The day the music died

This past week, I had three different people recommend Lubbock as a shopping haven. We usually go to Abilene, but I decided to ignore the ruts and go the other direction.

On the way there I heard on the radio that the plane crash Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper died in had occurred that day in 1959. I found out later that it was actually Feb. 3, but I'm setting a scene here. Anyway, it only seemed appropriate that I visit the Buddy Holly Center since I was on the way to his home town.

I was surprised to learn that his career only lasted 18 months and yet he made immense social impact, not just locally or nationally, but as an international figure. He was just a boy from Texas.

The museum is unassuming from the outside, but the interior is streamlined and clean (so important to me). The man running the place was very nice and friendly (also very important to me). There were guitars, guitars and guitars! There is a lot of information to read, written in a time-line on the wall and partitions as you walk through the museum, and includes ALL of music history, mentioning such influential musicians as Leadbelly and Jimmy Rogers. If you get the opportunity, stop by and visit the center on Crickets Avenue. I got a t-shirt!

While researching this subject, I came across a story that describes how Richardson's (The Big Bopper) son had him dug up and autopsied, then gave the casket to the Texas Musicians Museum. I think a big "No, thanks" would have been in order. What a weirdo, and how distasteful. I keep grimacing even as I'm writing this.

I also read that Waylon Jennings was originally supposed to ride the plane, but was talked out of his seat. I bet he felt like someone walked across his grave when he heard about the crash. Or maybe that's what buoyed his career. I'm sure that many more journalists before me have pondered the variables and what the future of music would have been should the passengers of that flight been switched around.

We also visited the Science Spectrum and the South Plains Mall while in Lubbock. We took a drive down University and saw the Texas Tech stadium (Jones AT&T) renovation in progress. I thought they were building a new one, there's so much construction going on.

I would like to go back another day and just spend the whole time walking in and out of shops around the campus. I spotted Freebirds burrito shop, which has been featured in Texas Monthly and is also where the son of one of my friends works.

We were really pooped by the time we got through. We left home at 8 a.m., got to Lubbock around 10 a.m., right when the Buddy Holly Center opened, and arrived back home around 5 p.m. We were nearly passed out by the time we got to Post, but rallied with a trip to the Dollar General to buy diaper wipes (requested by my son for my grand-daughter) and Cokes.

It's so funny when people ask me where I'm from, like the man at the BH Center. When I say Hobbs, they automatically think New Mexico, but then when I say Texas, they have no clue. Then I have to start naming towns closest to farthest: Rotan, Roby, Snyder, Sweetwater, etc. Sometimes I say Lubbock, but that's not helpful when you're actually there. I could say "Center of the Universe", but that might not be a useful descriptive.

Let's talk Superbowl! I've heard that people want the Saints to win, but bets on the Colts are giving the indication that the gut feeling is Peyton & team will dominate. Predictions of a 28-34, 24-34 Colts scores are popular, with the Saints coming on strong, but the Colts succeeding in the end. Mr. Husband wants the Saints to win, reasoning that if they do, this will leave the Vikings (our favorites) as true second place, since the Saints are who beat them out of the Superbowl spot. If the Colts win, then the Vikings are just one of the many who lost. He thinks the Colts will win, too, though. Oh, well, we'll just watch and let the potato chips fall where they may.

More winter for us this week. I'm going to try not to think about it, but it's kind of hard to ignore when Frosty's cold fingers tickle up the bottom of your coat and under the three shirts you're wearing.

Despite the cold weather, I noticed some crocuses or something coming up in the kids yard. The rose bushes in their and our yards have not died back, either. I guess it's because they're on the southeast corner of the house.

I was looking for a brochure online used for identifying weeds, and I thought it was distributed by Monsanto, but maybe it was another company, or you can only get it if you're at the retailer's. Did you know that Monsanto is suing Dupont? Sometimes I find so much information while surfing that I can hardly get through an article, I'm sidetracked so many times. Anyway, I was looking for the brochure online (which I didn't find) and came across, once again, the USDA Plant Database. I did a search for the common name of all plants in Fisher County. You can configure it any way you want, and there are identifying photographs of each plant. It's so useful and easy to use.

Soon I hope to post a photo that Penny Arnold sent me of a group (could be the whole student body!) of kids on the playground at the Hobbs school. I can pick out a few, but maybe some of you out there in reader land can identify others and give the exact year. It must be sometime in the 1970's, one kid has on a pair of very groovy pants.

I wish you all sanity, warmth and a week that goes well. If you already have warmth, then I wish you bathing suits and a beach to wear them on. I know that's where I really want to be.

Mardi Gras is in nine days, so Happy Fat Tuesday if I don't talk to you before then. Boy, New Orleans is getting more than their fair share of publicity, don't ya think? Oh, well, let's just eat some King Cake and celebrate Carnival!