganglia Friday night, Parkinsaw's very own oldies >band, The Dopaminos, played to a full crowd. They performed several >songs reworked from the originals which are quite entertaining: 'Just >Shuffle on By, Wait on the Corner', 'This is Medicated for the One I >Love', 'This Could Be the Start of Something Pig', and 'I've Got PD, >Babe', are some of the group's most requested tunes. They also do a new >version of an old song by Da Yoopers, a nationally recognized band from >the Upper Peninsula, called 'It's the First Day of Deer Camp and All the >Parkies are here'. > >Well friends, the sun is sinking low over the horizon now here in >Parkinsaw, MI, and the men are coming in from their fish shanties, so we >better pack it in for this week. Stay cool, let your smile be your >umbrella, and don't you dare give in to PD and forfeit God's gift of >your laugh and sense of humor. > >John Bjork >60/20 >