Next was a rendezvous in SF to hang out with the lead singer of The New Cars. Randy, Honorable Son #2, joins us for a few days. Geez, he's even TALLER than REX! He'll be transferring back to Sacramento City College so maybe we can catch some games next spring. The 3 of us pile into Randy's car and he chauffeurs us to Dad's concert. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised! The New Cars kicked ASS!

I got to meet the band members of Blondie and tell my Blondie story. When I lived in NYC, I would get asked for my autograph. Not as ME but as HER! At first I tried to tell people that I wasn't Deborah Harry but NO ONE believed me and they were ALWAYS pissed that I wouldn't sign, SO, I just started signing autographs in her stead. The people were happy, she didn't get a bad reputation with her fans, and I didn't get yelled at. There are probably 200 fake autographs out there. I must say that I was a big Blondie fan but was a bit disappointed in her show. The keys had been lowered, not much energy was exuding, and my pop/punk icon wasn't wearing what I thought an icon should wear. Was it a lime green jogging suit from Walmart? Had she lost her Fiorucci sense of style? Ok, Ok, I will admit I can have a huge ego and I was thinking secret thoughts (that I will NEVER tell anyone) that Blondie could use a new lead singer with the same last name as the New Cars lead singer! HA! C'MON!.... Don't tell me YOU never have egotistical thoughts!!!!!!!

Latter that day my buddy, Jeff The Chef, calls KKCR to ask if I'd heard that Vince Welnick had taken his own life. WHAT! NO! NO! NO! After our successful and memorable reunion gig, last April, we'd all been talking about a big reunion TOUR and no one was more excited than Vinnie! I called my favorite lead singer in tears. He sounded shocked but soon had me smiling, remembering funny Vince moments. I felt comforted and strong enough to call my bandmates. No one could believe it and we'd all be sad and numb for awhile.

The next week ReBop and I are packed and off to cruise Alaska with my family. I chose Holland America because it only has 1200 passengers, my dad can travel throughout 99% of the ship on his Scooter, and they don't dump the ship's poo into the ocean. I had a great time but I don't think I'm a cruise kind of girl. I think I like trains and spending a little longer in each place. Besides, ReBop & I got seasick one day. Well, the whole ship did get sea sick, even the crew. We just lay down for 12 hours until the swell stopped.

As the weeks passed we Tubes felt the need to connect. Since the band has been together since the '70s, gathering members along it's journey, we are a very large family. I guess I assumed the role I always have, Mom, and put together a Vince Tribute. This wasn't to be a memorial service, no, it MUST be a celebration. On July 9th we gathered at Café Du Nord, a few blocks from my SF loft. As we loaded in, most band members were solemn. TUBES Fan Club President, Marilyn Woods, had authored a special Vince edition of Tubesland News filled with pictures and interviews with Vince. Very Special!

The first thing we all did was watch a 30 minute video that Michael Cotton and Brad Steuernagel created. That video set the tone for the whole evening. We were all laughing, hooting, crying, thank you Michael & Brad for putting us all in a space of joy and celebration.

Bob Weir had just come off the road that night. He couldn't attend but sent his wife, Natasha, to read a poem he'd written, about Vince. By the time she arrived, the live music was in full swing and there wasn't an opportunity to read it aloud. I hope that it's cool with everyone to put it in this forum. I will also send it to Vince's family.

It must have been a long night. Until the end, Vince was still able to sing into that night. What now will his song be? Does light come back now? Is there a way to know this? We all loved Vince. Do our prayers matter? Can he now feel the love we felt that we were unable to deliver? Once again, is there any way to know this? Does the light return, and can he now see? I guess what we ask is ­ Does this help US see? 7/9/06 Weir

Seeing the smiles on each of our faces, as well as Vince's brothers, Steve & Joe, told me that Vince would have approved of his send off. We will ALWAYS miss him. We are fortunate to have his music in our hearts and minds.

Time to go home and take care of puppies and men-folk. I can't believe we started to build our dream house and the CARS tour gets cancelled! Still no word on a resurrection. Oh, I hope so. It is SO cool and I want Rex & ReBop to see it.

ReBop and dad didn't want me to feel like they didn't need me so they left a weeks worth of dishes in the sink and it looked like Hurricane Carlotta had come after all. I love scrubbing dishes and floors when it's 84° with 90% humidity. I also jumped into the middle of a Kauai Nurse's strike. My brother Jonathan is a nurse here, so I am supporting them by picketing, writing letters, speaking at a County Council meeting, and MC'ing a benefit. Hey, someday, I'm gonna need these guys and gals!.....AND,.. I'll do ANYTHING to get out of folding laundry.

This next section of course is an exercise in fiction writing. None of this crap happens in REAL life... RIGHT?

After hearing my 3 guy friends talk about their lost loves I rush home to reward mine for hanging in there. I tried to make an exotic dinner but burned the beans and the sauce so the exotic dinner ended up being chicken nachos. Ah, but I was bound and determined to reward his faithfulness to the family with AMORÉ! I told him not to get too into the Monk marathon, that I was cooking up my own marathon, "Better TIVO that neurotic detective cause I'm gonna make you feel like a criminal in less than an hour." I'd had 2 Coronas so Mickey Spillane lines were popping out of my mouth.

I knew I had to change the sheets (they smelled like dachshund) and my bath is filling. I light incense and candles but burn my fake fingernail and have to file the black part off. The tub has over flown and I have to use all of the towels to soak up the flood. Now I put them into the wash because they will mold overnight in the humid Hawaii climate. I also realize that the tub drain is leaking onto the downstairs hall ceiling and I put in a late night call to the plumber (It takes WEEKS to get a plumber in Hawaii).

I run downstairs naked to the linen closet to get the "SPECIAL SHEETS" and am seen by my son who tells me to he is going to a friend's house to spend the night but that I should "GEEZ, MOM, No offence, but put on a robe!" As I put on the soft "SPECIAL SHEETS" a bunch of lumps appear under them. I pull out 2 socks, a pair of shorts and an old jock strap. This is REALLY getting me in the mood. I try to match my Victoria Secret Lingerie to my sheets but I look like an over ripe lemon . I settle for the expensive turquoise unmentionables and send a jungle love call downstairs.

Ah, I hear him in the shower, sniff, sniff, what in the hell is that smell? PUTRID! I know I just tooted but it was a little one and OOOOO that smell! I grab a scented candle and quickly wave it over the spot I was sitting. He could appear any minute and a putrid toot smell would ruin the moment. OH, SHIT, I spilled hot wax all over the "SPECIAL SHEETS" SHIT!!!!! It's hopeless, I cannot remove the wax in time and now it's also under my nails. That smell still lingers! IT is PUTRID! That little toot can't POSSIBLY have garnered such power. I look under the bed only to be gassed by the same, but much more stringent, aroma of "Dachshund having rolled in cat shit".

PIXEL is wrestled from the room and I have to take a shower all over again. The third set of the lingerie is black and pink and I rush in and sit in a sexy position at the foot of the bed. I look down and see that my cesarean scar flaps OVER the pink G string so you can't see it, only my gut hanging over. Well, at least my boobs look good and maybe I'll get lucky and he won't be wearing his glasses. Then I lie to him and TELL him how great I look.

I DO wish I had turned the answering machine down. As I try to coo over a freshly shaved face, I hear refrains of, "Um, Hi, Um, can you wire $200 into my account tomorrow? I have to pay my locker room fees". Yes, your adult child's voice always adds to those sensuous moments.

Well, the details of Amore stop here but I SWEAR I can hear the downstairs toilet running as the dogs escape running and barking onto the golf course to chase phantoms. Ah, romance on a tropical island, nothing like it in the world!